How a Freelance SEO Copywriter Can Help Grow Your Business
Learn what a freelance SEO copywriter does and why adding one to your marketing team can supercharge your business growth.
Are you considering hiring a freelance SEO copywriter to help grow your business?
Working with a freelance SEO copywriter for the first time can be a huge milestone. You’re investing in a new marketing strategy to make your business dreams a reality, and that’s exciting!
There are many ways a freelance SEO copywriter can benefit your business. Whether you want to reach more customers and clients, enhance your reputation, optimize your website, or save time – a freelance SEO copywriter can help get you there.
But it’s essential you find someone who is qualified for the role. So this article is here to help you understand how to find the right SEO copywriter for you.
I. When Is It Time to Hire a Freelance SEO Copywriter
II. 3 Ways a Freelance SEO Copywriter Can Help You
III. How to Choose a Freelance SEO Copywriter
As a freelance SEO copywriter, I’ve seen the power that implementing professional SEO website copy and blog posts can have on a business. Using blog posting and copywriting techniques, I’ve helped boost website traffic for my clients by over 1400%, attract hundreds of new leads to their businesses, and increase their revenue, too.
Are you ready to learn what a freelance SEO copywriter can do for you? Let’s dive in!
Business Owners: When Is It Time to Hire a Freelance SEO Copywriter?
When you decided to become a business owner, you probably didn’t imagine you would need to become a marketing expert, too, right?
But the reality is quite different.
Not only do you have to manage your business, but you also have to make sure people know it exists. But with the never end task list, its easy to push marketing to the backburner.
That’s where a freelance SEO copywriter comes in.
A freelance SEO copywriter can provide well-written, well-researched content to help your business reach your ideal clients and customers and inspire them to engage with you, which helps you grow your business and improve your bottom line.
A freelance SEO copywriter is skilled in creating persuasive, SEO-optimized content including:
Blogs
Website Copy
Sales Pages
Landing Pages
Ad Copy
White Papers
Social Media Copy
And more!
If it’s in written form and designed to be ranked by Google, then a freelance SEO copywriter is who you’re looking for.
Think of a freelance SEO copywriter as a digital match-maker who uses words to connect a person searching for something online to the search results that are displayed.
Ensuring your website gets in front of the right person can help you grow as a business owner by attracting your ideal audience, allowing you to tap into your specialty, and helping you become the go-to person in your niche, market, or field.
You may be ready to hire a freelance SEO copywriter if you feel limited in your…
Time: Your plate is already full, and you don’t have any time to focus on marketing your business.
Clients and customers: You love what you’re offering, but you need more buyers, or you aren’t attracting the buyers you know you can help most.
Many business owners rely on their administrative staff to help them with marketing.
However, a freelance SEO copywriter is a marketing specialist who’s driven by analytics and getting results for their clients. In other words, a freelance SEO copywriter is here to make you money!
So it’s worth considering how they could fit into your current marketing team in a contract or freelance role to help you grow your business. For example, your freelance SEO copywriter can provide the copy, and the administrative team can upload the copy. Many freelance SEO copywriters (like me) also offer implementation services to provide even more value to their clients.
When working with a professional freelance SEO copywriter, your role is to provide feedback, give notes on the copywriter’s work, and then sit back as the magic unfolds. Marketing your business is finally off your plate!
3 Ways a Freelance SEO Copywriter Can Help You
A freelance SEO copywriter can help expand your business in many different ways.
Here are 3 ways to grow your business with the help of a freelance SEO copywriter.
1. Help More People Find Your Website
One of the most impactful ways a freelance SEO copywriter can help grow your business is by ensuring that your website shows up at the top of search engine results.
Search engine results pages (also known as SERPS) are the list of website pages displayed after you search for something online.
Popular search engines include Google, Bing, Chat GPT, Amazon, and Claude. Google, however, is the most popular search engine in the world.
A study done by Statista found that Google processes 5.9 million searches per minute. [1]
To put that into perspective, that’s roughly 8.5 billion searches per day. Or 3.1 TRILLION searches per year.
In other words, when someone is looking for a business or just general information, they usually search Google to try to find it.
This is where SEO comes into play. SEO means search engine optimization. It’s the science behind Google’s algorithm of which websites come up first and which come up last (or not at all!)
Studies also show that people tend to skip over “sponsored” results on Google, also known as paid search marketing, and click on the first organic search result. [2]
That’s why investing resources into improving your local SEO strategy so that you come up in organic search results is essential, and a freelance SEO copywriter can help you. We’re knowledgeable about things like…
Optimizing Your Google Business Profile: A freelance SEO copywriter can help ensure your Google Business Profile is online, formatted correctly, and clearly displays contact information such as your address, phone number, and office hours. You may also want to consider allowing clients to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile to boost your credibility and attract more clients and customers.
