{"id":18799,"date":"2019-04-04T15:05:07","date_gmt":"2019-04-04T19:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crowdcontent.com\/blog\/?p=18799"},"modified":"2023-07-18T05:34:09","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T09:34:09","slug":"crash-course-how-to-become-an-seo-content-writer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crowdcontent.com\/blog\/writers-hub\/crash-course-how-to-become-an-seo-content-writer\/","title":{"rendered":"Crash Course: How to Become an SEO Content Writer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ninety-three percent of all website traffic starts with a search engine query.

The result? It\u2019s not enough for companies to just create good content \u2014 they also need to optimize content so it\u2019s well received by search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. The lion\u2019s share of searchers will click a link on the first page of the search results, so it\u2019s critical that your content is ranked highly enough to make it to the first page.
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Think of it like setting up a brick-and-mortar shop: you can have the best store out there, but if you don\u2019t have signs, an address on the map or other ways for potential customers to know what\u2019s inside, you\u2019re not going to get people coming into the store. <\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

\n\n\t\t\tWriting SEO content is like setting up a brick-and-mortar shop: you can have the best store out there, but if you don\u2019t have signs, an address or other ways for customers to know what\u2019s inside, they won’t come in the store.<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tClick to Tweet<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\n\n

For freelance writers, this need creates opportunity: businesses need high-quality articles, blog posts, city pages, website content and other types of SEO-optimized written content to help build out their search engine marketing strategy. Even the best written content won\u2019t deliver the search traffic businesses need if it hasn\u2019t been optimized for SEO, including the proper use of keywords, solving searcher intent and more.
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Some companies leverage in-house talent to bridge the gap, but many now recognize the value in specialization of labor and are looking for highly skilled SEO content writers<\/a> to help drive their content strategy. It\u2019s no easy task: SEO writing takes discipline, focus and the ability to shift gears or change topics on demand. But for writers with the raw talent and willingness to improve their craft, SEO writing offers substantial opportunities.

Ready for a crash course? Here\u2019s how you can become an SEO content writer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Is the Foundation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First thing\u2019s first: Make sure you\u2019ve got the writing skills to pay the bills. (Yes. I do like cheesy sayings.)

In practice, this means you\u2019re able to create high-quality content that\u2019s free of grammatical and spelling errors, draws in and engages readers and quickly communicates key points.
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When it comes to SEO writing, there\u2019s a tendency to think of it as more mechanical and less creative than other types of content, but the truth is that brands now recognize the value of SEO-driven articles and blog posts that draw in potential consumers with great storytelling and subtle brand positioning.
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If you\u2019re already comfortable with the basics \u2014 great. If you think you can use some improvement, check out our Writer University<\/a> for actionable lessons to get your writing where it needs to be. There are also plenty of other resources, including Poynter University<\/a>, Purdue\u2019s Online Writing Lab<\/a> (OWL), and my personal favorite, Minion Fogarty\u2019s Grammar Girl<\/a>. You should also subscribe to AP\u2019s online stylebook<\/a> and do a bit of studying.

For help with content questions, writing structure or workflow you\u2019ll find plenty of forums and writing groups online. One of the most popular is WriteWords; the site offers everything tips and tricks articles to job opportunities to writing groups that can help evaluate and critique your work.
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You\u2019re going to have to do all the groundwork on getting your writing, grammar, logic, flow and structure up to speed. This article is about how to add to those skills by learning how to take the really compelling, engaging content you write and adding value by optimizing it for SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO <\/strong>– 10 Things to Know Before You Start Writing for a Client<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO<\/strong>– Copywriting for SEO<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding Searcher Intent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Modern SEO demands more than simply using keywords in your writing. It\u2019s critical that you understand what the most relevant information is to satisfy someone plugging in those keywords.
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The days when keyword-stuffed content (Read: \u201cI love peanut butter sandwiches because peanut butter sandwiches have a lot of peanut butter in the sandwich<\/em>.\u201d) are gone. Today\u2019s search engine algorithms like Google\u2019s RankBrain look at the behavioral metrics of content such as bounce rate and dwell time to determine how actual readers view your content and whether it\u2019s deserving of a high placement in the search engine results.
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\n\n\t\t\tThe days when keyword-stuffed content (Read: \u201cI love peanut butter sandwiches because peanut butter sandwiches have a lot of peanut butter in the sandwich.\u201d) are gone.<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tClick to Tweet<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\n\n

Start by reviewing the set of keywords you\u2019re given, and then try to put yourself in the searcher\u2019s shoes. Let that guide you as you write.
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Someone who\u2019s thinking about getting a new dog might search for these keyword terms:
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