This past weekend, I received an email from a site reader asking about freelance writing courses. She wanted advice on a course that could teach her “different types” of writing. Her exact email was:

I’m interested in taking a freelance writing course that teaches me the structure of the different types of writing that I will need to do for potential clients. Does your course include how to actually write the SEO articles and other forms of writing? Please let me know. Thank you.

My Answer

My response to her was the following:

InkwellEditorial.com offers two freelance writing courses. The general one doesn’t discuss how to actually write — it assumes you have these skills, but don’t know where/how to start. So, this course teaches you everything you need to know to get set up as a freelance writer.

The SEO writing ecourse teaches you everything you need to know to start an SEO writing career, INCLUDING how to write this type of copy.

FYI, it’s up to you to determine which type of writing you want to do as a freelance writer. I know of no course that’s going to teach you how to do “different types” of writing.

There are just too many different types for any kind of writing course to be this inclusive. Hence, you have to decide which type of writing services you want to offer, eg, case studies, white papers, SEO articles, press releases, etc., then find courses that teach those specific types of writing. This is just one reason I advise freelancers — especially those who are just starting out — to niche it. You can always expand as you gain more experience (and skill).

“So,” you may be wondering, “what does this have to do with landing more freelance writing jobs?” Well it inspired this post; the part that got my brain to ticking was the two words, “different types” because I thought to myself:

No matter what type of content you offer as a freelance writer, you can always use your writing skill to get more work from a client.

Following are three ways to go about it.

Tip #1: Repurpose Existing Content

As there are so many different types of writing, whatever type of writing you do, you can recycle it for your clients so that they get more mileage out of it. For example, if a client asks you to complete a project – whether it’s a press release or a case study or some SEO articles – always offer to repurpose that content; especially if they commission offline copy.

So much of business is done online these days that if a client isn’t maximizing their website, they’re missing a lot of business. So you can repurposes SEO articles into press releases; newsletters into shorter blog posts, or sales letters into brochures.

And, repurposing is easy because once you take on the initial project, usually, all the research you need to complete an additional piece of content has been done already.

Tip #2: SEO Existing Content

Many companies are just hopping on the SEO bandwagon. But, they may have content on their websites that go back years. I know I do; between this site, InkwellEditorial.com and it’s old blog at InkwellEditorial.blogspot.com, I have close to 1,000 pages of content.

I was doing some research for another article that required me to go back and count how many blog posts I’d done since I started blogging in 2005. Following is roughly how it shakes out. Note: I say “roughly” because some pages are ebooks that I’ve uploaded, not actual “posts.”

I started blogging in February of 2005. That year, I wrote 58 posts.

In 2006, 103 posts;

In 2007; 168 posts;

In 2008, 164 posts;

in 2009, 85 posts (47 posts for this site and 38 for SeoWritingJobs.com);

In 2010, 174 posts (114 posts for this site; 51 for SeoWritingJobs.com; and 9 for Internet Marketing for Novices (my affiliate marketing newsletter));

In 2011, 204 posts (129 posts for this site; 62 for SeoWritingJobs.com; and 13 for Internet Marketing for Novices); and

So far this year, 14 posts for iw.com; 9 for SeoWritingJobs.com; and 3 for Internet Marketing for Novices.

I didn’t start “SEOing” my content in earnest until 2008/2009. Why? Because even though I learned about SEO writing in 2007, I was doing a lot of writing for clients, so SEOing my content wasn’t top of mind. While I make a conscious effort to do it when I write articles for article marketing, I still don’t pay as much attention as I could to it for my own content (eg, like this blog post).

That’s because usually I’m answering questions from readers, so my focus is answering the question, not SEOing my response.

What Does Rewriting Existing Content with SEO in Mind Entail

What would this entail? Things like:

Modifying site headings to include relevant keyword phrases;

Renaming image files (eg, from .jp1 to “titanium-wedding-bands.jpg (if it’s a site that sells this type of merchandise);

Including relevant, keyword-rich subheadings on each web page; and

Renaming pages (with a redirect from the old page), to name a few.

Offer to rewrite a certain number of pages for a fixed rate or a per-page rate as some pages will require only a few changes, while others may need more work. Many clients get nervous with an hourly rate; charging like this will give them a concrete figure to work with, which will make it easier for them to give you the job.

Note: If you want to target new clients, this is an excellent pitch to make, especially to small business owners and internet marketing firms. Why?

Small business owners tend to know very little about SEO. But, what they may know is that their site is underperforming. Hence, you can land rewriting jobs by explaining to them how they can get more targeted traffic by having their content written with SEO in mind.

Internet marketing firms have a lot of work because their customers are business owners – from small mom and pops to multi-million dollar companies. And, much of what they do for these businesses is rewrite content with SEO in mind.

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Editor Note: Did you catch this recent post on InkwellEditorial.com, this site’s sister site — How to Write an Ebook: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Self-Publishing?
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Tip #3: Use Blog Comments to Create More Content

One of the struggles many businesses have (and writers too!) is creating interesting, informative content – on a daily/weekly basis.

An easy way to get around this is to look at a client’s blog to see which topics are hot. They’re usually the ones with the most comments. If a client doesn’t have a blog, ask them which pages get the most traffic on their sites.

Then, look over this content to create more similar to it.

Conclusion

We are smack dab in the middle of the age of information / content marketing. Proof? According to the October 2011 article, Why Content Marketing Is King, on Entrepreneur.com:

. . . 82 percent of B2B marketers now employ content marketing as a strategy in their marketing programs. Coming in at a distant second place is search engine marketing at 70 percent, followed by events at 68 percent, public relations at 64 percent and print/TV/radio advertising at 32 percent.

And, just what are the reasons many businesses cite for not doing content marketing? The same article states:

Nearly 70 percent of content curators say lack of time hinders their efforts, with 66 percent saying a lack of original and quality content is a major drawback. Another 38 percent say difficulty in measuring results is the stumbling block and 37 percent say lack of staff to do the work is the hindrance.

What does this mean?

In short, a wealth of opportunity for freelance writers, and particularly SEO writers. Are you prepared to seize the opportunities?

Yuwanda
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P.S.: Earn $250+/Day Writing Simple Web Content? Here’s the blueprint I used to start my SEO writing career.

P.P.S.: Don’t Know a Thing about SEO but Want to Start this Recession-Proof Career? Get SEO Copywriter Training.

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Want to avoid freelance writing dry spells by making extra money as an affiliate marketer? Learn how to earn $50-$150/day online pretty seamlessly in the best-selling ebook, How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites.

Copyright © 2012: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s written consent (linking to is fine). Violators will be prosecuted.

Yesterday, I received the following email from a prospective SEO writer. He wrote:

Mrs. [sic] Black,
 
I am interested starting an SEO writing business, however, I don’t consider myself much of a writer. My writing experience is limited to responding to customer inquiries for a credit card company. I have very little college education on the subject, and have always had a love/hate relationship with it. I agonize over the phrasing and find myself spending a great deal of time rereading and rewriting.
 
