If you’ve done work in the field of internet marketing, you’re probably aware that many website owners need large amounts of unique content in order to optimize their sites’ search engine performance. SEO copywriters are freelancers that specialize in providing this content. If you’d like to be one, here are some basic tips to help you get off to a profitable start.

Finding work is the first step you have to take, of course. There are a few online resources that you can rely on and some that you can skip in order to make the best use of your time. In general, it’s a good idea to avoid sites that are geared towards a wider professional community, (e.g. Getafreelancer or oDesk) because it can take too long to sift through the chaff and find the SEO writing jobs. Exercise caution with craigslist, too. While legitimate jobs in this field will occasionally pop up, they are few and far between.

While there are a lot of factors that can influence which clients are best for you, one trait that you should always be looking for is a high volume of work. Clients for whom your talents are exactly suited and who pay grate rates are not good clients if they only need a few hundred words a month from you. In contrast, you may find it well worth your time to work outside of your comfort zone and below your preferred rate when a client has oodles of work available for you.

With that being said, you should definitely have a lower limit to the pay rate you will accept. Below a certain point, the proceeds you make from SEO copywriting will not be enough to make up for the alternative uses you could find for your time. It may be better to keep looking for a client who will pay a few cents a word than to churn out work for one paying a fraction of a cent.

Once you gain some experience in the field, you’ll be ready to make your work-hunting more effective. One great way to do this is to eliminate intermediaries and target firms directly. The most common kind of SEO writing work you will find is working for marketing specialists who are re-selling the content you produce to their own clients. It is definitely possible for you to cut out the middle man. You’ll need to be able to present yourself professionally, but the increased profit potential makes it worthwhile.

In order to chase more lucrative clients, you’ll need to have a resume and a portfolio of writing samples that clearly demonstrate your value. When it comes to collecting portfolio pieces, you want to be all-inclusive. Keep a large collection of your best work. You will not be sending the entire portfolio to every potential client; what you want to do is cherry-pick the pieces that you feel will be most applicable to the client’s needs.

Going into the SEO copywriting business is an exciting way to take control of your career. It’s a field that calls for initiative and smart professional choices, though. You need to be able to do more than just write well. After reviewing this article, you’ll a little better equipped to handle the business end of the job. As you build up more experience in the field, finding good clients and landing them will get easier and easier.