Writing Your Website Copy: A freelance SEO copywriter is also an expert in buyer psychology and what your potential clients and customers need to know when they first visit your website. A freelance SEO copywriter knows what information needs to be on your Home page, your About page, and your Services pages, and can make recommendations for other pages on your website, too! A copywriter also knows what order information should be presented in so that clients and customers understand your services and are inspired to engage with your business.
Enhancing Your Website SEO: A freelance SEO copywriter also chooses keywords that your potential clients and customers use to try to find a business like yours online. They weave these keywords into the copy on the front-facing side of your website as well as the back end of your website, the part that Google reads. This includes items like alt-text, page descriptions, title tags, and meta-descriptions.
Tracking Your Website Analytics: A freelance SEO copywriter can also monitor your website traffic over time, ensuring you’re seeing the results you had hoped for.
I’ve helped businesses go from #16 in search results to #1 by implementing an SEO strategy on their website.
If you’re one of the first businesses in your local market to invest in a content marketing strategy like optimized website copy and regularly blog posting, the results can be powerful. Remember that it usually takes about 3-6 months for an SEO strategy to show results. This is the case for all companies across all industries.
SEO takes time and patience to show results, but when it does, it has the potential to completely transform your business…and your life!
If you’ve settled into your business and are planting roots in your community, investing in a long-term local SEO strategy like blog posting is a fantastic option.
2. Build Trust With Your Customers and Clients
Now that your freelance SEO copywriter has made your website easy to find online, it’s time to make sure that customers are inspired to buy, book, or schedule with you once they get there.
Adding a blog to your website is an outstanding way to do this.
Pro-tip: If you don’t like the term “blog,” you can always change it to something like “articles,” “essays”, or “resources.”
The effect a blog has on website visitors is the same: By providing valuable content on your website, you can make your audience feel valued and inspire them to do business with you.
Just think about it: If you go to a website with a well-researched blog that provides the exact information you’re looking for rather than a website that doesn’t have any additional information, you’ll be much more likely to choose that business.
Here are three other ways a blog can help grow your business:
Establish Your Authority: A blog on your website can showcase your authority and position you as a thought leader. A freelance SEO copywriter can be the “voice” behind your blog and your business. You can tell them what subjects you’d like to emphasize, and your copywriter will write your blog for you. A copywriter like me takes YOUR expertise and turns it into a blog that helps establish you as the go-to person in your industry, niche, or local area.
Boost Your SEO: A professional blog written by a freelance SEO copywriter also helps your SEO score increase. Unlike paid ads, the value of a blog compounds over time. As you post more and more blogs and use more and more keywords, Google will rank your website higher and higher in search results. Google LOVES websites that regularly post fresh content. Not to mention, a well-researched, information-packed blog has greater odds of being shared around the web, thus helping you make a name for yourself in your industry.
Drive Your Social Media Efforts: If you invest in a blog for your website, you can and absolutely should take sections of that blog and repurpose them for social media. For example, look at the blog you’re reading right now and how many social media posts it could generate with a simple copy and paste! (Hint: There are easily 30 different social media posts here!) By the way, when you work with a freelance SEO copywriter, make sure you get all of the rights to the content you paid for and can continue using it to market your business. This should be in the contract you sign with your copywriter.
Whether or not you choose to have a blog on your website, building trust with your audience is essential. When people think of “branding,” they often think of color palettes, logos, and business cards.
Branding is actually about how someone feels about your business.
Think about how you feel about your favorite brand and why that is. One that comes to mind for me is Patagonia. I like them because they’re environmentally conscious, give back to the community, and help their customers recycle used clothing.
An SEO copywriter can help you create similar feel-good vibes for your business and help you shape your own personal brand.
3. Nurture Your Customers Over Email
You know how you get a card in the mail from your dentist around your birthday every year?
That’s marketing, written by a copywriter!
That simple yearly tradition not only helps remind you to book an appointment with your dentist but also fosters positive feelings about your dentist because they’re wishing you a happy birthday.
A freelance SEO copywriter can help you implement the same principles through email marketing.
As a copywriter, I’ve found email marketing to be a highly effective strategy. In fact, some studies show email marketing has a return on investment of up to 3600%. [3]
Yep, that’s $36 bucks for every $1 spent. Kinda a no-brainer, right?
Email marketing works so well because it reaches your customers in their virtual living rooms.
A lot of companies use Instagram to post updates, announce sales, and promote products. But remember: people on Instagram are scrolling, not studying.
If a message shows up in their inbox instead, they’ll be far less distracted. A freelance SEO copywriter can help you craft the perfect message.
Here’s why working with a freelance SEO copywriter to implement an email marketing strategy can be a smart move for growing your business.
