There are many reasons why I love the art and science of SEO copywriting.
But the most compelling reason is that it demands a perfect balance between right-brain creativity and left-brain logic.
It’s where imaginative storytelling meets the precision of SEO, in hopes of engaging readers and satisfying the watchful eyes of search engine algorithms.
It’s a tall order, but if you’re able to master the craft of copywriting and then apply the data-driven learnings of SEO, you’ll have a winning combination.
Not just in terms of rankings, but in human connection and trust with your audience.
Here’s how to do that.
Start here: What to know about SEO copywriting in 2025
You won’t be shocked to hear that SEO copywriting has changed drastically over the past few years.
The marketing world’s hottest topic – artificial intelligence – now dominates conversations around SEO, content creation, graphic design, and nearly every other facet of marketing.
The way we approach SEO research, writing, and reporting has changed.
We have more tools than ever to aid the SEO copywriting process. ChatGPT can conduct keyword research.
Tools like Grok can be used for AI content creation. The AI-powered features provided by tools like Surfer SEO and Semrush make SERP analysis easier and faster.
AI content and its limits
For its countless applications, AI also has limitations.
One study found that AI chatbots provided incorrect answers to over 60% of queries.
Google AI Overviews have been under fire for giving incorrect and often dangerous advice.
Many AI tools fail to capture the intangible human factors that play a role in real-life decision-making.
So, what does this mean for SEO copywriting, exactly?
It means that great SEO copywriting isn’t easily replicated by AI tools (yet).
AI can often speed up the research, formatting, and analysis processes, but the copy doesn’t always hit the mark.
Arguably, AI excels at the logical, left-brain tasks, but struggles with the right-brain magic that brings words to life.
And for compelling SEO copywriting, you need both.
The shifting role of the SEO copywriter
How people consume content has also changed.
Answers to search queries are easily and rapidly answered by Google AI Overviews.
There is less need for users to comb through blog articles and web pages.
Search engines face growing competition from generative AI tools like ChatGPT, reshaping how and where people search for information online.
SEO copywriting used to be solely focused on ranking content in search engines (mainly, Google).
Now, it requires creating content in a landscape where visibility is shrinking and readers seek sources outside the SERPs.
This shift makes the role of the SEO copywriter even more challenging and, even more essential.
Pillar 1: People-first planning and research
Many SEO keyword research tools have taken the thinking out of the content planning process, but that was never their intended purpose.
These tools are designed to validate search volume, competition, etc., not tell you what to target.
Audience insight, context, and relevance must be the primary drivers for deciding which keywords are worth pursuing. This starts with a people-first perspective.
Gather audience insights
Before opening your keyword tools, get clear on who you’re trying to reach with your content.
- What questions might this audience have?
- What products, solutions, information, etc, might they be searching for?
- What are they struggling with? What are their goals?
- Where do they spend the most time online?
- What characteristics make them different from other types of audiences (e.g., age, gender, location, hobbies, lifestyle, etc.)?
The best way to answer these questions is to ask your audience directly through Google Forms surveys and interviews.
The effort to conduct audience research may seem intimidating and time-consuming, but it’s invaluable.
Monitor online conversations
To find out what makes your audience tick, look at:
- Reddit.
- Instagram comments.
- Facebook Groups.
- LinkedIn posts/comments.
These are great sources for:
- Audience sentiment.
- Common questions.
- Complaints.
- Product recommendations.
- And more.
This qualitative data can be used to pinpoint your audience’s motivations and search interests.
Begin your keyword research with clarity, informed by what you know your prospective customers care about.
Use common sense
The resonance of your SEO copy often comes down to common sense.
Put yourself into your target audience’s shoes and think about:
- How they might search for something.
- Why they are searching for something.
- What they intend to find when they search for it.
For example, if your company sells ergonomic office chairs, it seems unlikely that your average person would search for “postural correction chair.”
They’re probably searching for:
- “Comfortable office chair.”
- “Office chair with lumbar support.”
- “Best office chair for back pain.”
Further, think about the condition a user might be in when they conduct their search.
- Are they looking to resolve discomfort?
- Save time?
- Be inspired?
- Lose weight?
- Grow their business?
Perhaps you sell a pre-made meal subscription, and your target audience is parents looking for quick, easy, and healthy dinner ideas. Their condition might be:
- Too tired to cook after work.
