While cheap, AI content can end up costing you in terms of brand visibility, user trust, and conversions.
4. Interview The Candidates
When “chatting” with a writer, a lot can be lost in translation via email or messenger. It’s always best to get on a live call to assess whether the candidate is a good fit for your brand and needs.
Just as much as you are looking for a writer with the right skills, you want to be sure they are a good character fit. Communication is important throughout the entire content planning and writing process.
Here are some questions to ask during your writer interview:
What types of writing do you specialize in?
Do you have experience in our industry?
How do you approach research for a topic you’re unfamiliar with?
How do you incorporate SEO best practices into your content writing (if applicable)?
Do you have experience working with content calendars, marketing teams, or campaign strategies?
What is your preferred workflow (e.g., strategy provided by client, first draft approval, round one revision, final approval)?
What’s your average turnaround time for a [type of content]?
These questions will give you a better understanding of the writer’s skills, style, and approach to writing, helping you find the right fit for your needs.
5. Look For Case Studies And Reviews
Whether you’re using your referral network, social media, or writer directories to find writers, look for their case studies or client reviews.
Many professional writers will have a website where they showcase their work and/or recommendations on LinkedIn or social media.
This “social proof” will make it evident what kind of results they have been able to generate for their clients.
6. Assess Their SEO Knowledge
If your goal is to grow your traffic, you’ll want a writer who understands SEO and how to incorporate it into their content.
They may not be an SEO expert, but they should know on-page best practices, such as keyword usage in the page title, heading structure and hierarchy, and the importance of internal linking.
It’s appropriate to ask them a few questions about their expertise and to request examples of SEO content. If they have case studies that showcase measurable results, even better.
7. Ask How They Measure Success
On the topic of results, you should ask writer candidates how they measure the success of their content.
Though many factors go into content performance – not all of which they will have control over – it’s still a fair question to assess their approach to content writing.
For example, if they are an SEO writer, do they measure success by organic traffic and reduced bounce rate? Do they tend to look at the number and position of keyword rankings? A great SEO writer will pay attention to these metrics.
Similarly, if they are a sales copywriter, do they track conversions? How do they determine what makes their copy successful? Do they make updates to the copy to improve performance?
Not only will this consideration get you thinking about how you quantify results, but it will also help you identify a writer who is results-driven.
8. Understand Their Pricing Structure
There are many different types of pricing structures writers may use to charge for content.
The most common is price-per-word, where the writer provides a set cost per each word of content written.
Freelance writers can charge anywhere from $0.05 to $2.00 per word, depending on their experience.
Another common approach is cost per page/post. This is where the writer typically determines an approximate content length and set cost.
For example, a short blog post may cost around $150, whereas a long blog post may cost $300+. This option is great if you want the costs to be predictable.
Be sure to discuss the writer’s preferred pricing structure and rates before you start on a project. Ideally, get your agreement set in writing so there is no confusion over the terms.
9. Know What’s Provided In Their Services
Some SEO writers only include the content and the H1 and H2 tags. Others include all on-page SEO.
Even further, some provide keyword research or content planning. For any writer, ask what their services include and what needs to be provided by you.
Do they need you to do the keyword research and create the blog strategy? Get clear about that from the beginning.
You should also ask whether edits and/or rewrites are included. Complete rewrites are rare; don’t expect most writers to write an entirely new piece without compensation.
Typically, writers offer one to two rounds of edits, or a refund if they miss the mark.
10. Discuss Your Expectations
Hiring a writer is like any other professional relationship in that you need to discuss your expectations at the start.
Know what’s expected of you, make sure they know what’s expected of them, and outline a clear process when it comes to creating content together.
Note that some writers offer refunds, while others do not. Discuss this at the beginning (and get it in writing) before you find yourself in a pickle.
11. Know That Great Content Is An Investment
With all this talk about pricing and payment terms, you may be wondering, “How much does great content cost?”
Unfortunately, the answer isn’t simple. Writers’ rates vary based on their industry expertise, years of experience, the results they have generated for clients, their location, and a range of other factors.
But what remains true is that you get what you pay for. Don’t expect high-quality sales copy from a “cheap” AI content service. Don’t expect high conversions on sales pages written by a novice versus an expert.
When it comes to driving results, you’ll want a content writer or copywriter who understands the nuances of SEO and buyer psychology.
They likely have years of experience and a proven track record of delivering results for clients. And they likely aren’t cheap.
Consider what it’s worth to your business to have interesting, original, high-converting content. Do you want to pay pennies for basic copy? Or do you want content that will bring a return on investment (ROI)?
Final Thoughts
While there are mixed opinions on what constitutes “great” content and how much great content costs, it remains true that human writers are the source of the best content around.
Able to empathize with buyers’ experiences and craft unique stories, human writers are more equipped than AI to create content that resonates with an audience.
Finding the best writer for your brand depends on the type of content you need and the return you aim to generate from your content.
Your content “budget” should, then, be based on your willingness to invest in content that will achieve the results you want.
I recommend researching your options and outlining clear expectations with your writer from the beginning. That is the path to a positive writer-client relationship and great content for your brand.
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