Fact: Writing one blog post, much less multiple blog posts, is hard. If you’re looking to hire or outsource writing talent, here are some tips on how to find a great ghostwriter.
Problem: I can’t find quality writers.
Solution: Define quality for your business first, find writers second.
Quality can be a subjective word with regard to content marketing. Yes, there are inherently bad writers. But there are a lot of competent writers capable of executing on your content needs.
Do you define quality relative to The New Yorker? Do you define quality relative to the other content in your industry? Or do you define quality based on what your readers respond to or engage with? OR, do you define quality by its ability to convert customers?
Come to an understanding of your definition of quality before looking for talent.
Problem: Writers aren’t subject-matter experts.
Solution: But you are. Help them.
You will always be the subject-matter expert in your field. If there was a way to plug your brain into a writer’s we wouldn’t be having this problem in the first place.
That said, you need to help whoever is writing your content. Good writers can write on any subject if given enough source material and direction.
At Verblio, we try to make it easy for customers to submit blog topic ideas, but without any context, our writers are left to fend for themselves.
To borrow a food analogy: If you ask a chef to cook something “that tastes good,” a chef, even the most talented ones, don’t have a clue what you like, what you don’t like, or what you’re allergic to.
Writers are no different. If you want talent that writes content your audience likes, give them something to work with. Tell them what you want or content you want to model yours after. Whether it’s writing, design, or any other creative endeavor, the more context about a project you can provide, the better.
Problem: You don’t know if your content should be outsourced or developed in-house.
Solution: If possible, you should always write content in-house. (BUT…)
See the previous problem. There is always a concern that if you outsource your writing, you won’t get what you want.
That may be true. You and your team will always be the most knowledgeable people about your company and products. And yes, the best practice is to do it all yourself.
But if that were the case, why have ghostwriting services popped up everywhere? We all work in the real world, where time and resources are scarce.
If you’ve tried to create content in-house (or by yourself) and have found the experience frustrating, time-consuming, and a misallocation of resources, you should outsource.
Many of our customers realize that they simply don’t have the time to write blog posts. They use us because it’s a great place to start. The best way to learn about what you like (and what you don’t) is to just do it. Verblio and other ghostwriting services are a great way to get your content started and decide how you want to move forward.
Many of our customers, after using Verbliot, realize the value of their content efforts and decide to start hiring talent in-house. That’s fantastic. We love to see customers outgrow Verblio’s services.
Our advice: Get your content efforts started. Learn from your efforts and then decide whether you should continue on the path you’re on. But the worst thing that you can do is to not start at all.
Problem: If I outsource, should I hire an in-house writer, a content marketing agency, a freelancer, or a content service?
Solution: Ask yourself: “What type of writer will best execute my content strategy?”
Content strategy? Yes. You should have some semblance of a strategy before going out and finding a writer.
If you want a good template to start with, use Moz’s.
One fundamental question to assist your content strategy should be determining the level of expertise you need from your writer. If your industry and content needs don’t require a significant amount of knowledge, outsourcing your needs could be the best route.
If you need someone that intimately knows your business, you may want to consider hiring a writer with relevant expertise in your field.
If you don’t know yet, we recommend starting with a writing service. And we’re not just saying that because we’re a writing service. If you hire a freelancer, you’ll likely have to spend more time and money to get what you want.
With Verblio, you can get started and if a post doesn’t work for you, just reject it. With a freelancer, you will have to work through that post until it’s acceptable. And that can lead to additional costs. Verblio wants to simplify the process. You like a post? Great, take it. You don’t like a post? Reject it. And if you find a writer you like, you can encourage them to keep writing for you.
Sometimes it takes going through a lot of freelancers before finding the one you like. With Verblio, you can vet writers while still getting your content efforts started.
We know the struggle to find a ghostwriter is tough. Read on to hear one of our own ghostwriters write about this topic from the writer’s perspective: “Letter from a Ghostwriter: How to Get the Blog Posts You Really Need.”
