Reasons to Hire a Freelance Writer

Many business owners don’t consider hiring freelance writers when they start their companies. However, in reality, almost every business can benefit if they hire a freelance writer. Freelance writers don’t just make a living writing magazine content or newspaper stories. Instead, for most freelance writers, content marketing is their bread and butter. That means that they are specialists in creating content that sells your business—something that is difficult to do in-house. When you consider this ability, the question becomes not whether your business can benefit from working with a freelance writer but instead how you can get by without one.

Keep in mind that if you’re not working with a freelance writer, there is a good chance your competitors are. Can you really afford to overlook their services? Here is a closer look at some of the reasons your business should hire a freelance writer. You’ll also discover how to close the deal with the right writer for your needs.

So, what exactly does a freelance writer do?

Freelance writers are in the business of content creation. They work with a number of different kinds of clients to produce content according to each individual client’s needs. When you decide to work with a freelance writer, you will set out the terms of the work that you need to be completed, negotiate payment terms, and then receive the content that was created according to your specifications. Freelance writers are the chameleons of the content world. They can adopt the voice of different brands and write to different style preferences. This ensures that the content you get sounds like it was created by someone in-house, instead of a freelancer.

For this work, you get the benefit of working with someone on a freelance basis instead of the additional expense of hiring a full-time employee to be in charge of content creation, as well as the expertise your freelance writer has in the field of content marketing. You also get the benefit of working with a professional writer, instead of making in-house content creation a second thought that gets done by anyone who has some free time in their schedule. Quite simply, the content that is created by a freelance writer will be better than almost anything you can create in-house, since freelancers have the time to focus on the content exclusively.

What kind of content can a freelance writer create?

You name it, and a freelance writer can create it. The trick is finding the right writer for the job at hand. Some of the most common forms of content that freelance writers create include:

Blog posts.

For businesses, freelance writers usually create blog posts that are SEO-driven to highlight services or products provided by the company. These posts drive traffic to the business’ site and help to establish the business as an industry leader. Freelance writers also sometimes ghostwrite posts for personal blogs and write journalistic style blogs for news sites.

Onsite web copy.

These pieces are written to be core website pages, such as location pages, FAQ pages, and product/service pages. SEO must be a consideration for these pages to ensure that they drive traffic to the site.

Ad copy.

Ad copy can be published on your website or in ads published across the web. It can also be used for ads in print publications or in circulars mailed to your customers. Freelance writers focus on marketing writing for a living. Thus, they are adept at creating the right kind of ad copy for different styles of campaigns.

eBooks.

eBooks are long-form, in-depth guides to a specific topic. Often, businesses offer eBooks for free download. They help to make the business appear authoritative about the topic in question.

White papers.

White papers are informational, long-form texts like eBooks, but they are more analytical and data-driven in style and format. For governmental groups, white papers are used to argue for a specific viewpoint using data to support the position. For businesses, white papers are used for marketing purposes but are still rooted in careful data analysis.

Case studies.

Case studies are in-depth examinations of a single topic or issue. They are more singularly focused than eBooks but can be less formal than white papers.

Social media content.

Tweets, Facebook posts, and other social media posts that highlight other pieces of content and market the products/services of the business.

Product manuals.

From technical manuals to intensive how-to guides, freelancers can write copy for your website and packaging to help consumers use your products more efficiently.

Grants.

Freelance writers can prepare grant applications on behalf of your company, carefully following the requirements for each individual grant. A successful grant writer can dramatically increase your chances of obtaining the grants you are seeking.

This long list of content types is just a sampling of the work that a freelance writer can create. Whether you need a few social media posts or an entire novel to be ghostwritten, you can find a freelance writer who has the skills, knowledge, and experience to create the content you want.

Whatever kind of content you hire a freelance writer to create, you can rely on the fact that they are doing something that is very difficult for business owners to do themselves: tell the story about your company in a way that your customers can understand. It’s always challenging for companies to distill the information they want to provide to their customers to a level that doesn’t require any specialized knowledge. When you’re close to the business, it’s hard to see what a new customer will need to know. A freelance writer brings that fresh perspective and presents your information in a way that is straightforward and clear.

Can I save money using a content mill?

When you decide to hire a freelance writer, you may be tempted by the low rates offered by so-called content mill services. Content mills are one-stop shops for hiring freelance writers to write content marketing pieces. The rates they charge are typically lower than those offered by individual freelance writers.

SEO Missteps

Although many talented, capable freelance writers cut their teeth in content mills, there are many good reasons for businesses to avoid working with mills. Perhaps most importantly, content marketing has outgrown the content mill model. In the past, successful content marketing required SEO-dense pieces that prized keyword placement over writing quality. Those days are over, but content mills still follow that framework with the pieces they provide. The content you get from mills could be ineffective, but that’s not all. It could actually end up hurting your traffic by running afoul of current search engine standards.

Generic Content

Likewise, you can’t get the degree of content specification from a content mill that you can from working with a freelance writer directly. The content mill will filter communication between you and the writer. As a result, you cannot directly communicate information about your brand, your voice, and the style you want. A different writer is likely to complete each project you order from a content mill. Thus, you won’t get the chance to build a working relationship with a freelancer who is familiar with your business and your identity, nor will you get content with a seamless voice.

Most businesses find that the savings they see from working with a content mill are not worth the additional time needed to rework the content. Heavy revisions may be necessary. The content may not fit their brand’s voice or may contain incorrect information about products or services. If you have an ongoing need for content, you’ll get more bang for your buck by developing a relationship with a freelance writer you can turn to on a regular basis. Hiring freelance writers directly also lets you vet their experience. That way, you can work with writers who are knowledgeable about your industry and able to write content for your field.

How can I start hiring freelance writers?

The easiest way to find a freelance writer is to write a job description and submit it to online job sites. Freelance writers visit these sites frequently to search for new clients and pitch for jobs that seem like a fit for the kind of work they can do. Writers Work has a job board for employers in search of freelance writers. This gives our members an opportunity to see your project and apply for it in a few simple steps.

Businesses can also browse our Writers Marketplace to find freelance writers who are experienced with the kind of content they need. Within the Writers Marketplace, you will find writing samples, get information about past writing experience, and see resumes from experienced freelancers who are part of the Writers Work community. Writers Work freelance writers use the most advanced tools available to craft content that meets all of the needs of their clients, with the ability to submit work within the system. See how a freelance writer can change the way you do business. Use our network to find a writer today!