Regardless of your preferred marketing tactics and channels, your content needs to be visible and compelling to your target audience. That’s where SEO content writers come in—with careful craftsmanship and SEO knowledge, they boost your brand’s chance of standing out among competitors with great written content.

Still, not all writers have what it takes to bring success to your brand. Their experiences and skills vary across businesses and industries, so you must choose your writer mindfully. 

To help you make the best choice, this guide shows you how to hire an SEO content writer, when to do so, and what their role entails. We’ll also introduce you to MarketerHire, a platform that connects you with top-notch SEO content writers and other marketers.

What Is an SEO Content Writer?

An SEO content writer creates various types of search engine optimized (SEO) content, including blog posts, product descriptions, and social media posts. 

The goal of this type of content is to increase your brand’s visibility on Google’s search results pages. One of the main ways writers achieve this is by including keywords that target readers use and presenting your brand as the answer to their queries and problems. They also use linking to drive traffic to your website.

Content also helps establish your brand’s image and authority, which is why writers need to make sure it provides value to readers while aligning with your company’s preferred tone and messaging.

SEO content writers are often confused with copywriters. While these roles have many similarities, there are some distinctions to keep in mind when looking for creative talent. Check out the specifics below:

What Does an SEO Content Writer Do?

Check out some of the responsibilities an SEO content writer may have in a company:

• Researching keywords, audiences, and topics
• Developing the content strategy and calendar
• Writing, formatting, and publishing high-quality content
• Ensuring the content is concise, error-free, and on-brand
• Implementing feedback from editors and clients
• Crafting meta descriptions and adding relevant links
• Tracking and analyzing content performance
• Keeping up with SEO best practices and trends

Depending on the company or agency they work for, an SEO content writer’s duties can vary significantly. 

For example, in a startup, the writer's job may involve all the above-mentioned responsibilities. In a large company or an agency, though, the writer may focus only on writing. The SEO team researches keywords, analyzes performance, and develops strategies, while the writer only implements them. 

Besides SEO specialists and editors, SEO content writers may collaborate with various other individuals, usually:

• Graphic designers
• Web designers
• Social media managers

When and Why Should You Hire an SEO Content Writer? 

While anyone can write content, SEO content writers have the skills and experience to create relevant, engaging content that drives revenue. They’re especially needed in the following situations:

• Business launch: You’re building the initial content strategy for your startup
• Low performance: Your website and content are ranking low in the search results
• Low quality: You have content gaps, errors, or inconsistencies 
• Lack of time: Your existing content marketer or team are swamped with work
• Business expansion: You’re expanding to new markets or launching a new campaign

If the budget is tight or you don’t need full-time support, you can hire SEO content writers on a freelance or fractional basis. Learn about the pros and cons of each type of engagement in the table below:

Benefits of Hiring an SEO Content Writer

With the right SEO content hired at the right time, you can reap the following benefits:

• Valuable and engaging content aligned with your brand and messaging
• Connection with your target audience
• Alignment with algorithm updates and trends
• Improved brand credibility and authority
• More traffic for your website and social media content
• Increased conversions and sales
• Return on investment and increased revenue

What To Look For in an SEO Content Writer 

You’ll recognize an excellent SEO content writer by their:

• Vast portfolio: Whether through published articles or personal writing projects, they must be able to demonstrate their ongoing growth as a content writer 
• SEO proficiency: They must have a solid understanding of on-page SEO principles and their application in content
• Engaging writing: An SEO content writer must possess excellent language skills and the ability to craft compelling content regardless of the topic or format
• Attention to detail: Mistakes can put a dent in your company’s reputation, so the writer must research topics and choose their words carefully
• Adaptability: They need to be able to adjust their approach to your company and respond to industry changes quickly
• Punctuality: The writer has to adhere to the content calendar and keep up with campaign deadlines to ensure consistent growth and engagement
• Communication skills: To collaborate with cross-functional teams successfully, the writer has to be an attentive listener and express ideas clearly

How To Hire an SEO Content Writer 

Before you start looking for an SEO content writer, you should figure out your needs. Consider whether you need the writer full-time and what your content priorities are at the moment to narrow down applicants and select the most fitting one. 

You also need to decide whether you have the time, energy, and expertise to recruit the writer yourself or if you’re going to delegate the process to a recruiting agency or platform like MarketerHire.

If you choose to handle recruiting in-house, take the following steps:

1. Source: You can find writers on social media platforms like LinkedIn, freelancing sites such as Upwork and Freelancer, and job boards like Indeed. Still, the most reliable candidates are usually the ones suggested by your professional network 
2. Screen: Shortlist candidates while prioritizing those who have plenty of experience in your industry. You can also ask them to provide samples of their work or complete a writing test. Interview top candidates to assess their personality, communication style, and SEO knowledge
3. Hire: After you’ve found your top candidate, discuss the work terms in-depth. You should provide them with all the necessary resources, such as your brand guidelines, to help them integrate and work efficiently

Challenges of the Traditional Approach To Hiring an SEO Content Writer 

Here’s why you should consider partnering with a recruitment platform instead of recruiting in-house:

• Traditional recruiting is resource-intensive: Posting job ads, browsing portfolios, and evaluating candidates takes months of work, which may delay your projects and impact your SEO performance. Besides time, recruiting requires meticulous and hard work, which you likely can’t invest if recruiting isn’t your primary job
• Consequences of a bad hire can be costly: A candidate could turn out to be incompetent or unreliable and could even cause damage to your business. If you make the wrong choice, you’ll also need to restart the hiring cycle from scratch

You can bypass these issues and hire stress-free with MarketerHire, a marketing-focused matchmaking platform. It can connect you with a top-notch SEO content writer in days and offers free rematching to ensure your satisfaction.

Why Is MarketerHire the Best Choice for Hiring an SEO Content Writer?

Trusted by well-known names such as Forbes and Netflix, MarketerHire is one of the leading hiring platforms that specialize in marketing roles. It has an extensive track record, which includes thousands of satisfied clients and over 30,000 successful matches.

By hiring an SEO content writer with MarketerHire, you can rest assured that they’ll be experienced, skilled, and professional. The platform’s experts pre-vet each applicant using a complex process that comprises:

1. Skills reviews
2. Live interviews
3. Test projects

Only the top 1% make it into MarketerHire’s diverse talent network, which includes professionals who have worked for household brands like Uber and Unilever.

Thanks to MarketerHire’s white-glove service, you don’t need to do anything but share your needs and make the final hiring decision. You’ll also get support throughout the process from your dedicated marketing manager.

To quickly pinpoint a writer who meets all your needs, the platform uses the proprietary MarketerMatch system, which combines human and artificial intelligence. You get a two-week trial to assess the fit of your match. If you’re not happy with their work, you’ll get a replacement for free.

How MarketerHire Works

To hire an SEO writer with MarketerHire, all you need to do is:

1. Describe your needs: Hop on a brief call with your dedicated manager to tell them about your business and the type of writer you need
2. Meet your writer: The MarketerHire team will zero in on the ideal candidate within 48 hours
3. Begin the project: The writer can start working for you in as little as three days

Feel free to scale up, scale down, or cancel as needed because MarketerHire’s contract is short-term and flexible. Besides SEO content writers, the platform can connect you with:

• Expert Assistants to support your marketing, design, or sales team
• Various other marketing experts, including SEO marketers, marketing analysts, and fractional CMOs

Give your business the voice it deserves—reach out to MarketerHire and hire an SEO content writer in no time!

Other Hiring Guides To Check Out

We’ve written many other hiring guides to help you prepare and strike gold: