4 Types of SEO Copywriters I Would Never Hire

I know, there are thousands of SEO copywriters for hire all over the world. But there’s a problem with a large pool of workforce in a certain field: it’s hard to separate the wheat from the chaff.

The cost of copywriting services has risen significantly in the past few years. That’s because a lot of marketers and business owners understood that poorly written, keyword stuffed copy gets you nowhere. Not even higher in SERPs.

And, if you’re already paying fair prices or looking for authority content instead of barely readable gibberish meant to pointlessly occupy online real estate, then you must already know how hard it is to find good SEO copywriters for hire.

In a recent article about mistakes people commonly make when they hire SEO copywriters, I spoke about the need to find marketing-savvy writers instead of people who only concern themselves with keyword density.

In the meantime, I stumbled upon more writers’ profile that didn’t make the cut for Idunn’s copywriting team. Since I handle all the hiring operations myself, it was rather easy for me to come up with a typology of writers that I met, but never hired.

In case you are also looking to hire SEO writers, this may help you.

SEO Copywriters for Hire – When to Say “No”

While it’s true that different companies have different needs in terms of SEO copywriting, I believe that are some areas where no one should compromise, irrespective of their business goals or budget.

I’ve said it before: content marketing can work on a small budget (and the numbers prove it) but only just as long as you don’t get greedy. Yes, posting 16+ times per month on your blog is ideal and it will get you more leads. But if you don’t have the budget to pay for 16+ quality blog posts, it’s better to stick to 4 or 7.

Quality and not quantity should always be your focus. And, in the interest of quality, here are the types of SEO copywriters you should never hire:

1. The Aspiring Hemingway

I chose to start with this category because I’ve fallen for it not once, but twice.

I do have a somewhat valid excuse, though: I have a weakness for great literature. So when I hear that someone is a writer in the “old, non-internet way”, I can’t resist.

But I should have.

You see, it’s very hard to use more than one writing style. If you’re working on a novel and as an SEO copywriter for hire at the same time, things are bound to get foggy.

This is how you end up with a very plastic, Dickensian even, SEO description of high-end beauty procedures. True story.

It was beautiful. It was riveting. But it was in no way right for the target audience.

I’m not saying that creative content writing and SEO shouldn’t be mixed. Quite the opposite. However, there’s creative and then there’s creative.

2. The Super Awesome SEO Copywriter Who Loves Adjectives a bit too Much

“In this stunning and gorgeous house, you will find a huge, well-lit living room that is perfect for cozy and intimate family gatherings or incredibly awesome game nights with your best friends.”

Man, that hurt!

Was it as painful for you to read as it was for me to write?

There are times when the SEO copywriters for hire want to make your product shine. And this is the easiest way to do it.

But here’s the good news: it’s also the easiest way to spot a bad writer. The kind who doesn’t know it’s 2017 and still thinks pushy sales tactics work.

Flash news: they don’t.

Tell people they can enjoy a well-lit living room and stop there. They’ll decide whether they want to play cards with their friends in it or not.

And, by all means, never use more than one adjective in a sentence. I know it helps the word count, but it really does not help the client.

3. The Hercules of Copywriting

One of the questions I always ask when looking for new SEO copywriters for hire is “how many words can you write in an average day?”

If they answer with “it depends”, they are half-way in.

You see, every copywriter has strengths and weaknesses, even the best of them. Just as they have topics they are very comfortable with and topics that require a lot of research and a lot of time put into finding the perfect wording.

It’s absolutely normal.

I could write 10,000 words per day about marketing and tech. Easily. And they’d be all good. I know where to find the best stats and reports, so research would also be a breeze. But ask me to write 10,000 words about financial investment in a day and watch me crawl into a really dark space and hide.

Full disclosure: in the beginning of my freelancing career, I used to churn out 5,000 words on a day regularly. But those were not pieces of writing that I would add to any portfolio.

I learned a few things since then. One of them is knowing your limits.

This is why I chose a slow growth for Idunn. I don’t believe in imposing a daily word limit to my writers. We have “all hands on deck” days when some of us write close to 10,000 words, but those are strictly emergencies.

I strongly believe that you can’t offer consistent value if you are forced to write 5,000 words every f-ing day. It may work for a day or two. Maybe even a week. But there’s no way to offer consistent quality when you have to do this every day.

So, I steer clear of writers who give me such numbers. I sometimes ask them if it’s every day, on any topic. If their answer is affirmative, I know they are not right for my team.

4. The Salesman

Much like the lover of adjectives, the Salesman Copywriter will go above and beyond to prove that their clients’ products are unparalleled in every aspect.

Selling vodka? It’s definitely the strongest and purest one.

Selling beauty services in a clinic? They’ll shave 50 years off your face in a 5-minute session.

You get the point.

Well, my point is that the era of pushy salesmen is over. Say hello to inbound sales and goodbye to shoving products down your audience’s throat with cheesy lines.

Yes, SEO copywriters are hired to make a product or a company shine, not just attract traffic to their website. But not like this. Show instead of telling. Give examples of your client’s clients success. Don’t say “we are the best real estate agency in the state”. Point out to testimonials of happy clients.

Wrapping Things Up

You may have noticed a pattern in my rant. I avoid “old school” copywriters. I strongly believe that the industry has changed for the best. And, most importantly, I think we all need to play a part in this.

I chose to play mine by writing about quality content and what we should all aim for. However, the power of example is very strong, so I also like to practice what I’m preaching.

My writers never have quantitative daily/weekly/monthly goals. But they always have qualitative ones.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not even blaming the writers for the slow progress of the industry. Like every other type of worker, SEO copywriters for hire adapt to the market demand. As long as freelancing marketplaces are brimming with people looking for writers who can churn out more than 5,0000 words a day and charge $1 for the usual 500-word article, things won’t move too fast.

This is why I keep bringing up this topic. I’m not trying to shame anyone. I know for a fact that a lot of copywriters have done this in the past (myself included). You can’t argue with the need to pay the bills. But you can argue with poor standards.

If you’re tired of the endless chase for good SEO copywriters for hire, I’m proud to say I found quite a few. And they’d love to help you with copy. Get in touch and let’s talk.