Are you finding it difficult to keep up with your blog writing? Maybe you’re realizing you’re short on time to write high quality content. Let’s face it writing can be fun, but based on my experience spending 6 hours a day writing (on stuff you don’t like) can be well booring. Or you want to invest and expand your blog. Whatever the reason choosing to outsource blog writing can be a GAMECHANGER.
Maybe it’s time you stop doing everything and delegate your blog writing. Yes. Take a deep breath. And let go of the reigns just a LITTLE.
Hear me out, by choosing to outsource blog writing you can actually FOCUS on growing your business while still creating awesome content.
What are the Advantages to Outsource Blog Writing?
- Time- saving: We all know the struggle. Writing a blog post typically takes around three hours on average. However, by outsourcing this task to professionals you can free up your time to focus on the IMPORTANT parts of your business.
- Cost effective: Hiring a full-time writer for your business might strain your budget. However, outsourcing your blog writing on a per project basis can be more cost efficient.
- Scalability: Outsourcing your blog writing allows you to scale your content creation efforts up or down based on your business needs.
- Subject matter expertise: Sometimes you want to write an article but you just don’t have the expertise or knowledge. Like climbing the Mont Kilimanjaro. It’s safe to say you have no experience if you’ve never climbed it or been there. Hiring writers with a specific subject knowledge will allow you to deliver high quality content that your audience wants to read.
- SEO advantages: Professional writers can help with optimizing your content, for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords.
- Meeting deadlines: Professional writers are used to working under time constraints. This allows you achieve your content creation objectives.
- Flexibility: By outsourcing your blog writing you get the flexibility to explore different content creation strategies and experiment with different types of content. This is not the case if your head is stuck in doing all the writing.
- Access to a pool talent: Outsourcing your blog writing can give you access to a pool of skilled writers with different writing styles and price ranges.
Factors to Consider When Choosing to Outsource Blog Writing
• Quality: When looking to outsource blog writing it’s important to prioritize well-written, engaging and informative content. To do that, make sure to request writing samples from the writer or agency you’re considering. Also asking for references or reviews from clients can give you insight into their work.
• Experience: Experience is a big ONE when outsourcing blog writing. Make sure you collaborate with writers or agencies that have experience in your niche or industry. Also look for professionals who have experience in SEO and can include that in their writing.
• Cost: Finding a cost option that fits with your budget is key. Freelance writers may offer lower rates. But keep in mind that they might have limited availability or lack the resources of an agency.
• Niche: Don’t forget to consider your niche or industry when outsourcing blog writing. The people you decide to work with need to understand the specific needs of your field.
• Deadlines: Ughh this is a big one. There’s nothing worse than setting a deadline and having your writer ignore it. It’s kind of a deal breaker for me. It’s important to work with writers or agencies who will meet the deadlines you set. To avoid any misunderstandings or missed deadlines make sure to discuss deadlines before-hand.
How to Outsource Blog Writing: Where to Find Freelance Writers
Marketplaces
Fiverr is a marketplace where freelancers offer their services starting at $5. On Fiverr you can browse through writers profiles and select the one that best suits your needs.
Social Media
- Reddit: Reddit is another great place to find freelance writers. Here are subreddits where you can hire writers: (1) /r/writersforhire (2) /r/hireawriter
- Facebook Groups: On Facebook there are groups dedicated to freelance writing where you can join and connect with writers who are seeking work. Some Facebook groups: Ghostwriting for Profit, Female Digital Nomads, Future Females.
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a place to search for freelance writers by keyword and connect with them directly.
Top tip: Make sure the writer hasn’t used a content spinning software or Ai tool.
Fyi: no one is immune to this including some agencies (who use Ai content).
Content Writing Agencies
Alternatively you can consider outsourcing your blog writing to agencies.
- Agencies usually have a team of writers so you may not work with the writer every time.
- Working with agencies can be more costly compared to hiring a freelance writer (no middleman)
- However, agencies often have resources and capacity to handle projects.
AI Writing to Write Your Blog Posts
Using AI writing tools to craft your blog posts can be an option if you’re considering outsourcing. I would be cautious here, because it’s not clear how Google favors Ai. I don’t recommend using 100% ai. I know some people who use it only for social media descriptions, while others use it full on. Use it to your own peril.
In the market you can find AI writing tools that may be worth considering. Here are two options:
- Koala.sh: I have used this one before. You can choose which style to use (first person, second person..) and it will generate an article. I liked how you could add specific instructions for each paragraph, before generating an article. They also have an amazon listicle tool.
- ChatGPT: You can use the free version of Chat GPt 3.5, and download AIPRM. Then you can use the free version to write content. The free version is limited but you can still do alot with it. You won’t be able to customize as much as paid AI tools but it’s still a great start, and the results are pretty good.
Tips for Choosing a Reliable Writer
1. Reviews and Ratings: Take a look at the freelancers reviews and ratings on the platform you’re using. This will let you know their performance and dependability.
2. Portfolio Samples: Reviewing the freelancers portfolio samples can give you an understanding of their work quality and reliability.
3. Communication Skills: Communicating effectively is essential when delegating tasks. Make sure the freelancer has basic communication skills (you’d be surprised here) and respond to your messages.
4. Availability: Make sure that the freelancer has availability to accommodate your project within your desired timeline. There’s nothing worse than a freelancer who has too many clients and can’t make time for you professionally.
5. Pricing: Find a writer who fits within your budget while still delivering quality work.
Setting Expectations and Guidelines for Freelance Writers:
When you outsource blog writing it’s important not to assume that your freelance writer will automatically understand your needs without any guidance. If a writer doesn’t understand what you’re looking there’s a high chance they will not meet your expectations.
To avoid these issues, make sure to set expectations and provide guidelines upfront. This means you are both on the page.
Examples of What to Include in Your Guidelines for Freelancers:
1. Tone of Voice: Clearly specify the tone of your writing – whether formal or informal. Are you looking for a more relatable down to earth tone or a more third person factual one?
2. Target Audience: Define your readers’ demographics so that the writer can tailor the tone and style accordingly. Who is your target audience? What are their characteristics?
3. Word Count: Provide a word count requirement for your blog posts.
4. Formatting: Outline your formatting preferences. Do you want headers to be used throughout the post? Should there be lists, bullet points or any other formatting requirements?
5. SEO: Research which SEO keywords you want to be used. Which keywords or phrases do you want to be included in the post?
How to Provide Topics and Keywords to Your Freelance Writer
To help stay organized and generate topics, set up a content calendar. This allows you to pre plan your blog posts and provide instructions to your freelance writer.
First, think about the search terms that people might use when looking for your article on a search engine. These are the keywords you should focus on within your blog posts.
Then, use SEO tools to do keyword research and figure out which keywords you should target.