Before you started freelance writing, you may have heard that freelance writing is a job that anyone can do. Perhaps you even thought that yourself. After all, you learned how to write many years ago in school, and you can certainly jot out a few sentences. Why not get paid for your efforts? Writing web content is one of the biggest sectors in the freelance writing industry. There is a considerable demand for fresh, relevant web content on websites across the internet. Search engines are savvy, and they will provide a website with higher search engine rankings if its content is fresh and recently posted. Of course, websites also need product details, blog posts and more. With this in mind, you may have already tried to get your feet wet writing web content, but now you are realizing there is more to writing web content than meets the eye.
Search Engine Optimization
Search engines will post a website that has relevant key words and phrases placed strategically throughout an article. However, because search engines are smart, they also are aware that some website owners will “stuff” their websites with keywords artificially in order to get a boost in rankings. When a search engine determines you are trying to trick it, the website will actually get dinged in ratings. As a web content writer, it is important that you learn more about search engine optimization. Every client who you may work with ultimately may have different requirements for SEO. Some, however, may simply provide you with keywords and phrases, and they may want you to figure out placement that will give them the best rankings. Your knowledge in this area is critical if you want to find success as a web content writer.
To Sell or To Inform?
Of course, writing web content is not only about writing SEO-rich articles, product descriptions and blog posts. While some work orders are designed purely to draw rankings, the fact is that most will have a dual purpose. An article will need to written with SEO in mind, but it also may need to pre-sell, sell, inform or perform a variety of functions. With this in mind, a talented web content writer will need to place keywords or phrases strategically into a piece in a manner that is natural. These are pieces that are usually intended to be read by real people and to serve a valuable purpose for the website.
The Target Audience
Before you begin writing any piece of web content, it is important that you understand who the target audience is. If you intend to sell, inform or do something else for an intended audience, you need to know who that audience is. Consider what information they would like to know, what their hot buttons are and more. The more unique and customized your piece is, the better in quality it will be for your client.
It may sound easy to jot out a few short paragraphs of web content, but the fact is that successful web content writers are highly talented individuals. Most web content pieces are only a few hundred words in length at best, so freelance writers need to know how to accomplish all of the above in a very concise, focused piece. If writing web content is what you want to do, consider practicing your skills and taking steps to educate yourself on SEO an sales-based writing.
