Simple Search Engine Marketing for Freelance Writers

January 29, 2008

The Internet was made for writers. Why? Because writers love to communicate. And the Internet is all about communication.

So, how can a writer take advantage of this wonderful marketing opportunity? By writing!

The following four guidelines can help you, as a freelance writer, market yourself online.

1) Write articles

Did you know that writing articles and submitting them to article databases is one of the best ways to get Website traffic? Did you also know it’s one of the best ways to get better search results?

Whether you write non-fiction or novels, you need to write about what you’re doing. Did you recently break through a bout with writer’s block? Write an article on how you overcame it. Are you writing about world politics? Write articles about what you’ve learned while researching different political systems.

The great thing about writing articles is they don’t need to be long—somewhere between 250 and 700 words. If you know a lot about your subject, you can do most of your writing from what you’ve already learned—no research required.

2) Setup a blog—not a Website

Establishing your web presence is part of the game. Don’t put it off because you’re afraid of it. There are more than enough tools available to get you publishing online without the need to learn programming or any other complex software.

Why a blog and not a “regular” Website? Because blogs are easy to setup and update. And, the more you blog (update), the more traffic you’ll drive to your site.

Complex is bad if it’s what’s keeping you from getting your Website running. Your site is simply a bulletin board where people can get to know you and your content.

It’s not your logo or design they’re looking for or critiquing. It’s your personality and content.

3) Give something away

This is a simple lead generation technique that’s been around for years. Offer a Website visitor something for free in exchange for their name and email address.

I suggest putting together ten of your best articles and compiling them into a single ebook.

Maybe you’ve completed a large research project for a new book you’re writing. Give away part of that research in a small report.

It doesn’t have to be elaborate or fancy. Just make sure you have something that you can give away.

4) The more you write, the better

I’m assuming that most writers love to write. Or, they at least find it very enjoyable. That’s what makes the Internet such an exciting place for writers—it’s simply a natural extension of what writers like to do best!

Marketing online needn’t be a chore. Article writing is one of the best ways to get targeted traffic and build your search engine rankings. So, just do what comes naturally…write.

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