You can have the best content marketing plan in the world, but it won’t do you much good unless you can hire freelance writers who can put it into action.
This is no easy task, and many businesses struggle to find the right copywriters to advance their content strategies. In fact, a recent survey found that more than half of content marketers felt that producing quality content was their top challenge.
Here are some tips to ensure you work with writers who allow your business to make its mark in an increasingly competitive digital marketing world:
Know what you need
Before you hire freelance writers, have a good idea of what you want and need out of your content. This includes your marketing budget, key deadlines and the content you need, which may include articles, blog posts, press releases, white papers, email marketing copy or various other types of content.
You should also know the scope of your project. Are you looking for just a few pages of web copy to keep your site fresh? Or would you like to hire freelance writers for ongoing blog or social media content?
Finally, think about the tone you’d like to strike with your content. For some businesses, it may be more appropriate to be formal and professional, while others may wish to be more conversational and lighthearted. Consider how you would like to communicate with your target audience.
Ask for samples
When you’re looking to hire freelance writers, you can get a good idea of the talent and skill they will deliver by asking to see samples of their previous work. Ideally, writers will have developed content within your industry and have at least a basic idea of the topics you’ll want to cover in your content marketing campaign.
It’s worth noting, however, that sometimes it’s better to work with contract writers who are skilled at the craft of messaging—even if they don’t have much experience in your specific industry. A great writer will be able to learn your needs quickly, giving you a more effective solution in the long term.
Consider a copywriting agency
When looking to hire freelance writers for their content marketing efforts, many businesses try to find people online individually. This can work in some cases, but you’re likely to find a more sustainable and reliable solution in a professional content creation service.
Depending on their size, these agencies may staff anywhere from dozens to thousands of skilled copywriters. There are some considerable benefits to going this route.
First, you don’t have to worry about managing writers on your own. Instead, you work with an editor or account coordinator at the agency to manage your content requests and conduct revisions (if necessary). These agencies also meet strict deadlines, and their broad range of writing talent means you can easily find a professional who meets your needs.
Base your decision on more than price
You may have a strict budget for your content marketing strategy. But just like with anything else, you get what you pay for when you hire freelance writers.
While it’s easy to find bottom-of-the-barrel copywriters who charge very little for their work, you’re unlikely to get anything of value out of them. Great writers may come at a higher cost, but the investment will pay off in the form of a more effective content marketing campaign.
Give cohesive feedback
To maintain a strong working relationship with your writers, provide regular feedback on what they are doing well and what needs work. Professional copywriters appreciate this feedback, as it helps them improve and gain greater confidence that they can deliver the best possible content for your business.
Think of your freelance writers as you would other employees, even though they technically do not work for your business. You probably give your employees regular reviews of their work. Don’t hesitate to do the same with your contract writers.
ProPRcopy is one of the nation’s leading providers of copywriting and content creation services.