It's a good idea for your company to hire skilled content writers, especially for marketing and promoting your brand. But some people may not know how to go about the selection procedure.
It can be scary to hire just about anyone because you might worry that it will hurt the prestige and rapport of your firm.
Even if it requires time and work, the right person is already out there. You can find a good content writer; you just have to actively look.
You want to work with somebody you can confide in and who knows your enterprise, brand, and goals. And, obviously, you would like to pick someone who is smart, funny, creative, and has perfect grammar skills.
A 10-step guide to hiring the perfect content writer
There are talented content writers out there. They can make your company get new leads. A talented writer can give your blog site and other digital content quality and authority, which it wouldn't have had otherwise.
You will need them to do well in life as a whole. So, what should you look for while hiring a hood writer? Let’s begin!
1. Check skill levels
How to figure out how good a writer is?
Many writers' skill levels are easy to figure out if you ask to see some of their work.
But just don't request any specimens. An amazing technical writer may not be good at writing blog posts with stories, so ensure that you look at samples of their work which are equivalent to what they will do for you.
Take into consideration factors like how easy the content is to read, how well it flows, and how well it is written.
If you require help in figuring out how good their prose is, you can do checks via tools to obtain a score on how easy it is to interpret and an idea of how well it is written.
Also, make absolutely sure that they are capable of grabbing your audiences' attention. You have a good idea of what really performed and what hasn't with regards to results. Hence, if the article doesn't grab you right away, don't continue to push it.
2. Gauge experience levels via job descriptions
How to figure out how experienced a writer is?
Note that this is not identical to how good they are at drafting a certain subject or even what kind of content they write.
A writer may be great at writing a blog but not know much about web pages. Or, they could be excellent at writing about business and politics, and yet have no clue on how to compose software or fitness articles.
One way of finding the appropriate writer is to prepare a proper job description prior to looking for one. So, if you are using freelance websites to search for writers or looking specifically for a writing professional or service, everybody will concur before you begin.
Here's an excellent illustration of a content writer job description:
Use this comprehensive content writer job template to get good candidates interested in your job. This template follows rules, suggestions, and techniques which have been shown to bring in qualified people from different backgrounds.
So, only individuals with the kind of expertise you want will apply.
You also can discover their level of experience with your venture by requesting references from past clients. This will show you how many tasks like yours the candidates have finished.
And listen carefully to their queries. A knowledgeable author will enquire about specific things like what you want, what your objectives are, and how you define success. Think of it as a red flag when they don't ask any questions.
3. Consider their interest
Choose somebody who is interested in what you are doing. They should want to talk about your service or product and like it.
The writer will become an essential team player, so it's vital to take their position seriously — so that they can always do their best work for your projects.
Somebody who knows about the subject matter is more inclined to give you good content. Have a phone call or, if feasible, a face-to-face meeting and pay heed to how they speak about the proposal. This will give you an idea of how interested they are.
- How many questions do they ask?
- Do they talk about their professional experience in a way that is useful?
- Although if you can't pick them, will they have any recommendations for you?
- Does it seem like they'll be happy doing the job?
You should decide what to do based on what you learned from that discussion. As with any great interview, they must show that they are keen to work with your brand.
4. Know what you're selling for good marketing
A full-fledged marketing strategy plays a huge role in making a business successful. It’s important to have a plan to ensure that you're reaching out to your audience and getting your message across in an efficient way.
Now, how do you do that? With good content. But how will you ensure that your writers shall deliver relevant content as per your branding requirements? Check out the below tips:
Do your applicants seem to have done their research when you contact them consistently or even while you talk to them in person?
If they seem not to show much dedication and simply want to start writing for you, it could mean that they aren't committed to writing or that they'll work for anyone who pays them.
Here are some ways to tell how much they know about communication:
- Do they really know how to pronounce your brand's name?
- Do they understand what you sell and how you can help them?
- Do they recognise who and what you are up against?
