by Jillian McCoy

Created on: September 08, 2010

Knowing how to write SEO-friendly articles is an important skill in any freelance writer's toolbox. Ranking within the first page of search results on Google and other search engines makes your articles visible to a wide audience, which can pay big dividends. Earning money and attracting clients are two of the most important concerns for freelance writers, and good SEO writing has the potential to do both. Here's a look at what SEO can do for you.

Earnings

Many freelance writers contribute to content writing websites such as Helium. Though some of these websites pay a flat fee for submissions, many pay based on performance. Associated Content, for example, pays writers based on how many times their articles are viewed. At eHow, freelance writers earn a share of the ad revenue generated by their articles. In both cases, SEO writing will maximize your articles' earning potential. Some writers earn thousands of dollars per month in passive income with these websites, thanks to SEO.

SEO articles can also boost earnings on your own websites and blogs. Good SEO can greatly increase the traffic these sites receive, leading to more sales of your product or service. Website traffic is also important to advertisers. The more traffic your website receives, the more advertisers are willing to pay to rent space on it. If you participate in affiliate marketing, good SEO articles about the things you market can also boost your commissions.

Articles optimized for SEO are also hot commodities among businesses and webmasters who want to rank well for certain keywords. Through article marketplaces such as Constant Content, you can sell SEO articles for a profit. Depending on the quality and length of these articles, they can sell for up to a few hundred dollars each. Articles you've created for other writing outlets (such as Helium or your blog) can also be resold through these marketplaces, assuming you retain the rights to do so. Usage licenses for resold articles start at around $5 each, adding small boosts to your income as buyers find them.

Exposure

Simply being visible can do a lot for your reputation as a freelance writer. Potential clients have to know you exist before they can hire you, after all. Quality SEO articles that rank well in the search engines will grab the attention of clients looking for writers on that subject. When searching for a freelance writer, clients prefer to hire someone who's an expert on their given subject because they can create high-quality work with less time devoted to research. You'll be able to earn a premium rate for your expertise, both as a writer and with SEO.

SEO articles can also be standout additions to your portfolio. Articles are among the simplest additions to your portfolio, since they don't necessarily require a client. For new writers, a collection of articles can be the start to your portfolio when you have no other professional writing experience. Creating a suite of well-written SEO articles around a certain subject can show your expertise, helping to “flesh out” your portfolio on subjects you're interested in writing about.

If you're trying to retain work as a SEO freelance writer, the SEO quality of your articles may also be a selling point. Consider including screenshots to prove high ranking over time, or information such as “this article has retained the #1 position for a keyword receiving 340,000 searches per month for 9 months, outranking content from Google and AOL about the same topic.” Clients may be willing to pay you a premium for your writing and SEO skills, so that they can focus on other aspects of their businesses.

Learn more about this author, Jillian McCoy.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.