Most small businesses don’t struggle with writing. They struggle with writing the kind of content that leads to enquiries, sales, and actual momentum.
That’s usually when outsourcing comes up.
You realise you can’t keep writing everything yourself. You don’t have the time. Your team doesn’t have the expertise. And you’re tired of guessing what Google wants.
So you decide to outsource the work.
But the moment you start looking for a content writer, you run into a wall.
Everyone says they “do SEO content.” Everyone has samples. Everyone promises “high quality articles.” Everyone says they understand keywords and search intent.
And yet… the gap between good and bad SEO writing is massive. Some writers create content that gets read but never converts. Some writers create content stuffed with keywords and no meaning. And a very small number create the kind of work that brings in leads quietly and consistently.
This guide will show you how to tell the difference.
It’s written specifically for small businesses — the ones that can’t afford to waste months on content that doesn’t move the needle.
The real job of SEO content for small businesses
A lot of people misunderstand what SEO content is supposed to do.
It’s not meant to make you look “visible” or “authoritative.” It’s not meant to fill your blog. It’s not meant to hit a weekly publishing quota.
SEO content has three jobs:
- help people find you
- help people understand you
- help people trust you enough to take the next step
If your content isn’t doing all three, you don’t need more of it. You need better quality.
That’s where a good outsourced writer comes in.
Someone who can turn your expertise into something Google can understand and your buyers can act on.
Why small businesses outsource SEO writing in the first place
Outsourcing isn’t always about cost. Most of the time, it’s about capability and consistency.
You outsource because:
- you don’t have time to write consistently
- your team doesn’t know how to write for SEO without sounding robotic
- you don’t know which topics are worth writing about
- you want content that pulls in leads months after it’s published
- you don’t want to hire a full-time employee to write a few pieces a month
And if you’re honest, you also outsource because SEO content writing is harder than it looks.
It’s not just words. It’s not just keywords. It’s not just writing well.
It’s understanding how buyers think.
It’s understanding how search engines evaluate relevance.
It’s understanding which topics actually bring in leads — and which ones just bring in people who want free information.
That’s the work you’re really buying when you outsource.
What good SEO content writers actually do
A lot of writers pitch themselves as “SEO writers,” but what they really mean is “I know how to add keywords without breaking the article.”
Real SEO content writing is different. Deeper. More strategic.
Here’s what a strong writer brings to the table.
1. They start with your buyer — not with keywords
The best writers don’t ask, “What keyword are we targeting?” They ask:
- Who are you trying to reach?
- What problem are they experiencing?
- Where are they in their decision process?
- What do they need to hear to trust you?
Keywords guide the article. Buyers give it direction.
2. They simplify what makes you different
Small businesses often struggle to articulate why a customer should choose them over others.
A good writer pulls this out of you. They ask harder questions than most agencies. They get specifics. They get examples. They get real stories.
Then they put it into language your buyers understand immediately.
3. They choose keywords that match real buying intent
The wrong writer will chase search volume. The right one will ask:
“If someone searched this, would they realistically become a customer?”
4. They write in a way that builds trust fast
Good SEO content isn’t stuffed with fluff. It’s not full of jargon. It doesn’t talk like a marketing brochure.
It reads like a conversation. It reads like someone who actually understands the problem. It reads like someone you’d want to work with.
5. They create content that compounds over time
The best SEO writers don’t just write “articles.” They create assets.
Pieces that:
- rank for years
- generate leads quietly
- support your service pages
- answer pre-sales questions your team hears every day
This is why good SEO content writing pays for itself many times over.
Red flags when hiring an SEO writer
Here’s what to avoid — because these signs almost always lead to content that doesn’t work.
1. They talk more about word count than outcomes
“I’ll write 2,000 words for £X” isn’t a strategy. It’s a transaction.
- the purpose of the piece
- the type of reader it’s for
- the action you want the reader to take
2. They promise rankings
No writer controls rankings. They control quality, depth, clarity, and relevance.
3. Their samples all sound the same
4. They ask almost no questions
- customer insight
- product knowledge
- context around your business
5. They don’t understand different search intents
Questions to ask before hiring any SEO writer
You don’t need to interrogate them. Just ask questions that reveal how they think.
1. “How do you choose which keywords to target?”
- search intent
- buyer sophistication
- topic relevance to your offer
- matching content to business goals
2. “How do you make sure the content sounds like us?”
- reviewing your website
- speaking to you or your team
- collecting phrases you want to keep or avoid
- building sample paragraphs before writing the full draft
3. “Can you show me a piece you wrote that led to leads, not just traffic?”
4. “How do you approach writing for decision-stage readers?”
How to work with an outsourced SEO writer effectively
Even the best writer needs the right input. Outsourcing isn’t “set and forget.” It works best when you follow a simple process.
1. Give them clarity on your offer
- your service
- your process
- your ideal customer
- your pricing
- your sales cycle
2. Share insights from your sales team
3. Give them a single decision-maker
4. Let writers challenge you