Would you consider starting an SEO writing business someone like me could succeed in? My main concern is getting an article request and finding myself way over my head.

My Answer

My advice to this person would be, “Don’t start an SEO writing (or any other kind of freelance writing) business. Following is why.

This potential freelancer actually has good writing skills, just judging by his short email to me. And, he states that he does write regularly (eg, responding to customer inquiries for a credit card company). So the basic writing skills are there. 

The reason I say he shouldn’t start this type of career is his statement, ”I have very little college education on the subject, and have always had a love/hate relationship with it.” [emphasis added]

To reiterate, you don’t need a formal education of any kind to become an SEO writer. In fact, one of the beautiful things about starting this type of freelance business is that age, education and experience don’t present barriers of entry. This tends to be true for web writing in general, by the way, compared to say, writing for newspapers  — where experience (and who you know) counts to some degree. 

I’ve said on many occasions that I don’t exactly like to write. BUT, I like the lifestyle that it allows me to lead and writing has always come relatively easy to me. A long-time entrepreneur, I’‘m also quite disciplined when it comes to meeting deadlines. All of this compensates for the fact that writing is not a “passion” for me.

Writing is damn hard work (and don’t believe anyone who tells you differently); especially if you have to write on subjects you know nothing about, have no interest in, and could care less about learning about. This will happen a lot in SEO writing.

Types of Projects to Expect as an SEO Writer 

I’ve written on everything from wire jewelry, to cake toppers, to roofing – all in one day. If you care nothing about these subjects, are not disciplined enough to get the work done and/or find yourself “spending a great deal of time rereading and rewriting,” SEO writing would be a tortuous career for you.

Related Post: Types of Projects to Expect as an SEO Writer

On the one hand, if you are disciplined, have good writing skills, appreciate the freedom of working for yourself and the money you can make – in spite of not LIKING to write – SEO writing could be the ideal career for you. In fact, the fact that I can write on so many different topics in one day is what keeps me from going batty some days!

I also happen to love quiz shows like Jeopardy, so learning random facts in the course of the research I do for client projects is fun. As these things underscore, like anything in life, these are the tradeoffs.

I think many wannabe freelancers get enamored with the “glamour” of freelancing – so much so that they forget about the actual work. Trust me, there’s nothing glamorous about it. It’s you, your laptop and research, which consists of digging through materials like white papers, surveys, case studies, university stats, etc. to find  pertinent facts.

That being said, I love my life – I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, even though I could probably double my income immediately by taking a job in corporate america.

But . . .

Would I trade working in my pjs (which I’m doing right now) for it;

Would I trade being able to travel at the drop of a hat for it;

Would I trade being able to set my own hours for it; 

Would I trade the freedom of doing what I want, when I want (for the most part) day in and day out for it?

No! 

So, even though I’m not passionate about writing – as many freelancers are – I am DISCIPLINED about it BECAUSE I realize the lifestyle it affords me. 

One Thing I’ve Learned about Freelancing Over the Years

There are very few of us who get to do EXACTLY what we love and make a real living doing it.

Years ago in New York, I tried my hand at acting. I got out because I hated not having control (when one casting director told me my ear lobes were uneven, that about did it for me). I mean, who has control over how their ear lobes are set!

I tried quite a few businesses over the years, and once I found what I do now – freelancing writing, self-publishing ebooks and internet marketing – I felt “at home.” I knew that this would be my last business.

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Editor Note: Get free articles for reprint for your blog, newsletter, website, etc. at YuwandaBlack.com; a subsidiary site of InkwellEditorial.com, this site’s parent site. Articles cover SEO, ebook publishing, freelance writing, etc.
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How to Tell If a Freelance Business Is Right for You

In my opinion, a business has to suit your personality. I like freelancing writing and self-publishing and internet marketing because when it comes to work, I’m basically a loner. In my personal life and socially, I couldn’t be more outgoing. But as a professional, I don’t like “teams.” I like to be given a project, a deadline and then be left alone to do it. And, that’s basically the way I work day in and day out. 

As an SEO writer, that’s what you’ll be doing day in and day out – getting orders from clients, a deadline within which to complete that project, and then be left alone to get the work done. 

So, before deciding on any type of freelance business, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I have the skills necessary to start this business?

Does it fit my working personality? 

And be honest. There’s no crime in NOT liking a business – even if it is a good way to make money because if you don’t like it, then you won’t do what’s necessary to be a success at it (ie, market, hone skills, meet deadlines, etc.). 

As always, I hope this insight helps.

Have a great weekend. For the first time in a couple of months, I actually have nothing on tap – and I’m looking forward to doing just that . . . nothing!

Yuwanda
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P.S.: Earn $250+/Day Writing Simple Web Content? Here’s the blueprint I used to start my SEO writing career.

P.P.S.: Don’t Know a Thing about SEO but Want to Start this Recession-Proof Career? Get SEO Copywriter Training.

Submit a Guest Post: This site and its parent site, InkwellEditorial.com, now accept guest posts. Get the guest post submission guidelines.

Want to avoid freelance writing dry spells by making extra money as an affiliate marketer? Learn how to earn $50-$150/day online pretty seamlessly in the best-selling ebook, How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites.

Copyright © 2012: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s written consent (linking to is fine). Violators will be prosecuted.

Today, I continue to answer the slew of questions that have come in over the last week or so. Today’s question is a doozy – and could really be an ebook within itself (hmmmm, my wheels are turning). In the interest of time though (one of my best friends is visiting from New York, and my work days are shortened for the next week or so), I’m going to give an abridged answer.

The following is a problem a lot of freelance writers (especially SEO writers) have, and in my opinion it’s because many prospective clients still don’t understand the role of SEO copywriters. Following is the exact question (it’s a long one). My response follows. This new SEO article writer wrote:

Hi Yuwanda,

I’m a new SEO writer following your “Make $250/day and $50-75K/year Writing SEO Articles” e-book. Well, it works! I’ve got my site up, I’ve been diligent about my article marketing, I got my first order within a week of marketing and queries, the client paid me (cha-ching!) and left me a nice testimony (emphasis added).

Right after that I got awarded a feature writer position for an online news outlet. Now a potential client is asking for a big project and possibly a long-term commitment. I do not know how to approach this project. I would appreciate your thoughts.

It’s a church. They have a bookstore and want a website with an e-store. I told my contact that I am not a web developer, but I know how to write SEO content for pages and sales copy. If they want a blog or fresh content, I could write that for them. I gave him my website address with my rates page, bio, etc.

He emailed me back, wanting to know my professional background, magazines and companies I have written for, and “did he miss this information on my website?”

He did, but I sent him links to sample articles on my bigger client’s websites, and told him where my print articles have been published. I explained that I was self-employed, and a bit about what “freelance” means. This is a person who started out his initial inquiry with a “I know nothing about the Internet and you do” kind of thing.

