How To Make Your First $1,000 As A S.E.O Content Writer: Step-by-Step Guide
Introduction
While there are numerous high-income skills discussed in tweets, materials, and texts, it’s important to recognize that most of these skills come with associated learning costs that might not be easily accessible to everyone.
In this article, I’ll provide an introduction to the basics of SEO.
I’ll also explain how you can efficiently acquire SEO as a high-income skill and share information about free platforms for learning SEO.
If you continue reading, I’ll also discuss how you can secure jobs as an SEO content writer that pay up to $2,000.
What Is Search Engine Optimization?
In my own words, I will say
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the quality of your website traffic
And also working on increasing the quantity of traffic to a website or a web page from search engines.
Search engines are sites like Google.com and Bing, where people try to find answers to different queries/questions etc
The focus of SEO is to target unpaid traffic (known as “natural” or “organic” results) rather than direct traffic or paid traffic.
Unpaid traffic can originate from different kinds of searches, including people searching for images, videos, academic materials, news, and industry-specific vertical searches.
But the question is
Why Do We Need To Bother About SEO?
We try to use SEO as an Internet marketing strategy with a focus on getting customers or leads to find us naturally whenever they have some questions on their minds that they asked on search engines like Google,
So SEO (or an SEO specialist) considers how search engines work, the computer-programmed algorithms that dictate search engine behaviour, what people are searching for, the actual search terms or keywords they type into search engines, and which search engines are preferred by a target audience.
SEO is performed because a website will receive more visitors from a search engine when websites rank higher on the search engine results page (SERP).
These visitors can then potentially be converted into leads which can then result in buying/ paying customers.
How search engine optimization works
As most search engine providers like Google and Bing are also businesses, with people searching on their platform as their primary customers.
They have to make sure they serve these people who are searching with the latest, most updated and most relevant answers to each question they ask on Google, or else these searchers would not want to keep using them to find answers to their questions.
In a nutshell, there are specific requirements that each of these search engines require for them to serve your content (which is the information on your websites and web pages) to people who come to their platform to find answers to their questions
These requirements include:
These key factors that search engines consider when ranking websites:
Content:
The content (or the information) of your website should be highly relevant, high-quality, and informative to the questions people are looking for
In other words, we say that it should be optimized for the keywords that people are likely to use when they are searching for a particular topic or question.
For example: If a person is looking for “how do I make $1000 a month from SEO”
This article you’re reading is an example of content that addresses that question.
Links:
The number of links that come to and go out from your website also determines whether Google ranks your content higher
In a nutshell, when a piece of content has a high number of links from other websites to your page, Google sees it as a site that has information that other people think makes sense
So when searchers are searching on Google for terms within your blog, Google shows your page to them on the SERP.
Also, another important factor Google checks is the quality of the links to your website.
So it is advisable not to junk up a large number of links to your website as the quality of the links and websites are also important factors in SEO.
Links from high-authority websites are more valuable than links from low-authority websites.
Technical SEO:
Technical SEO refers to the technical aspects of a website that can affect its ranking in search engines.
This includes things like the structure of the webiste, how fast the website/page loads when someone clicks on it, and how mobile-friendly it is.
How To Build A Career With Search Engine Optimization — As A Nigerian
1. Understand the Basics:
Try to start by grasping the fundamental concepts of SEO.
Learn how search engines work, the importance of keywords, on-page and off-page optimization, and the role of user experience (UX) in SEO.
2. Stay Informed:
SEO is constantly evolving.
Stay updated with the latest industry trends, algorithm changes (e.g., Google updates), and best practices through blogs, podcasts, and reputable SEO publications.
Two channels that can assist you include, learningseo.io and Moz’s Seo Beginner Guide
3. Develop Technical Skills:
Master essential technical skills such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as they are integral to optimizing websites.
Familiarize yourself with SEO tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and SEO software.
4. Keyword Research:
Learn how to conduct effective keyword research.
Identify relevant keywords and phrases that potential users might use to find your content.
Tools like Google Trends, and Answer The Publik can assist you in this process.
5. On-Page Optimization:
Optimize the website content, including the page titles, headings, meta tags, and images, for SEO.
Ensure your content is well-structured and user-friendly.
6. Content Creation:
Develop high-quality, engaging web content that caters to both users and search engines.
Understand content strategies such as blog writing, content silos, and content calendars.
7. Off-Page Optimization:
Learn about off-page SEO techniques, including link building, social media marketing, and online reputation management.
Building high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites is crucial.
8. Mobile Optimization:
Given the mobile-first approach of most search engines, ensure the websites you work on are mobile-responsive
and provides an excellent user experience on mobile devices.
9. Analyze and Measure:
Become proficient in analyzing SEO data using tools like Google Analytics.
Track website performance, monitor keyword rankings, and assess the impact of your SEO efforts.
10. Certifications and Courses:
Consider enrolling in SEO courses or obtaining certifications from organizations like Moz, HubSpot, or Google.
These credentials can enhance your credibility.
11. Networking:
Engage with the SEO community through forums, conferences, and social media.
Networking can help you stay updated and potentially lead to job opportunities.
12. Internships and Freelancing:
Gain practical experience through internships or freelancing.
Working on real projects can provide hands-on experience and build your portfolio.
13. Job Search:
Look for SEO job opportunities in various sectors such as agencies, e-commerce, content marketing, and more.
Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your skills and achievements.
14. Continuous Learning:
SEO is an ever-evolving field. Stay curious and committed to lifelong learning.
Experiment with new strategies and adapt to industry changes.
15. Build a Portfolio:
As you gain experience, create a portfolio showcasing your successful SEO projects.
This can be a valuable asset when seeking job opportunities.
16. Be Patient:
Building a career in SEO takes time and persistence.
Results may not be immediate, but continuous effort and dedication will yield success.
Some Free Search Engine Optimization- SEOCourses To Take As A Nigerian
Can’t understand everything you just read, you can start from scratch with these free SEO courses:
1. SEMRUSH SEO COURSE
This course is administered and organized by SEMRush, a prominent SEO tool provider. It guides you through the essential aspects of SEO and grants a digital certificate upon successful completion, which you can showcase on your LinkedIn profile to enhance your professional credentials
2. HUBSPOT ACADEMY SEO COURSE
Administered and carefully organized by HubSpot, a renowned provider of marketing, CRM, and sales tools, the HubSpot Academy offers two levels of SEO courses.
These courses come with certifications that are valid for a period of two years.
The SEO I and SEO II courses offered by HubSpot Academy cover the basics of SEO and technical SEO, and upon successful completion, provide digital certificates that can be showcased on your professional LinkedIn profile.
To access the academy, you can follow this link: [Insert link].
3. NEIL PATEL’S YOUTUBE SEO COURSE
Neil Patel’s YouTube SEO course is presented as a playlist on YouTube.
It covers the fundamental principles of SEO and offers valuable insights into best practices.
It’s important to note that this course does not offer a digital certification and serves primarily as a practical guide for hands-on learning and implementation.
Conclusion
Certainly, acquiring a skill is distinct from marketing it effectively.
Successfully selling your skill demands a solid grasp of sales techniques, professionalism, and methods for attracting clients, ranging from a basic to an intermediate level of understanding.
While this might appear complex, I’ll keep providing valuable content to aid you in your journey.
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You can also join me on my YouTube channel for more insights and ideas.