SEO Copywriting and Travel Writing

As a travel writer, you have to learn how to market yourself. When first starting off as a travel writer, building a web presence is essential. If your travel writing has a following on the web, then it is more likely your travel writing will be picked up for publication. However, in order to get a web reputation as a travel writer, you need to get people to come to your travel writing website. To do this, you need search engine optimization.

Consider this:

You have a website – complete with a catchy logo, professional photos, intriguing information and, most importantly, a way for perspective clients to contact you. You promote your website on your business cards and in telephone book ads. In terms of online marketing, you’ve done everything. Right?

Wrong.

As is, your website isn’t working.

Marketing on the Web

Current statistics estimate that approximately 50 percent of all website traffic is generated by search engines. The other 50 percent is predominantly repeat customers, most of whom originally found your website via a search engine. This means the key to getting potential clients to your website is through search engine marketing. To do this, you need search engine optimization.

How it Works

The key to search engine optimization is relevancy – the more relevant your website, the higher your search engine ranking. In the world of search engine optimization, relevancy is determined by how related your website is to the entered search terms. To make your website more relevant, you need keywords.

A keyword refers to the words a person enters into the search engine, such as “travel writing” or “travel writer”. The more times the keywords appear on your website, the more relevant your website is. Thus, if your website uses the keyword on a regular basis, your website will rank higher than a website that does not use the keyword.

Once you have your keywords, the next step is to turn them into content. The more content your website has pertaining to the keyword, the more relevant your site will be. Adding search engine optimization content, or SEO content, to your website means nothing more than writing keyword specific articles and placing them throughout your website.

Search Engine Optimization: A Marketing Essential

The world of search engine optimization is a complex and rapidly changing one. Although it can be time consuming and often frustrating – as more and more clients turn towards the Internet to find real estate and realtors, it is an area of marketing that simply cannot be ignored.

With a bit of strategy, and a lot of writing, you can watch your website rise to the top of search engine marketing.

Publication First

The other side of the argument is to pick the publication first. The advantage here is that you know what the travel writing magazine is looking for and can craft a travel writing article accordingly. In other words, instead of coming to a travel writing magazine looking for a square peg with a great round travel writing you can arrive with something that fits their needs.

The result is you can increase the chances of getting your travel writing articles published. The downside is you are limited in the type of travel writing articles you can come up with.

Perhaps the best approach is to do a little of both. Come up with some travel articles and approach travel writing magazines. But, as you browse travel writing publications, take note on what different travel writing magazines are looking for. Then, later on, come back with another travel writing story idea that better fits their exact needs.