What is SEO Article Writing? - SEO Copywriting Explained

Many freelancers have questions about what is SEO; what is SEO copywriting; what is SEO writing. This article explains - in detail - what this is. And, how to make money from it as a freelance writer.

What is SEO?

SEO is an acronym for the phrase "search engine optimization." Search engine optimization is all about doing specific things to your website to drive more traffic to it so that you can increase online sales - and traffic.

What are some of these "things?"

There are many, but here we will discuss what it is as it applies to freelance writers. And, this means writing text in a certain way so that web surfers (ie, internet users) can land on a particular site.

What is SEO As It Relates to Freelance Writers?

What freelance writers need to be concerned with is keywords. What are keywords? Keywords are the words and phrases that web surfers type in when they search for things online.

For example, let's say you were interested in starting a foreclosure cleanup business. You may not know anything about it other than foreclosures are hot in the news right now and you are interested in starting this kind of company.

So, you log onto your favorite search engine, (eg, Google, Yahoo! MSN, etc.) and type in the keywords "foreclosure cleaning business" or "foreclosure cleaning" or "foreclosure cleanup" or some other relevant keyword phrase.

Note: When you type words into a search engine to find something on the internet, the words you type in are called a keyword (one word) or a keyword phrase (two or more words with commas in between).

How Businesses Get to the Top of Search Engine Results

When you type in these words and hit "ENTER", a bunch of sites pop up and you start to surf (ie, click on the results) and start investigating the sites to see if they have the information you need.

The sites that pop up are the results that search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN, et al think are the most relevant to the keyword phrase (aka search phrase) you typed in. Companies pay a lot of money to be among the first two or three pages in the results that search engines return.

Why SEO Copywriters are So In Demand and How They Make Their Money

One of the ways they get to pop up in the first two or three pages of results is to have relevant text that contains the proper keyword phrases. And, this is where you as an SEO copywriter can make a lot of money. You write the text that their site needs to pop up high in search engine results.

Many times, companies will simply give you a bunch of keyword phrases and let you write what you want -- as long as it's a certain length (usually 300-500 words).

There are many freelance writers - hundreds of thousands, if not a few million. BUT, only a tiny minority know what SEO is and how to write this type of copy. And, this is why they're so in demand.

SEO copywriters have an in-demand skill. And, as more and more companies move larger portions of their advertising budgets to internet marketing, there is an even greater demand for their skills.

In the SearcheEngineWatch article, The SEO Copywriter: Wordsmithing the Web, William Flaiz, underscores the importance of an SEO copywriter. He writes:

"The role of the agency SEO copywriter is unique because.... Suddenly, the writer must optimize press releases, craft articles for social news, monitor social network communications, and develop wiki content.... a strong SEO copywriter is adaptable and capable of internalizing a lot of new information extremely quickly. These unique individuals have fast become the backbone of many SEO engagements. If content is king, then they [SEO copywriters] are the kingmakers."

And this is why SEO copywriters can charge a premium for their services. If you're looking for a way to start or maximize your income as an online freelance writer, then SEO copywriting is they way to go.

About the Author: Yuwanda Black heads New Media Words, an SEO content writing and distribution firm. She is the author of the best-selling ebook, How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500-Word Articles. Ms. Black says, "You can work from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet. I do it every day." Learn more about how to start a successful SEO writing career.

What is SEO Writing - A Simplified Explanation From an Experienced SEO Copywriter

If you're interested in freelance writing and do any type of web surfing on this niche, you've probably run across job ads that read something like, "Looking for an SEO article writer to provide ongoing content for credit repair site. 350-400 words; ongoing weekly assignments." This is an SEO writing job.

As there seems to be a lot of work out there like this, many freelance writers who keep running across ads like this may go to their favorite search engine and start to do web searches on "seo writing, or "what is seo writing," or "writing for seo," or writing seo" in order to figure out exactly what this is.

Here we'll explain exactly what SEO copywriting is, and why it's such a profitable freelance writing niche.

SEO Writing Defined

First, SEO is the acronym for search engine optimization. Don't let the big term throw you. All this means is that website owners do certain things to their web pages to make sure that search engines find them and deliver web surfers - like you - to their website when they conduct internet searches.

One of these things is filling their site with SEO content.

SEO content is different from "regular" content in that some technical research and thought goes into the copy - before it is ever written. Mainly, keyword research is conducted.

What Is Keyword Research and Why Is It Important in SEO Writing

The best way to explain keyword research is to give an example.

Let' say you own a website about credit repair. You offer credit repair services to consumers with bad credit. You have a website, but it's not getting much traffic or bringing in much business. One of the things you can do is write informative content and put it on your website to drive more traffic. But, not just any informative content - SEO content.

When/if you hire an SEO copywriter, one of the first things they're going to do is find out which words and phrases web surfers are typing in to find the types of services you offer (credit repair, remember).

Note: The words and phrases that web surfers type in to find stuff on the web are called keyword phrases. Remember this.

Keyword Research Tools

So, they'll use a keyword research tool that will show them things like which keyword phrases prospects type in when they're trying to find a businesses like yours. And, many times it's not what you think, which is why keyword research tools are so popular.

FYI, one of the easiest and best keyword research tools to use is Google's Keyword AdWord Tool.

Once they find out what these keyword phrases are, they will write copy for your site that includes these phrases. This is what's known as SEO content.

And, the reason it's so effective is that search engines don't have to guess which sites might be relevant when a web surfer types in a keyword phrase. If your site's copy has the right keywords in it, it's easy for search engines to return your site as a relevant search result.

This equals more traffic, which of course usually means more sales.

And, this is why SEO writing is an exploding niche in freelance writing. Many search engine optimization (SEO) writers make $50,000 to $75,000 - or more - their first year. As every site on the web needs this type of content, it's easy to see why this is so possible.

If you're interested in this kind of freelance writing, get SEO copywriting training. Usually it lasts about a week, and you can start making money almost right away -- really. Most SEO writers say they land their first clients within the first few days once they start to market.

May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is a succesful SEO copywriter and founder of New Media Words, an SEO copywriting services firm. Get the SEO Copywriter Training you need to start a successful SEO writing career at SeoWritingJobs.com. In one week, you can train to earn as much as $50,000 to $75,000 your first year. The course also teaches you 3 ways to use your newly acquired skills to make passive income online. With the tools in this e-course, you'll never have to worry about having a job again.