If you’re interested in freelance writing and do any type of web surfing on this niche, you’ve probably run across job ads that read something like, “Looking for an SEO article writer to provide ongoing content for credit repair site. 350-400 words; ongoing weekly assignments.” This is an SEO writing job.
As there seems to be a lot of work out there like this, many freelance writers who keep running across ads like this may go to their favorite search engine and start to do web searches on “seo writing, or “what is seo writing,” or “writing for seo,” or writing seo” in order to figure out exactly what this is.
Here we’ll explain exactly what SEO copywriting is, and why it’s such a profitable freelance writing niche.
SEO Writing Defined
First, SEO is the acronym for search engine optimization. Don’t let the big term throw you. All this means is that website owners do certain things to their web pages to make sure that search engines find them and deliver web surfers – like you – to their website when they conduct internet searches.
One of these things is filling their site with SEO content.
SEO content is different from “regular” content in that some technical research and thought goes into the copy – before it is ever written. Mainly, keyword research is conducted.
What Is Keyword Research and Why Is It Important in SEO Writing
The best way to explain keyword research is to give an example.
Let’ say you own a website about credit repair. You offer credit repair services to consumers with bad credit. You have a website, but it’s not getting much traffic or bringing in much business. One of the things you can do is write informative content and put it on your website to drive more traffic. But, not just any informative content – SEO content.
When/if you hire an SEO copywriter, one of the first things they’re going to do is find out which words and phrases web surfers are typing in to find the types of services you offer (credit repair, remember).
Note: The words and phrases that web surfers type in to find stuff on the web are called keyword phrases. Remember this.
Keyword Research Tools
So, they’ll use a keyword research tool that will show them things like which keyword phrases prospects type in when they’re trying to find a businesses like yours. And, many times it’s not what you think, which is why keyword research tools are so popular.
FYI, one of the easiest and best keyword research tools to use is Google’s Keyword AdWord Tool.
Once they find out what these keyword phrases are, they will write copy for your site that includes these phrases. This is what’s known as SEO content.
And, the reason it’s so effective is that search engines don’t have to guess which sites might be relevant when a web surfer types in a keyword phrase. If your site’s copy has the right keywords in it, it’s easy for search engines to return your site as a relevant search result.
This equals more traffic, which of course usually means more sales.
And, this is why SEO writing is an exploding niche in freelance writing. Many search engine optimization (SEO) writers make $50,000 to $75,000 – or more – their first year. As every site on the web needs this type of content, it’s easy to see why this is so possible.
If you’re interested in this kind of freelance writing, get SEO copywriting training. Usually it lasts about a week, and you can start making money almost right away — really. Most SEO writers say they land their first clients within the first few days once they start to market.