He emailed me again with this: “For the executives on the bookstore board, can you make a more powerful presentation that they can easily see and say, “Wow! She’s really the right person.”

I know where the guy is coming from, having been in churches all my life. This guy basically got suckered into the “talent scout” position in the search committee for someone to get their new website up. Most likely, the “executives” are retired businessmen and older professionals who are email literate at best. They do not know what they want, other than “a website,” and they do not know who to trust.

I am assuming what the board wants to see is site analytics. Traffic increases, conversion rates, customer satisfaction statements, etc. I don’t have that. I can tell them how SEO and backlinks work, but I am not a web developer.

I would love to have this client project, but I am not sure what to say or do at this point. In you e-book, it sounds like it’s supposed to go like my first client did: “I need X articles, here’s the keywords, when can you have them ready?” Done and done. I did not read anything about putting together a big project proposal with charts and graphs in a board room.

What do you suggest I do from here?

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Editor Note: Get free articles for reprint for your blog, newsletter, website, etc. at YuwandaBlack.com; a subsidiary site of InkwellEditorial.com, this site’s parent site. Articles cover SEO, ebook publishing, freelance writing, etc.
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My Answer

Before I answer this freelancer’s question, ie, “where do you suggest I go from here,” let’s back up a bit.

As I mentioned above, many clients who aren’t used to working with freelance writers, especially SEO writers, may be confused about exactly what it is we do.

I touched on this in last week’s post which dealt with how to determine which services to offer as an SEO writer, writing:

You see, many clients don’t understand the difference between a full-fledged IM firm and an SEO content writing company.

Internet marketing firms charge thousands of dollars for the services they offer – especially stuff like web analysis and devising an SEO content strategy. And the reason is, they have to analyze the “big picture,” then figure out which parts need to be tweaked, revised, added, deleted to get a website’s rank to improve. This includes delving deeply into a site – analyzing everything from its navigational structure, to its content offerings, to its products and services.

My firm can fulfill the SEO content needs of this “big picture” analysis. And, that’s the reason that when IM firms come to us, they already know what keywords they want us to write on, how many articles a site needs, how often, etc.

This is what it sounds like this freelancer’s potential client needs – an internet marketing firm that provides a wide range of services.

SEO Copywriters: 3 Ways to Proceed When Faced with a Client Who Wants You to “Do Everything”

As an SEO copywriter, this freelancer can proceed in three ways. She can . . .

I. Clarify service offerings: Do this by explaining the difference between an internet marketing firm and an SEO writing company, as I spoke about in last week’s post. Then, tell the client the exact services her SEO WRITING company provides.

This would be my advice for this freelancer because by her own admission, she’s new. When you’re new to SEO writing, there’s a lot to learn. And, it’s not because learning the ins and outs of SEO writing is difficult; it’s all the other stuff that comes with it, eg, running a business, setting service offerings, invoicing clients, setting and meeting deadlines, etc.

FYI, a lot of this is discussed in How to Build a Six-Figure Freelance Business by Outsourcing (The Freelance Writer’s Outsource Package).

I always advise that freelancers get some time under their belt just learning “how to freelance” before doing anything like bringing on other freelancers, teaming up with others, etc. – which brings me to my next suggestion.

II. Team Up: Team up with an internet marketing (IM) firm to provide everything the client wants. She can handle the content needs; the IM firm can handle everything else.

III. Expand Service Offerings: Provide everything the client wants. I strongly advise against this if you don’t know search engine optimization inside and out. One of the reasons SEO consultants and full-fledged internet marketing firms charge so much is because there’s a lot to know – eg, keyword density, page rank, black hat tactics, white hat tactics, organic search, pay per click, site navigation, web development – the field is vast.

See this post to gain further insight on what to do when you’re confronted with clients who don’t know what they want – from a consultative standpoint.

More related reading: SEO Copywriters: How to Make an Extra $61,880 This Year.

UPDATE: I logged on later in the evening to find the following email from this freelancer. She wrote:

Excellent! Thank you!

I did exactly that- tutored him, using the analogy of a home builder, and me as a sub-contracting plumber. I told him what to look for when shopping for a SEO copy writer- all things I provide: originality, native English speaker, meets/guarantees deadlines, voice, etc.

While I was waiting for a reply, I contacted a fellow copywritng buddy and asked if we could team up if this project turned out big- of course she said yes. I also contacted a small web design firm I know so I could be ready to offer more than I could do.

He did reply with a “WOW!” He was complementary, had passed my “tutorial” on to the committee, and said he had received encouraging comments so far.

I love the idea of offering something like an article marketing package for them. This way I could capture at least some of that project. Thank you so much for that idea and all of your suggestions.

Although this SEO writer took the route I least advised, she obviously had been giving it some thought and had some contacts she could reach out to, which is great. I emailed back thatt I hoped it worked out for her, and asked her to keep me updated so I could share her progress.

If she does, I’ll post it right here, of course. So, stay tuned!

Best,
Yuwanda
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P.S.: Earn $250+/Day Writing Simple Web Content? Here’s the blueprint I used to start my SEO writing career.

P.P.S.: Don’t Know a Thing about SEO but Want to Start this Recession-Proof Career? Get SEO Copywriter Training.

Submit a Guest Post: This site and its parent site, InkwellEditorial.com, now accept guest posts. Get the guest post submission guidelines.

Want to avoid freelance writing dry spells by making extra money as an affiliate marketer? Learn how to earn $50-$150/day online pretty seamlessly in the best-selling ebook, How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites.

Copyright © 2012: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s written consent (linking to is fine). Violators will be prosecuted.

I love it when I receive questions like the one below, for it proves to me a couple of things: (i) newbies are putting a lot of thought into the type of SEO writing company they want to start; and (ii) SEO writing is a rapidly growing niche in freelance writing.

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Editor Note: This is the last day to take advantage of Inkwell Editorial Valentine’s Day Discounts: There are some good ones, eg, 1/2 off! SeoWritingJobs.com is a subsidiary site of InkwellEditorial.com.
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Questions from a New SEO Copywriter

A few days ago, a newbie sent me the following email. She wrote:

Dear Yuwanda,

Having read several of your exhaustive and incredibly helpful e-books on SEO writing, most of my questions have been answered, for which I am very thankful. However, I am left with one question that I was hoping you could answer for me. I’ve noticed that, though your company offers many SEO services, there are a few that it does not offer, the most significant of which is link building. My question is this;

What are your reasons for not offering certain SEO services and what do you tell your clients when they ask you if your company can provide them with these services? Do you refer them to someone else? Also, has your company lost any potential clients due to the fact that you don’t offer certain services? 

