Search Engine Optimization for Article Writers

One of the best work-at-home jobs available is writing articles online. Article writing sites, sometimes referred to as content sites, have grown over the years, and have become a way to earn a legitimate income at home.

Sites that pay people to write often pay one of two ways: by sharing a portion of the revenue the site earns from advertising, or by a set amount earned each time someone views a webpage. Either way, the key to earning money with an article writing site is by driving traffic to the articles. There are several ways to bring readers to articles, but one of the best methods is by practicing good use of search engine optimization, often referred to as SEO.

To understand what search engine optimization is and why it is important, it is helpful to understand how people find information online. When someone is looking for information about a subject, they enter keywords relating to the subject into a search engine. The search engine then flips through all of the websites in its index to find the sites with the information most relevant to the keywords entered in the search. The search results are then displayed, with the results near the top being most likely to be read by the person searching. The goal for anyone writing articles online for money is to have their article appear in the search results near the top.

Search engine optimization refers to how well the article, website, or other form of content is “optimized” for the “search engine” to find it. Effectively using search engine optimization techniques can help online article writers move their content to the top of the search engine results.

One of the biggest mistakes that beginning online article writers make is not using keyword research tools. While it takes a little extra time in the writing process, using a keyword research tool can make the difference between landing on the first page of the search engine or the last.

One of the most popular keyword research tools available is the Google Adwords Keyword Tool. It is thorough, easy-to-use, and it is free. One of the reasons it is a great resource for online article writers is because Google is the most popular search engine. Spending time to get to know how to use this keyword research tool can increase online earnings substantially.

The following four steps outline the basic steps needed to effective keyword research. As an online article writer becomes more comfortable writing with keywords in mind, he or she will naturally learn how to manipulate keywords and phrase to his or her advantage.

1. Make a list of three- to four-word phrases that people would enter to search for information on the article about to be written. The key to this brainstorm is to think about what people would enter to find the article.
2. Enter all of the phrases on the list into the Google Adwords Keyword Tool. After clicking to see the results, a long list of keywords and phrases related to the words from the brainstorm list will appear.
3. Look for the phrases that have a high search volume, but also make sense for the topic about which an article will be written. Make a list of the keywords and phrases that would be most likely used in a search query, but also fit naturally into the article.
4. Write the article using the phrases identified from the keyword research, trying to include them where they make the most sense.
   Over time, other elements of keyword research will begin to play a part in successful online writing strategies. Understanding the basics of search engine optimization and how it can help people make money online while writing for home can help first-time article writers get started on the right foot.