An SEO copywriter writes online content that contains keywords and phrases (ie the words that someone would enter into a search engine to find information).  The copy is written in such a way that it’s helpful, engaging and useful to a human reader and which can be understood by Google too.  An SEO copywriter’s goal is to write web copy and articles that convert website traffic into leads and sales.

A freelance copywriter writes material for clients on a contract or project basis.  Their work may also include research, conducting interviews and producing optimised copy for SEO purposes.  Examples of work that a freelance copywriter could be contracted to do includes speeches, marketing material, media releases, blogs, website copy, training manuals, social media posts, advertising copy and case studies.

An SEO copywriter writes online content that generates organic traffic to a website, thereby helping webpages rank higher in the search engines.  They do this by writing high quality, original material that includes target keywords and phrases which a searcher would type into the search engines.  The copy is written in such a way that it is readable by humans as well as search engine bots.

If you’re writing content for websites where the goal is to improve a site’s ranking in the search engines, then the answer is ‘yes’.  You need SEO in your copywriting when you write material (eg webpage content, blogs, guest posts etc) which have the ultimate goal of improving that content’s visibility in the search engines.

You can expect to pay anything between $40 - $250 per hour for a freelance copywriter in Australia, but rates can vary.  The rate for a freelance copywriter depends on their experience, specialist skills, the complexity of the task, required turnaround times and where the freelancer is located.  It may be possible to negotiate a daily or project fee with a freelance copywriter.

1. Ability to write copy that is engaging and easy to read. It’s like telling a good story, with content that flows logically and conversationally.
2. Strong grammar skills and a wide vocabulary.
3. Good copywriters empathise with their audience and can put themselves in the reader’s shoes. 
4. A good copywriter is creative and has strong research skills.
5. A good copywriter has an awareness of SEO and can craft words that serve a purpose (eg selling a product or attracting a lead/clickthrough).
6. Ability to work to deadlines

Some copywriters complete formal training (such as Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing, a Bachelor’s in Creative Writing or a journalism qualification) while others are self-taught having gained experience by working in industries such as public relations, media and marketing.

A copywriter basically writes material for just about any audience, any purpose and any industry.  This includes advertising copy, website copy, articles, blogs, marketing and promotional materials, emails, social media posts, newsletters, media releases and speeches.

Yes - copywriting and SEO writing are two different tasks that require different techniques. Both serve a purpose and both need to tell and sell a story, but there’s a difference.  A traditional copywriter gets into the hearts and minds of the reader on a ‘softer’ level, whilst an SEO copywriter’s specific aim is to produce material with SEO keywords woven through it so that it can be found in online searches, thereby increasing organic traffic and achieving higher rankings in the search engine pages.