An SEO copywriter can make a huge difference when it comes to your ranking and results.
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of SEO copywriting when it comes to attracting search engine traffic.
It’s more important than ever for businesses to have a robust online presence — and one of the best ways to achieve that is to continually build out your site with strong, relevant content that brings in search traffic. That’s where your blog comes in.
However, blog posts won’t bring much organic traffic to your site if those posts aren’t search engine optimized (SEO).
What is SEO copywriting?
SEO copywriting means writing copy for your site (usually blog posts) that is engaging for readers and optimized to bring you targeted keyword traffic.
Some examples of SEO copywriting include:
- A company that sells supplements produces blog posts about health issues and ends each post with a call to action about trying a supplement that may help.
- A travel site writes blog posts about different destinations around the world and includes links to hotel and flight deals.
- A B2B company that sells software writes posts about problems their clients might face — and includes a mention of how their software might help. They feature a link to a landing page where people can learn more and sign up for a free trial.
How SEO copywriting works
Notice that in each example listed above, the posts are designed to attract the company’s target market, whether that’s people with health concerns, people who love to travel, or small businesses trying to solve specific problems.
That’s how SEO copywriting attracts traffic to your site — by anticipating the questions your target market might type into a search engine, answering those questions, and making sure the search engine considers your answer to be among the best the internet has to offer.
Professional SEO copywriters know how to appeal to both the reader and the search engine algorithm. They write engaging content for blog posts and other formats that answers questions thoroughly and weaves important keywords into the content in ways that help it rank high in search engine results.
An effective SEO strategy is less expensive over time than buying paid advertising for your site. Paid advertising may bring faster results, but your traffic will also stop as soon as you stop paying for ads.
With an SEO content strategy, you’ll spend a little on content each week, and the results will grow slowly over time as your site grows into a resource that search engines consider valuable. The content — and resulting traffic — are yours to keep forever.
Why should you hire a professional freelance SEO copywriter?
Here are four good reasons to outsource your content creation to a freelance copywriter:
They know how to incorporate keywords
A professional SEO copywriter stays up to date on the latest SEO copywriting best practices. That means they know precisely how to use keywords to influence search engines.
For example, they will build your keywords into the introduction of your article and into topic headings where appropriate. They will also sprinkle those keywords throughout the copy in a way that feels natural rather than forced.
A professional also understands how to write headlines and meta descriptions that make people want to click on your post when it appears in search results.
They know how to write engaging copy
Professional SEO copywriters know how to write engaging copy that will keep readers on your site — and coming back for more.
They know how to break up the text so it’s easy to scan, use headlines and subheadings to organize information, and use imagery and other types of multimedia to add visual interest.
They know how to weave keywords naturally into your content
One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to optimize their site for search engines is “keyword stuffing” — cramming as many keywords into their content as possible to help them rank higher.
The problem is, this doesn’t work. In fact, it can actually hurt your ranking because search engines will penalize you for keyword stuffing.
A professional SEO copywriter knows how to use keywords effectively without going overboard — which means they can help you avoid keyword stuffing penalties.
They know how to write for different stages of the buyer’s journey
Professional SEO copywriters understand that people are at different stages of the buyer’s journey when reading your content. Some people might be just starting to learn about a problem they have and are looking for information (this is the awareness stage).
Others might know they have a problem and be looking for a solution (this is the consideration stage). And still others might be ready to buy a product or service to solve their problem (this is the decision stage).
A professional SEO copywriter knows how to write content that appeals to all three stages of the buyer’s journey. They can help you attract new leads, nurture those leads into becoming customers, and turn one-time buyers into lifelong fans.
How SEO copywriting services work
If you hire a professional freelance SEO copywriter, you will need to offer them some guidance in the form of a content brief. Usually, the client tells the writer what keywords to incorporate, who the target market is, how many links to include, and how often to create posts.
The client is also responsible for editing the final copy before it appears on their site to make sure it is error-free.
Some writers require more guidance than others, but you can expect to pay a bit more if you ask your writer to do their own keyword research and create your strategy.
Hiring a freelancer works very well for businesses that understand content marketing principles well but don’t have the expertise or availability on their team to produce a steady stream of engaging SEO-optimized posts.
A fully managed SEO copywriting agency will do all that for you. First, you’ll have experts crafting a cohesive keyword strategy to help you rank high in search engine results.
Then they’ll put that strategy into action by working with writers to create high-quality blog posts, articles, web page copy, and more.
The writer’s work will be proofread and edited before you see it. All you have to do is approve the final drafts before they’re published.
How much does SEO copywriting cost?
The cost of SEO copywriting services varies depending on the scope of the project, the level of expertise of the writers, and other factors. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay anywhere from $0.10 to $1.00 per word for basic SEO copywriting services.
If you need more specialized services or want a fully managed solution, you can expect to pay more.
Of course, like all things, you get what you pay for.
Writers with high language fluency, a reputation for delivering content on time, a solid understanding of the latest SEO best practices, and the ability to create engaging, error-free work are in high demand and are well-paid.
If you choose a copywriter at the lower end of the pay spectrum, you can expect to supervise them closely and edit their work heavily. In addition, you’ll need to create your own keyword strategies and check their SEO work to be sure what they’re producing will get results.
If you choose a copywriter at the higher end of the pay spectrum, you can expect them to require less supervision and deliver high-quality work that’s ready to publish.
Hire a professional and watch your traffic grow
Hiring a professional SEO copywriter can save your staff time and help you create content that appeals to your target market and helps you rank higher in search engine results.
ClearVoice can connect you with experienced professional freelance SEO copywriters who’ve been carefully vetted and hand-selected for your next project. You can also choose a fully managed option and have all the strategy, management, and editing done for you. Talk to a content specialist today to learn more.
