A Guide to Hiring Your First Freelance Writer for Your Blog

by TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION 4/30/2015 04:07:00 am 0 comments Alexa Rank Android Backlink Coreldraw X7 Google Office Pagerank SEO Book SEO News SEO Tips Template Blog Web SEO Widget SEO

More than ever, content matters, and having the right content on your websites is essential for ranking well in the search engines. In addition, great writing has a number of side benefits that can help improve visitor engagement and tertiary search engine metrics. However, most website operators are not great writers, and even those who are generally have better ways to spend their time. In order to succeed in the search engines, you’ll likely need to hire a freelance writer.

Freelance writers create the content on your website, and there a number of ways to use what they write to help your website rank better. In addition, hiring a freelance writers lets you know that you’ll have someone who is ready to create content when you need it. However, you’ll want to make sure you hire the best freelance writer for your needs. Here are a few tips to consider when looking for freelance writers and great website content.

Why Writing Matters

In the past, Google and the other search engines generally ranked websites based on off-site activity. Links to your website would help it grow, and anchor text could have a profound effect. In recent years, however, Google has developed sophisticated algorithms that help it determine if a website is one that visitors will enjoy. Since Google depends on delivering great results, their algorithms must be able to avoid recommending spammy, uninformative pages. One of the ways they do this is by algorithmically determining if the content on your website is well written.

Nobody knows exactly what goes into the algorithm as its contents are guarded closely, but most experts believe that the writing is checking for spelling errors and even basic grammar. There are a number of formulas that have been developed over the years to determine if writing is readable or not, and most believe that Google uses similar techniques. These days, fooling Google is all but impossible; you need good content that is written well.

What do Freelancers do?

The writing field is notoriously difficult, and many writers don’t have full-time employment. As a result, many depend on freelance writing for part- or full-time income. The Internet has increased demand for freelance writers in recent years, and many perform most of their work online. Website operators looking for writers will find plenty to choose from.

Freelance writers with web experience understand the importance of keywords, and they know how to perform necessary research to ensure that the content they deliver is accurate and reliable. While not all writers have the same skills, most take their jobs seriously and are able to perform great work on a consistent basis. By building a relationship with freelance writers and giving them regular work, you can stock your website with content the search engines will love.

Finding a Freelancer

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to find freelance writers online. Writers will often post on Craigslist, and some also work through third-party websites. These websites allow you to place orders at competitive prices and read the work before choosing to accept it or not. These third-party websites have a variety of different ways to facilitate the workflow, so look around to find which works best for your needs.

Many of these websites also allow you to place orders directly with writers you like best. Even though there is a charge for this service, the final prices are competitive. These websites are also great for those who want content created from different voices, and they allow you to diversify your writing without having to reach out to individual writers. For most, third-party writing websites are a smart choice.

Keeping Your Writers Happy

Great freelance writers often have more job offers than time, so they can often afford to be selective. Because of this, offering significantly less than the writer usually charges will often fail. That said, if you feel that your content should be easy to produce, you may want to see if you can negotiate a discounted rate. Similarly, freelance writers enjoy regular work, and they may offer discounts if you promise to deliver work to them on a regular basis.

One of the top complaints that comes from freelance writers is payment difficulties. The writers you hire depend on prompt payment to pay their bills, so make sure to follow through on promises. Many will also demand half of the final bill upfront, so be prepared to put down a bit of money. Great content is worth paying for, and a happy writer will often go the extra mile to keep you coming back to them in the future.

Hiring an Individual Writer

When hiring an individual writer, it’s important to determine when you’ll deliver work, what you expect and how they will be paid. Be upfront, and try to give your writer examples of the kind of work you need. It’s often best to start with a small order that you can read through their work and determine if the produced content meets your needs. Don’t ask for samples longer than a few hundred words as some website operators use this as a scam to get free work.

Freelance writers generally have portfolios, so ask to see examples of previous work before you hire a writer. There is no universal online test for determining how good a writer is, and you’ll have to use your own judgment before hiring someone. Different writers have different styles, and you’ll want to know that the tone and style they use matches your website.

Using Content

Your main website needs great content, so hire a writer if your content could be better. If you aren’t sure how good the content on your main website is, ask a freelance writer to edit it for you. Even small mistakes can hurt your website in the search engine rankings, and potential customers and clients will find misspelling and basic grammar errors to be signs of poor professionalism. Many websites suffer from basic structural issues; freelance writers can help.

You’ll also need content for your blogs and supporting websites, and you’ll want great content for your social media properties. Freelance writers can help you meet all of these goals, so hire a writer with experience writing for different types of platforms. Doing so can allow you to focus on SEO and advertising campaigns while still having great content delivered for your website.

In the past, it was sometimes possible to get mediocre websites to rank well. These days, doing so is nearly impossible, and Google will eventually sniff out any shortcomings eventually. By focusing on creating great content and hiring great freelance writers, you can separate your website for the competition and see long-term, durable results.

In addition, succeeding on today’s web requires regular updates, and most website operators lack the time or expertise needed to continually create top-notch content. Freelance writers depend on their writing for their livelihood, and their experience can help you succeed online. While they aren’t cheap, the service they provide is worth what they charge, and hiring a freelance writer can be the difference between a website that languishes near the bottom and one that climbs to the top of the rankings.