April 1st, 2010 by Susie

One of the most significant differences between an amateur writer and a professional search engine optimization copywriter is content planning. Without adequate SEO content planning, preparation may be hurried, ideas forgotten and poorly thought out work produced. It may be thought that creativity is the fundamental component of effective writing, but without planning it can not be translated into regular blogs or articles. As a Japanese proverb has said, “Vision without action is a daydream.”

The content which is featured on a site is an ambassador for the firm concerned. It has to be as smooth as a diplomat’s conversation and as impressive as their residence. It should give no clue as to the effort that was expended in its production. The tone and the style must harmonise. Nor should they be inconsistent with the predicted expectations of the target audience. None of these goals can be achieved and sustained without careful content planning. SEO is not just about attracting visitors to a virtual place, it is also about subtly persuading them to spend time there and to return.

Content planning should commence with a clear vision of what the writing is intended to achieve. It is then a question of breaking the work down into units, while using research and brainstorming to generate a surplus of ideas. A surplus of ideas is crucial if the less satisfactory ones are to be eliminated. Appropriate criteria for separating the ideas into promising and unsuitable categories can be devised. Alternatively it is possible to trust to instinct when differentiating between them. The ideas can then be fleshed out prior to beginning writing. It may be necessary to perform additional research at this point.

It is then essential to come up with a strict writing schedule. This should ensure that everything is completed prior to the deadline. It has to be designed to space out the work evenly to avoid the work piling up as the deadline approaches. Work which is written in haste may contain careless errors or neglect the basic principles of search engine optimisation. The schedule should leave room for the occasional mishap. Drawing up a schedule and adhering to it, then, is at the heart of effective content planning.

The actual writing should be performed at times when alertness is at its maximum. It is important not to neglect reading, social interaction, relaxation and exercise. Determination to maintain these vital aspects of existence will ensure that the writing schedule is kept to in the long run. Contented individuals are best able to produce high quality work on a regular basis and are less prone to becoming distracted.

The value of content planning is illustrated by some amateur writers who never get into good working habits. They procrastinate, consume too many cups of tea or coffee, check their email incessantly, text their friends and watch daytime television. It is unsurprising that the quality of their work is often uneven. The creativity may well be present, but in some unfortunate cases it might as well not be.

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