You Need a Professional Content Writer – Now What? How to Hire & Collaborate for Superstar Content
So – you’ve decided to take the plunge and invest in your brand’s content (or your client’s). You want to hire outside help to do it. *cue Ghostbusters theme music* Who you gonna call? Content writers! A-hem. That is, a professional content writer (or a high-quality content writing service) will be your best bet. You can’t just hire anybody and/or leave the rest up to chance, though. ? You have to understand WHY pro content writing will make a difference in your content marketing, and you need to know the steps to take to make sure you achieve success. The thing is… Brands everywhere are realizing the value of great content and want to add it to their web presence. According to HubSpot’s 2018 State of Inbound report, 55% of marketers are setting blog content creation as their priority. Meanwhile, an additional 61% say generating traffic and leads is their top marketing challenge. Is that your problem? Zero traffic and not enough leads? …Well, the solution could be staring you in the face. Carefully crafted, purposeful content is ace at just that: generating REAL traffic and leads. It’s no wonder people are climbing aboard the content train. ? Now that you’re buckled in, the next step is understanding what a professional content writer adds to your marketing strategy. Then, we’ll discuss how to find your ultimate content writer for hire, plus tips for getting the best content possible when someone else is doing the actual writing. Onward! How to Find and Work with a Professional Content Writer: Table of Contents What Is a Content Writer, and Why Do You Need One? Content Writers Wanted: How to Find the Right Professional Content Writer Search Trusted Freelance Marketplaces Read Their Samples (Or Ask for a Trial Content Piece) Know What to Avoid in Your Professional Content Writer Search 4 Tips for Collaborating with a Professional Content Writer Seamlessly Don’t Leave Them Hanging Give Concrete Guidelines Provide Feedback Respect the Job [bctt tweet=”Looking for a professional content writer who you can trust to craft the content you’ve been dreaming of publishing? ? @JuliaEMcCoy lists down the best ways to find the perfect one for you, and how to best collaborate with them. ?” username=”ExpWriters”] What Is a Content Writer, and Why Do You Need One? So, why are you planning to hire a freelance web content writer? Is it because your hands are full with other marketing tasks? Or do you lack the time or skills to pull off rankings-worthy content by yourself? Whatever your reason(s), you’re probably aware of the value of great content. BUT – are you also aware of why content writers for websites can do it better? First, let’s define “content writer” – what this role demands, and what it doesn’t. A good web content writer job description might fall along these lines: A content writer is a creative who specializes in writing blogs, articles, web pages, ebooks, and other types of online content. They understand how to drive traffic with SEO and generate leads with user-centered writing techniques. Here is an example of content writing that serves both of those purposes (driving traffic, generating leads for the brand) from Farmers Insurance: The blog provides insights into the finances involved in owning and maintaining a boat. There are no sales pitches urging readers to get boat insurance or talk to an agent inside the blog – instead, the information is meant to stand on its own and build trust with readers while building the company’s authority about financial matters. On top of that, this blog is SEO-ready so people who are interested in this topic will find it via Google search. It’s ranking #1 for “maintaining a recreational boat.” Lastly (but never least), the quality of this blog is enough to make you want to read more. As you browse additional articles on the Farmers site, you’ll see all of them are of equal caliber – compelling stories, useful information, and great reads. You might become a follower, then a fan of this brand. Eventually, when you need insurance down the road, what’s the first name you’ll think of? You guessed it: Farmers. It’s a long-term game for lead generation, but the ROI is incredible once you start earning that trust and brand loyalty. THAT is the essence of content marketing – and a professional content writer’s work is the lynchpin in all of it. Writing search engine optimized, user-centered, engaging, readable content requires skill. When you hire a professional content writer for your online writing jobs, that’s the investment. [bctt tweet=”A content writer is a creative who specializes in writing online content like blogs. They understand how to drive traffic with SEO and generate leads with user-centered writing techniques. – @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] Content Writers Wanted: How to Find the Right Professional Content Writer for Your Website or Copy You’re ready to hire content writers. Where do you start? Right here. 1. Search Trusted Freelance Marketplaces Good professional content writers are out there, looking for exactly the type of opportunity you’re offering. To find them, it’s a matter of knowing where to look. To contract professional content writing services, check out one of these great job platforms: Cloud Peeps – This is a freelance marketplace where you can search for pro content writers, post a job, accept proposals from experts, and find the right fit for your needs. Fiverr – On Fiverr, content writers post “gigs” where they essentially market their skills. Comb through the “writing and translation” category to find blog and article writers, copywriters, technical writers, scriptwriters, and more posting web content job descriptions that match up with your requirements. nDash – On this platform, writers will pitch you content ideas (as well as their services) based on your needs. Psssst… our content writing agency at EW can help you out, too. We have dozens of hand-picked expert writers on our roster with a multitude of industry specialties. To see what we can do, check out how we … Read more