3 Ways To Hire The Right Content Writer For Your Brand
Business professional working at desk getty Not all websites are the same, but the best ones do have one thing in common. The secret to a findable and engaging website is the person who’s creating the content.
Content writers worth their salt are more than wordsmiths with a decent grasp of English grammar. There’s a lot riding on their ability to deliver exceptional work. After all, your company’s success or failure relies heavily on your brand’s website content .
Anyone can plop relevant keywords onto a webpage or into a blog post. But how meaningful will the content be to your customers and prospects? Therein lies the difference between a content writer and the right content writer.
Here are three ways to hire the best one for your brand. 1. Actually Check Out Their Writing
Verifying past work and checking references seem like standard operating procedure when making any hire, right? Surprisingly, a lot of companies do a sloppy job with this process or skip it altogether. That’s a shame considering it’s designed to ensure they ask the right person to join their brand .
Don’t fall for a shiny résumé featuring a list of academic degrees and household-name clients. Although those can be impressive, they don’t answer the important question: “Can you deliver exceptional content consistently for our brand?”
Ask prospects to provide references and links to relevant content work — and their website, if they have one. Then take a deep dive into what they’ve written to assess their writing style. Ask and answer some key questions, such as: Is it high-quality work (proper spelling, grammar, etc.)?
Is the quality consistent across pieces?
Is it engaging?
Is it authentic?
Is it relevant to the brand they created it for?
Is their style versatile and adaptable to our brand?
Are they curious and passionate about what they do? Recognize that it can be difficult for a content writer to provide proof of authorship. Many produce thousands of words a day for a variety of clients without attribution. Checking with their editors will both verify that they wrote it and expose potential client conflicts with your brand.When searching for the right content writer for your website, the proof is in the pudding. Just remember that the pudding isn’t found on the paper of their résumé but in their words on the screen. 2. Make Sure They Can Commit The best content writers are extremely busy. It’s important that you fully assess the amount of time you will want from them. Then make sure the person you hire can commit the hours necessary.As with any new hire, there will be a learning curve when a writer begins creating content for your brand. They will need to learn about the brand, existing marketing strategies , customer demographics, and company goals.Your writer will shape the voice of your brand in concert with the rest of the company. It’s vital that you, too, commit the time and resources necessary to flatten the learning curve. A proficient content writer […]
