How to Hire a Great SEO Content Writer

Table of Contents

Every business with an online presence can benefit from SEO content. 

Whether you have a thriving business or have just launched your first product, you need content that will satisfy both your audience and the almighty algorithm. 

But SEO is more than just stuffing in the right keywords. A good SEO content writer understands the strategies that will get your business the results it needs. 

If you’re reading this article, it means you’re probably on the hunt for a great SEO content writer that drives traffic, conversions, and revenue. 

Since that’s exactly what we do here at Embarque, we’ve put together this complete guide to finding and hiring the content writing talent that will get business where you want it to be.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

What To Look for in a Good SEO Writer

SEO writing is half art and half science. It needs to engage your audience and keep them coming back for more, while still appeasing Google’s ranking algorithms by paying attention to things like keyword relevance and site authority. 

A good SEO writer understands both of these (sometimes competing) goals and works them into the content they create and your overall content strategies. But beyond this general knowledge, you should also look for someone who has the following skills:  

On-Page SEO Knowledge

On-page SEO includes everything from the tags, titles, and headings of a web page to the content itself. A good SEO writer knows how to incorporate on-page SEO best practices into their writing without making it sound robotic or forced.

What are these on-page SEO best practices, you ask? There are a few:

It’s important to note that lots of SEO content writers only handle writing. Not exactly a revelation, I know. But if you’re looking for end-to-end SEO support that includes content planning, keyword research, and back linking, you may need to work with an agency like Embarque or hire a content strategist in addition to a writer.

Off-Page SEO Strategies

To use a metaphor, off-page SEO strategies are the skeleton that gives your website structure and on-page SEO is what fills it in. In other words, a good SEO content writer needs to understand off-page strategies, too.

There are a few key skills you should be looking for here:

Where To Hire the Best SEO Content Writers

So now you know what to look for in an SEO content writer—where do you actually find this person?

The Internet is full of content writers (and people claiming to be content writers), but finding the good ones can be a challenge. Let’s take a look at some of the most reliable ways to find top-notch SEO content writers.

1. Agencies

When you work with an SEO agency, you get more than just a content writer.

Yes, you get access to professional-quality writing talent. But behind the scenes is an entire team that can handle fact-checking, editing, content strategy, on- and off-page SEO, link building, and more. Plus, you don’t need to worry about managing and coordinating an entire team—your agency liaison takes care of all that.

At Embarque, we work with you to create a service package that meets your needs. Want to order a standalone article? No problem. Want us handle link building, content writing, keyword research, and CMS publishing? We can do that, too.

We work with writers across multiple different niches to serve clients in a range of industries—from SaaS to childcare to podcasting. Want to learn more? Check out our selection of case studies to see our approach to SEO content in action. Or, contact us today to see how we can bring the same results to you and your business.

2. Freelance Marketplaces

Freelance marketplaces are great for connecting with a lot of SEO content writers. Some sites feature thousands of profiles that you can browse through, with reviews and samples to help you make a decision.

Here are a few sites to get you started:

3. Networking and Outreach

If you're not interested in combing through hundreds of profiles in a freelance marketplace, you can always use traditional networking to find the best content writers.

Start by asking your contacts in similar industries for referrals. If that doesn’t work, try searching for SEO content writers on LinkedIn using the advanced search feature. For example, if you’re looking for someone in the healthcare industry, use the keywords “healthcare” and “content writer” and see who pops up.

Alternatively, cold outreach is always an option. There are two simple options for doing this:

4. AI Tools

There’s been a great deal of buzz lately about AI—what it can do and what it's going to be able to do in the very near future. One of the newest applications is AI-powered content writing.

There are new AI-powered writing assistants popping up all the time, but three of the most popular are:

These tools are obviously exciting for business owners who need content but don’t have the resources to hire a full-time writer. 

But there's a major caveat—AI-generated content does not come close to competing with human-generated content in the realm of SEO. Sure, you can use an AI-powered tool to pump out keyword-rich content, but without the human touch, it’s unlikely to rank highly in search engine results.

Why? AI-generated content is robotic, lacks nuance, and often comes across as spammy. So while AI content generators can be helpful for getting basic blog posts written quickly, they shouldn’t be used as a full-time content writing solution.

Create Results-Driven Content With Embarque

Embarque is a content marketing agency that specializes in SEO-friendly, results-driven content.

Our experienced writers understand how to craft copy that's optimized for search engines and engaging for readers. So, whether you need website copy, blog posts, or comprehensive content writing services, we can help.

Reach out today to learn more about how Embarque can help your business reach its content marketing goals.

Related Posts

Interviews

Interview: Anne-Laure Le Cunff on growing Ness Labs, writing, and reaching her MRR goals

In this interview, learn how she successfully grew Ness Labs and her reason for growing the community, how she writes consistently everyday, and her tips on how to build a business.

Our Step-By-Step Guide on How We Use Google Analytics Screenshot for SEO

We've helped numerous businesses and high-growth tech startups scale rapidly by leveraging Google Analytics screenshots for insightful SEO strategies.