A small business brand relies not only on visual cues, (like logos and reinforcing color schemes), but also heavily on the content to help you tell your story, explain your vision, share the benefits of working with you, and build trust.
Using a good freelance writer for your business can help consistently deliver your brand messaging and help build authority within your given industry.
Yet, it’s challenging for business owners to tackle content development on their own, even knowing how it will help boost awareness and expand their foothold on the local market. The process is labor-intensive and time-sensitive. Unfortunately, these are luxuries that most business owners cannot afford.
And this is where a professional, experienced, and proficient freelance writer can help. But how do you pick one? Here are our top 15 questions to ask before hiring a good freelance writer for your business:
1) Are they familiar with your industry and relatable topics?
While the best freelancers are very flexible and adept at research, it helps if they are familiar with the topics they will write elaborate or explain. For instance, some industries, such as medical, pharmaceutical, engineering, mining, financial services, or oil and gas, deal with jargon and technical terms.
2) Different verticals or topics can cost more. Are they cost-effective?
Some writers command a higher fee while others take whatever jobs that land on their laps. That’s not to say that affordable writers cannot meet your demands. But they tend to accept as many as possible, which means a dip in quality, and routinely missing your deadline.
3) Do they research communication styles & adhere to brand guidelines?
Any freelance writer worth their salt would do their due diligence to study the client’s website to get an insight into the content’s subject matter, tone, structure, and quality.
4) Will they provide proof or guarantee of unique content?
Plagiarism will not only result in being flagged by Google and other search engines, but your reputation will also take a hit. Fortunately, writers have copywriting tools to check for plagiarism and ensure 100% fresh content.
5) Can they provide twists on commonly sought information?
Writers are proficient at producing a fresh take on a stale and repetitive subject. In addition, they know how to avoid time-bound articles to ensure your website’s content is evergreen.
6) Can they write about specialized info or from a unique viewpoint?
Each writer brings along their biases, experience, and style even though they write within the project’s parameters. So, their output always comes from a distinct perspective.
7) Do they provide free rewrites? How many?
Freelance writers can rewrite a single subject multiple times. The frequency will depend upon your request. But understand that they can only make revisions so many times until the quality suffers.
8) How accessible or available are they?
The brand manager or professional headhunter can help screen freelance writers with a track record of excellence and meeting deadlines. In contrast, some freelancers may write better but are hardly accessible.
9) What is their average turnaround time?
The answer depends on the length and the topic’s complexity. A 24-hour turnaround for a 1,500 or 2,000-word article is reasonable. But expect at least a 48-hour delivery to account for editing and proofreading. For comparison, a 10,000-word article may take about ten days.
10) Can they source reputable content without compromising your brand?
Experienced writers know when to cite, pluck an idea online, and find sources to produce quality content that will end up on your website.
11) Do they provide enhancements like graphics, video, or artwork?
Freelance writers typically deliver text content only, although sometimes they include non-copyright graphics, photos, and charts to add more meat to the story. Videos and artworks may be outside their purview of expertise.
12) Do they provide website-specific formatting or content publishing?
While it’s not typically done, writers are flexible. You can lay the parameters on the order request to guide the freelancers when writing the content.
13) Do they provide content development recommendations or strategies?
It’s not industry practice unless you specifically ask since content writing is not the same as content development. Nevertheless, the writer may improve your website content to make it search engine-friendly while addressing the reader’s pain points.
14) Do they provide meta titles and meta description information?
Upon request, freelance writers can include meta titles and meta descriptions for SEO purposes.
15) What are their methods for billing and product delivery?
The product delivery is client-specific, meaning you must inform them about your method of choice to receive the final output, such as email, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. They will bill you through PayPal, digital wallets, electronic bank transfers, Venmo, and others.
Interviewing multiple writers and screening their outputs would be the ideal route to take. But then again, it means taking time out of your busy schedule to shortlist the best candidates and ultimately deciding on your final pick. If you prefer to skip the exhaustive process of identifying the writer representing your brand, you should speak to a brand manager. The specialist also offers the added benefit of overseeing your project—from development to implementation—-so that you focus on your core expertise, which is running your business.
Don’t currently have a brand manager? Our team can help!
Reach out to Back2Basics today to learn more about our customizable business services and solutions!
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