ChatGPT SearchSep 23, 2026
The key is to hire for both writing ability and SEO judgment, rather than hiring someone who simply says “SEO writer” on their profile.
1. Start with the right places
Good channels include:
upwork.com — useful for comparing portfolios, reviews, rates, and prior work. Upwork currently has a large pool of writers specifically categorized around SEO content.
- Your own network and referrals — particularly from SEO consultants, content strategists, and marketing agencies.
- Industry-specific communities — valuable if you need someone who already understands a specialized subject such as SaaS, finance, healthcare, law, or technical products.
- Writers whose published work you already admire. This is often an excellent source because you can evaluate the actual writing before contacting them.
Don't search only for “SEO writer.” Try combinations such as:
“[your industry] content writer” “[your industry] SEO writer” “[your industry] technical writer” “content strategist + [your industry]” Industry expertise can be more valuable than generic SEO experience.
2. Know what a genuinely good SEO writer looks like
Look for someone who can explain why they would make particular content decisions.
A strong candidate should be able to discuss:
- Search intent
- Keyword research and keyword clustering
- SERP analysis
- Content briefs and outlines
- Internal linking
- Title tags and meta descriptions
- Headings and information architecture
- Content freshness
- Original research and expert input
- Conversion goals, not just traffic
- How they measure whether content actually worked
Be cautious of writers whose entire SEO strategy is essentially “put the keyword in the article X times.”
3. Evaluate their actual work
Ask for 3–5 relevant samples, preferably pieces they personally wrote rather than generic portfolio samples.
For each sample, ask:
- What was the target audience?
- What search intent were you targeting?
- How did you decide what to cover?
- Did you do the keyword research yourself?
- What was your role—research, outline, writing, editing, optimization?
- What happened after publication?
That last question is particularly useful. A writer who can say “the article went from X to Y organic visits” or explain what they learned from Search Console data gives you much more evidence than someone who merely claims to “write content that ranks.”
4. Give finalists a paid test assignment
Don't make applicants write a free 2,000-word article.
Give 2–3 finalists the same small paid assignment, perhaps:
- 500–800 words
- A specific target audience
- One search query
- A short brief
- 48–72 hours
Evaluate:
| What you're testing | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Research | Accurate, relevant sources |
| SEO thinking | Understands intent rather than stuffing keywords |
| Writing | Clear, engaging, natural |
| Structure | Logical headings and progression |
| Originality | Adds something beyond existing search results |
| Accuracy | Doesn't invent facts |
Upwork itself recommends relevant samples, interviews, client feedback, and a short paid test as ways to evaluate content writers.
5. Ask better interview questions
I'd ask these:
“Walk me through how you'd turn a keyword into an article.”
A strong answer should go beyond “I'd research the keyword.” They should talk about intent, competing pages, audience needs, content gaps, structure, sources, and the business objective.
“Show me an article you wrote that you're particularly proud of. What did you personally contribute?”
This helps distinguish writers from people who simply managed a content project.
“What would make you tell me not to publish an article targeting a particular keyword?”
This is a great test of strategic thinking.
“How do you use AI in your workflow?”
You don't necessarily need someone who never uses AI. You want to understand whether they're using it as a productivity tool while maintaining research, originality, accuracy, and editorial judgment.
“What would you do if my target keyword has high search volume but doesn't match our customers?”
The answer should recognize that traffic isn't necessarily the objective.
6. Hire one writer before building a team
I'd start with one writer for 3–5 pieces, rather than immediately committing to a six-month contract.
Give them:
- Your audience/personas
- Brand voice
- Products/services
- Competitors
- Existing high-performing content
- SEO guidelines
- Examples of writing you like
- Your approval process
Then assess the actual working relationship.
You're looking for someone who gets better after feedback, not someone who happens to produce a great first article.
7. Don't over-index on cheap rates
Current marketplace profiles illustrate a very wide range of rates—for example, Upwork's current SEO-writer listings include profiles around $17–$60+/hour and considerably more variation depending on experience and specialization.
Instead of asking “What's the cheapest article I can get?”, calculate:
Cost per useful article = writing cost + editing cost + your management time
A $75 article that requires two hours of editing may actually be more expensive than a $250 article that is nearly publication-ready.
A simple hiring process I'd use
Day 1: Write a very specific job description. Days 2–4: Review 20–30 applicants. Day 5: Shortlist 5. Day 6: Interview 3. Days 7–9: Give 2 finalists a paid test. Day 10: Hire one for a 3–5 article trial. After 3–5 articles: Decide whether to continue, change the brief, or replace them.
If you tell me your industry, the type of content you need, roughly how many articles/month, and your budget per article, I can also help you create a freelance SEO-writer job post and a candidate scoring rubric tailored to your situation.
- Your audience/personas
- Brand voice
- Products/services
- Competitors
- Existing high-performing content
- SEO guidelines
- Examples of writing you like
- Your approval process
Then assess the actual working relationship.
You're looking for someone who gets better after feedback, not someone who happens to produce a great first article.
7. Don't over-index on cheap rates
Current marketplace profiles illustrate a very wide range of rates—for example, Upwork's current SEO-writer listings include profiles around $17–$60+/hour and considerably more variation depending on experience and specialization.
