SEO blog writer – Who, what and why (you should work with 42group)

AI has killed off SEO blog copywriters, right? Err, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. SEO blog copywriters and content professionals are still out there producing high-quality content that ranks on search engines. What’s changed are the tactics, approach and essential skills that a writer needs.

How do we know all this? 42group is one of the UK’s leading SEO blog writing partners, producing content for brands and businesses of all sizes and in all sectors. (OK, there are some sectors we won’t work with based on principle, but saying most sectors doesn’t read as well.)

You’re here because you want to know more about what an SEO blog writer does in 2025 – and we’ll tell you because that’s the type of people that we are.

Want to skip the rest of this blog and contact us? You can do that here.

What is an SEO blog writer (and what do they do)?

An SEO blog writer is someone who creates content with the explicit intention of improving the search engine ranking of a specific website or webpage.

SEO copywriting itself is a highly skilled task that involves an understanding of several aspects of modern digital marketing:

• The principles of SEO
• Technical SEO
• Psychology of search
• Google’s EEAT framework

It’s a good list, right? But if the writer just focuses on these elements, the content becomes boring, mechanical and dull. It’s also highly ineffective. (This is the sort of content you get when you use an SEO writing assistant or AI writing tool. Trust us, we see it every day.)

You’re not here because you need us to tell you the basics but how we can help you to grow online. So, the first lesson is to stop investing in pointless, derivative and dull SEO content – because this won’t work anymore.

Every day millions of blogs, articles, case studies and insight pieces are published online. Are they read, enjoyed and experienced? No. They’re ignored because they add nothing to the sum of human knowledge.

Basically, they’re bullshit content that should be ignored – by you and your audience (and any algorithm, too).

How can an SEO blog writer help my business?

You want your website to appear prominently in search engine results, right? That’s what an SEO blog writer can do – but they can do more than that.

Content creation and promotion isn’t a small, short-term investment. But if you get content marketing right, it can provide you with a long-term and sustainable advantage. In fact, it can be almost impossible for other companies to usurp you. That’s the sort of success you’re searching for, right?

Let’s break down the steps into manageable chunks.

• Create an SEO content strategy: Your SEO blog writer is the person (or persons, depending on the scale of your project) who will create the content. To do so effectively, it needs to be driven by a solid strategy to identify, target and focus on your keywords. Content strategy is vital here to avoid creating endless pieces with no focus. Without one, your SEO content will likely be lost in the digital noise.
• Develop briefs: Your blog writer will need a clear brief that provides the keywords, blog focus, sources, and links that they will need.
• Content creation: This is the bit where your SEO copywriter and blog writer get to work creating the content. Give them the time to develop work with value.
• Content editing & publishing: Content writers aren’t always the best content editors, so ensure you have a process to assess, edit and optimise blog posts. At this stage, you’ll also want to ensure you can identify AI-written content and make sure this isn’t published on your blog (or paid for).
• Analysis, updating and process improvement: Once published, your content continues to have a life. Analytics from Google can provide you with information that you can use to understand what blogs are working and which aren’t. It’s more than SERPS, but it should include user behaviour, lead generation, and other metrics that matter. Doing this can help you identify effective content pieces and improve existing content so it can deliver value to you and your business.

Can an SEO copywriter do all this? The answer is no. Even armed with the best AI programmes and tools, they won’t have the skills to do this effectively (despite what many of them say). If you’re serious about SEO, we recommend working with a content agency.

Can I get AI to write SEO blogs?

Yes. The question is: Should I get AI to write my SEO blogs? And the answer is a resounding no.

Ai can do amazing things through a process of mimicking humans. What it can’t do is what we can, which is build real human connections with readers. In the end, this is what genuinely matters to readers and what will ensure your SEO blogs deliver long-term ranking success and impact.

What’s wrong with AI writers? Well, they’re not really writers. That’s the first thing. Their internal logic uses sophisticated methods to create sentences, paragraphs and entire blogs that superficially seem to have authority but ultimately have no value at all.

The LLM-based AI writing assistants like ChatGPT and the rest simply analyse their incredible pools of data and rehash it in a new way. The result is content that is less – not more – than the sum of its parts.

Put it another way. The content you get is based only on existing content that’s been published. There are no insights. There is nothing new. There is nothing original. Or interesting.

It’s junk.

It’s like moving forward while looking backwards.

When we read an SEO blog written by a writing assistant, it’s close to the sort of thing a student or first-year writer would produce. There’s no consideration given to the person reading it. It’s precision content that’s bereft of personality.

AI writing assistants don’t ask questions; they provide answers – even if those answers are wrong. That’s because they’re built this way.

What makes a good SEO blog?

When people first started to blog, there was an aim to imitate the sort of academic writing you’d find in journals. That softened, with many now aspiring to the sort of broadsheet journalism of the Guardian or the Economist.

