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Last Updated September 17, 2024
Working with a skilled SEO content writer can drive more organic traffic to your site and boost conversions. Here’s how to find the perfect writer for your business.
You probably already know that SEO, or search engine optimization, is a vital part of a successful digital strategy.
After all, the top result in Google gets 28% of all clicks.
To find SEO success, it’s critical to have a solid understanding of SEO content writing.
How can you create blog posts, landing pages, website copy, and product descriptions that are more likely to rank high in the search engine results pages (SERPs)?
In this article, we’ll explain what an SEO content writer does and how to find the right SEO specialist for your business.
We’ll also talk with Patience Hurlburt-Lawton, content marketing manager at HawkSEM, about how to create SEO-optimized content that brings in clicks.
What is an SEO content writer?
An SEO content writer strategizes, writes, edits, publishes, and optimizes online content designed to appeal to both search engines and human readers.
What do we mean by content that appeals to search engines?
Search engines like Google identify new and updated pages by sending out “crawlers.” These crawlers analyze the information on a page to determine what it’s about and which search engine queries to show it for.
An SEO content writer’s goal is to ensure a page or a piece of content ranks as highly for the relevant words and phrases as possible.
They also know how to use a writing style that relates to their target audience and track the performance of their pieces to improve future marketing efforts.
(Image: HawkSEM blog screenshot)
What do SEO content writers do?
SEO content writers do far more in a workday than writing.
There’s a lot of research and reading to do to ensure every piece of content they create targets the right people and is SEO-friendly.
Here’s what a typical day might look like for an SEO content writer.
- Conduct SEO keyword research
- Read up on industry changes and trends
- Learn about their audiences
- Study and analyze campaign performances
- Write!
1. Conduct SEO keyword research
Keywords are at the heart of any SEO article.
To know what keywords will perform best, writers conduct a hefty amount of research to determine how their target audience searches for topics related to the brand’s service or product.
With the help of keyword tools, SEO professionals can see the volume of searches each keyword receives and how difficult it is to rank against competitors.
Which keyword tools are the best? “You can do so much keyword research with Google alone,” says Hurlburt-Lawton, “and best of all: it’s free!”
She adds that when it comes to real deep keyword mapping, tools like Semrush, Moz, Google’s Keyword Planner, and Google Search Console are great options.
“SpyFu is excellent for competitor research and Answer the Public is fantastic if you want to target prospective customers with long-tail keywords,” she says.
With this list of ideal keywords, SEO writers can build out a content plan. Creating new pieces of content for keywords that haven’t been targeted and optimizing older pieces of content that aren’t performing well.
2. Read up on industry changes and trends
SEO best practices change all the time and it’s vital that SEO writers keep up with the latest trends.
Google is constantly updating its algorithms in regard to SEO, and writers have to abide by these changes to keep producing content that ranks well.
It’s also essential that writers stay educated on the topics they write about. Staying on top of the latest news and developments allows writers to create relevant, accurate pieces that capture the attention of audiences.
“While the algorithms and rules might change, it’s important to remember that the core of SEO writing will always remain the same,” says Hurlburt-Lawton.
“The content you create needs to be original and helpful.”
3. Learn about their audiences
Even though SEO copy needs to appeal to search engines, it’s just as important that it appeals to the reader. That’s why writers spend a lot of time learning about their target audiences.
“One of the best ways to create truly effective SEO content is to step into the perspective of the people your business helps,” says Hurlburt-Lawton.
“Consider what information would most genuinely support these folks along the way. What are their biggest questions? Concerns? What options do they have? What information do they need to know?”
Writers will gather as much information as possible about their readers to create effective and valuable content.
They might research their audiences’ favorite social media platforms, hobbies, and psychological traits to fully understand them.
Once a writer knows what matters to the reader, they’re better equipped to write an appealing piece that will capture their audience’s attention and drive more organic traffic to your website.
In this way, a writer is a strategist, carefully crafting content to appeal to just the right readers.
