Maintaining a blog takes a lot of effort. Even if you understand your topic well and can write fluently, composing a blog post can still take hours. If you need to produce three, five, seven, or more posts per week, the time commitment approaches that of a part-time job. Consequently, it’s not surprising that most blog owners hire professional writers to handle the writing.
I’m not going to try to convince you that you need a writer today. I assume that if you’re here, you are already thinking of looking for one, and you want to figure out how to go about the process as effectively as possible.
I will be honest with you, you probably will not find success with your first try. There are many, many writers and they all differ in terms of skill, experience and ability. You might find a writer who is not very good and unwilling to improve. You might find a writer with a few good samples, but they lack attention to detail and will not help your blog improve. You might even find someone who seems bad at first, but does well when working with you.
It’s okay to pick up and drop writers as needed. You should prioritize your business first, and your writers’ feelings second. However, I will say that making your writers feel appreciated, giving them opportunities to grow, and guiding them instead of scolding them can have a great impact.
This also applies to all your employees. Numerous studies have demonstrated that improved treatment of employees leads to increased productivity. While it is important to be profitable, the wellbeing of your employees is also crucial.
Here are my tips on how to find a writer, as someone who has gone through this process many times over the years with varying levels of success.
Tips for Hiring a Content Writer for Your Blog
Consider a Content Mill
One option you could consider is using a content mill. There are many different websites that have large pools of writers and allow you to submit assignments to be written by them.
Even though you may think that the content from content mills is not good, it has actually gotten better over the years. This is because the low quality blogs have been eliminated and the standards for quality have gotten higher.
Content mills have three primary drawbacks.
- You’re paying for the platform. Every content mill takes its 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.
Content mills are not always the ideal option, but they can be worth trying, especially if you are between writers or just want to see what kind of content you can get from them.
Employee, Freelancer, Agency
There are three ways to go about hiring a writer if you don’t want to simply buy content.
Contract a Freelancer
Freelancers might be less expensive than other options, but they can also be less reliable. They often have multiple clients and might not have enough space for your work. They can also leave anytime they find a better contract.
Hire an Employee
Hiring a writer as an employee tends to be more expensive, but they are more reliable and have a stronger connection to your company. Since they become apart of your business, they are often more invested in its success.
Contact an Agency
If you want someone to manage your blog for you, an agency is the way to go. Professional writers on staff or contract will be able to provide high-level expertise. However, agencies will cost more than hiring an individual freelance writer.
Some things to consider when choosing a management style for your business are how much control you want, how much consistency you want, and how much of the work you want to do yourself.
Make Sure to Manage Expectations
Keep in mind that there is a difference between a writer and a blogger. Although they may seem similar, they are not the same.
Being a good writer is only part of the job when it comes to Content Creation. A writer also needs to be proactive in creating metadata, researching keywords, and utilizing social media tools to create a complete campaign. If you don’t want to handle all of that yourself, it’s important to find a complete team that can help you with your vision.
Meanwhile, bloggers who are knowledgeable about running a blog can provide more than just delivering a document. They can also come up with ideas, do research on keywords, manage your blog metadata, and so forth. These services are more expensive but more valuable.
It is important to know what you want before starting to work with a writer. If you try to make the writer do something they are not comfortable with, the results will probably not be very good.
Find the Best Content Writers
What should you look for in a content writer?
If you are a new entrepreneur looking to hire quality writers, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, ask around and see what other people in your industry are paying for similar services. Second, make sure you know what you want from a writer before you start the hiring process. Once you have a good idea of what you need, you can start to look for writers who specialize in that area. Finally, don’t be afraid to negotiate prices – good writers are worth their weight in gold, and you should be prepared to pay a fair price for their services.
If your company doesn’t have quality writing skills and proper management of your written word, it could easily crumble because customers won’t trust anything that’s not quality. Your company could even fall apart.
What Are Content Writers and What Do They Do?
Many people are curious about what content writers do and how they communicate with customers. Content writers can write for different mediums such as email or Facebook updates. They can also specialize in specific types of writing such as copywriting or SEO writing.
When looking for a content writer, keep in mind that experience and quality should be your main concerns. Make sure to hire a writer who is familiar with the type of content you need, and who is capable of delivering high-quality work in a timely manner.
Inexperienced writers may produce content that is not interesting or helpful for your business. A great content writer will produce content that is interesting and useful for your business.
When looking to hire content writers, it is important to be realistic about what they can do for you, and to look for experts in each field.
What Are the Different Types of Content Writers?
There are different types of content writers, with a web writer focusing their efforts on website pages. However, the term web content writer is not exhaustive, and some writers may call themselves web content writers but be able to cover the same tasks as a digital content writer. This includes tasks such as social media, email campaigns, offsite articles, and advertorials.
Technical Writer
Technical content writers may have a college degree in a technical field, such as engineering, computer science, or business. A technical content writer focuses on writing about technical topics. They may be employed by a company to write about their products or services. They may also be hired by individuals to help with assignments, presentations, or other writing needs.
A technical content writer is a content writer who focuses on writing about technical topics. Engineering, technology, business, administration, sociology, psychology, and international affairs are all fair game for a technical content writer, since they likely have expertise in one or more of these fields. This allows them to provide readers with valuable insights and perspectives on these topics.
Companies may employ technical writers to write about their products or services. Technical writers may be tasked with creating user manuals, how-to guides, and other documentation. Individuals may hire technical writers to help with assignments, presentations, or other writing needs.
A technical content writer is responsible for creating content that explores specialized or complex topics in an engaging and understandable way. They may be employed by a company to write about their products or services, or they may be hired by individuals to help with assignments, presentations, and other writing needs. Technical content writers use their expertise to break down complex information and communicate it clearly to their audience.
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is someone who writes for another person, who gets the credit for the work.
Brand Journalist
Brand journalists are freelance writers who help businesses produce original content. They typically have a lot of experience in writing for the web, and they understand how to craft stories that will engage readers. Brand journalists can help your business create a content strategy, and they can also produce high-quality content regularly.
Blog Writer
There are two types of blog writers: those who work for a company (in-house) and those who work as independent contractors (freelance).
There are two types of writers that can help with content marketing goals – those who write for awareness and those who write for leads. The key distinction between the two is that the former writes to increase brand awareness while the latter writes to generate leads.
First, in-house writers typically have a better knowledge of the company’s products and services, as well as its target audience. They also know how to write content that will rank higher on search engines.
Secondly, freelance writers may have more freedom to be creative than in-house writers because they don’t have the same restrictions, such as designated word counts or using specific keywords. However, both types of writers need to produce quality content regularly to be successful with blogging.
Copywriter
A copywriter is a content writer who specializes in creating marketing materials, such as sales letters, ads, and email campaigns.
Copywriters are responsible for writing persuasive or sales-oriented pieces that promote a company, product, or service. To be effective, copywriters must be able to distill the key points of their subject matter into a few sentences that will resonate with their target readership.
A copywriter who is highly qualified typically and may even have a bachelor’s degree in a language or communication. They need to have great writing skills and know the current marketing trends.
Social Media Writer
A social media writer is someone who writes content for social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. They may also be responsible for creating email campaigns and writing advertorials that appear on external websites.
A social media writer is responsible for creating content for social media platforms, email campaigns, offsite articles, and advertorials. They may also be responsible for creating web content.
Email Writer
Email writers create content for email marketing campaigns. This includes developing the message, writing the copy, and designing the layout of the email. It’s important for email writers to make sure that their messages are relevant to their audience and that they comply with spam laws.