Forcing Typos and Redundant Phrases for My SEO Clients

The importance of drawing healthy boundaries with your customers.

My heart raced as I clicked the "Apply" button. The freelance writing job seemed like it had been tailored to my skills. Writing articles about exotic destinations for a "top 30 global travel blog" perfectly blended my two biggest passions — traveling the world and writing about those adventures. I saw this as a launching pad for a travel writing career, jet-setting the world and telling readers of my journeys.

This was my first time venturing onto the online freelance platform Upwork. I had spent years in marketing, churning out brochures, advertisements, and web copywriting for companies before finally becoming a full-time freelance writer. The sheer number of project bids from writers worldwide initially intimidated me, and I second-guessed myself. Imposter syndrome took over, and doubts crept in. But TravelBlog's criteria of writing and travel skills were situated ideally in my wheelhouse.

I tailored my proposal to showcase my expertise across six continents, attached some articles, and nervously hit the blue "Submit Proposal" icon. For the next three days, I checked my email incessantly, hoping few candidates could come close to my level of expertise.

After 74 hours — but who was from counting — I was told I would progress to the next stage. And that's when the alarm bells started ringing.

The first warning sign

The first requirement was to complete a sample travel article to their specifications in just one day. Writing a free 2000-word article wasn't on my bucket list, but I decided to do it as an eager freelancer looking to get some credits in the bank. I was emailed a ten-page Google Doc with stringent requirements and a check box to meet, somewhat crushing the creativity or storytelling components I had hoped to inject.

Suffering from instruction fatigue, I did my best to craft a vivid, down-to-earth piece highlighting hidden gems in Sydney, Australia and hit send. My work paid off, and the next day, I was selected as TravelBlog's freelancer. It was my first gig as a freelancer, and I was proud, even though a nagging uncertainty kept intruding into my thoughts.

Before I could submit my first paid article, I had to undergo a mandatory two-hour "training" call that turned into a mind-numbing three-hour slog of listening to the founder ramble about the history of her site and painstakingly detail precise SEO formulas I must integrate. I would have fallen asleep if I had been allowed to turn my camera off. As her lecture dragged on, my motivation deflated exponentially like a balloon losing air.

I was expected to entirely scrap the engaging, personality-driven travel pieces I enjoyed writing, instead focusing on churning out keyword-optimized generic fodder. As a writer, there is nothing I hate more than prioritizing search engine results over reader experience.

Awkwardly jamming in repetitious phrases and poorly positioned affiliate links ranked just above root canal surgery on things I liked to do. I was questioning the gig before I even wrote a paid single sentence.

I felt sick being forced to use the phrase "things to do in Melbourne" 22 times in a 2,000-word article. Even worse was the request to deliberately misspell the city name to target searchers who make typos.

It was shallow content that offered no value to genuine travelers. When I flagged my concerns, the founder had promised this level of Google-centric writing was "just for the first article," so I reluctantly forged ahead.

Like an obedient servant, I incorporated all 52 "requirements" into my article — from awkwardly wedging in the phrase "popular place to visit" 18 times to linking phrases like "must do the tour" to a poorly reviewed tour company.

Not only had I removed the joy from writing, but I would never in good conscience recommend half the services I plugged in. Even simple facts like insisting the 9-hour drive to Sydney from Melbourne made for a "great day trip" at the founder's insistence strained credibility beyond the breaking point. I was questioning whether I wanted my name attached to the article.

After reworking my first draft six demoralizing times over the next few days to align with the ridiculous requirements, I reluctantly submitted this compromising mess for publishing.

Over the next week, creating more of this formulaic, nonsensical advice slowly crushed my soul, soul that I was selling on clearance to the devil.

Finally, I had enough. I needed to maintain my self-respect — even if it cost me $5000 per gig — my only paying gig at the time. I hadn't become a full-time writer to create such rubbish. The money couldn't justify compromising my creative spirit and ethics. Walking away meant absorbing a financial hit, but starting my freelancing journey on the right foot was necessary.

On Friday, I wrote my most satisfying copy of the week.

I no longer want to continue with this project. Please remove my name from all the articles I have written.

For the first time that week, I had a smile.

Key lessons for freelancers

Looking back, this Nightmare Client Experience taught me invaluable lessons:

Value your values

Upwork states that the median hourly rate for Blog Writers on their platform is $22. Are you prepared to write for a rate around that? And if so, what are you willing to do for that money?

When you first start freelancing, the temptation is to apply for every possible job and accept anything that falls your way. Please be patient and carefully consider what you apply for. By all means, build your portfolio and references but not to the deteriment of your brand.

Understand and articulate your unique writing value and strengths when pitching to clients and what you can bring to a project. You can negotiate on rates, but don't negotiate your core writing values.

Manage expectations

In the 2023 Remote's Global Freelancer Report, 60% of freelancers said managing clients' expectations is one of their biggest problems. This highlights the importance of clear communication and realistic expectations from businesses when working with independent contractors.

Push back hard whenever a client tries fundamentally altering the original brief, also known as scope creep. Be ready to walk away if the brief changes too much.

Research potential clients

Before accepting any freelance gig, conduct thorough research on the client, their business, and their reputation. Look for reviews or testimonials from other freelancers who have worked with them. This can help identify potential red flags early on.

I was too excited by the prospect of working for such highly-ranked travel websites to do a deep dive into their articles. Had I done more throughout research, I would have seen the quality of their articles.

I didn't earn much from my first-ever freelance writing gig, but I learned a valuable lesson. And if you want to know a nonbiased, legitimate list of the best things to do in Sydney — let me know.

Thanks for reading. If you liked this, check out my newly released book, Unforgettable Encounter. It's full of great business, marketing, and human interest stories.