8 Things to Know Before Hiring Your First Freelance Writer

To run a successful online business, you need to consistently produce high-quality content. Whether it’s blog posts for your website, marketing copy for your social media ads, or content for your email newsletters, you need top-notch content to attract customers, drive traffic to your website, and drive sales.

Related Post: What is a Freelancer Management System (FMS)

But if you don’t have the time and skill to write, creating compelling content can prove challenging. That’s where freelance writers come in. Great freelance writers can help you create engaging content that saves you time and helps you attract the right customers.

But with thousands of freelance writers available on freelance websites, how do you go about hiring a suitable writer? If you’re looking to hire, here are eight essential things you need to know before hiring your first freelance writer.

1. Request for Writing Samples

Conducting an interview and looking over a freelance writer’s resume can tell you a lot about the writer, but doing these things won’t help you gauge the writer’s writing. Instead, checking out the writer’s published work is the best way to determine if the writer is a good fit for your company.

You can vet prospective writers by checking out their websites or profiles on sites like Medium for portfolio examples. Alternatively, you can also ask prospective candidates to send you samples they’ve written when they apply for your job listing.

Also Read: How to find Wholesalers for Your Small business?

Once you receive the samples, use a writing tool to check for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Additionally, use a plagiarism checker to ascertain the work belongs to the writer. Also, check if the writer’s pieces fit with your company’s brand personality. If the writer’s samples check all these boxes and captivate you, you may want to hire or shortlist the writer.

2. Test Potential Writers

Once you check out some samples and find a freelance writer that has great samples, consider offering the writer a short, paid test. While it will take some time and money, offering the writer a paid test is an excellent way to determine whether they can write pieces relevant to your industry.

You may also want to ask prospective writers to take tests to assess their language proficiency. Doing this is especially important if you decide to hire writers who aren’t native English speakers.

Also Read: The Many Benefits of Moissanite

3. Interview the Writer

If the writer passes the test, you’ll still need to interview them to determine if they’re a good fit for your company. Some key questions you should ask during the interview include:

• What industries do you specialize in?
• What do you write about often?
• What do you enjoy writing about?
• How would you describe your writing tone?
• What’s your research process when writing new content?
• How do you deal with writing about topics you’re not knowledgeable about?
• Do you have experience conducting interviews?
• Do you know how to write content optimized for search engines?
• How many words can you comfortably write in a day?
• How much time do you take to complete a piece?
• What are your working hours?
• Are you comfortable performing revisions if necessary?
• What are your rates?
• How many revisions are included in your rates?
• Do you have any content ideas for my business?

While these questions aren’t exhaustive, they are great questions that can help you determine whether the freelance writer will be a good match for your business.

The post 8 Things to Know Before Hiring Your First Freelance Writer first appeared on Tycoonstory Media.