SEO copywriters may do a job that they love, but they are faced with a range of problems on a daily basis from the ability to motivate themselves to meeting tight deadlines all the way to finding time for you.
You would think as a writer working from home that you would earn an excellent salary, but in reality it’s a lot of work for a little money. While this is maybe one of the better paying jobs, when you think of the time SEO copywriters put into their work, their time, their creativity and dedication, the money doesn’t really justify the work that’s completed.
Some of the problems you face can be handled with a few simple steps, but others require organization and strict promises to yourself, time management and meeting deadlines can be handled if you are organized and have a clear plan moving forward.
Motivation
I think one of the hardest things I face is motivation. You work from home and it’s so tempting to go outside into the sunshine or sit and watch a quick TV program that you’ve been keeping, but you need to get your head into work mode and get writing.
I struggled for a long time, until I set up a dedicated office in our spare bedroom. Now I get up and I go to work in a separate room which is the workspace. This way in my head I know I’m at work, not like before where I would sit on a comfortable couch with my laptop or sit on the bed, now I sit in my office chair at my desk with my computer in front of me in my office, just as I would if I were going to a normal nine to five job.
Time Management and Deadlines
Some articles can be written quickly, while others may take hours of careful research and digging to find what you need to know. You need to be careful to not take on too much, you may see every opportunity as a pay cheque, which you should, but in some cases you can do more damage than good.
If you take on too much work, you may find yourself working long hours and not taking the necessary breaks to recharge your batteries, you may also find that your work starts to suffer due to sheer mental exhaustion.
Keep a clear diary, work out your deadlines for each job and set up a system that works for you. I tend to check how many articles are needed per assignment and spread them out over a few days, when I have a set number of articles per day I stop taking on work, this way I can manage my time effectively and ensure that my work doesn’t suffer because of it.
Writers Block
It’s strange you would think that writer’s block is something that only authors of books face, but SEO copywriters can suffer with this as well, though this usually happens when you have worked for too many hours and are struggling to keep your head in the game.
If you find that you cannot think of the words, take a break. Take a cup of coffee onto the patio, sit in the sun for five minutes as you breathe in the fresh air and then go back and tackle the article again. The bonus with the work you do is that you can find most of the information you need through research, so it’s just putting it all together in an appealing manner, but sometimes this can seem more impossible than it seems. Be sure to take regular breaks, stretch your legs, move your shoulders and just walk around the home for a few minutes and then get back to work, it will make all the difference.
Problems facing SEO copywriters can often be repaired quickly with the right management, so ensure you are not overdoing it and only take on the amount of work you can handle at any given time to ensure you always give one hundred per cent.
You have listed the problems faced by the SEO copywriters very nicely. However, the biggest problems for the new freelancer is that they do not find good employer who could provide continus work and pay them well.
Cris, you have rightly mentioned that the payment that the copy writer receives is too less to justify the hardwork put in by the person. You have very nicely suggested the solutions of these problems too. Thanks for providing good suggestions.