How to Find and Hire a Professional Content Writer Tips

Content is the king in the online world. It is the content that you write on your website or on social media pages that drive the targeted audiences to your product or service. Just as you need web developers to create your website perfectly to represent your business online, you need to hire freelance content writers with specific skill sets to write impact and SEO-friendly content. When it comes to the skill sets of the content writers, you need to be aware of the different types of content writing possible and post freelance jobs according to hire specialized writers who can deliver the best content possible.

There are basically three types of writing possible- technical writing, content writing, and creative writing. A technical writer may not be strong in creative writing and hence, understanding the difference between these three categories is important for both clients and writers to choose the best candidates and projects by the respective people. Some people consider technical writing and creative writing as sub-divisions of content writing which is completely wrong. The writing styles and the knowledge required in all these three categories are completely different and hence, you should understand the difference before posting freelance jobs to hire writers.

Here are some tips for choosing the right writer for your job:

Figure out what type of content you need

If it is news articles that also promote your business, such as articles for industry publications, go for a journalist or a a copywriter who can recognize ‘news’ and knows how to tone down the selling.

If it is sales literature, you want a copywriter. If the subject matter is quite technical, and the target market is a tech savvy audience, a technical copywriter will probably be a better choice than a straight-out copywriter (there are lots of creative writers that shy away from technology, especially industrial technology).

If you need to teach people how to use your product or service, hire a technical writer. They will approach the content from the perspective of the end user and know how to explain instructions and concepts.

Identify your target audience

Before you hire a writer, think about who the audience is. This information will help you find the right type of writer.

• If your content is for selling to a non-technical audience, go for a regular copywriter. Make sure they have SEO knowledge if you need content for web pages.
• If your content is for selling to a technical audience, go for a technical copywriter. Make sure they have SEO knowledge if you need content for web pages.
• If your content is to educate new or non-expert users, go for a generalist technical writer.
• If your content is to educate experienced, knowledgeable users, go for a niche technical writer.

Don’t rule out niche technical writers though. Some can still empathise with novice users really well, it is just less common.

Generalist technical writers could also do a great job, but bear in mind they will most likely need to ask more questions and spend more time researching.