The reason I am asking you this is because, like your company, there are a few important SEO services that I do not offer and do not plan on offering in the future (unless I can effectively outsource them) and I am not sure if it would be wiser to stick with offering a limited amount of specialized services or to start offering a complete SEO solution. It’s a typical niche versus total services dilemma. Have you noticed any trends that favor either side of the coin?

I would greatly appreciate any input you might have on this matter.

Thank you in advance and kind regards,

JK

My Answer

Let me take her questions one by one:

RE “What are your reasons for not offering certain SEO services and what do you tell your clients when they ask you if your company can provide them with these services?”

When I first started out as an SEO writer, I only offered one service – SEO article writing. I didn’t do blog posts, press releases, article submission, etc. I just offered this one service because it was all I knew how to do; it was all I saw job ads posted for; and it was all I saw others offering.

Now, when I first started back in 2007, SEO content writing wasn’t as popular as it is now. And believe me, even though the niche has grown, still only a tiny fraction of freelance writers even know what it is. And, companies are just starting to invest heavily in search engine optimized content.

So the field will be growing for years. I can’t underscore to you how important this is when deciding which services to offer, because it’ll help you decide when to offer a service, how much to charge for it, whether or not to outsource it, etc.  

So, to sum up my answer to the above question, the reason I only offered one service when I first started out as an SEO writer is because: (i) I was new; (ii) it was the service I saw others offering; and (iii) I reasoned that I could start landing jobs right away by offering this one popular service.

RE: “Do you refer them to someone else? (when they want a service you don’t offer).

This depends on the service offering. For example, when I first started I worked with a lot of full-service internet marketing (IM) firms. Many of them offered everything from website analysis, to pay per click, to link building, to SEO content writing.

So when clients asked for a service I didn’t provide, if I knew of a reputable firm that offered these services, I’d refer them. Ironically, the more I worked with IM companies, the more my list of referees grew, so I was able to heartily recommend a few companies.

As an aside, I only recommended firms that I’d work with and knew they were highly reputable (usually because they outsourced their SEO content needs to me).

FYI, this is how I started to grow my SEO writing company. Clients started asking for things I didn’t provide – but knew that I could – eg, blog posts, press releases, article distribution, etc.

So, if it was in my power to provide the service – I simply added it. If not, then I wouldn’t.

Become a Full-Fledged SEO Company, or Remain a Solo Freelance Article Writer?

This is where you as a business owner will have to make a lot of decisions. I could have just stuck with SEO article writing, but decided to turn my company into a full-fledged SEO writing firm by expanding its service offerings, not just remain a solo freelance SEO article writer.

I started using outsourcers on a regular basis then, not just to help out when I got overwhelmed. The more services you offer, the busier you can get – quickly.

That’s why I advise to only offer what you can handle in the beginning. You can always add on later. By growing slowly like this, you get to learn your business; iron out the kinks (there will always be kinks); and find solutions that work so that when things do get hairy/tough/busy, you will have some idea of how to proceed.

RE “Also, has your company lost any potential clients due to the fact that you don’t offer certain services?”

I’m sure it has. But that’s not a bad thing because you don’t want to offer what you can’t afford to do well. You’re going to lose clients for all types of reasons. That’s just business, so don’t let this bother you.

How to Land Jobs as an SEO Writing Company – Even When You Don’t Offer Lots of Services

One way my SEO writing company manages to snag clients – even if my firm doesn’t seem to be a good fit at first – is by focusing them on what we do offer, and explaining the difference between a “writing company” and a “full-fledged internet marketing firm.”

You see, many clients don’t understand the difference between a full-fledged IM firm and an SEO content writing company.

Internet marketing firms charge thousands of dollars for the services they offer – especially stuff like web analysis and devising an SEO content strategy. And the reason is, they have to analyze the “big picture,” then figure out which parts need to be tweaked, revised, added, deleted to get a website’s rank to improve. This includes delving deeply into a site – analyzing everything from its navigational structure, to its content offerings, to its products and services.

My firm can fulfill the SEO content needs of this “big picture” analysis. And, that’s the reason that when IM firms come to us, they already know what keywords they want us to write on, how many articles a site needs, how often, etc.

Once I explain this to prospects who contact my firm directly, many of them are like, “Oh, I see.”

Many small businesses who contact my firm can’t afford the services of a full-fledged IM firm, but they can afford to beef up their content.” And, that’s when they usually say something like, “Well, we’d like to order some ongoing blog posts, or some web articles, etc.”

RE “Have you noticed any trends that favor either side of the coin?” Your customers will guide you in this area, then it’s up to you if you want to provide that service.

For example, once I noticed that my customers and prospects I contacted were requesting SEO’d blog posts, I started offering that because after all, a blog post is just shorter article.

However, I continued to hold off on offering social media until I understood it more. I wasn’t comfortable in many of the mediums (eg, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). Once I got comfortable on Twitter though, I added that to my firm’s list of services (I outsource it)).

See what I mean?

Conclusion

The bottom line is — only offer services you’re comfortable with in the beginning of your SEO writing career. Then, add on (and hire help (ie, outsource)) when you feel more comfortable.

Share Your Thoughts? Any additional insight you can share with this new SEO writer? Or, if you’re new, have questions? Share in the comments section below please, and enjoy the rest of the week (it’s “hump day” — yes!).

Yuwanda
Find this post informative? Follow Us on Twitter.

P.S.: Earn $250+/Day Writing Simple Web Content? Here’s the blueprint I used to start my SEO writing career.

P.P.S.: Don’t Know a Thing about SEO but Want to Start this Recession-Proof Career? Get SEO Copywriter Training.

Submit a Guest Post: This site and its parent site, InkwellEditorial.com, now accept guest posts. Get the guest post submission guidelines.

Want to avoid freelance writing dry spells by making extra money as an affiliate marketer? Learn how to earn $50-$150/day online pretty seamlessly in the best-selling ebook, How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites.

Copyright © 2012: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s written consent (linking to is fine). Violators will be prosecuted.

For the most part, writing SEO content comes pretty easily to me. But, there is one area I’ve constantly struggled with over the years. It’s writing attention-getting headlines.

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Editor Note: Inkwell Editorial Valentine’s Day Discounts: We’ve got some good ones, eg, 1/2 off!

Email Problem: If you’ve had problems contacting me/Inkwell/SeoWritingJobs.com over the last week or so, I apologize. The problem has been fixed. Thanks for your patience.
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Why Headlines are Important in SEO Writing

Of course, headlines are one of the most important part – some internet marketing experts say THE most important part — of writing SEO articles, blog posts, web content, etc. I agree because usually, if the headline doesn’t grab the attention of the reader, then it’s highly unlikely that they’re going to click on the post/article.

For my own blog posts and web content, usually I can craft a decent headline, because I know my audience. Hence, I have a pretty good idea of what they want to know about and how to write a headline that will get them to open a newsletter or click on a blog post.

Following are some of the types of headlines I’ve had success with.

