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Originally Posted On: https://www.iwriter.com/blog/thinking-of-hiring-a-freelance-writer-5-things-to-know-before-you-hire/

 

Freelance writing is a wonderful way to bulk up your business website with high-quality content. When you have valuable blog posts, for instance, you can boost the amount of traffic that comes to your site. The more potential customers who are aware of your brand, products, and services, the more chance of increased revenue.

If you’re looking to hire freelance writers, you might be wondering how to even go about the process. It’s not as difficult as it may seem.

Keep reading to learn about important things to know before hiring freelance writer talent.

1. Research Various Freelance Writer Platforms

When it comes to looking for freelance writers, you’ll be glad to know that you don’t have to scour social media sites or anything troublesome like that. Rather, there is a range of different freelance writer platforms where you can commission articles, blog posts, and even ebooks.

It should be emphasized that not all freelance writer platforms are the same. Each platform has it’s own rules and regulations when it comes to hiring writers, writing the actual articles, and what they charge for each commission.

The best way to find a freelance writer platform that works for you is by comparing and contrasting reviews online. You should also do research on what each platform has to offer.

It all depends on your needs but if you communicate those needs to a specific platform, then you can get a better idea of whether or not a platform is right for you.

2. Look for Writers Who Specialize in Your Niche

An article for a science blog, for instance, is going to look a whole lot different than an article for an inspiration blog. This is why you need to make sure that your writer is familiar with your niche.

One way to figure out whether or not they have the experience and know-how to write within your niche is by asking for sample articles. You could also give them a brief test article to write.

A freelance writer platform could have regulations in place for niches, such as lifestyle, science, fitness, and more. If you’re going to go with a platform, it’s worth looking into.

The tone is another thing to consider. You could have a science blog that’s technical or you could have one that’s more upbeat and targeted toward the masses. Alternatively, your inspirational blog could go the way of humor or it could lean toward a more serious and profound tone.

You should think about the potential customers you’re trying to reach and whether your freelance writers can deliver the tone that would work best.

3. You Get What You Pay For

The old saying “you get what you pay for” definitely applies to freelance writing. No writer who is worth their weight in gold is going to settle for low pay.

If you try cutting corners by going for the cheapest option, then you can expect the articles to be filled with typos, lacking SEO power, and more.

However, you don’t need to be rich to hire a freelance writer because there are affordable options to be found.

Your best bet is to set aside a budget so that you can find one or more writers who can give you high-quality content on a regular basis. The more you’re willing or able to invest in your freelance writers, the more results you’ll see when it comes to your business’s success.

4. Prepare Relevant Interview Questions

If you’ve decided to find a writer from somewhere other than a freelance writer’s platform, you’re going to want to make sure that they’re reliable, knowledgeable, and more.

Although a freelance writer by definition isn’t an employee, they’ll still be working for you, which means you should interview them in much the same way as you would anyone other potential hires.

There are many relevant questions you could ask a freelance writer to ensure that they’re right for the job. For instance, you’ll definitely want to ask if they know anything about search engine optimization (SEO) and how deep that knowledge is.

You should also put forth broad questions, such as what they think makes great blog content and why they want to write for your business. You can then be more specific and ask what method they usually follow for writing the perfect blog post.

When it comes to the question of a niche or tone, you can ask them questions that pertain to your products, services, and overall mission statement.

5. Be Clear About Your Expectations

While a freelance writer will be the one working for you, you’ll need to work with them a bit so that everyone is on the same page.

Basic technicalities that should be established ahead of time include how long the job will last, how often you’ll need content, and also what exactly that content should look like. When it comes to the latter, an article could have block quotes, gifs, embedded videos, various images, and other special add-ons.

As for the length of the job, you should keep in mind that the best return on investment is going to involve a long-term and in-depth professional relationship.

You can’t expect to have a positive impact on your business’s success by publishing a handful of one-off articles on your blog. Rather, it’s going to take dedication and commitment from both parties and that fact should be understood ahead of time.

Hiring Freelance Writer Talent Has Never Been So Simple

Now that you’ve learned all about the important things to know before hiring freelance writer talent, you can start boosting the effectiveness of your business website.

iWriter can provide you with a wealth of talented freelance writers. Whether you need blog content, article rewrites, product descriptions, or even ebooks, we can do it with professionalism and expertise.

If you have any questions about our high-quality services, feel free to contact us. We’re always happy to help out.