Not all writers are competent SEO copywriters. Not all SEO copywriters write compelling copy. Finding that someone who can integrate both processes into hit-it-out-of-the-ballpark copy that drives Internet business means positioning with keyword phrases while enticing the reader to take action. Arm yourself with the information you need for hiring an SEO copywriter that gets the job done.

Should you hire an SEO copywriter? It has often been said that content is king in the world of search engine optimization, and to a certain extent, that is true. Good content will lure more visitors—and keep more visitors, more importantly—than any amount of clever keyword usage. But even if you have good, solid content, it may take a while for visitors to find it. Unless, that is, your content is optimized for the best search engine results.

Now, if you are a skillful writer with a knack for turning a phrase, a good understanding of spelling and grammar, and a talent for making an article interesting, entertaining, and just plain fun to read, and if you also have a solid understanding of keyword density and know how to incorporate the maximum number of keywords and keyword phrases into an article without it becoming keyword-driven gobbledeygook, and if you also have the time to devote to writing daily or nearly-daily content for your website, then you have what it takes to write your own content, and you have no need to hire a copywriter to do it for you.

If, however, you aren’t too sure of you writing skills, or if you´re concerned about your ability to incorporate keywords into your articles, or if you plain don’t have the time, then it may be worth your while to at least look into hiring an SEO copywriter.

Once you´ve made the decision to hire a copywriter, you´ll still have to find one. As with anything else available on the Internet, there are both excellent copywriters and lousy ones out there.
Whenever possible, ask to see samples of work. Copywriting that is rife with grammatical errors is not worth the cost. Remember, you want to hire someone who can write better content than you can. If possible, get links to websites they’ve written copy for, and email addresses of people they’ve worked for.

If the copywriter has is just starting out or does only ghostwriting, they may not be able to give you links to websites they’ve written for. They should still be willing to show you a sample of their work, but you should always assume that their sample will be their very best work, and other work may not be quite as good.

The Copywriter

A good copywriter writes clear, concise yet creative copy that pulls the reader in. Writing direct marketing copy takes it a step further. The writer now must draw the reader in and excite enough that action is taken. Whether it’s selling products or services the end result should be that the reader wants what the business offers.

The SEO Copywriter

Take direct marketing writing and add one more element to the fray…the internet. Writing for the web may seem the same as writing hardcopy for print, but it’s a different animal. Great writing skills are still required, but now the writing must be geared toward a flighty crowd that moves on if the first page fails to convey the message. Before anyone reads the first page of your website it must be found. Add SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to the other skills of the copywriter.

Hiring an SEO Copywriter

Hiring an SEO copywriter is like hiring any writer except you want them to have the skills to put your website into the top twenty if not the top ten. You also want them to have excellent writing skills. Before hiring always ask questions and require several writing samples.

1. What experience does the copywriter have writing SEO copy? The writer should have experience writing direct marketing copy plus know how to write for the web.

2. Does the copywriter have samples? Insist on seeing samples that prove writing capabilities as well as SEO. What keyword phrases were used in the previous projects the writer worked on? How well is the site positioned on search engines? The best SEO copy will read clean and smooth and be well positioned.

3. Does the copywriter include call-to-action hyperlinks within the copy? A savvy SEO copywriter will use every technique to influence the reader.

4. Does he/she know basic HTML? Just come right out and ask. If the answer is no, you may want to rethink who you hire to write your SEO copy.

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