You probably already know that the best SEO content starts with a stellar writer. Search engines have gone beyond raw keyword density and are rewarding sites that provide compelling content, which means you need a writer, not a robot. However, that doesn’t mean you should entirely ignore strategies like keyword placement. It just means that you need to get your copywriter on the same page as you with regard to your SEO strategy.
What’s the Writer’s Perspective?
Freelancers complete copywriting for SEO for dozens of different clients, and it’s inevitable that each one has a different approach. If the client doesn’t mention any approach, writers see that as a free pass to use whatever strategy they deem best. Depending on the skill of the writer, this may mean:
- Choosing a keyword phrase from your suggested title and using it three times throughout the blog post.
- Using AdWords to determine the best opportunities for your industry and working one or two of these keywords in once or twice each.
- Picking a keyword at random and using it as many times as humanly possible, plus a few more times for good measure.
In the end, you may not be happy with the approach the writer picks. This is why it’s so important to communicate your SEO strategy with the writer.
What to Communicate with the Writer
Writers may not want to read your 20-page SEO guidebook just to complete a $50 assignment that may not turn into ongoing work. In general, include at least four pieces of information for the writer:
- The exact keyword phrase(s) you want used in the assignment, based on your research. You shouldn’t expect your copywriter to do this research for you.
- Your desired keyword density and placement. Perhaps you want the keyword phrase used in the title, first paragraph, last paragraph, and somewhere in the middle of the article.
- Whether you need additional content, like a meta description, Facebook status update, and Twitter status update. If you request these, mention whether it’s necessary to include a keyword phrase.
- How many links you expect the article to have and what types of sites the links should go to. High-authority links can help your rankings.
Clear communication helps the copywriter match the content to your SEO needs, and it is the best route to smiles all around!
Kristen F is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