4. Study and analyze campaign performances
SEO writers might not be responsible for keeping up with the outcome of every content marketing campaign they work on. But they still spend time looking at those results.
An SEO specialist should be able to analyze the success of a piece of content or a marketing campaign as a whole.
They can look for changes in your business’s rankings in the SERPs to see how effective an article or landing page is.
Writers will use their findings to guide their future pieces, improving on each campaign over time and contributing to the success of your overall content marketing strategy.
5. Write!
Once all the research is done, it’s time to write.
Writers create all kinds of content, including:
- Blog posts
- Social media posts
- Landing pages
- Web pages
- Infographics
- Title tags and meta descriptions
- White papers
- Case studies
- Product descriptions
Writers might specialize in specific fields like SEO copywriting, which focuses more on gaining web traffic and increasing sales for a company. However, standard SEO content writing seeks to educate, inform, and entertain readers in addition to increasing SERP rankings.
On top of creating new content, SEO specialists often return to older work to give it new life and target the latest keywords.
Only about 40% of web content is updated regularly, so if your business isn’t already revamping old pieces, a content writer can be a worthwhile investment.
(We do it regularly on the HawkSEM blog.)
The additional skills an SEO writer needs
We’ve looked at some skills an SEO content writer needs to create amazing content. Let’s look at a few more.
- Good communication skills. SEO writers need to be able to communicate effectively (spoken and written) with a wide range of people, including other digital marketers, editors, and interviewees
- Organizational skills. SEO writers might work on multiple pieces of content at a time, so they need to be able to effectively manage their time and workload
- HTML knowledge. A thorough knowledge of technical SEO isn’t essential. However, SEO content writers need a basic understanding of HTML so they understand the relationship between different elements on a page
- Knowledge of content management systems. Understanding platforms like WordPress, Shopify, and Magento can help SEO writers create content optimized for the search engines
How to write your own SEO content that ranks
Writing SEO content is a powerful, cost-effective way to climb search engine rankings and build trust with the right customers.
However, it’s important to write high-quality content. Low-quality, spammy SEO content can have the opposite effect – potentially causing your pages to drop in the rankings or get removed entirely.
If you want to add content writing to your SEO strategy, here are our expert tips for doing it right.
- Write for humans and search engines
- Consider search intent
- Optimize all of your content
- Practice, practice, and practice some more
Write for humans and search engines
SEO content writing is a balancing act. You want to create content that’s easy for the search engines to understand but that humans can’t get enough of.
Simplicity is the key. You need to structure your content so that search engines can scan it and web visitors can read it. Subheadings, bullet points, internal links, and error-free code can all help.
Another important reminder: Avoid keyword stuffing. Using too many keywords in your content can frustrate customers and lead to search engine penalties.
Consider search intent
It’s important to use keywords in your SEO writing, but it’s also important to consider search intent.
Search intent is the reason behind a user’s query, and can help you create content that fulfills their needs. There are four types of search intent to consider:
Understanding the search intent behind your keywords means you can create SEO-optimized content that answers your target audience’s questions, no matter where they are in the marketing funnel.
Optimize all of your content
Good SEO writing isn’t just about adding the right keywords to a blog post or landing page. You need to optimize your whole piece of content to make it easy to read and engaging.
A good user experience (UX) keeps users on your website, which tells the search engines that your content provides value.
Here’s how to optimize your content to get the right results:
- Break up your content using bullet points, paragraphs, and subheadings
- Spread your keywords through your content, including in headings and subheadings, image alt text, and page URL
- Use images and videos to make your content exciting
- Make sure your content loads quickly and is mobile-friendly
Practice, practice, and practice some more
SEO content writing isn’t easy. The best writers have years of experience across a variety of different industries and content types.
Hurlburt-Lawton has always been interested in content writing.
“I went to college for professional writing,” she says. “After I graduated (and after a few years of waitressing), I got my first copywriting job at a digital marketing agency in 2014. This is where I learned all about SEO writing – how to target specific keywords and audiences.”
