Having an online presence is crucial for any business– large or small, local or international. Your customers are already online, performing research, comparing brands, and ultimately, making purchases. In fact, over 80% of people looking to buy something will head to the internet to do their research first.
This principle doesn’t only apply to online retailers. In fact, 86% of prospective customers read reviews on the internet to check if a local business is worth a visit. For people in the 18–34 age bracket, that number rises to a whopping 95%!
Despite the advantages, only 64% of small businesses have their own website. It’s time for change. If you’re a business owner, targeted and engaging online content should be a priority in your marketing strategy. One of the most convenient and effective ways to assure this is to bring in the professionals.
The process of bringing on board a professional needn’t be troublesome. We’ve put together a handy guide to help you hire a good content writer.
Why Hire a Content Writer for Your Business?
Digital content is an important component of any brand’s marketing strategy. But as you know, running a business can quickly devour all your time! When there are so many tasks to manage, sitting down and writing an online post probably won’t be on top of your to-do list.
Content writers to the rescue! The professionals have all the knowledge and expertise to craft bespoke content for your brand and its target audience. Whether your goal is to increase footfall to your store, generate more leads, nurture customer relationships, boost sales, expand market share, or any other business objective, a content writer will help you get results.
The best part? You’ll be able to invest your valuable time in the tasks that require your attention, safe in the knowledge that your online content is being taken care of by the experts!
What a Content Writer Does
You’re probably wondering, what does content writing mean? You might be surprised to learn that a content writer does a lot more than putting together beautiful sentences and paragraphs! It all starts with client consultation. Content writers find out exactly what business owners want to achieve and work with them to create a strategy. This also gives an entrepreneur the chance to learn more about the process. No question is too elementary for the writer to answer; you can even start with what are content writing services?
From there, your writer will research the subject matter, come up with a new angle, incorporate SEO tactics, and write a first draft. Once you’ve had a chance to review the draft and request any adjustments, the content will be edited and provided to you for posting. You can also ask your writer to complete this step on your behalf.
In short, we are strategists, researchers, SEO experts, creative writers, and editors. We love using our skills to help you achieve your business goals!
How to Hire a Content Writer for Your Website
The process of hiring a writer needn’t be intimidating! Using the steps below, you’ll be set up in no time.
1. Decide What You Need
Think about which types of written content your brand needs. This could be one, more, or all of the following: landing pages, blog posts, About Us pages, social media posts, and product pages. Any kind of copywriting your business needs, a writer will be able to take care of it! You may also wish to ask for suggestions from your writer; they’ll have the experience to give you helpful advice.
2. Set a Post Frequency
How often would you like new posts to be available on your website or social media channels? It’s a good idea to post frequently, but consistency is more important. Don’t commit to several posts a day if resources won’t permit. Your audience would much prefer a well-written post two or three times a week, rather than scattered content that appears out of the blue.
3. Choose Someone Who Matches Your Vision
This is a crucial step. As part of the hiring process, confirm that potential writers really understand the message and vision you’re trying to convey. Check that they can write in your brand’s voice and replicate the narrative you’ve built to date.
4. Request and Review Proof of Quality
Good writers are more than happy to show off their portfolios! Ask for relevant pieces of work they’ve written in the past and review them to make sure that your prospective writer produces content you’d be happy to display on your website. If your writer has testimonials, it’s also a good idea to review them.
5. Prepare the Legal Bit
Before you begin working with a writer, there are some documents you’ll need to have in place, such as a contract and non-disclosure agreement. This protects both parties, and experienced writers will already be well-versed in this step of the process.
How to Find a Content Writer
Once you’ve decided it’s a good idea to get a professional on board, the next step is finding out where to hire a content writer. Some businesses opt to hire writers from freelancer sites. Although this can be marginally cheaper, you’re not guaranteed a good service or indeed the best quality of written work. Don’t forget, the content you put out into the world is a reflection of your business, so don’t settle for second-best!
The superior option is to work with a writer or agency with an established reputation – particularly when they’re experienced in your industry or business size.
For example, at Silhouette Creatives, we specialise in writing online content for small and medium businesses. We’re enormously proud of the service we offer to clients, which is reflected in the testimonials shared on our website.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Good Content Writer
Before you commit to hiring a content writer, there are a few questions you should ask. We’ve organised them into a handy list:
- May I see samples of your work? This gives you the opportunity to visualise how content for your own site will look. If something seems off or the quality isn’t quite what you expect, move on.
- What are your rates? A content writer should be able to provide you their current pricing structure, expressed per word, per hour, or both. Our top tip is to pay per word. This allows you to agree a precise budget before work is completed.
- Describe your working process. As writers, we are happy to bore you silly with the intricacies of our working lives! Jokes aside, this question serves two purposes. It allows you to establish how the process will work with your writer, and it gives you the opportunity to assess how enthusiastic they are.
- What is your success rate? Ask your writer how they define success. Look for cues such as client satisfaction, improved metrics, defined goals being met, and so on. It’s a good sign if they offer client testimonials for you to review!
- Have you written for this industry/sector before? Content writers are amazing researchers, but it certainly helps if they have existing experience in your industry. If not, ask if they have relevant experience in adjacent sector. Content writers usually have a diverse experience base, but they’ll be happy to work with you to understand the intricacies of your business.
Ready to Enhance Your Online Content?
Our London content writing services for small to medium enterprises are high-quality and reasonably-priced. Contact us to find out how we can help you reach and exceed your business objectives!