If you’re like most people, the idea of hiring freelance writers to create content for your business probably seems overwhelming. That said, there are a few common mistakes you might be making that are turning off potential candidates and complicating the hiring process.
In this post, I’ll offer some tips on how to avoid these issues and help make sure that your next freelance writer is as great as can be.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Avoid rushing the hiring process to ensure you find the right fit for your projects. |
| 2. Clearly define your project requirements and expectations before hiring freelancers. |
| 3. Avoid hiring based solely on low rates; prioritize quality and experience. |
| 4. Set clear communication channels to ensure effective collaboration with freelancers. |
| 5. Provide constructive feedback to help freelancers improve their work. |
| 6. Avoid micromanaging; trust freelancers to deliver results. |
| 7. Ensure contracts are in place to protect both parties’ interests. |
| 8. Avoid hiring freelancers without checking their portfolios and references. |
| 9. Be transparent about deadlines and project timelines from the start. |
| 10. Avoid making last-minute changes to project requirements. |
| 11. Respect freelancers’ time and availability; avoid abrupt changes to schedules. |
| 12. Provide clear payment terms and stick to agreed-upon payment schedules. |
| 13. Avoid vague or unclear instructions; provide detailed project briefs. |
| 14. Be open to feedback and collaborate with freelancers for better results. |
1. Don’t Talk About Your Budget
From the beginning, we need to establish a few things: you’re hiring a freelance content writer agency and not an in-house employee. There are no benefits or paid time off, no health insurance, or 401k matching. You won’t be covering any part of their living expenses or travel costs (unless explicitly specified as part of a contract).
You also have no control over their work schedules or work hours if they want to work nights and weekends, they will do so with no objections from you whatsoever. Because everything is out in the open from the get-go, there shouldn’t be any surprises down the road (and if there are… well… let’s hope that wasn’t before signing).
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2. Don’t Talk About Your Budget – Again
The word “budget” is a dirty word in the freelance writing world. It’s not sexy, it’s not fun and it doesn’t sound like a good time. So don’t bring up money unless you have to!
There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t talk about your budget when hiring a content writers agency but here is a one:
You need to be flexible when working with creative people; if they tell you how much they can do for X number of dollars per week and then when presented with that possibility you say no, there won’t be any more communication between the two parties involved. That’s what happened at my first job as an assistant editor at an online magazine.
I was told that all editorial staff would receive a certain amount of dollars per hour based on experience level (ranging from $12 -$18). When I asked how much I should aim for (given my 0 years of experience), they said “Well… whatever we agree upon.” Which meant nothing ever got decided because no one wanted to discuss money matters.
3. Don’t Make Requests For Large Lists Of Posts Or Other Deliverables Upfront
Asking for a long list of deliverables upfront is one of the worst things you can do when hiring freelance writers. It’s easy to feel like having every possible blog post or article outlined in detail would help your process run more smoothly, but this is rarely the case.
Some agencies might be able to commit to writing a certain number of posts per month, but most won’t be able to do that unless you’ve worked with them before. At most, ask for 2-3 months’ worth at once so that you can assign work appropriately rather than asking for everything ahead of time and having nothing left over when it comes time for another assignment!
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4. Don’t Ask For A Content Creation Sample On Spec (For Free)
If you’re hiring freelancers, chances are you have a specific project in mind and are looking for someone who can deliver the goods. You need to be able to see that the writer can do what they say they can do before they start working on your project.
The best way to do this is through their samples this is why we require samples from all of our writers as part of their application process (even though we don’t use those samples when making hiring decisions).
Content isn’t cheap, so it’s important that only writers who understand what we need and are capable of delivering high-quality work join our team. A good sample will show off their writing skills, creativity level, and ability to meet deadlines all qualities that will be reflected in any future projects from them.
5. Don’t Make Hiring Decisions Based On Speed And Price Alone
Don’t make hiring decisions based on speed and price alone. While it’s important to consider the cost of a service, don’t just choose the cheapest option. Doing so can lead you to hire someone who can’t do the job or is too slow for your needs.
The same goes for considering speed over quality: if you need something done in two days, don’t just hire anyone who can meet that deadline; they might be able to produce something readable, but will it be good enough? And how will they deal with revisions once you’ve had time to review their work?
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6. Don’t Ignore Red Flags During The Interview Process
Now that you have a list of candidates who fit the description of your ideal writer, it’s time to start the interview process. You’ve done your research on them and their work, but this is where you get to know them and see if there’s chemistry between the two of you.
