Confessions of an SEO Copywriter

I have a lot of people contact me about SEO (Seach Engine Optimization) copywriting.

In the two years that I have been writing blogs I have had quite a lot of success with SEO.

When I wanted to square off English Copywriter, I got that, Freelance English Copywriter, I nailed that too, and previously I wanted Sustainability Advertising…and BAM! You betcha.

Okay, truth be told I totally stumbled across the tricks of the trade by pretty much making every mistake in the book. I’ve been banned from Google, Adsense (twice), Yahoo and even our good friend Jeeves.

By making these mistakes I know a bit about what not to do, so that’s a start.

I go about SEO in what is known as the ‘white hat’ way. In other words, I provide content that search engines like. It’s not a bunch of garbage spewed out by outsourced man-machine-animals for $5 a page (or worse).

As I’ve said before, if you buy cheap SEO, it will only come back to haunt you sooner or later. Either you’ll get knocked off the rankings entirely, or you’ll damage your brand with that nonsense.

To be a full-on SEO guy you have to know how to program websites as well, which I don’t. What I do is strictly through blogs (and other things). It’s a very labour-intensive system (just look at this blog and you’ll see what I mean). But it makes you a resource in your field, and that’s cool.

I also have a few other tricks up my sleeve.

But the reality is, to stay at the top you need to put in a lot of work and if you want it done right, it will cost a pretty penny.

That said, am I looking for SEO clients?

Not really.

There’s money to be made doing this stuff, but right now, my heart is in advertising.

English Copywriting in Hong Kong – The Expat Experience

It is an interesting life being an expat.

Hong Kong is full of them, it is an excellent way to get a better perspective on why a culture does the strange things it does while accelerating your career like no one’s business. That is, if you are willing to work like a crazy animal.

But as something of a professional expat, HK has been but one stop along the road for me. But by far the most interesting.

When I started out on this rambling existence, I had my fair share of strange jobs.

I’ve demolished stuff in Montreal, moved furniture in Texas and attempted to teach English in Warsaw. I’ve dropped plates in New York, dug ditches in New Orleans, and served up shandys alongside foxy Swedes to pennywise locals in London.

I attempted to convey the finer points of public speaking to wild young Americans down under. I tortured recipes in Gibraltar and Sweden and seized pianos under the noses of drunken judges in Vancouver. I’ve even taken the caps off beer bottles on a brewery assembly line in Creston.

Then I realized that writing for a living was where it was at.

It’s a good mobile job, and what the hell, I write everyday anyway. My, what a wonderfully great gig!

But being a journalist is hard, being an editor is harder, and getting in as a copywriter – that’s the hardest there is. I guess the way it works that the greater the gig, the more people want to do it.

Curses, I should have thought of that earlier.

So a simple plan of writing to better go from place to place quickly turned into going from place to place to become a better writer.

Who would have ever guessed that I’d cut my teeth in Hong Kong, what with all those dental professionals I know back home?

Freelance Copywriter Pick of the Week

Nice idea.

Nothing to See Here

People have been asking me what I will do with this blog once I have reached my goal.

Hmm, I'm not really sure, but I do like the idea of it being used as a reference.

It can be an outline for others looking to break into this crazy world they call advertising.

If and when I reach Step Ten - I suppose I'll just start another.

Big News for Little Shops

It has been said that one of the main reasons to strive for awards is the 'power of the press release'.

So in the name of self-promotion - here's my latest.

Summit Creative Awards Celebrate the Little Guy

Freelance Copywriter Pick of the Week

This is my bet for a gold at the lions next month.

Vaseline - Sea of Skin

Although you can't really go wrong with a ferret with a chainsaw.

Diet Moutain Dew - Ferret

Status Report VIII

Things are going well. I’m still in HK, and soon I will be at Step Ten.

It’s been raining here a lot lately and I’ve been watching tons of movies with Maria and eating heaps of microwave popcorn.

Hmm, hopefully next month’s status report is a little more interesting.

Freelance Copywriter Pick of the Week

A viral campaign done very well. Over a million hits in the first week.

Ray Ban - Catch

My First Award

Diane just contacted me from Creative Wonders in Vancouver and it turns out we just won an award for a radio ad I wrote last year.

We won a Silver in the Radio Category at the International Summit Creative Awards.

The ad was Henry VIII for Simmons Mattress Gallery.

How about that? My first award.

Lions and Monkeys

With the Cannes Lions just around the corner, some great ads are beginning to pop up in time for the big show.

Here is one from Saatchi Stockholm that is so bizarre it's excellent.

Bananageddon

Step Nine

My brother reminded me that I forgot to state that I am now on Step Nine.

freelance copywriter link

My mission, and the point of this blog, is almost complete

Freelance Copywriter Pick of the Week

Alright, so it's my second this week, but this one is too good to pass up.

Wonderbra ad

English Teacher in Hong Kong Builds Brand Online

My latest article is out:

English Teacher in Hong Kong Uses Online Advertising for Competitive Edge.

Interested in private tutorials? To find out more click here. Native English Teacher link.

Freelance Copywriter Pick of the Week

An old one, a simple one, but it does the job nicely, in almost any language.

English Teacher In Hong Kong

Maria has finished her TESOL (Teaching English) course and is now looking for work here as an English Teacher, so as you may of guessed, owning English Teacher in Hong Kong on Google is the next on the agenda.

If you are a looking for an exceptional Native English Teacher, you can reach her at mariahruschak@yahoo.com.

Success la!

Ogilvy wants to hire me on full time!

Freelance Copywriter Pick of the Week

Dynamite Surfing

(courtesy of ihaveanidea.org and ifilm)