Connecting with Your Audience: You can build trust with your audience by providing inspiring, educational, and valuable email content. For example, an email can introduce your brand to a customer, inspire them to book an appointment, or simply remind them that your business is always there if they need help with their purchase or orders.
Providing Value to Your Customers: Email marketing is also very effective as part of a marketing funnel. A marketing funnel is what takes your customers from first becoming aware of your business to actually handing over some of their hard-earned dollars. For example, suppose you’re launching a blog on your website — you should email your list after posting your blog so they can learn new information, associate you as a helpful resource, and boost your SEO score by returning to your website to read your latest content.
Boosting Your SEO: Although emails don’t include SEO keywords, can they serve as a key part of your SEO strategy. Here’s how this works: When you post a new blog, launch a new product, or have an announcement to make, you should email the people on your email list. This sends your list BACK to your website, which helps boost your SEO score. The more times your website is visited, the higher it ranks in search results.
When combined, SEO website copywriting, an SEO blog, and an email marketing strategy can be a highly effective marketing tool for business owners.
A freelance SEO copywriter can help you craft a strategy that meets your budget and specific needs. I’ve had wild success writing emails for my clients. Book a consultation to ask me how it works!
How to Choose A Freelance SEO Copywriter
Getting ready to work with a freelance SEO copywriter can be a significant investment. Choosing one that aligns with your business values and supports your personal goals is essential.
It’s also important to know the difference between a freelance copywriter and a freelance SEO copywriter because their skillsets are different.
Freelance SEO Copywriter: A copywriter who writes sales copy AND is knowledgeable about SEO best practices.
Freelance Copywriter: A copywriter who also writes sales copy but may not know how to implement SEO.
A freelance SEO copywriter is your go-to for content and sales copy designed to rank on Google.
Many SEO copywriters are also knowledgeable about link-building, getting backlinks, and can help you identify technical issues on your website as well.
Once you’ve determined whether or not you need SEO for your project, the best way to pick your freelance copywriter is to figure out your specific goals and your specific industry.
Professional freelance SEO copywriters have different levels of knowledge, and it’s important to choose someone who is not only an expert in writing copy but also is knowledgeable about the particular regulations needed for your industry.
A Freelance SEO Copywriter Should Use Language That Helps Protect Your Business From Liability
A professional freelance SEO copywriter knows how to use specific language to make your services appealing while staying in compliance with the law.
After all, you offer incredible services, and you want people to know about them while still being able to protect your business, right?
Many copywriters out there are great at sales strategy but overlook the legal considerations that come along with marketing a product or service, especially in the medical, health, and food spaces.
It’s important to work with a freelance SEO copywriter who has knowledge of compliance.
A freelance SEO copywriter aware of compliance often uses what’s called soft-benefit language to allow them to describe a product or service without violating any regulations.
Soft-benefit language is a way of writing copy that emphasizes the emotional, psychological, and experiential benefits of a product or service rather than promising a specific outcome.
Let’s say you’re a neurologist looking for a medical copywriter to write your website copy.
Here’s an example of soft-benefit language a professional copywriter might use:
“We’re here to help you feel cared for every step of the way in your journey to better neurological health.”
And here’s an example of a medical claim that is not in compliance:
“We can cure your neurological disorder.”
Here’s another example:
“Coffee is good for you!”
Technically, this is also a medical claim and not in compliance.
A professional copywriter like me would change this to “Many studies have shown that coffee is good for you.”
The soft-benefit language here focuses on how your clients will feel when buying from you or working with you rather than promising any specific outcome or quick fix.
See the difference?
Be sure to hire a freelance SEO copywriter who does.
A Freelance SEO Copywriter Should Know How and When to Cite Sources
Now that AI has made its way into the content creation space, it’s never been more important to work with a freelance SEO copywriter who knows how and when to cite sources.
This is especially critical in today’s era of AI – artificial intelligence.
Many copywriters and businesses are using AI to write their copy, which is problematic because AI chatbots sometimes make up their own stories and even their own citations! [6]
Don’t get me wrong, AI can be extremely beneficial in assisting with content creation, but there still needs to be a professional copywriter behind the wheel to ensure accuracy, double-check sources, and give citations.
How you cite your copy will depend on whether you’re making any medical or health claims or using soft-benefit language. Together, you and your freelance SEO copywriter decide how and when to cite sources in your materials.
You can use full citations from research articles or do more like I did in this blog, linking to live sources at the bottom of the page. Copywriting doesn’t have the same hard and fast rules for citing sources like a journal or book does.
In this article and in other blogs I write, I use brackets after I display a quote, statistic, or an important study, and then I add a hyperlink at the bottom of the page that links directly to the source content. I chose this method because that’s what I’m comfortable with for my business.
