Although mostly used interchangeably, content writers and SEO content writers have their differences, which we will discuss today. Content writing means writing and sharing written material for different reasons, such as advertising, teaching, and enjoyment. It is a broad topic, which is why it has several branches or types; some of them are copywriting, SEO writing, blogging, email newsletters, and so on. Now that we have established what content writing is and also enlisted a few of its types, we will now fully discuss who a content writer and an SEO writer are, their individual responsibilities, and their similarities and differences.
Recommended: Are you a visual learner, we have a video on the difference between an SEO content writer and a content writer below.
Who Is A Content Writer?
A content writer is a skilled individual who specializes in crafting written material for digital platforms. They are highly proficient in creating content that ranges from blog posts to newsletter content and everything in between. Their primary focus is to deliver high-quality and engaging content to capture the reader’s attention. In essence, the work of a content writer is to provide well-researched and informative content for a variety of digital media.
Who Is An SEO Content Writer?
An SEO writer is a professional who specializes in crafting content that is designed to rank on the first page of search engines like Google. To achieve this, these writers conduct thorough research to identify keywords that are relevant to the topic and then create content that is optimized to fulfil the user’s search query. This helps make the content more visible and accessible to users who are searching for it.
What Are The Responsibilities Of A Content Writer?
As a content writer, your responsibilities include:
- Conducting research and organizing sources and information.
- Collaborate and brainstorm with your team to come up with new strategies and ideas.
- Create clear and innovative headlines and body copy to engage your audience.
- Produce high-quality blog posts on industry-relevant topics and address user queries in detail.
Additionally, you will be required to write on a wide variety of topics for podcasts, e-books, websites, blogs, social media, case studies, whitepapers, banners, etc. You must create, execute, and maintain a content calendar to ensure timely delivery of content.
What Are The Responsibilities Of An SEO Content Writer?
The responsibilities of an SEO content writer include:
- Developing and executing content strategies that align with business goals and target audiences.
- Creating and publishing high-quality, engaging, and relevant content that addresses the needs of the target audience.
- Conduct keyword research and optimize content for search engines.
In addition, SEO content writers collaborate with cross-functional teams, including designers, developers, and marketers, to ensure consistency and effectiveness of content. Also, they monitor and analyze website traffic and engagement metrics to continuously improve content performance.
Similarities Between A Content Writer And An SEO Content Writer
The similarities between a normal content writer and an SEO content writer are listed below
1. Writing Skills: Both roles require strong writing skills. Content writers and SEO content writers need to be proficient in crafting engaging and informative content that resonates with their target audience.
2. Research Abilities: Content and SEO content writers must conduct research to gather information and data to support their writing. This could include understanding industry trends, conducting keyword research, or analyzing competitor content.
3. Understanding Audience: Both roles involve understanding the target audience. Whether it’s a general audience for content writers or a specific audience for SEO content writers, knowing who you’re writing for is crucial for creating relevant and valuable content.
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Differences Between A Content Writer And An SEO Content Writer
Here is a comparison table that enlists the differences between a normal content writer and an SEO content writer.
| Content Writer | SEO Content Writer |
| 1. Performs thorough and accurate research | 1. Check for content gaps to ensure accuracy and completeness. |
| 2. Good for informative content writing. | 2. Uses keywords for their relevance. |
| 3. Produces high-quality written content with good grammar and punctuation. | 3. Helps you write content for better search engine rankings. |
| 4. Ensure that content is error-free and professional. | 4. They help you reduce your bounce rate. |
| 5. Can also be a competent and effective copywriter. | 5. Focuses on quality and relevance. |
| 6. Provides original and focused content | 6. Emphasizes on achieving conversions. |
| 7. Uses a creative and flexible approach to writing | 7. Uses a formulaic style/approach to writing |
| 8. Formatting can be done by storytelling or using anecdotes | 8. Always format using header tags and bullet points |
Conclusion
In essence, the goal determines the approach. If your goal is to rank highly on search engines, then what you need is an SEO content writer, not just a content writer. Here is a quick recap of what we discussed here: what is content writing, who is a content writer, who is an SEO content writer, job responsibilities, and similarities and differences between a content writer and an SEO content writer. If you are thinking of making a choice between these two, we hope to have satisfied your curiosity. Also, if you are an employer seeking to know which to hire, hope you have your answers now. Do well to leave a comment.
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