If you want to improve your skills, we recommend diving straight in. Some great ways to learn include starting your own blog or volunteering with a nonprofit.
Alternatively, there are lots of free online courses to help you get to grips with SEO writing.
One of our favorites is Ahrefs’ “Blogging for Business” course which covers keyword research and how to optimize your blogs to get the best results.
Do you need an SEO content writer?
You might find yourself in need of a content writer if your brand is:
- Creating a new content strategy from scratch
- Experiencing a dip in SEO performance
- Launching a new department or product line
- Spread too thin to create consistent, high-quality content
- Looking to connect with new audiences and spread brand awareness
Anyone can sit down at a keyboard and crank out an article (or use AI to write one).
However, only experienced and talented SEO writers can craft relevant, exciting content that your unique audience will love.
How to find a good SEO content writer
If you’re looking for an SEO writer, you have three options:
1. Hire in-house
The main benefit of hiring in-house is that you get an SEO content writer who lives and breathes your brand. This means they’re in a position to write detailed, expert content.
The first step is to understand what you want from an in-house SEO content writer and write your job description.
What qualities do you want in your SEO writer, what responsibilities will they have, and what benefits can you offer?
Also, consider whether they’ll work full-time or part-time.
When you’ve narrowed your search down to a few candidates, here are a few questions you may want to ask:
- How do you typically conduct keyword research?
- Are you familiar with and/or experienced in incorporating backlinks?
- How do you measure and define success in SEO?
- Are you comfortable repurposing content for multiple audiences?
- How do you keep up with search engine algorithm changes?
- Are you comfortable working with WordPress and similar hosting platforms?
- How do you ensure your content is relevant and engaging for the reader?
Of course, you can’t know how talented a writer is without reading their work. Request a copy of candidates’ portfolios or ask for links to past projects so you can assess their writing skills.
(This advice also applies to freelancers and agencies too!)
2. Hire a freelancer
“The main benefit of outsourcing your SEO writing is that you get an experienced content writer without having to recruit,” says Hurlburt-Lawton. “They will be able to catch your tone, values, and target audience without you having to pay benefits, holidays, or pensions.”
Plus, there’s lots of flexibility when you hire a freelancer. You can bring them on board for ad-hoc projects, and they can hit the ground running, meaning you can focus on other aspects of your business.
You can find freelancers on networking sites like LinkedIn, as well as marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork. These platforms let you quickly browse freelancers, learn about their experience and pricing, and interview them before beginning a project.
3. Hire a digital marketing agency
If you have a wide range of content needs and need a long-term partnership with a full marketing team, you might consider working with a content agency like HawkSEM.
The great thing about working with a digital marketing agency is that they have access to a range of enterprise tools so you can track the success of your content marketing.
At HawkSEM, we have ConversionIQ, which allows you to monitor the customer journey from start to finish.
Plus, digital marketing agencies offer additional services like pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and social media marketing, meaning a holistic approach to how you target customers.
Why is SEO content writing so important?
Why is SEO writing essential if you want to grow your business?
- It increases your visibility in the search engines, meaning more organic traffic for your site
- It ensures your target audiences find you, reducing the risk of low-quality leads and inquiries and increasing conversion rates
- High-quality website content encourages visitors to stay on your website longer and find out more about you
- Well-written content makes you more credible and authoritative, which doesn’t just boost your search engine rankings, but helps prospective customers trust you
As you can expect, SEO content writers are in high demand. According to salary.com, the average SEO writer’s salary in the U.S. is $69,447, and the best writers can earn up to $85,663.
The takeaway
If you want to sell the benefits of your business to your target audience, it pays to invest in a skilled SEO content writer or agency.
Need a little extra help writing the perfect content?
HawkSEM is here for all your content marketing needs. We can help you capture the right audience, capitalize on industry trends, and gather concrete data to guide you forward in the next steps of your strategy.
Contact the HawkSEM team today and let’s work together to get your business ranking in the search engines!
This article has been updated and was originally published in July 2023.