5 Tips for Hiring a Writer for Your Business

As the owner of a small business, you have a lot of responsibilities on your plate. You need to focus on running your business, but you also need to think about content marketing, lead generation, establishing your online presence, and so on. That is a lot to handle for a small business owner such as yourself!

You may be thinking that it’s time to outsource your business writing and offload some of those responsibilities, but you’re not quite sure how to go about it. What goes into hiring a writer? How much will it cost? Would a freelance writer or fractional content team do a better job? Don’t worry, PFC is here to help. We’ll answer these questions and more so you can hire a writer for your business needs.

In This Article:

5 Steps To Hire a Writer for Your Business

Here are five steps for hiring a white label content creator for your business.

1. Outline your goals and needs

Outsourcing your business content to another writer is a good way to strengthen your digital marketing efforts—if you have a plan. Communicating your needs and goals is vital to successful white label content production.

Some things to consider are your target audience, content marketing budget, and the promotion tactics you want to focus on. In addition, determine your primary content goals, such as building brand awareness, driving more conversions, or ranking in search results. 

2. Research your options

There are many platforms available designed to help you connect with freelance writers. 

Some freelance marketplaces will allow you to create a job listing to post to their site, which freelancers looking for work will view at their leisure. If a writer decides they qualify for the job, they will message you to hash out the details or accept the position. 

Another option is directly searching for writers yourself. Freelance marketplaces can help you research writers with experience in your industry. Once you find a writer or two you’re interested in hiring, you can set up a meeting and discuss the job more. 

While freelance writers are often the most cost-effective option for outsourcing your blog writing, they aren’t always the most reliable or skilled. They may be able to handle one-off assignments, but, in general, freelancers are not the best option for businesses seeking a long-term content writing partner.

If you decide that a content team would better fit your business needs—look no further.

Here at People First Content, we produce high-quality content for any business or company written with your brand’s voice and expertise. We work with you to create white label content for your blog, social media, eBook, lead magnets, and more. 

3. Consultation

Use this time to ensure that the writer you employ is the right fit for you and your business. A few topics you want to discuss are:

• Samples of previous work

• Services provided

• Rates

• Content marketing strategy

• Your business expertise

You want a writer who will be able to mimic your brand’s voice and create content in the field of your expertise. Hiring a writer with the right skills and experience is critical to your marketing success.

4. Trial period

After narrowing down your selection, it’s time to test your writer’s skills. Discuss what kind of sample content they can write for you, such as a blog post, social media content, or an advertisement.

After you receive the sample, review it and determine whether it meets your expectations. Does it seem like your voice, or does it sound off-brand? Is the call to action meaningful? Is it quality content?

It’s normal to have some editing suggestions after the first attempt, so don’t be discouraged if the writer doesn’t nail your brand’s nuances the first time around. If you do have edits, pay attention to how the writer reacts. For example, at People First Content, we expect our clients to be nit-picky and have suggestions for refinement! If a writer refuses to make edits or gets defensive, consider it a red flag and move on.

5. Decision time

The time has come to make your decision! Hiring a writer is a major investment for your business, so make sure you are completely happy with your choice. 

Discuss packages and plans with your prospective content writer and choose the one that fits your business needs. 

How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Writer?

There is no standard cost to hire a writer. It depends on the type of white label content and the frequency you want it produced. It will also depend on the writer’s experience level and professional expertise.

Freelancer vs. content team rates

Freelance writers may charge by the hour or by word count. I have seen hourly rates as low as $12 and as high as $100 per hour. Regarding word count, I’ve seen freelancers charge as little as two cents and as much as 75 cents per word. Freelancers set their rates based on their experience and skill level. 

For example, a skilled freelance writer with multiple books under their belt and two decades of content marketing experience is going to charge a lot more than a novice writer just starting their career. You have to weigh experience against your budget. The more experienced writer will likely be able to catch on to your brand’s voice faster and require fewer (or no) revisions, making them a better choice overall if you are looking to save time.

Pricing for content marketing agencies usually takes the form of packages or plans, which consist of select services they will provide for a certain cost. It’s easy to find a content team willing to write content for your business. Finding a team that will create quality content at a rate that works for you is the tricky part.

Blog posts

A 500-word blog post can cost anywhere from $25 to $750. Services such as proofreading, editing, SEO, keyword research, visuals, creative consultation, and topic creation push the pricing to the higher end of the spectrum. And, of course, with an increased word count comes an increased price. 

Owning a business blog is a great way to gain site traffic and reach your target audience. So don’t let your blog or your budget suffer. Use our blog cost estimator if you’re interested in quality content for a great price.

Social media content

Social media content can cost up to $5,000 per month. Depending on the frequency of the posts, number of platforms, branding, and search engine optimization, social media services can add up quickly. 

Depending on your digital marketing strategy, you may want to post to multiple platforms or focus on one. Daily posts may be optimal for getting more site traffic, or posting once a week may be sufficient to stay relevant. Use our social media cost estimator if you’re looking for content that works for you and your budget.

Ebooks

The cost of a ghostwriter varies widely depending on the content and length of the eBook.

If your eBook is written for lead generation, we recommend sticking between 1,000 and 5,000 words. If you plan on selling your eBook online, the length should be at least 20,000 words. 

Ghostwriters may charge $30 to $200 per hour or $1 to $3 per word. Paying for a business eBook is definitely an investment, but a worthwhile one if it captures your audience’s attention and draws them into your marketing funnel.

Should You Hire a Freelance Writer or Content Team?

You may be asking yourself if a freelance writer or fractional content team would better suit your business needs. Here are the pros and cons. 

Freelance writer

Pros:

• Cost-effective

• Easy to find and hire

• Generally work on quick turnaround times

Cons:

• Limited skill set and experience

• One person can’t get as much work done as a team

• May become overwhelmed

• Create their own hours, meaning they can leave you in the lurch

Fractional content team

Pros:

• Diverse skill set and experience

• Skilled in content marketing

• Access to a network and connections

• A team can provide better support

• Easier to scale your projects

• Able to work on a continual basis 

• Reliable and consistent

Cons:

• Will cost more than an independent freelancer

• Will want to work on a continual basis instead of doing one-off projects

People First Content Is Here To Help!

Whatever your content needs, we’ve got you covered. Here at People First Content, we love to get to know you and write great content for your projects. Set up a consultation now, and let us help you create quality content for you and your business.

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