What should you look for in a content writer?
If you’re a new entrepreneur and you’re confused about what to look for when hiring quality writers, don’t worry! It can be tough to find an answer if you don’t have any experience with the process, but there are a few things you can keep in mind. First, think about what you need from a writer – do you need someone who can produce high-quality content quickly, or someone who has a lot of experience with a specific topic? Once you know what you need, you can start to look for writers who fit that description. You can also ask around for recommendations from people who have hired writers before. Finally, remember that you’ll get what you pay for – so if you’re looking for a quality writer, be prepared to pay a bit more.
Without quality writing skills and proper management of your written word, your company could crumble because customers won’t trust anything that’s not quality.
Do you have the time to invest in hiring content writers who can grow with your business? The writers should be interested in your business and want to help it succeed.
If so, continue reading:
What are content writers and what do they do?
There is a lot of curiosity about what content writers do given their important role in how businesses communicate with customers. Content writers can write for various platforms like email or Facebook updates. Additionally, they can specialize in particular types of writing like copywriting or SEO writing.
When hiring a content writer, it is important to consider their experience and qualifications to ensure they are able to produce the quality of work you need. Furthermore, it is important to make sure they are able to deliver the work on time and within the budget you set.
If you hire a inexperienced writer, the content they produce may not be engaging or helpful to your business goals. A great content writer will produce content that is interesting to your target market and helps you achieve your business goals.
When hiring content writers, it is important to be realistic about what they can do for you. Make sure to look for experts in each field.
12 Tips for Hiring a Content Writer for Your Blog
1. Consider a Content Mill
Content mills assign writing tasks to their pool of writers and pay them for each completed piece.
You’re probably thinking “but all the content from content mills is terrible!” And while that may have been true in the past, 2011 saw the low-quality blogs die out and since then, standards have been rising yearly. So you’ll find that content mills have actually gotten quite a bit better.
Content mills have three primary drawbacks.
- You’re paying for the platform. Every content mill takes their cut, and that cut can sometimes be very significant. You might end up paying double or even triple what the writer is paid for the content.
- You’re not always able to choose your writers. Most content mills have “open pools” where you submit an assignment and anyone can pick it up. This means you might get a brilliant writer one day and an ESL penny-spinner the next. You can often hire writers directly, but it may cost more and they may not always be available.
- You can’t build a relationship as easily. Most content mills make it difficult to contact their writers in any way other than through their platform, to avoid poaching their good writers. This makes it difficult if you want to take them on for better roles or hire them as employees.
Although content mills can be useful, they are not always the best option. If you are struggling to find a writer or just want to see what kind of content you can get from a content mill, it may be worth giving one a try. Some popular content mills include Textbroker, Writer Access, Constant Content, and Verblio.
2. Look for Someone Knowledgeable About Your Industry
I prefer to work with writers who have a specialty so that I always have an expert on hand to write the content I need.
Many generalist writers lack depth in their writing. They may write a surface-level guide to SEO or a comparison of Analytics apps, but these topics have been covered extensively elsewhere. A generalist writer is unlikely to be able to provide a unique perspective on these topics.
The more time you spend working with a writer, the better they will become at understanding the subject matter. This is due to the fact that they will learn more over time.
3. Look for Someone Who Knows SEO Basics
You want a writer who is familiar with the basics of SEO, knows how to use keywords and keyword synonyms, and is aware of how to write for the web in a way that is easy to scan and understand. Additionally, it is helpful if the writer understands how to research topics in order to gauge competition and traffic.
I always hesitate to hire writers who have a lot of experience with academic writing because it tends to be longer, dryer, and denser, which isn’t ideal for web content. The writing world online is unique, and you want writers who are experienced with what people want in that context.
Your blog post is more likely to succeed if you write it with some SEO in mind. Write about something that is being searched, or else it just won’t get seen.
4. Allow for Training Time
You will often find that the best writers do not start out performing at their peak. There are professional writers who always produce high-quality work, but you know what to expect from them. For writers who have not yet established themselves, there is usually a period of development and refinement.
You will need to train your writers so they can learn to write in the style you want. Allow them some time to get used to your specific needs and the type of content you want produced. With any luck, after a few months you will have a writer who is perfectly attuned to your style and niche.
