Freelance writers can be an invaluable asset in creating effective marketing content. The problem many people often face is separating the good freelancers from the bad. Here are 6 key questions to ask that will help you hire a great freelance writer (and avoid the not so great ones). Let’s get started. The Key Questions When evaluating freelancers , it’s important to know the right questions to ask. Use open-ended questions like the ones listed below to help gauge how experienced and suitable a freelancer is for a job. Their answers, whether they be vague or detailed will be incredibly revealing about the type of writer they are. What Type of Content Can You Write? On the surface, this might appear to be an obvious question but it is in fact an essential one. There are many freelance writers for hire who specialize in certain types of content but aren’t great at others. You could for instance encounter a writer who’s adept at writing blog posts but can’t write business proposals or press releases. It’s important to hone in on what the freelance writer’s limitations are before you decide to hire them. What Industries Do You Specialize In? Many freelance writers often do work in more than one industry. However, if they claim that they can write in any or every industry then they’re likely spreading themselves too thin. With writers like this, it’s more the case that they are average at writing in those industries but they can’t excel in any one area. A good freelance writer should know their strengths and weaknesses and be readily available to admit them. If you encounter a freelance writer who makes such claims then ask them to provide writing samples to confirm their abilities. If you’re looking for a writer specializing in ecommerce, someone who can help you produce content for your online store, make sure that they have product pages in their portfolio. What Writing Styles and Tones Are You Comfortable With? A good writer knows how to adapt their tone to make it fit with the company they represent. Look at the words they use to see if it matches the tone your business is going for. If a freelance writer can match your tone then it’s likely they’re capable of doing so for other clients as well. This is a sign of an experienced writer that you’ll feel confident handing work off to. What’s Your Research Methodology? Regardless of how skilled they claim to be, no writer should claim that they don’t need to do research. This is important to note because a freelancer that works with you long term will likely face challenging topics that they’ll lack knowledge of. So, ask them about how they learn about a topic and what resources do they favor using. Their answers will reveal whether they have a set process in place for learning or if they just rely on their own knowledge. Can You Optimize Content for Search Engines? Knowing […]