The exact manner in which I am attempting to explain what a content writer does is also the manner in which we attempt to explain the topic at hand. The explanation a content writer in Mumbai (or New York or Timbuktu) provides must represent their best understanding of the topic at hand while also simultaneously communicating the same information in a manner in which the reader feels easy to process. After all, the aim is to inform the reader of whatever doubts and queries they would have in mind, before or during the reading of the article.
Here’s a detailed account of what a content writer does, or at least, what I think a content writer does.
Content Writing
It is not like information comes magically pouring down. Each article or post, depending on the topic, needs a fair amount of research. This research is purely meant to provide an objective and detailed elaboration of the subject at hand primarily for the readers – the customers. Secondarily, this research is also essential in better expressing the nature of our clients’ work. Naturally, it is important to do their products and services justice. Adequate research is the foundation of B2B content marketing in India . Lastly, detailed research is done in order to remain factually correct and intellectually honest.
We Research
Search Engine Optimization
Writing is stylistically closer to the arts than it is to commerce by way of marketing, or to science by way of its technicalities. Writing for a diverse range of clients about a diverse range of products, services, practices, procedures, and conditions gives us the ideal chance to bring in diversity in our writing. Writing an article explaining the “ nature of genitival contouring” is vastly different from writing about the “ benefits of getting a copyright for your artistic creations.” This diversity in subjects and readers presents us with challenges which we then counter by making subtle adjustments in style, writing tone, and word selection.
We optimize the content in such a manner that it just nonchalantly happens to appear in your search results. Perhaps the single most important role of a content writer is to maintain that their work is in line with the most effective SEO practices. How else is one to increase their web traffic ? The results at the top of your casual Google search represent the best SEO practices. It takes an effective content writer to tailor their content with an insertion of essential keywords in order to make it there.
Freelance writers can provide companies the same quality of content than an in-house one without the costs and risks it entails.
You don’t need to ask all of the following questions. You can answer some of these questions by looking at the writer’s portfolio and personal site. But I’d recommend you ask at least 3 or 4 of them, just to test the writer and see how they react under pressure.
It’s easy to hire content writers
If you are hiring an in-house writer, your negotiations will touch on legal and financial aspects beyond this article’s scope. I’m not an HR expert, so I can’t tell you much about the legal details of hiring a new team member. You can still take some of the insights I’ll show below from hiring a freelance writer.
Pros of Hiring an In-House Writer
- It’d be good to have a conversation with one of your company’s experts to discuss a new idea I have in mind and which ones they could help me with. Also, can you send me any case studies and statistics from your company you may have?
You shouldn’t care much about their processes at the end of the way as long as they develop high-quality content within an acceptable time frame. You just want to understand how they create content, so you know what to expect from your writer.
Based on these prices, you need to consider the following aspects of your content strategy:
This can be done in a couple of ways. You can assign a prompt and have them write a timed assignment in person. You won’t get the best results this way, but it’ll display some of their talents in a short time.
The other way is to give them a writing assignment through email. There’s still the possibility that someone could lie or cheat. However, they probably won’t last long anyway if that’s the case.
The new content writer may also have lingering questions. Make sure you have an open line of communication to aid their onboarding process. For smaller organizations, this may be an opportunity to create an onboarding procedure.
Whether you are hiring content writers to freelance or work full-time, it’s important you find the right fit for your organization. This guide will help you find the best writer the correct way. Keep reading to find out more!
What Do You Pay?
The next phase of hiring a content writer should be creating a freelance contract. This document doesn’t have to be elaborate
- A clear title that explains the position to attract the right candidate
- Any special qualifications needed
- Be clear and post a compensation range based on experience and/or skills
Request the VA, freelancer, or agency you need. Meet a pre-vetted option within 1 biz day.
If you want to get the best candidates, post how to apply with clear instructions. Include the link or email for resumes and writing samples to be delivered.
- Writing quality is paramount. Don’t settle for good writing. You need phenomenal writing. Writing that will capture readers’ attention and get them interested in your company. Find the best writer you can, and pay them what they deserve. It’s absolutely worth it.
- Don’t be afraid to pay for quality. High-quality writers don’t come cheap. Sure, you can pay $50 for a 1,000-word article. But if the writer has poor English skills, isn’t good at following instructions, and is inexperienced, you’re going to have spend at least a couple hundred bucks’ worth of time editing the post before it can go out. Pay to have it done right the first time.
- Think of your readers first. Don’t choose topics and hire writers based on SEO. Before anything else, consider your readers and what information they’re going to find useful and helpful.
- Remember that content marketing isn’t just writing. There’s article formatting, editing, SEO, publishing, distribution, and more. If your writer isn’t well-versed in all of this, that’s okay. But someone has to do it — and that might mean hiring another freelancer.
By consistently producing valuable, useful content that our readers want. It takes a lot of time and effort, but it works. Which is why we hire freelance writers to help us out.
It’s pretty clear that you should outsource a writer. But where do you start? How do you even find content writers online? These 10 sites are great places to start:
Even more goes into the content marketing process. Keyword research, strategizing, performing SEO, distributing your posts, and building links takes time and effort. Do you have time for all of that? And if you do, are you confident that you can create content that’s relevant, useful, and absolutely world-class in quality?
Our best tips on hiring a great writer
After that, it’s up to you to sort through a (potentially very large) number of applicants and cut the list down to a handful. You’ll need to look at their profiles, websites, and portfolios. And after that, it’s best to have them do a test project. This lets you see what sort of writing they can produce for you.
Asking other members of your industry for recommendations and searching on social media are both great ways of finding writers as well.
One of the best ways you can go about it is to reach out to a writer on a blog that you admire. Even if the blog writer isn’t available for additional projects at the moment, they can probably refer you to someone who is.
High-quality content writing leads to better lead generation, more effective sales copy, and improved online visibility. Ads, brochures, and catalogs all benefit from a professional writer. Hiring a freelance writer to craft technical documentation, press releases, and marketing copy makes a big difference in how your customers see you.
Your writers, especially when they first start out working with you, will make mistakes. They will use a tone not appropriate for your company (like the one I’ve just used), or they will link inadvertently to a competitor of yours.
Having a clear idea of what you want makes the writer’s life easier, and it will create a much seamless experience for both parties.
All writers research a given topic before they write a single word. If they don’t, run for the hills. Even a writer expert has to research to back up their claims.
With this question, you want to see if they know about SEO. You want them to be able to explain and implement optimizations like:
How Many Revisions Do You Accept?
- Don’t worry
- Define a maximum acceptable budget and look for writers below that. If you find one that’s great and it’s within your threshold, great. If the writer is above it, move on.
The questions I ask depends on what kind of writer am I looking for? Someone for landing pages and promotional material? Social media? White papers? Blogs? It varies as each takes a unique writing skill.
- I write about whatever topic you send me. In the past, I’ve written about pest control, fitness, and civil engineering. Did I tell you I’ll write about anything for money?