Well, “To Be Or Not To Be” can be a general question but here we are discussing it in the context of becoming a good SEO writer (search engine optimization writer). No matter, whether you are looking for some professionals or experts to promote your dream website or just looking for some work to earn that “extra” income; SEO writing has become a buzz word in the online community these days. I have spent many years in content writing, SEO writing and creating eBooks on a variety of subjects—that’s why I can say it affirmatively! SEO writing has become the need of the hour if you want to stay in business.
As a human being (with a mix of technical expertise as well as managerial skills), “To Be Or Not To Be” is the question that has always teased me in the past. Not just in the past …but even as of today! If we trace back the history then we will find that this famous line was first used by the legend William Shakespeare in Hamlet’s Act III. Since then it has been used by many writers…may be I am the first SEO writer who is using it! But, I have a reason for it. Please keep reading to understand why?
First thing first, so let’s see who can be termed as a true SEO writer. In the simplest words, as per best of my knowledge and conscience, an SEO writer can be anybody (like you and me) who knows what he is writing and why, and eventually does writing, either for self or for others! So that means they aren’t aliens (no pun intended, of course!).
In other words we can say that an SEO writer is the one who understands the importance of keywords/keyphrases and can write the entire content carefully and articulately woven around those keywords that best fit their business category. An SEO writer actually optimizes the entire site content using various search engine optimization strategies in an attempt to achieve a desirable ranking in search engines.
But, it can be easier said than done, as there is no quick fix or permanent solution to understand different search engine optimization strategies or techniques. Every search engine, by and large, has its own different techniques and complex algorithms. And, by the time you are conversant with some particular techniques or strategies, you will find that they have been changed very quickly. Moreover, there is no written guarantee about their results and virtually there is no fixed time period as well to get the results.
So, now a hundred dollar question comes, what exactly we should do for better search engine optimization? Now take a deep breath and relax, as you are going to explore a few secrets for better search engine optimization.
First of all, you need to bear in your mind that the role of an SEO writer in not just to satisfy the search engines but human visitors as well. So a good SEO writer is the one who knows how to please search engines as well as human visitors, and the one who firmly believes that there is no short cut to success. The entire content should be written in such as way that it uses all the search terms or keywords as natural as possible (remember, it shouldn’t be maximization but optimization). So that means, if you don’t know how to use those particular keywords or keyphrases optimally (to satisfy search engines as well as human visitors) you are “out-of-focus” immediately. The websites that use particular keywords or search terms over and over are sure to be penalized by both, search engines and visitors. Can you afford it?…I know no body can afford it for sure!
You need to master and hone your copywriting skills, as high-quality and unique content is real king. It should be clear, crispy, attention grabbing and unduplicated that is free from plagiarism. In the mad race of SEO content, always avoid content that is nothing but search engine Spam. However, if you don’t have the staff or budget to generate unique, original and never seen content every month, then try some professional copywriter and SEO expert. You can’t be Jack-of-all-trades, so for the tasks that you can’t do comfortably and skillfully, there is always potential that you could outsource them to providers who specialize in the specific areas. But always be wary about their capabilities and skills unless you have actually tried them.
So when it comes become an SEO writer, you will be required to write a lot of good quality content. I know that cannot be done quickly. It may take months, years or sometimes a lifetime to become a good copywriter. It needs good command over your language, passion for writing and a lot of imagination and creativity. To become a successful SEO writer, never fall for short cuts as they are for short periods only. If you want to become an icon in your field, you need to follow a few golden principles, such as:
Write to please your readers and show utmost respect for their time and efforts. Never do overstuffing with keywords, as overstuffing can’t make your pages rank higher. Think twice before writing even a single sentence. Never use jargons and technical words that may go over the heads of common visitors. Remember, being an expert SEO writer doesn’t necessarily mean that you totally get trapped in the SEO stuff and complex algorithms; instead write clear, crispy, concise and to the point. Otherwise, at the end of the day you will find that though you have generated traffic but not visitors who bring business to your website.
Last but not the least; remember “experiment” is the key here, but instead of putting others into fire, it is better to get your fingers burnt to experiment and put others into a safe place to help reach them where they want to be, safely and comfortably. So, if you want to become a true SEO writer, you need to experiment with your own stuff. You need to take the initiative to learn about the importance of various keywords (primary, secondary and tertiary), the required density and placement rules, the nature of the search engines. Get ready to do a thorough research to find the most suitable keywords based upon number of hits at various search engines when people look for particular information on various search engines. Some very good resources are the paid versions of Wordtracker, KeywordDiscovery or Overture.
As an SEO writer, you should learn, unlearn and then relearn different techniques with your own websites to gain practice and experience in search engine optimization. Read from others in the similar field, participate in discussions forums and blogs; and once you are familiar with these techniques then apply and test them on your own website. I think this is the best way to understand the search engines and different techniques, inside out.
Rakesh Sharma “Jack” is a freelance copywriter, SEO writer and eBook expert based in India with more than 10 years of experience. He has written dozens of eBooks, hundreds of research reports and thousands of articles on various topics. To know more about him and his services, please visit: http://www.aurumwriters.com