Headline Writing Techniques That I’ve Found to be Effective

Some of my most opened newsletters and most frequented web pages center around:

Marketing: As in, how to land more SEO writing jobs. Most freelancers struggle with marketing, so this is no surprise.

Example Post: Get High-Paying Freelance Writing Jobs: 4 Keys to Marketing for — and Landing — High-Paying Clients

Success Stories: Who doesn’t love a good success story. I know I do! It gives you a “if they can do it, so can I” feeling.

Example Post: An SEO Writer Has Her First $1,000 Day with $10,000 More in Work Already Lined Up – Here’s How She Did It

Failure Stories:  I think these stories are as popular because they show the “human” side of being an online entrepreneur. Everything you try is not going be a success. And as an aside, I think this is where  a lot of online marketers go wrong because they only share their successes.

Failures humanize you – and instills trust. Readers think, “Well, if it happened to her, then I’m not an idiot or a failure. Even SHE had problems.” The difference between successful freelancers/online entrepreneurs and those who give up though is what you do with “failure.”

Example Post: An Ebook Publishing Failure Story: My Quest to Publish 50 Ebooks on Amazon This Year 

Case Studies:  Case studies clearly illustrate how a product/service solved a person’s problem. It’s not a direct sales pitch (although it is designed to sell something, obviously, as all marketing is). But, case studies personalize the product/service — they bring them down to a “one person / one instance” scenario.

Readers/prospects think, “If this product/service can do that for him/her, then maybe it can for me too.”

Example Post: SEO Writing: The Case Study of SEO Mary Continued (Note: Read all posts in the SEO Mary series and forgive the design of the site where some of the posts appear. Some are in InkwellEditorial.com’s old web design, which haven’t been migrated over yet).

Stats/Numbers/Dollar Amounts: I think mentioning numbers in posts peaks curiosity more than anything. It’s like, “Really, 7 out of 10 believe that; or 2 out of three charge that; or he’s charging $100/article and I’m still slaving away for $5 per article). Numbers tell a story – immediately – and that’s why I think they’re so effective.

Example post:  SEO Copywriting Rates: One Writer Reveals How He Got to the $100/Article Mark and I Give You 6 Tips on How You Can Too!

As I mentioned above, I know my audience – because they tend to be a vocal bunch who tell me what they want to know about. Then, I come up with a headline that is benefits-oriented in order to get them to read a post/newsletter/web article. 

SEO Writers: A Key Element to Keep in Mind when Writing Headlines for Client Copy

The above is the same process that should be applied when writing client copy. If you know you’re your client’s website is, visit it to see the BENEFITS their product/service offers.

THEN, write headline copy based on one of those, incorporating the keywords/keyword phrases of course. 

Note: As an SEO writer, you won’t always know who the end client is because sometimes you’ll be working with an internet marketing firm, for example, who hires you to write copy for THEIR client.  This means that usually you’ll be working with just a set of keywords.

When this happens, just always remember to craft benefits-oriented headlines, and incorporate some of the following words in the section below. Note: The following was taken from the February 2, 2012 edition of Bob Bly’s Direct Response Letter.

In case you don’t know, Bob is one of the most successful direct response copywriters in the business, commanding thousands of dollars to write simple 1-2 page sales letters, for example. 

How to Write Effective Headlines: Words that Work!

Here are some words and phrases that, according to advertising great Ted Nicholas, work especially well in headlines:

Announcing … Secrets of … Facts you … Advice to … Protect … Do you … Yes … Love … Hate … How much … How would you … Only … Free … You … How to … New … Now … Amazing … Breakthroughs … At last … Life … Discover … Bargains … Sale … Free.

Source: “Success in the Sun,” Ted Nicholas seminar, Tampa, FL.

I realize that writing effective headlines is an ongoing education. It’s why I read content from folks like Bob’s, as well as the copywriting experts at Copyblogger, et al. After all, if you want to be good at something, study the greats.

How about you? What “weaknesses” do you experience as an SEO writer? And, what have you done/are doing to overcome them? Please share in the comments section below.

Have a great rest of the week.
Start your SEO writing career today!

Yuwanda
P.S.: In One Week, Train for a Career That Allows You to Earn Enough to REALLY Quit Your Day Job: Get SEO Copywriting Training Today.

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Copyright © 2012: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s written consent (linking to is fine).

This morning I logged on super early (for me), because I have a day trip planned and am rushing to get ready; I opened up my email and had an update from an SEO writer I dubbed “Cold Calling Carol.” If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that she’s the freelance writer who emailed me last June wanting to try something different to drum up SEO writing jobs.

She took my advice and has been able to grow her business to the point where she now employs three people. Following is her latest email – the best one yet.

FYI, here are all the links in this SEO writing series. Here’s Cold Calling Carol’s latest update (all bold emphasis are mine).

Hey Yuwanda!

Happy NEW YEAR! I hope all is well in your world. I figured I would give you a cold calling carol update. It’s only 1/20 and I already made $3,000 in revenue for my business!

In fact, I had my 1st 1,000 day!

The [client] I cold called in the summer is keeping me very busy, he has been hit hard by Google Panda, and he is paying me well to clean it up. He just gave me a $2,000 project, and after this is complete, he has an $8,000 project for me to complete with some smaller ones in between. He even told me he had another writer to help, but he prefers me. He really likes my work!

I know I can’t rely on him for all of my income, but he has given me confidence to approach other [professionals in his niche]. The rest of my income is coming from social media management, and I just signed a contract with an up and coming yelp like directory to write 20 blogs for them at $500 bucks a month for 6 months!

I have 2 writers I outsource to, and [my mate] helps me with social media management. I hope this post inspires your readers. Mind you this is marketing I did in August that is now paying off today! I am on my phone so it is hard to type. I will keep you updated.

Thanks

My Response

Following are a few things I want to point out about this update from this SEO writer.

1. There is a lot of work in SEO writing: This underscores that there is tons – tons – of SEO writing work out there if you’re willing to be proactive in going after it.

2. Do something different: While SEO writing (freelance writing in general really) is a cyclical profession, when the going gets tough (or slow), you may have to try different marketing methods to bring in the business. Or, up your marketing efforts. For example, if you’re used to sending out 50 emails and landing at least a couple of jobs, you may have to send out 150 to land the same number when times are slow.

This freelancer decided to try something different; she started cold calling — something she really didn’t want to do – in July/August. These are traditionally two of the slowest months in editorial. And, look at how it’s paid off for her, which brings me to my next point . . .

3. Be patient; marketing takes times sometimes to work. As she pointed out in her email, “Mind you this is marketing I did in August that is now paying off today!” So be patient.

Just because you send out 50 emails or call 20 firms, don’t expect to get work now (although most often you will). But if said it until I’m blue in the face, the success in marketing comes from being CONSISTENT with it. You keep doing it and I practically guarantee that you will get work.

