A good freelance blog writer can be hard to find.
They’re out there — you just need to know where and how to find them. This article shows you how to hire blog writers for your content needs.
Benefits of Outsourcing Your Content Creation
Sometimes it’s better to outsource your content creation than maintain an in-house content creation team.
For every full-timer you hire, you need to pay their salary, benefits, taxes, and office expenses. According to Zippia, providing benefits to employees costs companies 25% to 40% of a new employee’s salary.
So, if you hire someone at $50,000 a year, their benefits could cost you an additional $12,500 to $20,000 per year. Don’t forget the costs tied to recruiting and training, plus the ongoing HR costs associated with maintaining a workforce.
When you use freelancers, you sail right over most of that.
Freelancing offers a flexible content creation model that can scale easily. Whereas in-house writers naturally have limitations, you can find someone for every skill set and subject matter you need when you outsource your content creation.
What to Look For When Outsourcing Your Content
Always ask for writing samples.
These should be professional, bylined pieces, free of errors. It’s a rare ghostwriter who doesn’t have any writing clips with their name on them. Although, technically, it could happen. But be wary if someone says they have no clips.
In addition to writing samples, ask them about their SEO knowledge. A good content writer knows how to optimize a post for search. While maintaining a natural voice and adhering to best writing practices.
Determine who you need before you begin outsourcing.
Some content writers are generalists and some are subject matter experts in a particular area. If you work in a highly technical industry, you need to find a writer with a decent amount of knowledge and experience in that field. A good generalist can tackle almost any topic, as long as it’s more top-of-funnel, relatively uncomplicated material.
Finally, look for reliability and suitability. Pick someone who acts like a professional and with whom you think you would enjoy working.
How Much Will You Pay?
Freelance blog writer rates vary widely. Generally, rates depend on their experience and skill.
How much you’re willing to pay directly influences where you will look for freelance writers. If you’re paying five cents per word (not recommended), you’ll want to head to Craigslist or Upwork to post your job ad.
But with that advice comes this caveat: You get what you pay for.
5 ways to Find and Hire Blog Writers
Once you’ve figured out what to look for in a blog writer and how much you are willing to pay them, you can begin the search. Here are five ways to find freelance writers for your brand:
1. Ask for referrals
Tell friends and relatives that you’re looking to hire a blog writer. One of your contacts is likely to know someone who fits the type of writer you need. Email your network and post on LinkedIn, announcing your search.
2. Find them via their byline/author bio
This is a little-known tip, but it’s a good one.
When you read a good article in your industry, look at the byline and/or the little author bio that usually follows the article’s conclusion. It often links to the writer’s blog or social accounts. That means you can reach out to them. If a way to contact them isn’t given, plug their name into Twitter or LinkedIn. Top freelancers usually have robust social media profiles. Introduce yourself in a private chat and inquire about rates and availability.
3. Use LinkedIn
Search for freelance writers on LinkedIn. Simply go to the search box in the top-left corner. Then, search for People > freelance writers >, and apply the relevant search filters. The same works for finding freelance writers through LinkedIn Groups.
4. Post on job boards
Disclaimer: You can find a hidden gem on job boards. Some people have had good results from hiring blog writers via these sources. Please know that this is an exception.
Overall, the writing jobs posted on these sites don’t pay well. As a result, they attract writers who don’t write well. Good freelancers cost more money, generally. You might get a high-quality 750-word article turned around in 24 hours for just pennies a word. But chances are, you won’t.
What’s more likely to happen is, you’ll end up wading through profile after profile only to choose someone whose skills are not up to snuff. Strong writers with SEO skills who can tackle technical topics are not hanging out on Upwork looking for $40 content jobs.
- All Freelance Writing – $34.95 permits you to post a freelance writing job ad for 30 days.
- Craigslist – Go to “Gigs” and then “Writing.” Proceed with caution; no one vets the writers on Craigslist.
- Freelancer.com – You can post a job for free, but once you accept a bid, you’ll have to pay either 3% or $3 on fixed-price jobs or 3% on every payment for hourly jobs.
- Guru – Once again, it’s free to post a job here, but they do charge a 2.9% handling fee for each invoice you pay.
- Indeed – You likely know this site. Pricing is a little more complicated here, but this post has the details.
- Upwork – The fee structure is, again, a bit complicated. It is free to post a job and you will pay a fee on every writer invoice you pay. The premium plan has a monthly service fee as well.
>> Read: ClearVoice vs Upwork: A Competitive Review
Copyblogger, ProBlogger, and Fiverr have better reputations but technically belong in this category. You can find good freelancers via these sites. However, you may have to sort through lots of information and cross your fingers with the result.
5. Use a fully managed content marketing solution
This option will get you the highest quality blog content with the least hassle. Unsurprisingly, this is also the priciest option. However, for midsize to enterprise-level brands that are looking to grow their content marketing program, there is no better way. There are cheaper ways, but you will feel the ramifications of taking that shortcut.
Outsource Your Content Creation with ClearVoice
ClearVoice offers a fully managed premium content service. We are experts in outsourcing your content creation to maximize your production results.
ClearVoice gets to know you, your brand, and your goals. Every client of ours gets a dedicated team of professionals to tackle their content needs.
Ready to learn more? Talk to us today.
