What makes an experienced SEO content writer so valuable? If you’re a business owner, you’re probably used to doing a lot of things yourself. This is especially true of anyone who has started their own business, building it from the ground up. But whether you have created your business from scratch or taken the reins from someone else, odds are good that there are better ways for you to spend your hours than writing a weekly company blog post.
Many businesses assign the blog to someone within the company. That employee may be a good writer, but does their skill set include SEO (search engine optimization) writing? It is absolutely essential that they also have the necessary SEO skills. They need to make blogs that perform well for your business: attract traffic, and connect with customers.
Why You Shouldn’t Do Your Own SEO
Unless you or someone in your business has very strong SEO experience, there are good reasons to avoid producing your blog entirely by yourself. For one thing, it’s a large commitment of time. If you’re like most owners, you have a million other things you need to be doing (often things that can’t be delegated).
In addition, your employees may be experts in your industry, but that doesn’t mean that they have the background or the available time to research SEO to the extent that the job truly requires.
5 Specific Skills of an SEO Content Writer
1. SEO Writers Write Specifically for Internet Readers
It probably comes as no surprise to you that readers look at an article on the internet very differently than they look at an article that exists on the physical page.
Internet Readers Start Off in “Scanning” Mode
Eye-tracking studies have revealed that website visitors often conduct a preliminary “sweep” of a page of content ahead of time. These readers do this because they are trying to figure out if they are staring at an article that’s worth their time. Why read something in more depth when there are dozens (or hundreds) of similar articles that might be better?
When first-time visitors come to your website, they are starting off in “scan” mode. If they like what they see, they’ll read more. If they don’t, they’ll click “back,” and scroll down to a website that knows how to catch their attention.
Internet Readers Demand Quality Because They Have Options
It would be a mistake to write this off as plain old superficiality. In fact, readers who consume large amounts of internet content know that much of what they will encounter is not going to be well-written. Much of it may not contain the information they need, or worse, contain errors and poor research.
So internet readers are looking for quality, even hoping for it, in much the same way that a shopper looks for the best apples in the produce section of their grocery store. They look over the content briefly and then decide whether or not they want to put in more time.
SEO Content Writers Know How to Format for These Readers
One of the most important goals of a blog writer is to convince the “scanning” reader to become an “attentive” reader. If you run a business, you want the second type of reader. You want someone who will pay attention to what you have to say and will (hopefully) reward your quality content with their business.
In order to do that, content must be easy to scan and worth reading. SEO writers know how to format their articles so that they are both scannable and informative.
2. SEO Writers Incorporate Keywords Naturally
If you’ve spent much time researching SEO, you have almost certainly come across the concept of “keywords.” These are the magic little words or phrases that catch the attention of Google, causing it to rank your site higher and sending more visitors your way.
SEO Keywords Can Be Awkward
Let’s say you run a growing chain of bakeries in Florida. You want to grow your business even further by increasing its online presence. Keywords might reference some of your products or they might discuss your geographic location: something like “cupcakes in Pensacola.” This is where it can potentially get a little awkward, though, if you don’t have the right writer.
SEO Writers Are Used to Making It Work Anyway
In many cases, the best choice for SEO is not necessarily the easiest or most obvious phrase to use in a standard article format. Fortunately, a skilled SEO writer will know how to incorporate those keywords, folding them smoothly into readable copy. That’s how you get the attention of both Google and human beings.
3. SEO Writers Focus on Creating Content for Your Ideal Reader
Have you ever read a blog where each individual post seemed to be written for a completely different audience? When a blog is inconsistent, it’s noticeable. Sometimes it’s the topic selection, and sometimes it’s the tone of the writing style, but whatever the reason, effective blogs should convey a certain sense of unity and purpose.
Your Blog’s First Goal Is Reaching the “Ideal Reader”
In the case of company blogs, the purpose is to inform your readership and make the case for your business. Professional blogs usually provide some sort of value for the customer free of charge. They answer common questions or explain why certain products work the way they do. Blogs should not be written simply to “fill space” without focusing on the reader.
SEO Helps You Reach the Ideal Reader
Marketers love effective blogs. They are less expensive than traditional advertising and typically deliver better results. Over half of marketers say that on-page content is their highest inbound marketing priority. It’s not difficult to understand why that’s the case.
Inbound marketing can result in seven times the sales as outbound marketing like mailers and newspaper ads. That’s because SEO isn’t random: when done properly, it gets the attention of people who were already thinking about buying your product.
Well-Written Blogs Help Those Readers Become Customers
SEO writers focus their attention on these readers, knowing that it’s the best way to help you grow your business. They use SEO to get them to arrive at your site, and then they use the articles to make the case for your company. The key is to find writers who can handle both pieces of that process.
4. SEO Writers Are Used to Delivering Content Quickly
In most cases, SEO writers are contract workers. They may work through a company or they may work on a freelance basis, but their paychecks are usually directly connected to how much they accomplish. There’s no hourly rate, and there’s no reward for dragging their heels.
The great part of this is system is that it focuses on results and rewards speed just as much as it rewards quality. Business owners can’t afford to wait endlessly for their blogs to be updated. SEO writers can’t afford to wait either, and that system ensures prompt delivery.
5. SEO Writers Are Used to Tailoring Their Content to Your Needs
It is very rare that a single writer or SEO content company will work with just one client. On the contrary, most writers are generating content for multiple industries at the same time, and they know they need to be adaptive. Their content is there to serve the needs of your business, not the other way around.
When you order blogs from an experienced SEO content writer, you are working with someone who already has an attitude of wanting to help make your business more successful: and the few writers who don’t take this approach usually don’t last long!
The SEO Content Writer Saves You Time
If you really want to up your online content game, it makes absolute sense to outsource your blog. It saves you a lot of time, because while a few hours a week may not seem like much at first, when you measure it cumulatively over the course of several years, it can represent an enormous amount of freedom that you wouldn’t otherwise have.
It can also result in more targeted SEO, more traffic, and a more effective blog. So how do you get started in the process?
How Do You Choose an SEO Writer?
Finding individual SEO content writers can be a bit of a challenge. Some businesses choose to spend days or weeks hunting down the perfect author, but in many cases, this can actually increase the amount of time they’re spending on the blog.
Instead of trying to sift through thousands of potential writers, why not talk to a company that specializes in complete blog management and has a team of vetted writers who are ready to work with you?
SteadyContent: Your Content, Your Way
At SteadyContent, we have 550 SEO writers in our pool, generating millions of words of content every month. We also have a core team of specialists and editors who make sure that all your content is tailored to your specifications.
Would you like to know more? We have a special “trial offer” for first-time customers, so you can try out our content at no risk to you. Contact SteadyContent today, let us know what you’re looking for, and see what we can do for you!