4. Hire help, ie – outsource work to other writers — when you get busy. This allows you to grow your business.

5. Don’t rely on one client for all of your business. While it’s nice to have one client to keep you busy, don’t stop marketing for work. Again, hire others. This is where real growth – and making REAL money – comes in. When you don’t have to do every project that comes in, but you STILL make money from it, well . . . that’s business ownership at its best.

Any advice you’d want to add/questions you have? Please feel free to relay them in the comments section below.

Hope this inspires you – and a big thanks to Cold Calling Carol for her update – and success! She’s earned it.

Yuwanda
P.S.: In One Week, Train for a Career That Allows You to Earn Enough to REALLY Quit Your Day Job: Get SEO Copywriting Training Today.

Want to avoid freelance writing dry spells by making extra money as an affiliate marketer? Learn how to earn $50-$150/day online pretty seamlessly in the best-selling ebook, How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites.

Copyright © 2012: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s written consent (linking to is fine).

Following is a question I received from a new SEO writer (actually a couple of questions) about a week ago. Although it’s couched in marekting terms, the underlying question is a perennial one, ie “How do I ensure success as a freelance SEO writer?” My answer follows.

Hi Yuwanda,
 
I wanted to ask you a question regarding the response rate for reaching out to … companies. I am using a slightly modified version of your template. I have reached out to about 150 companies over the past 3 weeks, but I’ve only had 2 interested responses (and I’m working on converting these guys into clients).
 
I’ve changed up my strategy a little, in the past week, and began e-mailing [other] sites that specialize in my niches. Hopefully this will produce better results.
 
Now, I know that not everyone is going to have the same results, but I am stumped as to why I am having such atypical results. I know that my writing samples are quality, and that my prices are not outrageous.
 
Do you have any additional tips for hooking people on the initial e-mail?
 
I’ve also created a free report to provide value to potential clients (and to justify my prices, lol). Do you think I should send this report with my initial e-mail, or do you think it best to wait until the company / person has responded?
 
Thank you and I appreciate any guidance / insight that you can provide.
 
Have a wonderful day.
 
Sincerely,
TB

My Answer

Thanks T for writing in. I can never reiterate just how much readers like you make this blog so helpful by continuing to ask such insightful questions.

I’m going to answer your last question first, then circle back to the first one.

In answer to “I’ve also created a free report to provide value to potential clients (and to justify my prices, lol). Do you think I should send this report with my initial e-mail, or do you think it best to wait until the company / person has responded?”

My rule of thumb in email marketing is not to overwhelm prospects by sending too much info in the initial email. Your goal with the first touch is to get a response from them. So, stick with just trying to get them to reach out to you for SEO writing work.

What I advise is waiting until your second touch – even if they don’t respond to the first one – to send the report. That way, it’s a follow-up, but a follow-up with helpful, free information.

Also, put the report on your site as a free download. That way, if prospects do click through, they’ll see it.

In answer to “Do you have any additional tips for hooking people on the initial e-mail?”

The one I outline in the SEO writing ebook worked well for me. The only other thing I’d advise is to target niche markets (as you’ve already started to do), and to continue marketing.

As I’ve stated many times, there’s a lot that goes into deciphering why one person can get 5 responses from 50 emails, while another receives 2 from 150, eg, rates, writing samples, what was said in the initial email, services offered, etc.

But more often than not, it’s not YOU; it could be that the people you touched don’t need your services, or they already have a copywriter, or they’re in a bad mood when they open your email, or . . . a hundred and one other reasons.

Another thing I want to say about this to all new SEO writers is, if you’re new to business, you may not realize how easy starting an SEO writing business is – and how fortunate you are to be able to send out emails and get a response – and start getting jobs. Sometimes it’s days; other times it’s a few weeks.

BUT this is incredible. Even the two responses this new SEO writer got – considering that it probably only took her a few hours to send these emails out  and she’s already got two candidates on the hook and could ostensibly make money within the next couple of weeks – THAT’S INCREDIBLE.

I’ve started many businesses and let me tell you, I’m still amazed at how easy this one was to start – and grow.

So my overall message is, don’t get spoiled. Don’t think, “Oh, I sent out 100 emails and only got one response. That’s a 1% response rate. FYI, the average response rate for direct mail is 1-2%. For email, it’s significantly higher, ie:

Average Open Rate: 23.3%
Average Click-Through Rate: 5.9%
Average Delivery Rate: 96.0%
Source: EmailStatCenter.com (June 2011)

Want SEO Article Writing Jobs: Practice “Marketing Success by the Numbers”

Success is always in the numbers. Even though you may “only” be getting two responses from 150 emails, then just say to yourself, “Ok, I have to send out 300 to get 4; 450 to get 6; 600 to get 8; etc.”

Is Hard Work Necessary?

This is doing what it takes to build your business, which brings me to my last piece of advice, which is . . . when you’re doing everything “right” and things still  aren’t happening the way you want/expect them to, then there’s only one way to make sure that it will – and that is to work harder.

Don’t get discouraged, don’t compare your successes and (perceived) failures to anyone else’s. Dig in and work harder.

I subscribe to Bob Bly’s newsletter. He’s a millionaire copywriter by the way. A newsletter he recently sent out had the title, “Is Hard Work Necessary?” In it he wrote:

When your business or job isn’t going the way you want it to, buckle down and redouble your efforts.

You’ll be more productive, and at least some of your extra efforts will be rewarded – and hard work will have saved the day.

Goethe wrote, “Whoever strenuously endeavors, him we can rescue.”

Combine hard work with persistence – never giving up – and the odds of you getting the result you want increase geometrically.

I’ve always believed this, and it’s the best advice I can give to anyone who may be frustrated, impatient, discouraged, etc. with their SEO writing career (or any career).

Until next week!

Yuwanda
P.S.: In One Week, Train for a Career That Allows You to Earn Enough to REALLY Quit Your Day Job: Get SEO Copywriting Training Today.

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Copyright © 2012: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s written consent (linking to is fine).

When I first started out as an SEO writer in 2007, clients would basically give you a set of keywords and give you free reign to write what you want – that was beneficial to their company, of course.

Back then, it was all about getting as much content on their site with their keywords in it as possible to drive traffic (and sales). The change I see with clients now though is that they’re becoming more involved in the process. Many are developing “content strategies.” 

What Is a Content Strategy?

As Wikipedia defines it, a content strategy is “the practice of planning for content creation, delivery, and governance” and “a repeatable system that defines the entire editorial content development process for a website development project.”  

Learn more about what’s involved in creating a content strategy. 

4 Ways a Client’s Content Strategy Affects SEO Writers

What does this mean for you as an SEO content provider? Four things, in my opinion, ie: (i) you’ll get more work; (ii) it’ll require more research; (iii) you’ll have to learn how to write themed SEO Content; and (iv) you’re probably going to want to raise your SEO writing rates.

