What I Offer + FAQ

What I'm offering is years of experience as a freelance writer and editor.

If you're a small business owner or you're just starting out and the idea of writing content seems daunting, I'm here for you. Emotionally? Perhaps. Depends how well we get on.

Below are the services I offer, whether you need a blog post about a product you've just released, a new About Me page, or you want someone to proofread your copy.

1. Content writing - SEO-friendly that ticks all the boxes in terms of targeted keywords, external and internal links, and copy that just flows all nice and that.
   1. Your content could be a blog post, product descriptions, homepage copy, an About Me section, a combination of all these, something else entirely, or perhaps you need a complete overhaul of all the writing on your website.
2. Website audit - Not sure if your website is optimised enough? I can give it an overhaul with my eyes (and some metric software) to see what needs improving. Don't think it needs improving? I admire your optimism.
3. Proofreading/editing - Maybe you don't need any content written, but you'd like someone to give a piece you've done a look over. I can go through your content, checking for errors, ensuring it all reads well, that information is accurate, and more. I'll even add comments and sidenotes where possible so you know my thought process (lucky you).
   1. Writing you want me to proofread/edit can be anything from a blog post to a piece of fiction you're working on. I've edited news articles, reviews, job profiles, marketing copy, even AI-generated content. Hell, I once edited a treatment for a D'n'D campaign someone was planning.
4. Keyword research and general SEO tweaks - This potentially goes hand-in-hand with auditing. Maybe your competitors are getting the clicks when you're not and you want to know why. It could be some much-needed new keywords are in order. I can also do some general optimised tweaks, such as alt tags on images or an overhaul of link anchor texts.

• What is "SEO?" 
  • SEO stands or "search engine optimisation." It's a way of telling search algorithms (i.e. Google) how relevant and useful your website is. It can determine how high up in search results pages (SERPs) it appears based on numerous factors, including the quality of the written content, the relevancy of keywords users are searching for, the use of internal and external links, how fast pages load, the length of titles and meta descriptions, some technical metrics, and more.

• Okay, so how does it work from your perspective?
  • My job is to make sure your website is as optimised as it can be in terms of on-page content. An initial SEO audit (and my own critical eye) will determine the overall "health" of your site, which will then inform me on how we can make improvements to your content. We'll then discuss where we go from there. Essentially, the goal is to make it easier for people to find your website/business via search engines.

• Can AI not just do all this? Why do we still need human writers?
  • I mean, yes, you can use generative AI if you wish, in the same way that I can look up ways to fix my own car instead of paying a professional mechanic to do it. What I'm saying is, AI is fantastic at some things, but is still some way off replacing human creators all-together. It's useful for data-driven tasks, but creative aspects, such as writing, aren't there yet in terms of nuance, intent, and personality. But, of course, I would say that, wouldn't I?

•  I heard that AI-generated content has surpassed human content
  • According to this study, yes, that's true. For the first time since ChatGPT launched, the number of AI articles has surpassed human-written content. However, it's important to note that content made by artificial intelligence largely doesn't appear in Google searches. So that's something to consider.

• Does writing to satisfy algorithms not make content sound lifeless and "robotic?"
  • It used to be that way. When I first dipped my toes in the SEO world many years ago, it was all about putting as many keywords into a piece of copy as possible. The more the better. However, things have changed. These days, sites like Google favour natural-sounding blogs and on-page content that has relevant keywords without going overboard (known as "keyword stuffing"). In fact, search engines will actively punish websites that try to cheat the system. In short: optimising content doesn't mean it has to sound bland and generic. You'll know it's good SEO when you've landed on a site that's high up in the search results, but you can't tell the copy's been optimised to that end.

• Do you also offer technical SEO/web development/social media/other related service?
  • My focus is on writing and editing. At the moment, I don't plan on offering other services. However, I may be interested in stretching into other territories, including social media and technical SEO. For now, if you need something I don't offer, I may be able to put you in contact with someone I trust who can.

• How much do you charge?
  • It will depend on how much you want done. For example: how many pages you need content for, whether it's your homepage or blog posts, plus how much needs to be done (optimisation tweaks or full rewrites). Website audits are a flat fee of £200, but are free if you then decide you want some SEO work done.

• Why do you charge for SEO audits when other people do it for free anyway?
  • Amazing question. Yes, you can opt for a free SEO service. I have no problem if you want to do that. They may well be just as valuable. However, audits take time and require some knowledge to analyse what the results mean. I believe in remuneration for work someone is doing, and I hope you agree with this. If not, that's fine. It's a tough world out there at the minute, and I appreciate businesses are keeping a tight hold of their coin purses.

• Okay, you've convinced me. I want to hire you. What now?
  • Great! Let's get to know each other. Contact me here if you want to know more about what I offer and my fees. You can also email me directly, if you prefer: andrew.p.heaton@googlemail.com (Please note that, at the time of publishing this FAQ, I work a day job part-time. This may mean tasks you hire me for can take a little longer to complete, depending on what hours I'm working at a given time.)