Hiring a Blog Post Writer: What You Need to Know

Have you thought of hiring a ghostwriter to create your blog posts? Everybody’s doing it.

In my career as a freelance writer, I have ghostwritten blog posts about everything from skincare to lawn care, travel tips to Trello. Those pieces are published on every imaginable platform, from small personal blogs to popular national publications. I have even written for other freelance writers, established ones with bigger social followings who get paid a lot more than I do for the exact same content — content that I wrote but they took credit for.

That’s what ghostwriters do for bloggers and small businesses: We offer our expertise without credit so that you can build your brand. Ghostwriting isn’t for everyone but I happen to enjoy it. I get satisfaction from helping others grow their business and I enjoy writing on a variety of topics outside of my usual genres.

Hiring a blog post writer can benefit everyone involved. Here is a breakdown of the ins and outs of hiring a ghostwriter to create your blog content.

Whether you are a regular blogger or a business owner in need of one, there are many good reasons to outsource all or part your blog content to a professional.  Maybe you are short on time, don’t possess the skills to write your own content, or just need to outsource some aspects of your business. Whatever your reason, there are definite benefits to hiring a pro.

• Authority– Professional ghostwriters can help establish you as an authority in your industry, freeing you to live your life and run your business. How? Well, we know how to write great content fast, with clickable headlines and optimization for both Google and social engagement. Readers don’t know you didn’t write the posts, and they’ll see you as the expert you probably are.

• Consistency – Posting content in a timely manner ranks as one of the biggest blogging challenges. A professional blog writer can help keep you publishing according to your editorial calendar, provide tips on seasonal topics, and maintain a quality of content that will foster trust and keep your readers coming back for more.
• Engagement– Are you still reading? Then I’m doing my job. My first challenge was writing a headline that caught your interest. If I can hold your attention to the end of this post, you’ll see a call to action that will (hopefully) entice you to do something. I can’t make you do it — you have free will — but I can use tricks of the trade to be as persuasive as all get out. It’s what we blog post writers do, and it’s the key to turning readers into customers.

In order for your blog to work, you need to deliver regular content that is useful, fresh, scannable, engaging, and formatted for SEO using best practices — all of these combine to create an evergreen body of information that withstands the tests of time and Google algorithms. A pro blog writer can remove the barriers to publishing consistent and effective blog posts.

Content writers are everywhere. Naturally, they’re not all equal. There are plenty of content sites, also known as content mills, that offer custom blog posts and other writing services, sometimes for as little as a few cents per word. Some are more reputable than others, and some actually contract with experts and professional writers.

I won’t completely knock these sites like many freelance writers. Even the lowest cost (and lowest paying) content mills, like Textbroker, offer new writers an avenue to break into the field, although not at a wage they could possibly live on. And some of the better content sites actually do take care of their writers and clients — Scripted and Crowd Content come to mind.

I work as an editor and writer for a select few content sites to supplement my freelance income, but while they pay regularly (at the lowest end of what a good freelance writer should earn) there is one inherent flaw in even the best of them that affects you directly: Money you are spending to grow your business is instead working to help middle men grow theirs. 

Remember: Less money to the writers means fewer returns for you. 

If you want to pay very little for your content, go to a site like Textbroker, where you will get rock-bottom content written by someone with a weak grasp of the English language. At best, you’ll get a blog post outline which you will have to modify heavily if you want it to do you any favors and garner social engagement.

If you have a bigger budget, Scripted and Crowd Content, among others, will use it to match you with writers who are ranked at your budget level. Want talent? You’ll definitely have to pay, usually more than you’d pay an equally talented writer directly.

Writers with higher ratings on these sites will give your blog posts some attention, and the results be exponentially better than anything bought through Textbroker, but it won’t be their best work. Not even close. Why? Because those writers only got a fraction of what you paid.

Let me recap. Going through a content mill for blog posts means:

• ⅓ to ½ of your budget goes directly to a middle man.
• Writers are not being paid what they are worth, so they are not producing their best work for your blog.
• The middle man is invested in building his own business. Not yours. Not your writer’s.

Taking the time to find and hire a professional ghostwriter to write your blog posts gives you the best of all worlds. Cutting out the middle man means that every dime you spend goes back into your blog through professionally written posts, after it helps pay the bills of a writer who then becomes invested in the success of your business. See how that works? Beautiful synergy.

Let me recap. When you hire a freelance blog writer directly:

• All of your money goes directly into building your readership and business.
• The writer is paid what she is worth and pulls out all the stops to deliver great content.
• Your writer is invested in your success and works hard to build a business relationship that benefits everyone.

There are several ways to find the right ghostwriter for your blog. It might take a little time and effort, but we’ve already established that it’s worthwhile.

• Search your network. Ask around. Many writers are on LinkedIn, and local business meetups are a great way to find freelance writers.
• <Check Craigslist. A handful of my favorite clients found me through my Craigslist ad.
• Place an ad on ProBlogger.
• Google. Try several search terms to find freelance writers, especially local.

• Ghostwriters are Portfolio Challenged 

Ghostwriters can’t share work they write for clients, so it can be difficult for them to show you writing samples. Even if they have a blog it likely won’t be comprehensive. For example, I publish a blog for small business owners but I can also write fluently about travel, health, parenting, plumbing, skydiving, etc. Keep this in mind, and if the ghostwriter doesn’t have much to show then consider ordering a single post as a test.

• Decide What Qualifications are Important to You

There is no shortage of opinions on what to look for in a ghostwriter, even when it comes to what questions you should ask. Some people will tell you that the writer must have an English or journalism degree and be an expert in their field. Others say you should always meet in person, or that a writer can’t possibly do justice to your business without touring your warehouse first.

That’s a bunch of malarkey. Only one thing is true: A good writer can write.

• If you’re hiring a freelancer, don’t expect her to spend time in your office. She will learn about your industry because it’s her job, and she’ll probably represent your ideas better than you can. That’s why you’re hiring her.
• A good writer might not spend any time Skyping or calling you for information. He will probably prefer to communicate via email,  and he will spend his time writing expertly on your topic after he researches it on his own.
• English or journalism degrees are a potential plus, but if the writer who earned it isn’t keeping up with ever-changing content trends and SEO best practices then that degree won’t do you any favors.

I recommend asking a few basic questions: What is your natural writing tone? What kind of SEO do you do? What is your revision policy? Do you provide images? What is your turnaround time?

A well-written blog that delivers sharp content on a timely schedule can help grow your readership, establish you as an authority in your field, and create the credibility that turns readers into clients.