Do not ignore red flags at this stage! If someone seems off during the interview process, they may be off after they’re hired as well. For example:
- Don’t hire someone who doesn’t fit into your culture or brand voice. If they can’t play well with others in an interview setting, how do they think they’ll handle working around other people?
- Don’t hire someone who doesn’t understand your business or industry or even just what it means to write content for said business/industry
7. Don’t Think You Can “Train” Someone For Content Creation…they Either Get It, Or They Don’t
Content creation is a skill, and it’s not something that can be learned in a few days. You may have someone on your team who has the aptitude to learn the basics of writing well enough to produce content for you, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to be able to master it any time soon.
While it’s true that some people are naturally talented writers and can pick up this skill with ease (we call them those “born” writers), most need at least some basic training before they can produce high-quality content.
But even if you provide all the training in the world, there’s no guarantee that someone will become an excellent writer overnight. That’s because content creation requires patience and practice, as well as an innate talent for storytelling, and not everyone has what it takes!
8. Don’t use unqualified freelance writers to create content for your company or personal brand
When you hire a freelancer, make sure they have the skills and experience needed to do the job well. If you’re hiring a writer, ensure that they can write in your desired tone and style. If you’re hiring an editor, check their credentials don’t just take their word for it that they are qualified to edit your work!
Doing so could mean paying out of pocket for editing services if something goes wrong later down the road.
It’s better to know what kind of person is working on your projects so there aren’t any surprises later on down the road when things go wrong because someone wasn’t qualified enough for the job yet still got hired anyway without telling anyone else about their lack of qualifications until after they’d already started work on something important like writing content pieces which caused problems later on down
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9. Don’t Expect Sales And Marketing Copywriting To Be Interchangeable With Seo Or Content Writing
You may have heard that SEO and copywriting are interchangeable. They’re not! Here are five reasons why:
SEO and copywriting have different skill sets; Copywriters write marketing content, website text, and social media posts; SEOs optimize websites for search engines and help them rank higher in organic search results.
The skillsets required to do these jobs differ widely, for example, you can’t be an effective blogger without being able to create engaging content that attracts your audience’s attention online; but it’s relatively easy to hire someone who knows how to optimize your website for better search engine rankings without knowing how to write well!
SEO and copywriting have different processes; While some aspects of both roles overlap (like keyword research), overall the process used by each discipline is very different: while a good copywriter will listen carefully when you explain what message you want to be conveyed through their work so that they can craft something compelling around those requirements.
An experienced SEO will want specific details about how exactly their work will be used so they know where best to emphasize optimization elements such as title tags or meta descriptions to maximize effectiveness across multiple platforms like Google search results pages themselves versus social media sites such as Facebook.
Where other factors come into play when determining which piece of content gets shown above others within news feeds when someone clicks link shares/posts related articles they find interesting while browsing Pinterest boards all while making sure
10. Don’t Hire A Freelancer Who Doesn’t Keep Up With The Changes In Seo/Content Strategy
Whether you’re just starting and looking for a content writer or you’re a seasoned pro, your writers must know how to adapt. The industry is always changing and if your freelancer isn’t willing to change with the times, they won’t be able to provide quality work.
Make sure you choose someone who understands that SEO/content strategy needs to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of search engines and social media platforms. You don’t want to hire someone who can only write about whatever happened last week (unless it’s still relevant).
11. Don’t Hire People Who Don’t Incorporate Evergreen And Trending Content Topics Into Their Work
When hiring content writers, it’s important to keep up with what is trending, evergreen, and relevant.
Trending topics are those that are current and in the news at the moment. Evergreen topics are those that have staying power and will always be relevant for many years to come. Relevant topics are about your audience’s interests and needs.
When you hire freelance writers who don’t incorporate these 3 things into their work, you run the risk of being left behind by your competition or missing out on key SEO opportunities because they weren’t able to capitalize on the timely nature of a particular topic or keyword phrase.
12. Don’t Accept Work That Doesn’t Meet Your Standards Or Deliverables
Don’t accept work that doesn’t meet your standards or deliverables. This is another question many agencies will ask in the initial call with a potential client. If you ask this question and they say no, walk away from them.
They won’t be able to deliver on time or within budget, which means they won’t be able to deliver quality content either and those are all things you want in an agency relationship.
Don’t accept work that is not on time. Timely delivery is incredibly important when hiring an agency because it affects everything else: quality, budget, and brand alignment are all impacted by late deliveries or missed deadlines (or even worse those pesky “deliverables lag times”).
Don’t accept poor communication skills from freelancers/writers working for you especially if it’s related to their ability to meet deadlines. A writer who can’t communicate well with his/her supervisor will only result in more problems down the road (like missing deadlines).
