When you browse the internet, you’ll find that nearly every website you encounter will have a blog in one form or another. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the blog of a corporate giant like Coca-Cola, or the latest entry to a small, local therapist.

So what are blogs, and why is everyone spending time and money to create them?

What is a blog?

A blog is essentially a regularly updated website or web page that contains content written in the form of posts. Posts are generally created by an individual, known as a blogger, and can be about anything that interests them. These posts can range from informative opinions to personal experiences and stories.

What is blog writing?

Bloggers typically use blogs to express their views on current events, share tips, and even promote their products or services. However, many companies use blogging as a way to keep customers up-to-date on new products and services and, more specifically, to boost the ability of internet search engines to find their websites through a process called search engine optimisation (SEO).

How does blog writing help SEO?

Search engines use crawlers to search the internet, link by link, see how it is connected, and then index the pages they discover. The words and phrases, how often they are used and in what way forms the basis of search engine results.

For a business website to be successful, it needs to appear on the front page of search engines for key phrases that potential customers will use when searching for related services or products. Blogging is a great way to use those keywords and phrases because bloggers have the freedom to write naturally while slipping in those all-important words and phrases.

On top of that, a blog post can be written in such a way as to draw readers in and make them stay on the website longer. Longer visits result in higher rankings from search engines. For these reasons, many companies are investing more time and money into creating blog content, which is where blog writing comes in.

Who works as a blog writer?

Anyone passionate about writing and with a good understanding of SEO can work as a blog writer. A professional blogger or content writer will have the skills to write about any given topic, research relevant keywords and integrate them into the post in an organic way that won’t turn readers off. Additionally, with experience, a blog writer will be able to craft posts that are tailored to the needs of clients.

An example of blog writer content marketing

Say, for example, you have created a website that teaches visitors how to make money online from writing (sound familiar?), and you’ve created a guide to copywriting that you want people to find and use.

For example, common sense will tell you that you’ll need to use the phrase “guide to copywriting” a time or two, but what else can be said that will let Google and its competitors know what your site is about? You could repeatedly add the phrase, and that’s exactly what happened in the early days of SEO. However, sites relying on this were soon smacked down, and now Google looks for more organic language.

A blog writer would be able to take the topic and create an engaging post that talks about copywriting, why it’s important, how it can help people and, of course, uses those phrases in a natural way. The right keywords have been placed, but they don’t dominate the article – they are just one of many related phrases that show you are an expert on the topic you are discussing.

Blog writers – and where to find them!

Of course, not every web owner is a natural writer, either by choice or ability, and that’s just fine. You can find blog writers on many sites, such as Fiverr and Upwork. These sites connect freelance blog writers to clients, ensuring you can speed up your content creation. Blogs that are regularly updated with interesting and relevant content can help your website become more visible online.

You’ll find blog writing services for just $5 on both platforms. While it is generally true when they say, “You get what you pay for”, it is possible to catch a few rising stars early in their career willing to work cheaply in exchange for a glowing review.

More typically, expect to pay $40 per 500 words or more to ensure that the content comes with all the appropriate keyword research, stylistic flourish, and subtle SEO best practices you need to get your site noticed by search engines.

You can do it yourself if you don’t want to hire professional blog writing services. But be aware that it takes time and effort to research topics, write them in an engaging way, and add the appropriate keywords. Below are a number of FAQs related to blog writing, keyword research and content marketing that will help if you are considering taking the DIY route.

FAQs

How do you set up a blog?

Assuming you are writing a blog for yourself or your business, you’ll need to have a website and domain name ready. Once those are set up, WordPress is the most commonly used software for posting blogs. You can install the software on your web hosting service and customize it to your needs. We are intentionally not going to walk you through the process here, as WordPress provide plenty of documentation on how to do this.

However, once again, if you find yourself unable or unwilling to learn how to install WordPress on a host, there are Freelancers who specialise in doing this for clients too!

How do you research keywords for blog writing?

Researching keywords is an important part of SEO, as these terms help search engine algorithms rank your website higher in search results. The most popular keyword research tools professionals use include Google Keywords Planner, SEOSurfer or SEMRush.

How do you write content for a blog?

The first step is to identify what topics your blog should cover. Once you have a good idea of the overall topic, start researching relevant keywords related to that topic. You want to find words commonly used by people when searching for information related to your topic.

When you feel confident about the words and phrases related to your niche, the next step is to start writing the content. Ensure the content is relevant and engaging while adding keywords where appropriate. Finally, you should review and edit the post to ensure that it is free of errors or typos.

What is the difference between blogging and content writing?

The main difference between blogging and content writing is that blogs tend to have a more casual tone, while content writing should have a professional voice. Blogging usually focuses on opinion pieces, while content writing should be factual and informative, often covering topics from multiple angles.

Content writing can also be used on other platforms, such as product pages and press releases. It should be tailored to each platform’s specific audience and include appropriate SEO keywords.

How much should you pay to write a blog?

Really this depends on you. If you have the budget for the best quality blogs, and a need to get them quickly, you’ll have to pay more. But if you just want to get the job done, plenty of great freelance writers are willing to work for a reasonable fee. However, keep in mind that good content takes time and effort, as goes ranking high on google search pages, so it’s worth investing in quality writing.

Where can you hire someone to write your blog?

There are many great platforms to find freelance writers. Freelance job boards such as Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer offer services from content strategy planning and basic blog writing to SEO-focused content creation. Whether you need someone to write all the blog posts for your site or simply someone to strategies with, these sites make it easy to find talented writers with experience in your industry.