There was a time when a copywriter needed only a pen, a notepad and a reasonably nimble imagination in order to deliver perfectly acceptable copywriting services. Then someone (without any consultation with the copywriters of the world) went and invented 'the internet'.
And everything changed.
Because not long after the invention of the internet, somebody created the 'search engine', to help people find things on the internet. Suddenly (and, again, nobody consulted the copywriters), Search Engine Optimisation was born: SEO, the art of creating websites specifically designed to leap into the top 10 search engine results in response to a particular search phrase.
Before you could say "Oh, so Google's a verb now, is it?" copywriters were called upon to integrate said search phrases (also known as 'keywords' or 'key phrases') into their copy and a whole new breed of copywriter bounded into existence: website copywriters, SEO copywriters.
Like me. The person composing this copy right now.
Hello.
I've been tasked with shoehorning the following key phrases into the foregoing paragraphs: copywriting services, website copywriters, SEO copywriters, website and SEO. As you can see, I've done a pretty good job. I bet you can't even see the join.
Effortlessly inserting keywords into copy has become something of a habit now. I even do it without realising, when writing for brochures, press advertisements and other offline print media.
Occasionally, copywriting for the web can be a little more challenging. For example, I was also supposed to include the word 'Liverpool' in this piece for SEO purposes, but I have to admit, I'm struggling a bit with that one.
Oh, there you go.