- Do they know about the sector you work in?
- Are they familiar with how your company can use written materials?
If you want to dig a little deeper, you can ask them why they want to write for your brand or what they like best/worst about your company.
5. Consider your budget – turn readers into clients
Consider hiring a professional that you can pay for. You probably have a set amount of money to spend, so write down the amount and adhere to it.
Countless freelancers have pay rates for each project and per hour. But most of the time, you can talk things out.
Always keep in mind that you will get quality as per your payout. Low rates don't always mean that the work is good.
It’s obviously a smarter idea to allocate more funds for content, which will convert your readership into clients. There’s no logic to paying less to content writers who create content that does not have any effect on the business.
Choose how long you need or want the agreement to last or how often you would like content to be sent.
Prior to hiring a writer, it's important to have this kind of editorial schedule in place. You should really not hire a professional if they're going to quit halfway through the task due to scheduling problems or unpaid bills.
6. Check turn-around times
Have you set hard deadlines? Would you require somebody who can deliver an assignment within a day or someone who works only on weekends?
When you are searching for the perfect writer, the above factors are important things to think about.
Make sure to incorporate due dates in your job description. Tell your writer about them right away and make a schedule that works for both of you.
7. Have a policy on corrections
What is your writer's policy when you change your mind about a project midway through the process of writing?
Even if the writer made an error, the experienced and dedicated authors will charge for modifications. Before you begin to work with them, ensure you agree to their policies.
Some prevalent policies to look out for are deadlines for edits (e.g., all the work is complete 48 hours or that a writer shall give you one updated product every week).
8. Take a glance at the portfolio
What kinds of jobs did they do before? Here are some points to know:
- Does their writing have a certain style?
- Can they compose in different ways for different people?
- Does each project involve a great deal of research?
Ensure they can write in the same way that your business does. To do this, look at their profile and try comparing your tasks to what's there.
If you post their written piece on your website site right now, would your readership question why the effectiveness had gone down, and would they reckon the prose was just as good or better than what you have now?
Make absolutely sure the information is something that you're excited to share with your audience.
9. Ask for referrals
If you can, read reviews or talk to some of their past clients. If people have even a fair amount of experience, they would be able to provide references.
Pay attention to that fact when their evaluations aren't great or if your candidates do not get many referrals.
You can request the writer to provide a list of clients and look at their websites to see the work. You could ask applicants about the contact details of two or three people they've collaborated with on a certain project.
You can then reach out to those clients to find out if they enjoyed working with the writer.
Another of the best things to request from a writer's previous clients is if they would recruit them again. If they answer yes, it's a positive indication that you'll like what they have to offer.
If they tell you no, ask them why. Take into account that certain bad referrals could be because the client had set unreasonable standards for the writer.
10. Finally, take likeability into account
This one is difficult to figure out, but the individual you recruit should be someone you appreciate.
And besides, you're probably going to speak to this individual a lot, whether it's over the phone or face-to-face. It's essential that the author you select fits well with who you are and how you work.
For example, if you want all of the material to be authored in Google Docs, you must be certain they know how to use it. Or, if the content calendar is on Trello, ensure that they understand how it operates.
Conclusion
Your primary concern is whether or not you and your writer agree. Discover whether they are inclined to accept criticism, can function creatively as a group, and own their individual database of inspiration and ideas.
Consider making sure that you have clarity about what you want and that you recognize what the writer wants. And keep coming back to this 10-step guide for help.
Business life can be hectic and cluttered, but if you want to do something, there's always a direction. Don't think twice. Start looking for a content writer today and give your company a new outlook!
Author bio
Atreyee Chowdhury works full-time as a Content Manager with a Fortune 1 retail giant. She is passionate about writing and helped many small and medium-scale businesses achieve their content marketing goals with her carefully crafted and compelling content. She loves to read, travel, and experiment with different cuisines in her free time. You can follow her on LinkedIn.