How to Choose the Best Freelance Writer for Your Blog

You have the perfect idea for an online undertaking. May be you have already set up the blog or someone has already done it for you. Now you are at one of the most important parts of any blog – content creation. May be you don’t have the time or the confidence to do it yourself despite having the ideas and the topics you want covered. You are considering outsourcing the writing of the blog posts to a freelance writer. You are not sure how to get the best writer for this job. Here is help on how to get one.

The writer’s experience

Establish the extent of the writer’s experience. It should be wide enough and relevant to your chosen field. The spelling and grammar should be excellent and proved in real writing and not from the profile alone. The writer should also have a good grasp of online writing techniques and at least the basics of using relevant keywords and SEO techniques.

If the writer is good in writing generally and also an expert in the topic of your blog, that is an added advantage.

Having a writer with some marketing experience can help you achieve more.

Once you have zeroed in on a particular writer, either get samples or give them a test job to confirm their suitability for the job.

Internet research techniques

Most of the writing the writer will do will be based on research done on the internet. A good writer should be able to sieve through millions of website and come up with relevant content for your blog. Inability to do this is a serious handicap that promises poor blog posts content.

Understand what the writer is offering you

Let it be clear from the beginning on what the writing package includes. For example, what does the cost quoted by the writer include? Does it cover any rewrites/edits and if so, how many and what will the cost be? Are there any images? What about copyright issues? What about authorship – will the writer benefit from a byline? All these information is necessary before hiring the writer.

Ask questions about any special requirements

Give the writer a chance to ask if there are specific needs he requires from you. This could include:

References
Background information/history
Any keywords you want included and if possible keyword density.
Photographs
Links

Mode of payment

Establish the rates in terms of per page or per word and then discuss with the writer a convenient mode of payment that works for both of you. Indicate whether payments will be direct or through a third party and when such payments are expected.

Work delivery

It is important to get it from the writer how long the job will take. A time frame creates responsibility and gives you time to plan for other work or prepare payments. It creates efficiency and good planning.

Training needs

A good writer understands that every client has his unique needs. Is the writer ready to take suggested directions to fit the needs of your blog? This could involve some training from your side. If the writer is willing to adapt to your style, then he could be good for your blog.

It may be difficult to land on an ideal writer the first time but sometimes patience pays dividends through a continued working relationship.