Don’t accept poor writing skills from freelancers/writers working for you especially if it’s related to their ability to meet deadlines! A writer who can’t communicate well with his/her supervisor will only result in more problems down the road (like missing deadlines).
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13. Don’t Try To Manage A Freelancer Like You’d Manage An Employee The Expectations Are Different
While freelancers tend to be more expensive than in-house employees, they also offer certain advantages. Freelancers don’t need to be managed or supervised, and you’re not accountable for their actions. For example, if a freelancer does something that negatively impacts your brand’s reputation or causes financial loss, it’s not on your shoulders it’s the freelancer’s responsibility alone.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if a freelancer decides that working with you isn’t worth the trouble anymore, he or she can pack up and leave at any time without having to give notice (if an agreement has been made).
14. Don’t Ask Your Freelance Writer To Do Less Than What It’s Worth To You, Just Because You Feel Bad About Charging More Money
Don’t ask your freelance writer to do less than what it’s worth to you, just because you feel bad about charging more money.
I’ve heard this one a lot: “My budget is really small, so I’m going to ask my writer to do the work for less than they’re worth.” Or sometimes it’s phrased like this: “I don’t want them thinking that I’m taking advantage of them or not paying enough.” But here’s the thing: no freelancer wants their client thinking about how much money they’re making; that’s no fun for anyone involved.
So instead of asking for a discount because you feel guilty about charging more money or trying not to make someone else uncomfortable, remember that we’re all working toward the same goal here great content and happy clients.
Final Thoughts
If you’re interested in getting a writing agency to help you with your content marketing, avoid doing the things mentioned above. Take time to choose the right agency for your needs and ask them about their process. Your goal should be to find an agency that can deliver quality content that speaks to your target audience, without breaking the bank.
Further Reading
The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Freelancers: Learn the ins and outs of hiring freelancers and how to find the best talent for your projects.
A Comprehensive Guide to Hiring Freelance Writers: Get valuable tips and insights on how to hire freelance writers who can deliver high-quality content for your business.
How to Hire Content Writers: A Step-by-Step Guide: Follow this detailed guide to effectively hire content writers and enhance your content marketing strategy.
People Also Ask
What Should I Look For In A Freelancer?
You should look for someone knowledgeable about the topic they are writing about. You also want someone who can write quickly, accurately, and with a voice that fits your brand. They should be able to communicate clearly with you and make sure that you are happy with their work.
Finally, they must be reliable you don’t want them disappearing on you or delivering subpar work.
How Do I Find A Good Freelance Content Writer?
You can find a good freelance content writer by searching for them on Upwork or Freelancer.com. You can also ask other businesses for recommendations they may have used the same people recently and can tell you if they were happy with their services or not. Additionally, many companies will offer free trials so that you can try out different writers before choosing one to hire permanently.
How Much Should I Pay My Content Writer?
The price of hiring a freelance content writer depends on several factors: how much experience they have (the more experienced they are at writing professionally online, the more expensive it will be), where they live (the closer they are to you geographically, the less expensive it will be)
What Should I Look For In A Freelance Content Writer Agency?
A good place to start is by making sure that they have experience writing articles for your specific industry (or at least something closely related). If they don’t have any experience writing about your industry, then it might be best if you find someone else who does. You also want to make sure that their rates are reasonable compared to other agencies in the area.
How Do I Know If Their Rates Are Reasonable?
It depends on how much experience they have in writing articles for your specific industry as well as how much work they’ll need to do on each project. For example, if they’ve been writing articles about your niche for years and can finish them quickly without much effort then their rates will probably be higher than someone who doesn’t have much experience with your niche.
What Do You Mean When You Say “Freelance Content Writers Agency”?
We are a group of writers who work together to provide businesses with high-quality content, in a variety of formats and styles. We’re not just writing for SEO purposes; we also write for the reader and to tell our clients’ stories engagingly and compellingly that will resonate with their target audience.
What Is The Difference Between Hiring A Freelancer And An Agency?
Hiring a freelancer is like hiring a one-man band you get what you pay for! Most freelancers don’t have the kind of support structure that an agency does, so they don’t have access to writers who can help them out when they’re stuck on something. They also don’t have the resources to research topics or keep up with trends in their industry.
Are There Any Other Benefits To Working With An Agency?
Absolutely! Hiring an agency gives you access to multiple writers who can work together on your project, which means more ideas and better results for your business. Agencies also offer consistency across all titles, which makes it easier for readers (and search engines!) to find what they’re looking for.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.