Hiring a Freelance Writer

Identifying your company’s professional writing requirements is only the first step. If you’re hiring a freelance writer for the first time, you might not know exactly what to expect or to look for. Here are some tips to help you hire a content writer who will produce the kind of copy you need to increase your business through a strong online presence.

Type of Writing

What type of writing do you need? Copywriters and content creators have their specific areas of expertise. Types of writing your company might need are:

• Blog posts - SEO content

• Newsletters

• Landing pages/website copy

• Ghostwriting - for more complex projects or ones longer in length

• Editing - copy, content, developmental, line, mechanical, proofreading

Knowing what type of writing you require will allow you to match your project with the writer's skill set.

End Goal

What do you want to achieve by hiring a freelance writer?

• More organic traffic

• Increase the number of subscribers

• Improve conversion rate

• Generate additional leads

• Consistent content and scheduled deadlines

Having an idea of what success looks like will help you get the desired results.

Set a Budget

Knowing how much you are able to spend helps you prioritize the projects you need done and ensures you have the funds to pay for them.

Offering competitive, industry standard pay will attract qualified applicants.

For projects that are rush emergencies (tight deadlines), have changed direction, or require a lot of research, expect to pay above industry standard rates.

Scope of Work

Be clear about what the project entails - the details should be part of the contract you sign with the freelancer or it can be a separate document that is referenced in the contract as Appendix or Exhibit. Scope of work typically outlines the project's key elements such as:

• Objective and goals - what you are hiring the writer to do (500-word blog posts twice a week; a detailed user manual, quarterly reports for your fiscal year, a new products webpage)

• Deliverables - describes exactly what you as the client will be given upon completion

• Tasks - a list of tasks and activities required to complete the project

• Timeline - for projects with multiple components

• Deadlines - for projects like blog posts, webpages, press releases

• Reporting requirements - specify how and when you want updates on the project's progress

• Exclusions/Constraints - source /in-person interviews, number of revisions allowed, aspects of SEO like link-building, creating infographics

• Payment and method of payment

• Signatures/final approval

Taking the time to create a scope of work prevents scope creep (being asked to do additional work not originally agreed upon), manages expectations, and prevents disputes.

Reviewing Sample Writing

You’ve read through the resumes and writing samples. But how do you short-list the copywriters that are the best fit for you and your company? When assessing submitted writing samples, look for the ability to:

• Communicate clearly (clarity)

• Keep visitors reading and encourage a response to a call to action

• Adapt tone to match your business' brand

• Speak to your target audience

• Offer tangible proof of how their copy has improved traffic, increased conversions, or boosted subscriber growth

Most freelancers will do so automatically, but to save you time weeding through samples, in the job posting ask writers to submit only recent examples of their work and the ones most relevant to the project you are hiring for.

What Other Services do Freelancers Provide?

You want blog posts with pictures once a week - do you have to provide the pics or will the freelancer take care of that for you? In addition to the three main type of writing (content, copy, and technical), other services a freelance writer will offer include:

• Photo sourcing

• Graphic design

• Video and audio production, including podcasts

• Devising a content strategy plan

• Advanced SEO

• Social media management

• Accessing webpages in your WordPress dashboard

• Producing Google Analytics reports

Find out what other services a freelancers will provide. You might only need content writing for this project, but other projects in the future could include elements that require additional services.