More SEO Writing Work: This is because clients may plan their content out (eg, create an editorial calendar) for a quarter, 6 months or a year at a time. Instead of one-off articles, you’re likely to see more “content campaigns.” So this not only leads to more work, it means longer term clients as well.

More Research: Clients will be seeking more in-depth, specific content. No more fluff articles with keywords inserted to reach a certain density.

Providing Themed SEO Content: If you don’t know what themed SEO content is, then it’s time to learn because this is what search engines like Google are rewarding more now. If you read through Google’s guidelines for web content creation, you’ll see that they’re practically telling you that this is the kind of copy they want to see on sites.

Raising Rates: Overall, you’re going to be spending more time on client projects. This means you should probably start looking at raising your SEO writing rates, especially if you’re at the lower end of the spectrum. 

Your Thoughts?

Take note in your business. Does any of the above ring true for you? Have you started to see changes like these in your SEO writing business? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Best,
Yuwanda
P.S.: In One Week, Train for a Career That Allows You to Earn Enough to REALLY Quit Your Day Job: Get SEO Copywriting Training Today.

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Copyright © 2012: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s written consent (linking to is fine).

A student in the SEO course asked me the following question recently. It’s a question I’ve been asked quite a few times over the last year or so. We’ve covered this before here on this blog in the post, SEO Copywriting Question: An SEO Writer Asks, “Do Clients Tell You the Kind of Content They Want?” But, as info gets buried and it’s the new year and a lot of newbies are just starting out, I thought it a good idea to go over it again.

Following is this student’s exact question – and my answers.

First Question from Student in the SEO Course

Hi Yuwanda

I really like the [SEO] course and I’m learning a lot. I’m getting ready to write the two articles to send to you for review and I have one question: 

Although I understand the keyword research, how do you actually research for what to include in the article’s body itself. In particular, for subjects you might not know about (such as mortgages, weddings, or whatever). Would you just go online and look for information on the topics and then decide what to include?

For example, if you saw something interesting about exotic weddings such room decorations or going to a particular island to get married, would you just include it because it seems interesting? Or places that have great low rate mortgages because that seems it would appeal to people? Or, would it all be based on what comes up on the keyword list?

This is all I don’t understand so far.

Thanks, 
MK
##

My Answer

Good question.
 
To answer — usually, the client will provide you with a primary keyword phrase. So, type that into Google’s keyword research tool to find other (secondary) keyword phrases. Depending on the keyword phrase, you’ll find a few or many more phrases you can use to round out an article.
 
Have a good weekend, and good luck finishing up the remainder of the [SEO] course.
##

After I sent this email to him, he sent in a follow-up question. 

Second Question from Student in the SEO Course

[RE] “…you’ll find a few or many more phrases you can use to round out an article.”

I’m a little confused, because I’m understanding “round out” as putting the finishing touches on an article after just about all of it has already been written. Do you mean you can use the few or many more phrases to start and build the article from scratch? Wouldn’t more research be required, especially if the writer isn’t familiar with the subject? 

I’m perplexed about how to start articles, make them interesting and get them to the point where they can be rounded out according to what I think rounding out means. How does it work?
##

My Answer: 3 Ways to Find Ideas for What to Write When Clients Give You Keywords

M-:
 
Sometimes clients will give you ideas on what to write about; other times they’ll give you free reign to write on what you want when they forward keywords to you. So, write content that is helpful to their readers. If you don’t have any ideas, ask clients to give you some, eg, “Are there frequently asked questions that your customers have that I can address in the articles you want me to write?”
 
You can also do research on competitor sites to see what kind of content they have to get ideas for your client articles. Or, you can look at answer sites like Answers.yahoo.com or answerbag.com to see what types of questions users of a particular product/service are asking to get ideas for articles.

In short, there are tons of ways to get ideas about what to write on when client gives you a set of keywords.
 
As for when I say “round out an article,” I mean use secondary keyword phrases to keep from having to repeat the primary keyword phrase a jazillion times, that’s all — nothing more, nothing less.
 
Hope this insight helps.
## 

Related Posts

SEO Writing Tip: Why I Write with Google’s Keyword AdWord Tool Open at All Times

SEO Writers: Find it Hard to Incorporate Keywords? Struggle with Density? Why You No Longer Need to – Write Copy Clients & SEs Will Love

SEO Services: How SEO Copywriters Should Handle Optimizing for More than One Keyword Phrase

Search Engine Optimization Copywriting: What Is Themed SEO Content, How It’s Different from ‘Ordinary’ Content & Why SEO Writers Need to Know About It

Your Freelance Writing Goals: How’s It Going?

I’m off track so far this year as I haven’t been able to adhere much to my daily, time-blocked schedule.  It’s driving me crazy because I don’t function well without a regimented schedule. I still have some non-work stuff to get off my plate, so I decided to just go with the flow this week and next week and will get back on track the week of the 23^rd.

If you’re off track with your freelance writing goals, how do you plan to get back on track this year? Please share in the comments section below.

Best,
Yuwanda
P.S.: In One Week, Train for a Career That Allows You to Earn Enough to REALLY Quit Your Day Job: Get SEO Copywriting Training Today.

Find this post informative? Follow Us on Twitter.

Submit a Guest Post: This site and its parent site, InkwellEditorial.com, now accept guest posts. Get the guest post submission guidelines.

Want to avoid freelance writing dry spells by making extra money as an affiliate marketer? Learn how to earn $50-$150/day online pretty seamlessly in the best-selling ebook, How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites.

Copyright © 2012: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s written consent (linking to is fine).

Back in early December, I received the following rather long email from a new SEO copywriter. He’d just started marketing for content writing jobs and had received a couple of “whacko” responses that he was unsure how to handle. To paraphrase Sally Field’s character in the movie Forrest Gump:

“Marketing is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.”

Following is the email and my response. Of course, identifying details have been changed/omitted to protect the writer. FYI, below there is some very detailed feedback on how this freelancer can improve the marketing email he’s sending out. Maybe this insight can help you, especially if marketing for SEO writing jobs is new for you.

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Editor Note:  FYI, the price of the SEO writing ebook will be increased this coming Monday, the 9th.
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I am sending out 200 emails and then I get this one back:

“J- 

We have a staff of over 100 writing articles for our clients. We also have a programming staff as well as a link building staff. [Our company] is a big company that provides SEO services to many clients as well as other SEO resellers through out the nation as well as in Canada.

On that note we are always looking for content writers for our company and clients. My only concern is some of the verbiage you use in your emails as well as on your site. An SEO Article is an article that discusses SEO an article used for SEO is just an article with links coded into the content. 

I have also been in the SEO industry since 2007, my background was in web development and computer programming. I have always had an interest in SEO and learned a lot since then and now handle campaigns for many big firms for nationwide placement. If you are still interested in working with our company please provide me with your cost on a 1000 word article if any industry you are capable.”

This is my email I send out: 

I’m interested in writing SEO articles/content for your company. I have three writing sites and currently post my SEO articles and rates on my white paper blog [he listed his blog’s URL].  

