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One of my readers just decided to contact me and wondered if it was cool to make a guest post on this blog. I figured, why not? And I let him send me some articles for approval.
I actually ended up declining his first couple of articles because they weren’t anywhere near up to par with the kind of content I want on this blog.
This one that he sent me, I found to be rather useful though, especially if you’re new in the field of outsourcing your content, and that’s something that you definitely want to do sooner or later.
A personal tip from me would be: Forums. Several forums have a Buy and Trade kind of section where people sell their services. A lot of them are complete junk, but if you look around a little bit you can find some really high quality stuff for real cheap.
A lot of my connections also tell me that out of the popular outsourcing websites, they’ve gotten a lot of success with Rent-a-Coder, so that’s also something worth checking out.
But now, on with the article from Adarsh.
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At the present time, Content Writers are the one who are engraving the actual picture of our world, economies and current status in their articles. The content can relate to any field ranging from ever increasing slum areas to declining stock markets.
Before going into depth about hiring a content writer, I would like to point out a fact or a problem most business owners worry a lot about. This is something which worries both freelance writers as well as people who hire them. It is nothing but the price of the article. Read this article on how much you should pay your content writer.
Content Writing is a very interesting profession, but it needs a lot of skill so that the reader should find the editorial attractive, crisp and full of information. However, content writing is a profession that undergoes many processes like research work, writing material, proof reading and editing. After undertaking all these stages a reader gets an article to read. This four stage process requires a lot of skill and proficiency in the work.
Hiring a Content Writer
In addition to good command over English language, a content writer should have many other qualities so that the reader finds the article very interesting and easy to understand. When you hire a content writer, you need to take many things into account. Some of the guidelines are listed below.
- Should be able to show some samples of previously published works.
- A good quality content writer is never cheap. You can find decent writers at the rates 5-20$ per 300 words. High profile writers may charge up to 200-300$ for a 300 word article. There will always be the difference in the quality of article you get. Just use your common sense.
- When you are hiring a writer, make sure he/she is able to write on the topic you want. Most writers I have hired have problem writing in the finance niche. Most writers would say they are comfortable with writing in any niche, but when they begin their work wither they deliver horrible quality articles or inform us that the articles are not something they can write about.
- Ask them if they can provide contacts of their previous clients. If the writers are confident enough, they can give you details. Always inquire about the writers before you give them the opportunity.
- Never choose a writer who believes in quantity rather than quality. Most writers I have encountered write low quality articles by filling unnecessary stuff just to meet the word count. This makes the articles unpleasant to read and destroys the value of the article.
- Give them a sample topic to write about. See how well they deliver and their response when you need some changes.
- Always start off with smaller quantity articles. Only if you feel that the writer did a good job, you should continue with the larger order.
- Good command over English or whichever language you want the article to be written in.
- Never go with a writer who wants full payment in advance unless they are really reputed.
- Look for how professional the writer is. If you feel that while hiring a content writer, his conduct is bad, do not hire that person.
- Make sure the writer updates you regularly about the progress of the work. If it is a large order, ask him to send articles as they are finished so that you can check them at you own pace.
- Always make an agreement about the delivery time, the amount of research, the quality you expect and other details before the work begins.
- Always cross check the articles for plagiarism before you release funds. It is better to do this at first to avoid future hassles.
- Before you commit to the project, make sure that the style of the content writer meets your expectations. If you feel that his style of writing is not something your company or your website is comfortable with ask the writer if they are able to write in the tone you want.
- Ask the writer if you can get additional discounts for bulk orders or referring others to their service. Most of the time freelancers would agree to this and you may get a bargain deal.
Apart from all these guidelines, there should be a mutual understanding between the writer and other employees so that he can adjust well in the environment and can work easily. So, opt for these guidelines while hiring a content writer.
Get more tips on how to start and run a successful internet business over at Adarsh’s blog about how to start an internet business, Businessheadache.com by Adarsh. Step-by-step guide on how you can start an online business with little or no investment.
(Yeah, the obvious deep anchor text link was by special request. I’m nice like that. If you ever get the idea to buy a link from me, forget it.)
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Still amazing to me that most small business owners (clients) can’t put together a couple of coherent paragraphs about what they do all day everyday. But I guess that is why I have a job and why I need content for my clients :(
Good article, even if the main point is to use common sense and consider value/price when hiring out work. Content is a major bottle neck because it takes so much time to research and write and submit articles that are unique and interesting too.
Hey Kyle,
I don’t think it’s something related to they-cant-do-it. It’s mostly due to two reasons
1. They do not have enough time to write
2. They are not confident about their writing.
I guess most of the cases, the second reason holds. Most entrepreneurs from India would not be confident about their writing since people in India are mostly self made entrepreneurs hailing from rural areas.
Samples of previously published works is the main criteria, IMHO.
I’ve fallen for one or two of those traps before. I found what I thought was a bargain content writer only to find they couldn’t write a single sentence without making mistakes. It pays to do your research on them first, I’ve learnt my lesson now!
I am actually looking to find a content writer, simply because I do not have time to write content myself (I used to edit 2 magazines so I am pretty happy about writing myself). Still with running a company, then necessary but time consuming efforts going into article and content creation dwindles…
Adarsh if you want to contact me direct thought the gap year website to discuss my needs please do.
Good tips on hiring online writer. I am planning to outsource some article submission jobs for my website. Your points will help me.
Nice Tips,
This tips are very nice it will really help for many of the firms. Specially it will benefit me as we have shortage of article writer and want to hire some.
I found what I thought was a bargain content writer only to find they couldn’t write a single sentence without making mistakes.
Hiring a freelancer is never an easy job anyway. I have tried a few myself and in the end the work was not up to the mark. I guess you should have a bit of luck to find good writer.
Wow. this is great!I am planning to promote my blog with article marketing.I just need a writer,Thanks you for this tips!
it relieves my neck Pain
Most writers nowadays are after of quantity because most buyers want to have cheap articles for their sites. However, they don’t take into consideration the possible benefits of having a great article for their sites.