Learning SEO Basics for Freelance Writers

TL;DR

• Build skills and increase client demand by learning SEO basics for freelance writers.
• Optimize your content and your clients’ content and measure search success.
• Earn free certifications to deepen your SEO expertise, including those from HubSpot and Ahrefs.

Search engine optimization (SEO) skills are a freelance writer’s secret weapon for success. With a solid understanding of SEO, you can create content that resonates with audiences and is more easily discoverable online. Here’s a step-by-step guide to learning and using SEO fundamentals and adding credentials to your writing portfolio to help you stand out in the marketplace.

Step 1: Understand the Value of SEO

Why should freelance writers care about SEO? Simple: clients want results, and SEO drives measurable digital content success. Writers with SEO expertise:

• Attract more visitors to their portfolio organically (which saves money on advertising).
• Understand how to work with digital marketers and other marketing experts.
• Build long-term relationships by delivering value (which means more potential referrals for you!).

Step 2: Learn the Backbone of SEO

There are three critical areas of SEO. You don’t need to be an expert in any of them, but you need a working understanding of these concepts:

1. On-Page SEO
   • Optimize content to meet the intent behind keywords. For example, someone searching for “best writing tools” wants recommendations on writing apps, not a writing essay.
   • Write engaging meta descriptions and titles, and incorporate best practices like keyword density to improve click-through rates (CTR).
2. Off-Page SEO
   • Create genuinely helpful content that attracts backlinks, mentions, and social proof that validates the quality of your content. Shared content ranks higher in search engines, so aim to engage people.
   • Connect with influencers, bloggers, and related companies to foster collaborations and cross-promotion. SEO companies and digital teams usually handle this, but writers should still understand why collabs matter.
3. Technical SEO
   • Ensure content is optimized for mobile users (vital for Google’s mobile-first indexing). Technical SEO involves fixing broken links, loading pages faster, and optimizing the website.
   • For writers, this means following best practices for web writing. They should understand how often to add subheadings, the optimal title length for mobile users and search result displays, and how to use image alt-text.

Step 3: Boost Your Credentials with Certifications

Earning an SEO certification sharpens your skills and signals credibility to clients. Two fantastic (free!) options are:

1. HubSpot SEO Certification
   • Free, beginner-friendly, and many companies use HubSpot for their sales funnels and customer management.
   • Covers all the topics you need to know, including keyword research, on-page SEO, and content strategy.
2. Ahrefs Free SEO Course
   • Practical, video-based tutorials focused on real-world strategies.
   • Teaches you how to use Ahrefs tools for competitive analysis and keyword research. (That may be more than you need to know as a beginner, but bookmark it if you plan to expand your service offerings into content strategy. You’ll need to understand analysis and research down the road.)

Adding these certifications to your portfolio or LinkedIn profile builds trust and positions you as a writer who understands digital communication.

Step 4: Write Content That Readers and Algorithms Love

Balancing readability and optimization is where it’s at with digital writing. People can sense when they’re reading machine-generated copy, so you want to avoid being too formulaic or robotic.

Consider these best practices:

• Engaging Intros: Use compelling questions or facts to draw readers in and incorporate your primary keyword.
• Keyword Integration: Naturally weave keywords into headings, first 100 words, and closing paragraphs. Avoid keyword stuffing.
• Internal and External Links: To build authority, link to your own content and credible sources (e.g., .gov or .edu sites).
• Write for Humans: Don’t rely on AI or write robotically. Skillfully combine engaging content with the keyword phrase your client is pursuing.

Step 5: Stay Updated and Track Progress

SEO evolves constantly! You don’t need to be an expert, but make it a habit to stay informed:

• Skim industry blogs like Moz Blog and Search Engine Journal.
• Set aside time monthly or quarterly to look at where your content ranks and identify improvements.

If you’re working with an SEO expert or your client is measuring SEO results, these are the most tracked metrics:

• Organic traffic growth (month-over-month and year-over-year).
• Engagement rates (bounce rate, average time on page).
• Conversion rates (e.g., email signups, leads generated).

Learning SEO Basics for Freelance Writers

(See what I did there?) SEO is a massive field, and many people spend their entire careers specializing in just one aspect of search ranking. As a freelance writer, you don’t need to know everything. You only need to know enough to understand the best practices for content and how to communicate with SEO teams.

In real-world terms, SEO knowledge can help you land jobs. Many companies hire an SEO specialist and a copywriter to work together. SEO companies also hire writers to provide content for their clients. (That can be a great place to find partnerships and long-term gigs!)

Looking to kickstart your freelance writing career? Download the Live Write Publish Freelance Writing Starter Kit PDF. No email required!