Choosing Between a Copywriter and SEO Expert: Crafting Copy for Your Law Firm’s Website

Central to the success of any law firm website is the quality of its copy – the written content that communicates your law firm’s services, expertise, and value proposition to potential clients.

However, when it comes to creating copy for websites, owners often face a critical decision: should they use the services of a professional copywriter or an SEO expert? Both professionals bring unique skills and expertise to the table, but which one is better suited to meet the specific needs of a law firm’s online presence?

In this blog, we’ll discuss the differences between a copywriter and an SEO specialist, explore the benefits each brings to the table, and ultimately, help you make an informed decision on who to choose for crafting the copy that will represent your law firm.

What are the main differences between copywriting and SEO?

Copywriting and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) are both integral components of digital marketing, but they serve distinct purposes and employ different techniques. Evaluating these differences can help you determine the most suitable approach for achieving your website’s objectives and driving results.

Here are some of the main differences between copywriting and SEO:

Purpose

Copywriting: The primary purpose of copywriting is to create compelling and persuasive content that resonates with the target audience. It aims to engage, inform, entertain, or persuade readers to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form.

SEO: The primary purpose of SEO is to optimise web content to improve its visibility and ranking in search engine results pages. SEO focuses on increasing organic traffic by enhancing a website’s relevance, authority, and credibility in the eyes of search engines (e.g. Google and Bing).

Audience Focus

Copywriting: Copywriting focuses on addressing the needs, interests, and pain points of the target audience. It aims to establish an emotional connection with readers and compel them to take action.

SEO: SEO focuses on catering to both human audiences and search engine algorithms. While creating content that resonates with human readers is essential, SEO also involves optimising content with relevant keywords, meta tags, and other factors to improve its visibility in search engine results.

Content Structure

Copywriting: Copywriting often follows a narrative or persuasive structure, with a clear call-to-action (CTA) to prompt the reader to take the desired action. It may include storytelling, testimonials, features, benefits, and other persuasive elements.

SEO: SEO content is structured to be easily digestible by search engine crawlers/bots while still being informative and engaging for human readers. It may include headings, subheadings, bullet points, and other formatting techniques to enhance readability and SEO performance.

Keyword Usage

Copywriting: Copywriters may incorporate keywords naturally into their content to improve relevance and readability, but the primary focus is on creating engaging and persuasive copy.

SEO: Keywords play a crucial role in SEO, as they help search engines understand the topic and relevance of the content on your website. SEOs strategically research and use keywords throughout the content, including in titles, headings, body text, and meta descriptions, to optimise for specific search queries.

Metrics of Success

Copywriting: Success in copywriting is often measured by engagement metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and overall sales or leads generated.

SEO: Success in SEO is typically measured by key performance indicators (KPIs) such as organic traffic, keyword rankings, backlink quality, and overall website visibility in search engine results as well as ROI.

Is copy written by a copywriter different to copy created by an SEO?

While the objective of both copywriters and SEOs may be the same and there may be an overlap in their skills and approaches, the content they produce can be vastly different.

For instance, while copywriters focus on creating persuasive and compelling content that prompts readers to complete a specific action, SEOs are primarily concerned with optimising content for search engines to improve its visibility and ranking in search results. While they may also incorporate persuasive elements, their objective is to enhance the relevance of your website and accessibility for search engine algorithms and users alike.

Copywriters’ writing style can also differ from SEOs’. Copywriters often employ creative writing techniques, storytelling, and emotional appeals to connect with readers on a personal level. They may use humour, empathy, or excitement to evoke desired emotions and influence behaviour. SEOs, on the contrary, tend to prioritise clarity, readability, and keyword optimisation in their writing. Their style may be more straightforward and informative, focusing on providing valuable information while strategically incorporating keywords to improve search engine visibility.

Who can create copy that will achieve search engine rankings and generate new enquiries?

As a law firm owner aiming to create copy that not only ranks well in search engines but also generates online enquiries, it’s ideal to work with an SEO specialist who possesses strong copywriting skills. Here’s why:

Understanding of SEO Principles

Most SEO specialists are well-versed in search engine algorithms, keyword research, on-page and off-page optimisation, and other technical aspects crucial for improving search engine rankings. They understand how to structure content and utilise relevant keywords to enhance visibility of your pages in search results while also creating compelling copy.

Ability to Incorporate SEO Techniques

With their expertise in SEO, an optimisation specialist with copywriting skills can easily integrate SEO techniques into the copywriting process. They know how to strategically place keywords, optimise headings and subheadings, and craft meta descriptions to improve your website’s visibility without sacrificing the quality or effectiveness of the copy. Not all copywriters may possess these skills.

Balancing SEO and User Experience

An expert in SEO understands the importance of balancing SEO requirements with user experience. Since 2021, user experience plays a crucial role in shaping website rankings (see Core Web Vitals), as search engines increasingly prioritise delivering high-quality, user-friendly content to their users. This shift underscores the significance of creating copy that not only meets SEO standards but also provides valuable, relevant information in a format that is easy to navigate and engaging for visitors. An experienced SEO can implement optimisations and ensure your website provides a good user experience.

Track Record of Results

An experienced SEO will have a track record of producing content that not only ranks well but also drives meaningful results, such as increased website traffic, higher conversion rates, and improved lead generation. Their ability to deliver tangible outcomes makes them a valuable asset for your law firm.

Adaptability and Continuous Learning

Given the dynamic nature of search engine algorithms and digital marketing trends, an SEO specialist is likely to be adaptable and continuously update their knowledge and strategies. They stay abreast of industry changes, algorithm updates, and best practices, ensuring that your copy remains effective in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Making the decision

The decision between hiring a copywriter or an SEO specialist can significantly impact the success of your website in attracting new clients and generating legal enquiries.

While both professions bring valuable skills to the table, the integration of SEO principles with copywriting expertise offers a compelling solution that maximises both search engine visibility and audience engagement. Even better if your SEO has website design knowledge and skills and can make site-wide improvements and carry out maintenance work on your website.

A well-crafted law firm website serves not only as a virtual office-front but also as a potent marketing tool to showcase legal expertise and attract potential clients. Central to its effectiveness is the quality of its copy.

While copywriters excel at creating persuasive and compelling content, SEO specialists possess the technical knowledge to optimise that content for search engines. However, the most effective approach lies in combining the strengths of both disciplines.

Therefore, as a law firm owner seeking to improve your online presence and attract new clients, the ideal choice is to employ an SEO specialist with strong web-design and copywriting skills. This strategic approach ensures that your website not only ranks well in search engine results but also engages and resonates with your target audience, ultimately driving business growth and success in the competitive legal industry.