5. Keep Speed and Accuracy in Mind
If you are working with new writers, you will want to stress the importance of deadlines and timely delivery. Blogging requires a constant flow of content that is published on a regular basis. You will need to set deadlines for writing and make sure that your writers do not miss them. If they do, you will need to find out if there is a good reason for it.
It can be beneficial to have a close relationship with the writers you work with, as they may need support during difficult times or may occasionally need to submit a late post. However, you need to be careful of people who might take advantage of your leniency. If someone is regularly submitting late work, it’s cause for concern and could eventually lead to termination of their contract.
6. Find Someone with a Passion for Writing
This is hard to figure out. Writers who are marketing themselves will say that they’re passionate about writing, but it’s hard to tell if they’re telling the truth. Are they writing because they enjoy it, or are they just trying to make money from home?
If a writer has side projects or passion projects, they are probably good at what they do and passionate about it. This can be determined by whether or not they do non-contract writing.
Additionally, talking to your writers about their passion projects helps you to build rapport with them and establish a relationship. This makes them feel more comfortable working with you, especially if you’re lenient in other ways and pay well.
7. Leverage Test Articles (And Pay for Them)
To test a writer’s ability to produce quality content, send them assignments that are specific and real blog posts that you want written. This will give you a better idea of their skills than asking for generic posts or duplicate content.
I like to have a writer complete 2-3 test articles before deciding if I want to continue working with them. If I only ask for one test article, the writer will focus on it and give their best effort because it’s make or break for a contract. Having the writer complete three articles means I can get a better sense of their variation, particularly if I try to spice up the topics.
Paying for test articles upfront is the best way to avoid any problems. Be honest that it is a paid job before you start discussing any details. Many experienced writers are hesitant to write anything without being paid, and there are a lot of people who will ask for pitches and then use them without paying the writer.
8. Ask the Right Questions
What questions should you ask content writers when hiring them?
Some key things to ask include:
- Ask them to tell you their approach to SEO optimization.
- Find out their research process for writing blog posts or a press release.
- Ask about their revision policy (i.e., will they make revisions without extra payment).
- Determine how much time they require to turn around each writing assignment.
- Find out if they know how to format content with HTML headings.
9. Know Your Budget
Before hiring a freelance writer, it is important to have a budget in mind.
The amount of money you are willing to spend on a writer can depend greatly on what you hope to achieve with their help.
For example, if you want high-quality content, you will need to pay more than if you only want articles that meet basic standards.
The cost of quality content varies depending on how many words are in the piece and how much research is needed.
Many companies make the mistake of only considering the price when setting a budget for a writer, instead of what they can get from a writer at a given price range.
It is important to know what you want before hiring anyone.
10. Ask for Content Writing Samples
If you are looking to hire content writers, be sure to ask for writing samples. This will help ensure that the candidates have the necessary skills to write the type of content you are hoping for.
If the content creators have ghostwritten in the past, they should be able to provide links to their published work online.
11. Hire More than One Writer
When it comes to content writing, hiring more than one writer can be a great way to ensure that you’re always delivering fresh and high-quality content. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when making this decision:
- First, make sure that the writers you hire have different strengths. This will help ensure that your content is well-rounded and covers all the bases.
- Second, make sure that you have a process in place for coordinating between writers. This will help avoid any overlap or confusion as they work on their respective pieces.
- Finally, be sure to give each writer enough individual attention. This will help them feel appreciated and motivated – two essential ingredients for quality writing!
12. Look for a Native Speaker
If you want your content to be error-free, it’s a good idea to look for a freelance writer who is a native speaker of the language you need. This way, they will have a good understanding of the nuances of the language and will produce high-quality work.
How do you find out if someone is skilled enough to be hired as your content writer?
When looking for a content writer, you’ll want to find someone who can generate leads and create great online engagement. To make sure they’re skilled enough, look for someone who can produce quality content consistently.
- First, look for writers who can create high-quality content. This means the writer has excellent grammar skills and knows how to write in an engaging tone.
- Second, make sure the writer is familiar with your brand and target audience. They should be able to produce relevant content that speaks to your customers.
- Finally, see if the writer has a proven track record of generating leads through their writing. If they’ve been successful in getting people to act on the content they’ve created, then they’re likely good at what they do.
To hire a content writer that will be best suited for your project, you should first put together a project brief that includes details such as the target audience, the tone of the piece, the word count, and the deadline.
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