03 Mar 2009 |
|
|
The key to driving traffic to your website, and to keep your regular visitors interested in your website, is to ensure that the content is interesting, up to date and refreshed on a regular basis. Feeding your readers' insatiable appetite for news, tips, reviews and articles is more than a full time job for serious bloggers - there comes a point when most decide to outsource a few articles a week. However, this is a time consuming task and hiring a full time team of content writers may not be economically viable, especially if you run a small business. Outsourcing content may sound a little risky, so here are some tips on how to find freelancers and to ensure good quality content, allowing you to spend more time on the overall strategy of your website. Where to Find Freelance writersThere is no shortage of freelance writers, but actually finding one can be daunting if you have never done so before. So rather than waste your time and money, here are some places where you are guaranteed to find writers. 1. Hire an agency There are several agencies that offer good quality content at reasonable prices. They usually have a dedicated team of experienced writers who regularly write content for several clients. Using an agency will guarantee that the content is delivered on time and in your preferred style. Always search for the best rates available and check the agency references to be sure that the quality meets your standards. 2. Freelance marketplace sites Sites like eLance and Peopleperhour offer a low risk way to hire a freelance content writer without having to work through an agency. Here you can register a job and the freelancers will bid on the job. You set up the payment terms with the transfers either going through the sites' own payment systems or direct via PayPal. If there are any disputes you can ask the site managers to help resolve the issues. Just remember to always ask for a writing sample or references before hiring a freelancer to check that they are really capable of providing good quality content. 3. Job boards If you want to avoid paying commission to agencies or freelance marketplace sites, you can always post your job requirements on general marketplace sites like Craigslist, Gumtree and Freelance Writing Gigs. The main risk here is that if a dispute arises, you have to sort it out yourself. Again always check the freelancer's credentials thoroughly before taking them onboard to avoid any disappointment. 4. Recommendations One of the safest ways to outsource some, or all of your content is to hire a freelancer who has been recommended by someone you know. Ask your colleagues, friends or business associates if they know of someone that may be interested in contributing to your website. Many people wanting to get into content writing may even be prepared to write for free initially to build up their profiles - just remember to include their names in the byline. 5. Guest writers Advertising for guest writers is another excellent way to get free content from subject matter experts. It is an excellent way to engage your site visitors as many people would like to contribute their ideas to posted news, or discussions. These types of contributors don't expect to be paid either so it is a win-win situation. Guidelines for Recruiting & Training WritersNo matter what path you choose in order to outsource your content writing, there are some basic guidelines you should follow to ensure you get the type of content you require, and from a suitably skilled writer. 6. Write a clearly defined job specification Ensure that your job posting clearly defines the type of content required, the style of writing preferred and if you expect any specific experience. Be specific about the deliverables and the project duration. It is also important to request writing samples, published or unpublished, so that you can judge each applicant on the strength of their writing. 7. Quality not quantity There are plenty of eager providers out there that will tell you they can deliver large volumes within very short time. Be aware that unless they are an agency, you could potentially be looking at someone that does little research, or will deliver poor quality. Ask them for references and for samples of published work before hiring them. 8. Price shouldn't be the only deciding factor Although definitely a consideration in selecting the right person for the job, cost shouldn't be the only consideration. If someone is willing to write a 1,000 word article for $5, then don't expect top quality work. Look for a happy middle ground which will fit into your budget range and also ensure that you get an experienced writer on board. 9. Look for specific experience If you run a specialist website it is best to hire a freelancer that has the specific expertise. Make sure that you specify the type of experience required in the job specification and check that the applicants actually have the required experience. Ask them for their job history, links to sample work related to the subject matter or for a sample article written on your chosen topic. 10. Define payment terms upfront Avoid potential misunderstandings and frustrations by clearly defining and agreeing the terms of payment with your selected freelancer before they start working for you, perhaps even going so far as to dust off your print cartridges and printing out a formal contract. If it is a large, costly project then it is probably good to agree to partial payment once a particular milestone has been met. This will increase the freelancer's trust in you as an honest paying customer, and it will also give the freelancer an incentive to meet the project milestones. Don't forget that when you're paying for the job, if you pay for it using a rewards credit card you could get a free flight out of it! 11. Review submissions When a new freelancer starts working for you, review their work. Don't be shy to critique it and ask for changes. Professional freelance writers are happy to apply changes to their work to ensure that you get exactly what you want. It also ensures that only the best submissions make it on to your site. 12. Simple is best, at first To lower the overall risk when hiring freelancers, it is probably best if you start by asking for a simple project to be completed first. As you become more confident in their delivery, then you can start asking for more complex, in depth projects. This way you build up a good relationship with the freelancer over time. Outsourcing online content definitely has proven benefits: you don't have to employ full time staff and your sites content is regularly updated with interesting content, leaving you to concentrate on the more important income generation aspects of your website. If you've got any other tips and tricks be sure to share them in the comments! Comments (4)
...
I think if you want to outsource copy and content - find someone nearby. If someone is going to help you blog, or blog for you, you need to know if they're good and they need to understand your business. |
