SEO Writing: Advice for Business Owners on How to Work Effectively with SEO Copywriters

If you’re thinking about hiring an SEO copywriter for the first time, or if you’ve used them in the past but without much success, following is some advice on how to get the most out of your relationship with these online content specialists.

Clearly Define What You Need: This is the first step in getting the most out of any professional you work with.

It doesn’t matter if you know the intricacies of SEO writing -- you don't need to. What you do know is your business . . . and you probably know it better than anyone else. Hence, you should clearly communicate to any SEO writer you’re thinking about hiring why you need search engine optimized content written.

This includes divulging details like where the copy will be distributed: eg, is it for an article marketing campaign, to be posted on your site/blog, as a marketing piece, etc. Knowing this will help the writer tailor the piece to your needs.

For example, if you’re commissioning SEO content for an article marketing campaign and the word count is the standard 350 to 450 words, an experienced SEO writer would make sure that it is at least 400 words. Why?

Because many article directories (eg, EzineArticles.com) have minimum word counts that must be adhered to; most won’t accept articles shorter than 400 words.

A search engine optimization writer with experience in distributing SEO content (as well as writing it) will know this and ensure that each piece they produce for you doesn’t fall shy of the 400-word mark.

Ask about Qualifications: A lot of freelance writers are entering the SEO writing niche. But, SEO writing is about so much more than knowing how to write keyword-rich copy.

Any SEO copy writer you hire should know about internet marketing in general, eg:

What organic search is: Most SEO content is written so that a site ranks well organically. If an SEO writer doesn’t understand the principles behind organic search, they won’t be able to produce content that will rank well in SERPs;

What paid search is: This is a big part of online marketing. Understanding at a minimum what it is and how it differs from organic search is another piece of the puzzle that goes into producing credible SEO content; and

On- and off-paging ranking factors: You don’t want to break any SEO rules – knowingly or unknowingly. And, you certainly don’t want to not employ search engine tactics that help your search engine-optimized content to rank high, so knowing what makes a page rank well (on-page and off) is critical.

These are just three things any professional SEO writer will know. There are many more, for good ones are a veritable wealth of information. In fact, many experienced SEO writers report that they routinely offer SEO content marketing advice to clients, eg, where to distribute content, how often, what topics to write about, what keywords to use, etc.

And as any search marketing consultant will tell you, a good SEO copywriter/SEO copywriting services company is worth its weight in gold. Once you find one you like, tap the benefit of their knowledge.