There are dozens of reasons why content creation is essential to any marketing plan, but creating that content can be difficult. That’s why more and more companies hire freelance SEO copywriters. Not only does good content increase visibility by ranking your site higher in search engines, it also helps build authority.
Best Resources For Hiring Freelance Writers
1. Upwork
Upwork is by and large the most widely recognized freelance job board. Upwork is the result of a merger between Odesk and Elance and features an extensive database of expert writers. It’s a freelancer marketplace where you can find both beginners and advanced writers for a wide range of topics from e-commerce and digital marketing to email marketing templates and tech topics. You can use filters to narrow down the candidates and find the ones that fit your niche and business needs.
You can search for writers based on their experience and how much they charge—including their fixed price and hourly rates. You can also search for writers that speak a particular native language or those that have expertise in a specific country. You can post full-time jobs as well as freelancing gigs for quick projects like editing revisions and mini writer jobs.
While Upwork’s size makes it a great candidate for finding freelancers, it can be difficult to find the best writers in the huge log of users. Many of the writers and bloggers on the platform are located in foreign countries and don’t always have the best writing skills. To successfully find a freelance writer on Upwork, you’ll need time and patience to filter and sift through thousands of results. Make sure to check for any testimonials and client recommendations if the writer has worked on the platform before.
The site has a wide range of options for blogging, content writing, copywriting, and technical writing services. You’ll find everything from full-time writers to part-time freelancers that can create product descriptions. It’s similar to Fiverr in that potential applicants can bid for your role.
How It Works:
You need to create a profile in order to publish a job ad on this freelance writing job board. Posting freelance writing job ads is completely free. Upwork makes its money by taking a cut of 10 percent from the freelancer’s total earnings. You’ll receive notifications when you receive a new applicant and can set up interviews and follow-ups directly on the site.
2. Guru
Guru is similar to Upwork in that it is a large online job board featuring writing projects and jobs. To date, Guru boasts more than 1.5 million active users from all over the world. What sets Guru apart from Upwork is that they also feature a built-in project management tool. You can create onboarding documents right on the website. You can even use Guru to manage your content marketing process by sharing documents and creating tasks.
Guru and Upwork are both great choices for small business owners that may have tighter budgets. Since it’s free to post job ads, it’s easy to get the attention of qualified candidates without having to shell out big bucks. Again, you’ll need to be patient and use filters to narrow down the candidates from a large pool.
How It Works:
Like Upwork, Guru takes a percentage of freelancer’s profits and features free job postings for businesses. The fee depends on the type of membership the freelancer chooses and can range from five to ten percent for each project.
3. Craigslist
If you’re looking for something and exceptional quality isn’t your top priority, you can probably find it on Craigslist. Craigslist features a job listing section where you can search for qualified writers. This tool is best suited for businesses that are looking for freelance writers in the local community. If you’re looking for a writer that can work remotely and come into the office a few times a week or month, then Craigslist is your best bet to finding that freelance writer.
The quality of writers on Craigslist won’t be as high as those on Upwork or Guru. You need to make sure you have a strong vetting procedure in place to weed out the writers that just aren’t a good fit. You also don’t have any team support from Craigslist if there is a payment dispute or if other issues arise. If you’re looking for help writing articles, make sure to choose applicants that have proven success in their writing career and can show solid samples of the type of content you’re looking to create. Again, it’ll be harder to find a stellar technical writer on Craigslist, but you can certainly find qualified candidates for more general topics including creative writing.
How It Works:
It’s free to create a job listing and writing job opportunities on Craigslist and you don’t even need to sign up for an account. Simply select your region and click on “create a posting”. Fill out the details and freelancers in your community will see your job posting immediately.
Grow Your Business With Professional Freelance Writers
Content is an important aspect of any marketing strategy whether you’re running a small business or a multinational corporation. It’s one of the best ways to drive engagement on social media and to offer insight and information to potential customers on your website. Some argue that you can’t succeed online or increase conversions if you don’t create content — and that means original content that’s informative and high-quality.
Freelance writing is so much more than just blog or article writing. A freelance writer or ghostwriter can help you create website content that will wow your readers. Freelancers can help you create engaging social media posts, case studies attesting to the quality of your products, and website copy that will keep readers coming back for more. Whether you’re looking for tech writers or someone with creativity and humor, you’re sure to find what you need by using these tools to hire a writer.
Depending on the type of content you’re trying to create, you may need to use several of these sites or content writing services to find the best content writers. When posting a job listing, make your expectations clear, especially if you’re looking for certain skills such as proofreading, native-level English, familiarity with WordPress, promotion abilities, or someone who specializes in a niche topic. You can also provide writers with a style guide to make sure they produce great content. Getting referrals from other business owners is also a great way to find a new writer.
Using a freelancer to outsource your website copy helps save you time and improves the quality of the information you share with potential customers. Writing isn’t easy and neither is finding professional writers. With these tools, you’re well on your way to hiring freelance writers that can take your website to the next level.
Have questions or want help from The Writer Finder to find the perfect candidate for your writing gig? Check out our FAQ or get in touch and we’ll be happy to assist you. We have a huge database of freelance writers for hire in just about every niche — from software engineers and crypto experts to elder care, nutrition, and everything in between.
Tips for finding freelance writing jobs online
Obviously I couldn’t cover every last place to find freelance writing gigs in this post, but even this list of the 15 best freelance writing sites give you the sense that there are a lot of options out there.
1. Pitch and apply every day
Especially when you’re just getting starting, you’re just going to have to play the numbers game to some extent. Even the best writers in the world won’t have a perfect success rate of turning applications to jobs into work.
2. Niches can be great, but you don’t need one to start
3. “Experience” isn’t necessarily a number of years
If you’re a new freelance writer with no experience at all, you’ll be particularly keen to notice many jobs will include some sort of “experience” criteria, often times in the form of “x years of experience required.”
If you know how to write well and can demonstrate that with portfolio pieces and, even better portfolio pieces with testimonials from past clients, you should absolutely apply for the job if you want it.
4. Freelance sites that let you create a profile are worth joining
In the case of FlexJobs, in addition to giving you access to more exclusive freelance writing jobs, you’ll also be able to build a reputation within their platform so that potential clients can find you and reach out to you specifically and directly.
5. Don’t forget about good ol’ fashioned networking
These freelance writing websites, job boards, and platforms are a great place to start (and continue) to find online writing jobs – but it’s important to also build up other channels throughout your journey!
Sometimes for finding online freelance jobs, sometimes to make connections with fellow freelancers who you can collaborate with, and sometimes to just share your successes and frustrations along the way.
Verblio
Similarly to ContentFly and Scripted, Verblio puts a lot of effort into vetting their writers – many of them are Hubspot inbound-certified and their large and diverse pool of talent includes experts on even the most niche fields. Verblio also has options to buy images and video to support your copy.
Verblio has a rather complex pricing system which depends on the copy length tier, the number of monthly articles and optional extra service fees. This can be a turn off for first time buyers, although there is a 30-day money back guarantee if you’re not happy with the results.
Sources:
https://www.thewriterfinder.com/post/hire-freelance-writers
https://freelancing.school/best-freelance-writing-sites/
https://contentfly.com/blog/ten-sites-for-hiring-cheap-freelance-writers