Writing’s really hard. Even people who do it
for a living admit that. Not only do you have to know how to string together
sentences that keep people’s attention, but you have to make some sort of
blasted “point” out of the whole thing. It’s maddening!
All silliness aside, content writing and blog
writing are really complex acts that can appear deceptively simple on the
surface. Structure and rhetorical knowledge can help make your point clear, but
you also need to be engaging. Add SEO best practices to the mix, and you have
even more issues to deal with.
Getting it right takes either a lot of
practice or a lot of time spent revising. Even a business owner who happens to
be an excellent writer will need help making it all happen on a deadline.
So that’s when you turn to outside help. It
can be a freelance writer or a content marketing agency, but the goal is to
find a writer (or several) who can meet your guidelines and turn things in on
time.
Locating a writer like that is exactly as hard
as it sounds! Luckily, there are five tips you can use to make your search
easier and ensure you find just the writer you’re looking for.
Always Request Samples and a Trial Draft
You can find great writers you enjoy working
with no matter where you turn as long as you follow one simple rule: check out
their writing before you commit. That means requesting samples of their prior
work. It also means paying them to write a first draft of what you need that
you may or may not ever use.
That’s right: you’re likely going to have to
invest in crummy writing to find your diamond in the rough. Ideally, you’re
paying several writers at the same time to write the same prompt or a similar
one, so you can compare the talents of each person.
While it may seem like money down the drain to
receive samples you won’t ever use, it’s better than the alternative of hiring
a writer for a multi-blog project only to find out they aren’t a good fit.
Also, be very specific about the types of
samples you request. You may wish to see live, published blogs, since these
prove that a writer’s work actually gets used. Be warned, though: many
freelancers are also ghost writers. You are either going to have to take their
word for it that a sample with someone else’s byline is their work, or you will
have to go through the effort of contacting the client and hoping they will
reveal who wrote their blogs.
If someone sends you samples that you like but
that don’t quite hit the mark, ask for more work! Far too many bloggers get
passed up not because their samples weren’t good, but simply because they
couldn’t read the mind of the job offerer as to what they were looking for.
Avoid Typical Job Listing Sites Since You Get What You Pay For
In the business world, quality and convenience
don’t typically mix. If you want to find a patio chair at the same place you
buy your kids’ breakfast cereal, you are going to have to lower your standards
on how long that chair will last.
Similarly, if you go to the absolute first
place you think of when looking to find your content writer, you’re going to
end up with low quality.
The biggest problem? Labor pools from
non-native English speakers. They may charge just a few cents a word, but their
end product will likely be riddled with broken grammar and be all but
incomprehensible. Since [Google specifically recommends that you use proper\\
spelling and grammar](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7451184?hl=en "Link: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7451184?hl=en")
, having an unreadable blog likely
works against your SEO and branding goals.
So as a rule, skip Craigslist, Monster and
Indeed unless you really don’t know where else to turn. Definitely don’t just
Google “content writer” and hire a person or company that ranks first. You want
to know that you can get a decent level of quality, and sifting through the
bargain bin is not a good place to find it.
Hunt Down Content Writers in the Spaces Where the Pros Lurk
Some of you are going to be frustrated by the
above tip. “If I can’t just look for a content writer on Monster or Craigslist,
where should I go?”
Well, our vocal and hypothetical friend, there
are several specialty project-related websites where you can find freelancers:
● **ProBlogger**
—ProBlogger
is dedicated to writers and editors, and it also has an amazing community of
professionals. Posting your listing costs money, but you’re highly likely to
get responses from mid- to high-level talent.
● **WriterAccess**
—WriterAccess
straddles the line between full-service referral agencies we’ll mention below
and simpler job listing sites. The site does a handy job of organizing writers
by experience and quality, however, and you do get a personal account manager
in the upper tiers.
● **Contently**
—Contently
acts as a broker to find you the perfect writing talent or team for your
project needs. Yes, that’s as expensive as it sounds, which is why the platform
is mainly aimed at enterprises with larger content budgets.
● **Freelance Writing Gigs**
—A simple, no-frills job listing site that happens to have a dedicated
community.
● **Upwork**
—The
world’s largest freelancer platform happens to be quite picky about letting
job-takers aboard. That means you have access to a higher caliber of writers.
Note that Upwork also allows agencies to apply to your project offers by
default.
● **Guru**
—Guru is far
less choosy about who it lets on its platform, so you will end up with
applicants that may not have the firmest grasp of English. Nevertheless, the
platform makes a name for itself by having an integrated project management and
payment system.
There are dozens—if not hundreds—of other
websites like these where you can post project listings and track down decent
writers. These are just the top ones you might want to consider during your
hunt.
However, you definitely don’t want to overlook
your best option: getting referrals.
Ask Fellow Professionals for Referrals
Referrals are always your best source of
freelance writer leads for a few reasons.
First, the best writers out there aren’t
actively posting on or looking through job boards. They’re hard at work,
hammering out content for their clients. But they may be persuaded to take on a
larger workload if the details and the price are right.
Secondly, you can get personal testimonials
from people you know and trust. Someone who can appear like a perfect fit
online could turn out to be awful with deadlines or bad at following
instructions.
Since not every business engages in content
marketing, start by asking people whether they have a regular SEO or blogging
contract. If the answer is “yes,” follow up by seeing what agency or writer
they work with.
If their answer is “no,” then you may have to
do some probing. Don’t be afraid of reaching out to a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend,
though. Not every company works with content writers, but those who do will
likely have strong opinions about who to recommend or avoid.
Track Down Popular Writers from Their Online Work
If you have the budget for working with a
top-caliber freelancer, then the place you should start your search is on
publication sites rather than a job board.
Start by taking a second to look back at
enjoyable industry niche articles you’ve shared or read recently. Keep an eye
out for pieces that get a high level of shares and don’t have controversial
pushback from commenters. Then, simply find the writer’s byline.
Make a list of several authors using this
method. Research to see if they have their own personal website and whether
they are accepting freelance contracts. If they are looking for work, reach out
to them with a “pitch” for your project needs. Preferably, this pitch includes
an offer, details on the level of depth the work will require and a rough
timeline for everything to be completed.
Since making a name for yourself as a
professional writer these days is tough, expect some sticker shock if they
reply! But if quality is really what you’re after, you can likely find a way to
work long-term with someone whose reputation and published work you admire.
Work With a Reputable Content Marketing and SEO Agency
All of the tips above pertain to finding an
individual, but you also have the option of hiring a content marketing agency
to satisfy your SEO needs.
The same rules above apply: pay for samples,
avoid bargain bin job listings and look for referrals. But your search should
be easier, considering marketing agencies often do a decent job at marketing
themselves!
Plus, you can work with several writers at
once and have the security of a guaranteed contract. That means you aren’t left
hanging if your writer leaves the project; you can simply work with someone
else in the agency. You also have access to scale, meaning you can get a higher
volume of projects accomplished at once that would normally take a single
writer weeks.
In the end, the search for your content writer
is all about finding a good fit and knowing where to look. If you fail at
first, don’t get frustrated! There are tens of thousands of writers out there
who can do good work but don’t have enough of it right now.
Good luck!