Search engines and the way they work are constantly evolving. What works today is ineffective or even illegal tomorrow. Writing for search engines is a skill that involves specialist and up-to-date knowledge. Here's what to look out for if you need someone adept at search engine copywriting.

Have they written websites before?

It may seem an obvious question, but web copywriting is a very different game from writing for print or broadcast. Ask for URLs of websites they've written and see for yourself how well written they are.

Are they experienced in search engine copywriting?

Your prospective SEO copywriter may not have been asked to optimise many sites - even now, a majority of websites aren't optimised. However, he or she should be able to point you towards any that have. It's easy to work out for yourself how effective the search engine copywriting has been. Simply look at the front page, and one or two other key pages as well, if need be. It should be straightforward to work out what the keyword phrases are. Then enter these keywords into Google, Yahoo or another leading search engine and see where the site ranks. Unless the site is less than a few months old, it should be up near the top of the rankings.

Do they have a site themselves?

Is it simply a site to showcase their work, or is it optimised to attract customers like yourself? (If you found them via a search engine, they must be doing something right.) Does it link to examples of websites they've written? If their site isn't optimised, ask them why it isn't. If they're serious about search engine copywriting, the first site they optimised should have been their own.

Have they balanced the needs of the search engines with those of the reader?

A seasoned SEO copywriter knows that there's always a compromise between appealing to the reader and appealing to the search engine spiders. The optimised web copy they write should never appear stilted, forced or overly repetitive.

What will they charge you?

They should give you a fixed price, which should include one or two rounds of revisions. Assuming you don't change the brief, they should stick to this price. Make sure they don't charge you extra for including keywords. Assuming you supply them with the correct keywords at the outset, it's no harder for a good SEO copywriter to incorporate them into the copy than it is to write non-optimised copy. (Supplying new keywords after a first draft is another matter.)

Do they know how to research keywords?

It's worth budgeting extra to let your SEO copywriter help with the initial analysis. They should also check to see which keywords your main competitors are using and decide whether it's worth going head to head with them, or whether it makes more sense to optimise alternatives. However, bear in mind that some keywords are seasonal, and that the worth of many other keywords can change over time.

What should you expect from them once the site is finished?

Before hiring an SEO copywriter, ask them how often your site should be updated. The correct answer is 'very often', if you want your site to stay high in the rankings. Then, assuming you don't want to do it in-house, ask if they are prepared to add extra content or articles which can act as pages for you on a regular basis.

Should I let the web designers supply the copywriter?

Web design or search engine marketing companies may have their own in-house copywriters who can create content for you. Or they may use their own freelancers. However, this can have two drawbacks. In the first place, companies are going to cost a lot more than individuals you find yourself. Secondly, if you cease to work with your marketing company, you risk losing your online voice and style. So you may prefer to find your own copywriter - any good and experienced freelancer will happily work with your designers to ensure you achieve the best possible result.

Are they local to you?

This is not essential by any means, but it can help in certain projects. If you do favour a local copywriter, remember to build in the cost of the meetings, although most copywriters are happy to attend an initial local meeting or briefing for free.

Have they got experience in writing for your field?

You might think that this is one of the most important criteria. Actually, it's one of the least, which is why I've left it until last. Don't worry if they haven't done work specifically in your field before. A good copywriter can communicate anything. If you specialise in UK holidays, don't go for the copywriter who has written average work for one of your competitors. Go for one who's written excellent work in several fields, but not necessarily yours. He or she will almost certainly do a better job.

© Peter Wise