Other copywriters may choose not to provide any citations. Still, others may go overboard with their citations, making their copy challenging to read and relate to.
My goal with this article is to provide necessary citations and skip citations when I feel the content is easy to research and verify independently, such as with a quick Google search.
No matter which method you choose, citing sources builds trust with your audience and is critical to improving your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.
A recent study by Neil Patel Digital shows that citing sources in your digital marketing content significantly impacts your E.E.A.T score. [7]
“EEAT” is a marketing industry term that stands for Experience, Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Authoritativeness. It’s a benchmark for determining how your content will rank online in search results.
The study found these four factors to be the most important in terms of their ranking impact:
Detailed Content
Citations
Backlinks
Brand Mentions
This article is an example of extremely detailed content with no filler. It‘s optimized for SEO so that people searching for “freelance SEO copywriter” can find this page and learn everything they need to know. Plus, they can find me and my services.
Backlinks are when another website links to your website, which helps boost your website’s authority. A freelance SEO copywriter can help you build backlinks by writing blogs and articles to “guest post” on other websites, such as your Chamber of Commerce, your industry journals and websites, or third-party websites who would be likely to link to your website, like Yep, Trip Advisor, Open Table, and more.
Having a freelance SEO copywriter who provides quality and precise citations can be a win-win situation for you, your customers, and growing your business.
A Freelance SEO Copywriter Should Understand the Regulations About Making Medical Claims
If you’re seeking out a freelance SEO copywriter to help with anything medical related, it’s essential to ensure they understand the regulations about making medical claims.
One of the most famous medical claims in history comes from the “4 Out of 5 Dentists Campaign” that Trident launched in the 1970s to sell its sugarless gum.
(Note: It’s purely coincidental that I’m bringing up dentists again! It’s just another solid example of healthcare marketing.)
Here’s exactly what the campaign said: "4 out of 5 dentists recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum.” [8]
This slogan became so famous that it is now a trope in marketing, comedy, and culture!
It’s also a medical claim.
The famous line promotes a product and implies that health professionals like dentists recommend it. In this case, the claim is backed by an actual survey, which made it legal to use in marketing under United States law.
If you’r in a medical space, details like this make it vital for you to choose a copywriter who understands the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requirements for making medical claims.
The FTC pays close attention to the health and wellness space.
Your freelance SEO copywriter needs to know that medical claims made on your website, in your emails, or in other marketing must be backed by scientific evidence, also known as substantiated.
So what does substantiated mean? The FTC states:
“The type of substantiation needed for a claim depends on many factors, including the product being marketed and the nature of the claim. As a general rule, however, claims about the health benefits or safety of foods, dietary supplements, drugs, and other health-related products require substantiation in the form of competent and reliable scientific evidence.” [9]
A professional freelance SEO copywriter ensures that their claims are supported by scientific evidence, such as research from journals or studies. According to the FTC, the use of traditional herbal or ancient medicine also counts as scientific evidence.
If you’re in the medical space, ensuring your freelance SEO copywriter knows about marketing laws can help protect your business from liability claims.
It also makes your copy easier to edit, which saves you time. Plus, you’ll have more peace of mind, and your patients will receive accurate health information—which is what it’s all about!
Ready to Hire a Freelance SEO Copywriter to Grow Your Business?
Many freelance SEO copywriters enter the industry without being fully trained in the all-important aspects of liability, credibility, and citations.
In addition, it’s essential to work with a freelance SEO copywriter who is cautious about using AI.
When you work with me, you get an expert who can navigate the shifting waters of marketing and AI while providing continuous value and results for your business.
You also get a business partner who wants to help you achieve your goals. I’m passionate about helping businesses reach their potential and make an impact in their fields and in the lives of the people they serve.
Visit my website and book a discovery call to learn more about me, what I do, and why I’m passionate about SEO copywriting.
We can discuss your website, how it ranks on search engines, and the amount of organic traffic you’re getting. We can also discuss new ways to find clients, grow your business, and achieve your goals.
I can’t wait to hear from you!
Resources:
https://www.statista.com/topics/1710/search-engine-usage/#topicOverview
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-first-page-clicks/374516/
https://www.litmus.com/blog/infographic-the-roi-of-email-marketing
https://medandlife.org/wp-content/uploads/JMedLife-12-093.pdf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/05/chatgpt-lies/
https://marketing-case-studies.blogspot.com/2008/04/four-out-of-five-dentists-campaign.html
https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance
Hi, I’m Karla Freivalds.
I’m a freelance SEO copywriter and blogger for hire.
To learn more about me, what I do, and why I’m passionate about content marketing, visit my website!
Disclosure
The information provided in this blog is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as medical, legal, or professional advice.