Hiring a freelance blogger is a great way to save time. But that’s only if the blogger gets the content right the first (or second) time around.
You may be worried about outsourcing your work. Have you had or heard of experiences where it has taken months to get the one piece right, and then the writer has just disappeared? It does happen, but there are steps you can take to make sure you get the article or blog post you want the first time.
Here are five ways to cut down on the risks when hiring a freelance blogger.
Please Note: This content was originally written and published on May 6, 2014. I have updated it on April 7, 2017 with new information and better tips.
Be Precise With Your Content Needs
Don’t leave things to chance or hope the freelance blogger’s creativity suits your style. It’s important to be as precise as possible about your content.
I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve had someone give me a keyword and then expect the article or blog post to be their exact needs. It doesn’t happen. You don’t need to give a title, but at least make it clear what direction you want.
Got a specific source that you want used? Tell the writer that. Have a specific layout that you would prefer? Be upfront about that.
The less you leave to chance, the more likely the writer is going to create something that works for you the first time.
This can take some time at first, but as you start working together more the details will require less time for each post.
Don’t Be Afraid to Skype
Skyping is great. I love Skyping with my clients, because it gives me a chance to actually talk to the person. I get to know my clients more, and hear their voices. There’s only so much you can get from the written word.
Freelance bloggers want to get the voice of the client, especially if they are ghost writing. It adds authority, and helps to create a sense of continuity with content that has been previously written. It also helps the audience feel connected, which is the only way they’re going to keep reading and follow your calls to action.
Skyping also gives you the chance to get to know the freelance blogger for hire. You can find out more about his or her personality.
Share Examples of the Writing Style
A good freelance writer will do some research into you as a person. He or she will look into past work, and go through your current blog. This helps the writer get to know more about your previous writing style and voice.
But what if you don’t already have content out there?
You may have found styles that you’d like to mimic or work around. Share those posts with the blogger, and request that that is a style they work with. Some writers will be able to do it, but those that cannot should be upfront and honest about that.
Ask for Previous Examples
You can see my writing examples on my website. I have the various websites I write for or blogs that I own. This gives you an idea of my writing style, and any styles that I’m able to mimic.
Not all writers have a sample page. There’s nothing wrong with asking them to share their portfolio though. If the blogger is new, you could pay them to do a custom sample (please don’t ask for free ones!) to see if they can mimic the style that you want.
Looking through samples is important. Not only does it make sure you get the style you want, it also helps to make sure the grammar and writing capabilities are excellent. You don’t want to have to send the writing back because of the poor grammar or numerous spelling mistakes.
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Find a Freelance Blogger That Suits Your Needs
Not every freelance blogger for hire is going to suit your needs. While there are plenty of generalist writers who can offer very low rates, sometimes you need a person who knows your niche well. This will likely cost you a little extra, but it’s worth it when you get the perfect content the first time.
And it’s not about your niche. You’ll want to do some research into the type of content you want. Find out if the bloggers for hire have experience in the particular types of content you need. If you want someone well-versed in everything, you may be searching for a unicorn. It may be worth looking for multiple writers to cover different styles.
It will take some time to find the perfect writer. In fact, I’m not sure there’s such a thing as perfect, since it’s a relative word. You’ll definitely need to take time to find an excellent blogger for hire. You can cut down some of that time with these top tips for finding freelance bloggers.
Good luck at getting the content you want from the beginning. It is possible, but you need to take some time to find the perfect freelance blogger for your needs. The more detail you share in the beginning, the less you leave to the writer’s creativity.
Do you have any questions about getting the content you need? Feel free to add your question in the comments below and I will be happy to get back to you.
Great tips! I’ve never hired a guest blogger before…honestly I never even though about it. This article has me thinking of how I can lighten my daily writign load.
Thanks!
This is a little different to having a guest blogger. Guest bloggers usually write to match their style with the site’s style for back links to their websites. There are people who want to hire bloggers to do all the content on their site to save time and make more money. Opening up a slot for guest bloggers is a great option though if you want to just lighten the daily load instead.
If I start writing a less weird blog, this is definitely advice I will look into. It would be interesting to see a freelance market for bizarre, surrealist blog posts, though 🙂
I’m sure there are some out there. It might take a while to find one though 😉