Posted by: Aimee Beck on: March 1, 2012
Happy (belated) Leap Day!
Why the 7 deadly sins reference this morning? Is there some deep, dark meaning behind today?s post? Umm, no, I just saw the movie SE7EN on TV the other day, and it did get me thinking about how the seven sins can relate to just about everything in our lives ? including our work.
Don?t believe me? Check it out:
Greed
Keywords, keywords, more keywords! I want more keywords in my copy, I want more rankings for more keywords, I want to be #1 for the single most competitive term I can think of ? and I want it all yesterday. Wanting generates the feeling of lack. And when you put out that feeling, that?s exactly what you get back. Lack. Instead of focusing on what you don?t have, what you wish you could have, what everyone else has, focus on your accomplishments and ask yourself better questions. Instead of asking, ?Why can?t I get to #1 in Google?? ask ?How can I get to #1 in Google?? Small changes in the questions you ask can have a major impact the answers.
Envy
Covet thy competitor! Frankly, I recommend envy as long as it?s in a healthy way. How else would you know how to write cleaner, tighter, and more efficiently if you don?t admire those around you? That?s not to say that you should spend all your time wishing you were someone else, or feeling badly about your own writing skills. But I do believe it?s important to look up to those you admire. A little competition and envy can encourage an SEO copywriter to work a little harder and push a little farther. And that?s what keeps us on our toes so we don?t fall victim to the next deadly sin?
Sloth
Are you getting lazy with your writing. It can happen to the best of us, but your readers deserve more than a half-assed attempt at content. ?When your inbox is overflowing, your boss is breathing down your neck for yesterday?s deadlines, and on top of it all, you?re late with your blog post. Believe me, I get it. You want to throw your hands up in the air and surrender. And when that?s not an option, you crank out a little something that loosely resembles SEO copy. It?s not good content, but it?s content. At the very least, if you have little to no time to write a long, meaningful piece, write a super short meaningful piece. Personally, I?d rather read 75 words that hit hard, than 500 words of regurgitated fluff.
Lust
A-hem ? it?s not that kind of blog post 
Wrath
Turn criticism and bad reviews into a solid marketing opportunity. When someone criticizes our hard work, our defenses kick into full gear. But beware the wrath. Instead, when you see a review that is less than stellar, or someone lashes their serpent?s tongue, first take a deep breath. Then calmly craft a response that does not argue, but rather rectifies the situation. An unsatisfied customer can be a wonderful opportunity to redeem yourself . No problem is too large that it can?t be fixed ? publicly. Show off your superior customer service skills!
Pride
Ahh, the deadliest of all. Admit it, you think you run your business better than anyone else has ever run a business in the history of mankind. OK, maybe it?s not that dramatic, but you still feel like the way you do things is the way things should be done ? or else why would you continue to do things that way? It?s so important to put your pride aside and accept the advice of those who have proven success in your industry. And above all else, never be too proud to ask for help when you need it, and to ask questions when you have them. That?s the only way to continue growing and moving your business forward.
Gluttony
For me, this one is easy to fall into when you try to please everyone all the time. Your target audience is what you should be focused on ? no more, no less. When copywriters don?t know who their target market is, the writing suffers. It ends up being vague and ambiguous at best. ?But I want to reach the most people and?appeal to everyone,? is something I hear a fair bit. ?Don?t do it! Know your audience and speak directly to them. Only then will you convert.
I can?t help but think there must be more than seven sins we could talk about here? what?s your biggest SEO copywriting sin?
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Source: http://openseovault.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/7-deadly-sins-of-seo-copywriting/
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