Writer's play an important role in content marketing. The blogs you read, the videos you watch, and all the other types of media out there were created from good written content. Producing excellent content begins with selecting good quality writers.

What do you need from a writer?

Answering this question is important even before you set out to find a writer. Knowing what you need sets parameters that describes who you hire.

• Research

Is your next project a light hearted post or does it involve extensive review of materials, expert interviews or trial and error?

• Category

What category does your next project fall into? Each person has different interests, experiences and expertise. For example, a writer who is quite active in Social media is a good candidate to write about it. This same writer may not be the best fit for a blog assignment on robotics.

Knowing what categories your writers are good at makes it easier for you to assign projects and get good quality, well thought out content.

• Availability

Do you need the writer to be available at certain times? what is the turnaround time for each project? When hiring freelance writers, always expect that they already have current projects. Assess the number of hours that a writer needs for every project. It is also helpful to ask them for an estimate.

• Scope

• Keywords - Do you need a writer to determine the top keywords for this project?
• Uploading - Who uploads and formats the job to your website or other platforms?
• Other media - Do you require images, screenshots, videos, embedded posts to be included in the submission.

• Compensation

Writer’s compensation is one of the first questions that comes up when you are hiring a writer. This also needs to be dealt with early on to avoid confusion. Writers are often paid per word, per hour, per project or on retainer. This depends on what works well for you and the writer. A agreement needs to be reached before the project has begun.

Paying writers per word, by the hour or for every written piece is ideal for short term projects. If you developed a great working relationship with a quality writer and you have a steady need for content production, having a writer on retainer is a good option.

Ghost writing or byline

A ghost writer writes content that you publish under your name. A ghost writer intends to produce content that communicates the ideas that you believe in and the stories that you want to tell using a voice or a writing style that is closest to yours. a byliner creates content to publish under their name. they still write the topics within the direction that you want for your content and publish their work on your website. When hiring a writer to ghostwrite, pay close attention to the content that is being produced. This is also a good practice even for articles with bylines. Fact check and edit diligently.

When writers publish with their own byline, they can help promote your website using their own online influence. When the cost for ghostwriting is too high, you may offer your writers a byline for a smaller fee. This can be a win-win solution. You get the content that you need, your writer has another piece to add to their portfolio.

Choosing the right candidate

It is important to choose a good writer. However don’t just choose a good writer. choose a writer who is a good fit for your company. The creation of content is a collaborative process with writers playing a vital role. This process involves constant communication and sharing of ideas. It is important for writers not to blend in but to be a unique contributing piece to your company’s culture.

Inhouse or outsourced

Depending on the volume and category of content that you need, you can hire a writer on staff. The advantage is that you have a writer who is a part of your organisation and is privy to your business’ goals and content direction.

Another good option is to outsource your writing project. Outsourcing gives you access to writers in different niches. This is ideal when you need writers for different topics but are unable to take on several full time writing staff. Outsourcing writers enable to you to expand your staff and have access to a wide variety of talents and expertise.

Previous published work

• When hiring a writer, contact those whose work has captured your attention. Connect with them through the comment section on their blog or through social media. You can also get in touch with the media agencies that they are affiliated with for accountability.
• Ask for links to their published work if you have not come across one before. This gives you a good idea on the quality of work that they do.
• When considering new writers or those who only has experience in ghostwriting, assign a test assignment. An ideal test assignment would be for a topic that it in line with your content marketing plan. You may offer to pay the writer if the test assignment gets published. This way you are able to assess the quality of work and at the same time test your working relationship with the writer.

Recommendations

Recommendations from other writers and content collaborators are valuable in selecting a writer. People who have first hand experience with the writer know their attitudes towards challenges and the quality of their output.

Red flags

Thoughtful consideration is needed when you are taking in a writer as a part of your team. These red flags are not definitive guides, should give you an idea of the traits that you should put more thought in.

1. Social media platforms such as Twitter and Linkedin enables you to check someone's profile out. Personal posts are their business but keep an eye out for unprecedented rants about other employers or people that they have worked with before. This is often a warning for an unhealthy professional attitude.
2. Obtain reviews from colleagues and previous clients whenever possible. Most freelance websites such as eLance and Upwork provide a rating system so that clients can provide feedback to contractors. A negative review, although subject for deliberation, is a red flag.
3. Be aware of how responsive a writer is. Technology has made communication easy and accessible so being unresponsive for no reason is unacceptable. Content marketing is based on consistent quality content. If a writer is unresponsive from the get-go, they are likely to do the same while the project is on going, miss deadlines, unwilling to receive feedback or drop off the face of the earth without warning.
4. Several grammatical errors are habit forming. Be wary of writers who send emails or communicates with problematic grammar.
5. One advantage of looking through a prospective writer’s previous work is that you are able to assess whether their content is accurate and original. Cross check ‘facts’ that seem off or over the top. Run some of their work, especially the more technical parts, through a plagiarism checker. Accuracy and originality is important for producing valuable content for your audience.

Build a quality team

A good writer is a valuable asset to your content marketing strategy. They are a part of your team and become a voice for your business. Do you have a special technique for selecting excellent writers? Share it in the comments below.

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About the Author

 



About Angelica Manlunas

Angelica lives off of coffee and pizza. She spends her time online tinkering on social media, watching short films and poetry slams. Her offline time is devoted to trips to the beach or spending lazy days indoors with a book in her hand. Also, she writes at least 1000 words every day. Email Angelica at angelica.manlunas@transeo.com.au and follow Angelica @ang_transeo.