SEO Content Writers

The Role of a SEO Content Writer

Everyone knows what a writer does, but few understand what a content writer does.  Even fewer know what a SEO content writer does.  In this article, we break it down for you and then provide you with some tips on how to find the right SEO content writer for your website.

What is a Content Writer?
A content writer is, quite simply, a person that creates text for websites.  Content writers can craft text for people's homepages and internal pages, as well as for people's blogs.

What is a SEO Content Writer?
While both a content writer and a SEO content writer provide text for websites, the big difference is that SEO writers are very proficient in search engine optimization.  Without search engine optimization, websites may not perform favorably in search engines like Google and Yahoo!.  Therefore, SEO content writers have two jobs.  1)  They must write original text that meets the needs of their clients and 2) they must have a solid understanding of SEO and be able to incorporate appropriate SEO techniques into their content writing. 

The one thing search engines love is quality content that is new, useful and optimized.  When websites have informative and well-written content, search engines tend to give them higher positions in the natural listings.  This is a great win for website owners as most users click on the natural listings that are located in top positions.

Working with the Right SEO Content Writer
Not all SEO content writers are created equal and not all offer the level of expertise, professionalism or knowledge that is right for your business.  Let me share a story with you...

About half a year ago, a prospective client called me.  He was absolutely mortified because he had spent thousands upon thousands working with a self-professed SEO guru.  After spending a lot of money, he managed to get to page one on Google for a particular keyword phrase.  When he told me the keyword phrase, I already knew why he was so angry - it was a phrase that got absolutely ZERO searches.  He lost money, lost time and lost respect for SEO in general.

I understood his situation because it is something I deal with daily.  Many clients call me after working with a "content writer" that:  doesn't understand search engine optimization, stole someone else's content or made promises he or she could not live up to.  It is frustrating, for both my clients and my team, but we power through and ultimately put out some big fires.

If you want to avoid these horror stories, I suggest you follow the "Three E's" when searching for a SEO content writer:

Experience - make sure your content writer has it and can prove that he or she has a comprehensive portfolio/samples of his or her writing.  Also, seek content writers with backgrounds in internet marketing, SEO and who have degrees in English, Technical Writing, Journalism or Marketing.  Trust me, experience matters and you don't want to leave your content in the hands of a beginner.

Effectiveness -if your SEO content writer cannot produce results, what is the point of working with him or her?  Ask your writers to prove that their methods work or even ask for referrals from their clients.  Getting your site to rank naturally takes time and money, if you work with a content writer who is not effective, you will lose both. 

Ethical - there are many SEO firms and content writers out there who will take you for a ride.  If an SEO firm or SEO writers start making lofty promises, fail to justify their SEO strategies or cannot provide you with a solid road map, just say no!  When you work with an ethical SEO company, you will see results over time without any shady scams.  You will probably also learn a thing or two as ethical companies want to share their knowledge and HELP you.

If you need more information on how to select the right SEO professionals for your website, I suggest you read this article by Michael Bluejay titled "How to Hire Professional Help."  The author clearly states people should not hire SEO professionals that say, "they have special tricks to get you good rankings... they have a "special relationship" with the search engines... they'll submit your site to "hundreds" of search engines."

Remember, experienced SEO content writers do not use or need tricks because they know the best way to make a site perform well in the search engines is by providing quality content that is useful, informative and targeted.

This article was written by Amber Khan, founder of Star Content.  All rights reserved © Star Content Writers 2009.