- Overwhelmed by shopping for healthy ingredients.
- Uninspired and out of ideas for creative dinners.
These scenarios might suggest keywords like:
- “Quick and easy dinner ideas.”
- “Healthy eating meal plan.”
- “Meal ideas for busy parents.”
- “Easy low ingredient meals.”
SEO tools won’t always surface these keyword opportunities because they are reliant on the baseline terms you feed into them or your ability to conduct competitor research.
Start your keyword research with a summary of what you already know about your audience. Complement it with what you can learn through:
- Audience research.
- Online conversations.
- Real-life interactions with your customers.
Dig deeper: The complete guide to optimizing content for SEO (with checklist)
Pillar 2: Search trends and SEO insights
Once you’ve identified some potential topics, layer on the data to ensure your topics are:
- Searchable.
- Achievable for your site.
This is where tools like Keyword Planner or Semrush come into play, because you can quantify the search volume behind your chosen topics.
You can also determine whether a given topic is too competitive, SEO-wise, for your brand, given the presence of big players in the SERPs.
Search volume and relevance
Use keyword research tools to see how organic searches your prospective keywords receive on a monthly basis.
However, keep in mind that higher search volume isn’t necessarily better; there are a few things to consider:
- Relevance: A keyword with 100 monthly searches might bring in more qualified traffic than one with 5,000 if it’s more aligned with your audience’s interests.
- Intent: Look for long-tail keywords that may have lower search volume but reflect a clear intent for the user to learn more about your products, take action, and make a purchase.
- Mid-funnel: Look for mid-funnel search queries like “compare,” “reviews,” “best [solution] for [pain point],” etc., which again demonstrate a clear intention to review brand options.
It’s better to pursue a mid-to-low volume keyword that’s highly relevant to your brand and audience than a high-volume keyword that will attract a more general audience.
Tap into trend data
You can also use tools like Google Trends, ChatGPT, and even TikTok to spot rising themes before they become saturated.
Being early gives you the chance to create compelling content before the SERPs get crowded.
Note that some of these trends will not be reflected in keyword research tools yet because they are so fresh.
So, to get ahead of the game, watch for seasonal spikes, emerging technologies, news stories, and other shifts in consumer behavior.
Again, if you are going to put time and money into content creation, be sure that content will drive results for your brand.
Whether you’re capitalizing on search volume or capitalizing on trends, make sure the content you create is timely and relevant to your audience.
Pillar 3: SERP analysis, content structure, and difference makers
Now that you’re confident that your content topics are inherently search-worthy and relevant to your audience, create content that’s better than what’s already ranking.
Easy enough, right?
Well, the best place to start is to analyze the SERPs – what publishers are doing well, what’s missing, and the opportunities you see for your content to stand out.
Here’s a quick process to follow:
- Type your primary keyword into Google.
- Review the content types that dominate the first page (Videos? News articles? Product pages? Blog posts?)
- Take note of the page/article titles being used. Are they using the exact keyword in the title? Are emotion-evoking words used? Do they include numbers (e.g., “Top 5…”), dates (e.g., “Best of 2025…”), etc.?
- Skim through the content. Are there certain angles or themes that appear repeatedly? What sections are being covered? What appears to be missing?
- Now look at the other areas of the search results. What questions are being addressed in the featured snippets or People Also Ask boxes? Can you incorporate some of these phrases/questions into your content?
- Think like a reader. What would you expect/want to read when you search this topic? Are there certain points that aren’t being addressed by other outlets?
To elevate your SERP analysis, use AI-driven tools like ChatGPT to:
- Analyze the top-ranking content for takeaways.
- Use a dedicated SERP analyzer tool like Surfer to come away with recommendations.
Structure with purpose
Users, search engines, and LLMs prefer content that’s well-organized, clear, and informative.
Structuring your content in the right way will help with crawlability and performance.
When it comes to structuring your content, be sure to follow these best practices:
- Include a concise yet descriptive title tag (that clearly relates to the focus of the page/article).
- Write helpful, benefit-driven headlines (H1, H2s, H3s) to guide readers through the content.
- Stick to short paragraphs and sentence variety for readability.
- Add bullet points and numbered lists for scannability.
- Include clear calls to action that direct users to relevant blog articles, pages, products, or actions.
What’s your ‘difference maker’?
The question to ask yourself when creating any type of content is, “What can I offer that no one else does?”
