Web content writing isn’t easy, even with these “secret strategies” from a professional SEO writer. If you’re an SEO writer – or you want to write search engine optimized articles – don’t miss this job description and career tips.

“You can’t use the same writing styles for newspapers, magazines, television, radio and novels; each writing style is distinct,” says Mia Carter, professional blogger, web writer,  and Suite101 editor. “Yet a majority of new bloggers and web writers erroneously believe that they’ll find success by publishing traditional print-style articles on the web. If you’re fortunate, you may find some success, but you’ll never reach your full potential unless you learn about SEO, keywording, etc.”

Many people are shocked that writers can earn a living from web writing and blogging — and they’re surprised to learn the complexities of web writing. Here’s her job description as an SEO writer, plus several career tips for web content writers…

Job Description of a Web Content Writer

“My responsibilities are determined by the various writing jobs that I take on,” says Carter. “I try to write at least one revenue share article or blog entry per day. Every month I write a few print and web articles for a handful of clients, but my revenue share articles and blogs account for the lion’s share of my income,” she says.

How Much Money Does an SEO Writer Make?

”The average salary/wage varies dramatically depending on your abilities as a web writer, your niche, and other factors,” says Carter. “I’ve found that the average among web writers seems to be $1-2 per article/blog entry, per month.”

Carter adds that with experimentation, statistical analysis and strong search engine optimization skills, web content writers can earn much more. “My highest earning article earns an average of $27 per day,” she says. “A web writer’s earnings are very much within your control. You can earn a few hundred dollars per year or you can earn six figures, depending upon your skill level, niche and output.”

She says she doesn’t currently earn a six figure income, but at her current rate of growth, she expects to reach that point within three to five years.

The Best Parts of Job as a Web Content Writer

“I love, love, love the capability to work wherever and whenever I want,” says Carter. “I love working from home; for me, there’s nothing better than working in an atmosphere where you’re surrounded by your family and pets. Freelance writing also enables me to maintain involvement in my other passion — caring for special needs animals.”

Carter also loves the fact that her earnings grow over time. Every revenue share article and every blog entry is an investment. Each month brings more money than the last.

The Downside of Working in Search Engine Optimization

She isn’t fond of the payment structure that SEO content writing offers. “Generally speaking, revenue share sites, AdSense and other affiliate programs don’t issue payments on a specific day each month,” says Carter. “They pay affiliates during a certain timeframe, such as between the first and the fifteenth of the month. I hate the unpredictability.”

Carter’s other online writing career “dislike” is also related to unpredictability. “The internet is ever-changing; it’s impossible to know whether the existing revenue share models, advertising programs, etc. will exist 10 years down the road,” she says. “The internet isn’t disappearing any time soon and I’m willing to evolve my work if necessary. The uncertainty is a bit obnoxious, but really, it’s a concern that’s present in every profession. There’s no such thing as absolute job security.”

Secret Strategies for Web Content and SEO Writing

Don’t put all your online articles in one basket

Diversify and write for many different revenue sites or content management systems, particularly in the beginning. There are several different revenue share structures, and each niche is best suited to a specific revenue share model.

Analyze your online statistics and data

Track your page view data, traffic data, search terms used to find your articles, revenue data, etc. — and learn from it. Use this information to guide your web writing.

Use your body of work on revenue share sites as a testing ground

Analyze your SEO articles to learn about blog niche viability. Don’t just start a blog on a random topic. When you write articles for revenue share sites, vary your writing in terms of topics. You can write about anything from working as a freelance writer to describing how you make pizza! Then, analyze the data and stats and use this information to guide you to a viable and lucrative niche blog topic.

Keep a foot in the door with sites like DemandStudios

which offers up-front payments for articles. Revenue share articles and blog entries — which earn money over time — should comprise the lion’s share of your work, but sometimes, an unexpected expense arises. Sites like DemandStudios are invaluable in this regard; they serve as a financial safety net for freelance web writers.

“SEO content writing isn’t like writing for print or any other outlet,” says Carter. “You’ll find only limited success — at best — if you publish print-style articles on the web. Search engine optimization and keywording are vital if you want to be a successful blogger or web writer.” Successful web content writers have a unique combination of creativity and technical skill.

Mia Carter is an editor and contributing writer with Suite101. She’s the owner of several niche blogs including TheSickDogBlog.com and the FreePrintableCouponWebsite.com.

And if you have any questions or thoughts about working as an SEO writer, please comment below…