I’ve been a freelance copywriter since 2007. My first copywriting course was with AWAI and I’ve continued to upgrade my skills. I provide professional services and always meet deadlines.

Prior to becoming a freelancer, I worked for 15 years with [a major hotel] in security and security management. I also have experience in the life insurance and retail industry. I feel very confident that I could provide excellent SEO articles for any of those business types. 

In addition, I have many interests, including health and fitness, martial arts and small business. I have four blogs which I try my best to keep updated, however it’s not always easy. 

To contact me: [he listed all of his contact information].

I look forward to discussing any writing needs you may have and look forward to a long business relationship. You can also click on the links below to learn more about [me].

I just need to know, am I doing something wrong. This guy is the 2nd one that replied today and I cannot quite figure out what he is talking about. The other guy who responded is a whacko, who emailed me and said he couldn’t work with me cause I didn’t call him back, when I actually called him an hour after he emailed me???

I know I am asking a lot so if you want me to Paypal some money for reading this and telling me what’s wrong, just let me know.

My Response 

First, let me say that I don’t charge to answer emails – for two reasons:

Why I Don’t Accept Money to Answer Questions Freelancers Send In 

(i) the emails that readers send in make great, informative content for this site, so when you send in a question that I answer, you’re really doing me a favor because I don’t have to worry about coming up with ideas for posts here; and 

(ii) if a fee is exchanged, that amounts to a consultation. This means I’d have to adhere to a schedule of when I got back to you, how the content is structured, could I use it on this blog, etc. I don’t want that. 

I like to answer questions at my leisure and I pick and choose the ones I answer – selecting those that have broad appeal that I feel will help many who come to this blog looking for answers to specific questions. 

With that being said, following is my answer to this freelancer’s questions.

SEO Copywriters: Red Flags to Be Aware of From Prospective Clients

In answer to the prospective client who rambled on about having a programming staff as well as a link building staff, and providing SEO services to  SEO resellers throughout the nation and Canada, it sounds to me like this guy is much ado about nothing.

Why do I say this?

I think he’s trying to build up his company to make it look like a large one that can give you a lot of work – all so that you’ll agree to work for pennies. Firms like this want to appear large because they’ll promise you “lots of ongoing work” if you lower your rates. Many new SEO writers fall for the ”we’ll throw lots of work your way if you’ll just do it for $X.”

Don’t!

As an aside, when a firm says that they offer “link building” services, that’s a red flag for me. Not that there’s anything wrong with link building, but it’s how they pitch that service and what their link building strategies are.

Many of the skeezy firms that offer this service engage in blackhat tactics like spamming blogs, forums and websites with inane comments. And, they hire freelancers to do so, paying them basically nothing.

Following is how I’d respond to this guy. It’s basically a brush-off email, but is professional and leaves the door open in case they do want to use you (always, always, always get at least half payment up front from new clients – especially ones you may be unsure about to begin with).

SEO Copywriters: The Perfect Brush-Off Email that Leaves the Door Open for Future Work

Thank you for responding. I can certainly help you with any SEO content writing needs you may have. Following is a link to all of the services I offer, as well as my rates. Feel free to get in touch if I can be of any assistance.

Our service offerings can be found at:  [link to your website’s Services page]

Our rates can be found at:  [link to your website’s Rate page]

I look forward to the possibility of working with your firm.

Sincerely,

As for the second response – the prospect who said he couldn’t work with this freelancer because he didn’t call him back, when in fact he’d called back in an hour – I wouldn’t bother to respond to him. If he’s that unreasonable, he’d be a nightmare to work with.

SEO Copywriting Advice: Answer to “What Am I Doing Wrong”

Actually, there are a few changes I’d make to this freelancer’s website and his marketing email. As I won’t list his website here, following are the changes I’d make to his marketing email (see my feedback in red).

I’m interested in writing SEO articles/content for your company. I have three writing sites and currently post my SEO articles and rates on my white paper blog [he listed his blog’s URL].  

[There is no need to tell clients that you have three writing websites. They don’t care. All they need to know about is the one that’s going to help them with their business.]

I’ve been a freelance copywriter since 2007. My first copywriting course was with AWAI and I’ve continued to upgrade my skills. I provide professional services and always meet deadlines.

[Prospective clients don’t need to know about how you’re “improving/upgrading” your skills. Saying this pegs you as not only inexperienced, but unprofessional as well. Let your writing samples do the talking for you – and leave it at that.

In the Education/Training section of your professional profile, you can list any training you’ve had, but the way it’s listed here is a "Please, please hire me; I’ll do a good job for you because I’ve had all this training."

As an aside, I think this maybe why this freelancer is getting some “whacko” responses. He’s telling prospects how green he is; so he’s attracting the type of clients who’ll take advantage of that.]

Prior to becoming a freelancer, I worked for 15 years with [a major hotel] in security and security management. I also have experience in the life insurance and retail industry. I feel very confident that I could provide excellent SEO articles for any of those business types.

[Again, this should be listed in your professional profile under “Experience.” And really, unless you’re targeting the hotel/hospitality industry as a freelance SEO writer, there’s no need for this to go in your email query.

Also, stating “I feel very confident,” actually says the opposite, eg, you’re new and not very confident. Again, let your SEO writing samples speak for you. Don’t “beg” clients to give you a shot. If your samples are good and your SEO writing rates meet their budget, there’s a good chance they’ll be in touch.]

In addition, I have many interests, including health and fitness, martial arts and small business. I have four blogs which I try my best to keep updated, however it’s not always easy.

[This should go in the Hobbies/Interest section of this freelancer’s professional profile. And to repeat, there’s no need to tell clients about all of your blogs/websites. By doing this, you may be planting a seed that you don’t’ have time for any writing they may send your way.

I have several blogs/websites, but the only one I refer to when marketing is NewMediaWords.biz, my SEO writing company’s site. The exception to this rule is if I’m targeting a client who’s business is in the same niche as one of my blogs. I might refer to it if I think it’ll help my firm land a gig, but this is the ONLY time to do this. ]

To contact me: [he listed all of his contact information].

I look forward to discussing any writing needs you may have and look forward to a long business relationship. You can also click on the links below to learn more about [me].

Conclusion

I hope you had a joyous holiday season and are ready to get back in the swing of things. I didn’t get a break, literally working right up to – and on – New Year’s Day. I’m trying to make this a lite work week because to be honest, I’m exhausted.

But, I’m thrilled with the progress I made last year and am excited to get going on the freelance writing goals I made for this year.

Did you make any goals for your freelance / SEO writing business this year? Have any additional marketing insight for the freelancer featured in this newsletter? Please share in the comments section below.

Yuwanda
P.S.: In One Week, Train for a Career That Allows You to Earn Enough to REALLY Quit Your Day Job: Get SEO Copywriting Training Today.

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