This sort of content has authority, but it takes time to produce and costs a lot of money.

As we head into 2025 (or whenever you’re reading this), you’ll be aware that the kind of content that engages audiences is more conversational. Instead of lecturing you or adopting a haughty and stentorian tone, it’s much more about engaging readers in a dialogue, educating them but not patronising or insulting them (as some blogs can do).

Too many SEO blogs are written to rank instead of focusing on readers. At 42group, we focus on building human connections – that means creating content that has value, contains insights and is creative. It’s about publishing something that’s genuinely new and original.

Only you can tell if we’ve done a good job.

What skills should I look for in an SEO blog writer?

When considering working with an SEO blog writer, the first thing most clients do is ask for writing samples. This is a bad idea.

SEO blog writers aren’t publishing the content they want to write but instead are writing for companies. What you read isn’t necessarily a good basis to judge skills, but simply how they stick to a brief. And that brief can be bad.

While you’ll find SEO writers with a great portfolio, we recommend making a personal connection with any writer. Listen to them and learn about their process, approach and insights.

Instead of reviewing samples, ask for references and take time to do your due diligence.

Should I work with an SEO copywriting agency or a freelance SEO blog writer?

Good question. A single SEO blog writer can have a big impact, but they’ll likely lack the skills and the scale to develop and deliver a comprehensive SEO content programme.

If you have a small budget and need to work in the lowest cost way possible (without resorting to content mills or AI) then a freelancer could be the answer.

For any business serious about SEO – and willing to invest in it – it’s much better to form a relationship with an agency.

Why? You’ll have access to a broader range of skills. You’ll have resilience from a team rather than the risk of working solely with an individual. Work with an SEO copywriting agency like 42group, for example, and you’ll collaborate with experts in PPC, SEO keyword analysis, content strategy, SEO blog writing, analytics and optimisation.

There’s always a catch, right? Well, an agency will likely cost you a little more in the long run. But the benefits are much greater to you and your business, so we reckon it’s a small price worth paying.

I want to work with you to create SEO content. What’s the first step?

Successful SEO content and blogging are based on one thing: strategy. Before you begin a blog programme or engage a writer or agency, have a clear vision of what you want your content to achieve.

Grab a sketch pad or open a tab and identify:

• Your audience
• What they’re searching for
• What information is available online, and what gaps exist?
• How often are competitors publishing content?
• Do you have the skills in-house to develop a strategy and create briefs?
• Do you want a partner or a provider? (Trust us, they’re very different things)

You’ve built the basis of a content programme, but we need more information before we can help you:

• What are your project timescales?
• What’s your budget?
• What does success look like?
• How will you measure success?

This is a short and basic list of the questions we’d ask you before we begin to put together an outline quote or estimate. And others will do the same.

Once you’ve got this information in hand (or on digital paper), we’ll be ready to chat.

Your SEO blog writer’s questions answered

No blog is worth anything unless there’s an FAQ section that uses the most common questions (captured as snippets) from Google.

What is an SEO blog writer?

An SEO blog writer is someone who’s experienced in creating content that engages audiences and algorithms. A skilled and successful SEO blog writer can create content on any subject in a structured and logical way that ensures it reaches its ranking potential. More than that, they can achieve this while creating articles, blogs, case studies and more than connecting with humans – going beyond the basics to build human connections with your business and brand. That’s the idea, at least.

What is the salary of an SEO blog writer?

It really depends. Some blog writers will charge as little as £50 for a blog post. Some (if you believe LinkedIn) could charge thousands.

Blog writers can expect to earn a reasonable salary depending on their skills, experience, and sector. You won’t get rich writing blogs for a living, but you won’t starve, either, if you’re good. Bad ones should probably get used to a life on economy beans.

How much does an SEO blog cost?

There is no set fee for an SEO blog because it depends on several factors, including length, complexity, subject matter, whether interviews are necessary and expected edit stages. It’s impossible to provide a clear number, but budget about £150 for a 1000-word post and you’ll be OK.

How much do SEO content writers charge?

SEO content writers can charge whatever they want. What customers will pay is a different thing. As above, budget around £150 for a 1000-word post, and you’ll be OK.

How much should I pay someone for SEO?

This is a different question and goes beyond SEO blog writing. SEO agencies can charge anywhere between hundreds of pounds a month to tens of thousands. Our answer is it depends.

How much should I charge for a 1000-word article?

SEO blog writers should charge £150 for a 1000-word post. (Or more or less. It depends.)

How much should I charge for a 500-word blog post?

SEO blog writers should charge £100 for a 500-word post. (Or more or less. It depends.)

How much to charge for a blog post in the UK?

If you’re an SEO blog writer, charge whatever you think the client will pay. That’s how capitalism works.

How much should I charge for a 500-word article in the UK?

SEO blog writers should charge £100 for a 500-word post. (Or more or less. It depends.)