How to Select the Best Content Writer?

Is a Jerk handling your work?

Did you Hire Some Jerk For Content?

Today I was really amused! My friends have given me a new name – Facebook of content. From whence I have hopped on to being a freelance content provider, all they hear from me is SEO content, Content Management, SEO services, role of content for getting high PR’s and something similar. This has actually made them call me by this name!

Jokes apart, as promised earlier I have well researched and mulled over the different ways to hire good writers. Primarily, you must realize that it’s increasingly important to have a good content writer for enterprise content management. There are various techniques to handpick the best talent at reasonable price.

– Understand the Significance of Good Content: Primarily you need to understand the significance of good content. Content writing is actually a Herculean task, if done properly. It isn’t easy to understand the concept and then come up with something original! Content standards need to be set so that you get a promising work done. Content that can help you get tons of traffic is not the work of novice writers. You must understand that content is the pivotal point for traffic, sales, popularity, or monetization. Content is what people want to read, and if that is poor, trust me you cannot succeed!

– Know your Requirements: You must know well in advance, what are you looking for? Do you want the web pages, newsletters, articles, blogs, or ebooks written? Also, streamline your budget! You cannot hire good content writers, with perfect knowledge of SEO, and plan to pay peanuts. You pay peanuts and you get peanuts! Have your keywords ready with you, so that the writer can focus on what you want for your site. Identify the word limit. Usually for article directories, you need 350-400 words articles. For webpages, you must have 500 words articles. For blogs get 25-350 words articles. For Press Releases, nothing less than 500 would be accepted by the Top PR (Press Release) directories.

– Know your Primary Focus! Whether you want generalized articles about varied subjects, or you prefer to promote your products through your articles, or you want to cover news published about your products. You must be clear in mind exactly what are you looking for! Your focused mind will help you get the perfect work done from your writers.

– Post Project on Sites: Now comes the time to look out for content writers. Post your project on sites like elance.com; getafreelancer.com; odesk.com etc which are now regarded to be the best platforms for hiring writers! You need to get registered with each one of them before posting projects. Don’t worry – registration is free.

TIP: I have often noticed that project providers are in such a hurry that they do not mention the details of the bproject and write something as obsolete as:

“Want writers for a project for website at ……$ per article. Only willing writers must reply. Work to be done ASAP.”

This sort of a project would be best to attract flies to write content for you and leave you in a most awkward position fighting and struggling to get some traffic on your site! What is the harm in devoting 10 more minutes and specifying the details of the project, so that you can attract the best talent for your work?

Write something like:

“Want SEO content written for website related to travel (mention the industry). We shall be providing you with the keywords and you need to focus on them. All articles must be 350-400 words and must pass Copyscape. (mention if the work is ongoing or if it is a short term project). Need (mention the number of articles needed) 50 articles done in …… (specify the time limit) days. And are willing to pay …..$ per article. Please include a sample of your work for our consideration”

So you see the difference! It has not taken me more than 10 minutes to mention all my requirements. This makes it easy for the content writer also o understand your requirement and then submit the required work.

– Check the samples: Do not ignore this! Do check the samples of previous work of your writers. Many a times the writers write for websites and do not own the authorship for the articles. In such circumstances it is difficult to ascertain whether they have actually written the articles or no! But there is one more choice – ask them to write an article on any topic of your choice. Their writing skills can be easily determined. Remember that if someone is willing to work at very low rates, it isn’t your path! No experienced and good content writer will be ready to work for peanuts!

– Be willing To Pay: Continuing my previous point, do pay well! Do not think of hiring the best talent and still saving your pocket. Shelling now would help you earn long term gains. The profits would be enormous.

– Get Started: SO you have finally selected a writer! What are you waiting for? Get going with your work. Give them the keywords, specify the word length, have strict deadlines, check the first few articles to see if your writers are working in the right direction, and have a great site.

Wish you Luck! Happy writing.

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