The answer to this is pretty subjective, but asking this question will help get the creative juices flowing.
It will also make you think more about the reader (their goals and interests) than about pleasing the search engine gods.
The “difference maker” of your content will depend on the type of content you create and the topic at hand, but here are a few ideas:
- Add a personal story (from yourself, your company, or a willing customer).
- Share a unique opinion, methodology, or framework (for example, if your service operates in a unique way).
- Add data, quotes, and examples from real customers.
- Sprinkle in personality through humor, storytelling, brand “isms,” etc.
- Up the visual appeal with custom videos, graphics, memes, etc.
These ingredients are what most AI-generated content lacks: originality rooted in real-life perspective and examples. Adding personality to your content will help it stand out.
Dig deeper: Content marketing in 2025: 6 strategies you can’t ignore
Pillar 4: Human connection and storytelling
Instead of writing at people, write to them.
Think of your content as a one-on-one conversation. Use real examples and relatable scenarios that will appeal to your audience.
Search Engine Land has written extensively about incorporating storytelling into content.
To make your content more relatable, include:
- Real-life examples.
- Customer stories.
- Case studies.
People typically remember how content made them feel, not just what was said.
The better you can tie your topic to your audience’s specific interests, the more likely you are to draw them in with the promise of transformation.
Don’t be afraid to express a unique point of view, share a story or personal anecdote, or adopt a specific tone of voice for your brand.
The best content isn’t “written for Google” – it’s written with real people in mind – those who will end up buying from you, after all.
A brand that does this really well is Dove with their Real Beauty Stories.
Dove provides its readers with valuable how-tos and tutorials, but these are tied to the experiences of its real customers.
This makes the brand feel more authentic, and the content has a unique edge not easily replicated by other beauty brands.
Pillar 5: Optimization (Flow + SEO essentials)
It’s no accident that optimization is one of the last lessons in this process.
Up until now, you should have focused on creating relevant, interesting, and valuable content.
Achieve that, and optimizing your content becomes much easier.
SEO, in this sense, is more about making your content digestible (by users and search engines).
There are some formatting and tech SEO factors that come into play.
But these shouldn’t necessarily impact the quality or substance of your content.
Once the bulk of your content is written, follow these simple recommendations:
- Prioritize flow: Ensure your content reads smoothly and naturally. Trim out awkward sentences or unnecessary sections.
- Avoid keyword stuffing: Don’t shoe-horn your keywords where they aren’t needed. Everything should sound natural and human-like.
- Add transitions: Incorporate phrases like “Now that you…,” “Here we are going to…,” “To learn more about…,” etc., into your content to ease readers into the following sections.
- Keep it concise: Break up long walls of text with shorter sentences, bullet points, or numbered lists, if applicable.
- Add your links: Add internal links to supporting content and external links to authoritative sources.
- Don’t skip the basics: Include a page title with your primary keyword. Write a concise meta description that entices clicks (emotion-evoking words). Ensure your page has one (and only one) H1 tag, with several semantic H2 and H3 headings.
On the tech side, make sure your website is mobile-friendly, loads quickly, and doesn’t have any obtrusive elements (like pop-ups or aggressive ads).
SEO is essentially an art and a science.
Your content needs to be great (art), and your site structure (science) needs to facilitate easy crawling/indexing by search engines.
But one needs to necessarily come before the other – quality content comes first.
Dig deeper: AI optimization: How to optimize your content for AI search and agents
Bringing it all together
Let’s recap:
- The SEO copywriting process should always start with understanding your audience. Research topics that pertain to them and develop a strategy focused more on relevance than search volume.
- Once you have some ideas, you can validate them with SEO tools (search volume, competition level, etc.) and trend data (Google Trends, TikTok, etc.).
- Study the SERPs to get a good idea of what’s working well, who your competitors are, and what they might be missing.
- Filling these gaps with valuable information, media, and stories are your “difference makers.”
- Lastly, write content that’s focused on building connections with your readers, not just pleasing the algorithms.
If the substance is there, it mostly becomes a matter of formatting (SEO best practices, site speed, etc.). But SEO “improvements” won’t save terrible writing.
You need to write something worth reading. SEO copywriting in 2025 is all about creative thinking, storytelling, and adaptability.
The search landscape may change quickly – and writers need to adapt – but people are ultimately looking for value, advice, and authenticity.