How To Find and Hire Talented Blog Writers (with Process)
by Ankit Singla
Here’s a quick message to all new bloggers out there:
Blogging isn’t just about writing.
If you want to succeed, you also need to focus on the research and marketing side of things.
With too much on your plate, it’s perfectly reasonable to hire a freelance content writer for your blog.
This post will show you how.
But first, allow me to quickly cover the basics.
The Benefits of Hiring Content Writers
There are plenty of reasons why you should consider hiring freelance blog writers:
1. Put more time on other aspects of blogging
As I mentioned before, bloggers have other stuff to do besides blogging.
They also need to plan their promotion strategies, set up lead generation campaigns, look into monetization tactics, and so on.
Hiring a freelance content writer will ensure you have enough time for these activities.
2. Double down on content creation
If you want to speed up your blog content production, hiring a freelancer is the way to go.
You know what they say: content is king in blogging.
The more content you can ship out to your readers, the more they’ll trust and believe you. That will have a positive impact on your lead generation and monetization tactics.
At the same time, you can also count on freelancers for help in more elaborate projects.
I’m talking about writing eBooks, emails, online course materials, and the likes.
3. Maximize content quality
First of all, I write all of my content myself.
But, as you may know, English isn’t my native language.
Before I got to this point, I published countless articles that I would now consider “subpar.”
That all changed when I hired a freelance editor to polish my posts to near perfection.
Eventually, I learned the best content writing practices myself and relied less on my editor.
You can replicate my results by hiring either a freelance writer or editor who can help you improve content quality.
4. Fuel your guest blogging campaign
You know what else requires hours upon hours of writing?
Guest blogging.
To rank highly in search engines, you need a supply of quality backlinks from other authoritative websites.
Guest blogging allows you to accelerate the link-building process by building backlinks yourself.
And with a freelancer’s help, you can keep those links coming while you focus on writing quality blog content.
5. Fill in knowledge gaps
You may be an expert in your niche, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn anything new.
This is especially true if we’re talking about content creation.
If you’re new to blogging, chances are you still have much to learn regarding these areas:
- SEO
- Keyword research
- Visual content strategy
- Internal linking
A professional blog writer who is well-versed in these areas can definitely transform your content strategy.
Types of Writers You Can Hire
Now that we’ve covered the benefits of hiring a freelance writer, let’s discuss the types of writers to hire.
1. The Contributor (with credits)
A lot of freelance writers prefer to work with clients as long as they’re being credited for their work.
That means they want to have their own author bio up and visible on their written works.
I personally like to call them “contributors,” since they’re not just working for you.
They’re also writing to build their own brand and, at some point, attract other prospective clients in the future.
Here are a few things you should know when hiring freelance writers as contributors:
- They’re less expensive — Freelancers get to advertise their own services on your blog. In turn, they should be more willing to accept lower rates — but that depends on the freelancer.
- They can help elevate your brand — You can leverage the credibility of your freelancers/contributors to broaden your reach. That is, if you can somehow get an authoritative freelancer to write for your blog,
- It can draw traffic away from your blog — While contributors can have a positive effect on your blog, they can also steal away your audience’s attention. That is if they get overly promotional in their bio box.
- Your competitors may try to contact them — Lastly, allowing freelance writers to have their own author bios will also allow competitors to contact them. You can avoid this by stating it in your contract, but freelancers have every right to reject your terms.
2. Ghostwriter
The ghostwriter is a specific type of freelancer who doesn’t get credited for their work.
Usually, ghostwritten articles are credited to the blogger who hired the freelancer. This can have a positive impact on your brand image and “expert” status in your niche.
Ghostwriters are typically flexible in terms of the projects they’re willing to work with. They can work on eBooks, emails, landing page copies, video scripts, and so on.
But just like with contributors, freelance ghostwriters can also have disadvantages:
- Their mistakes are yours — You need to be very careful when reviewing the work of ghostwriters since your reputation is on the line. If they make mistakes or write offensive statements in your content, it will be all on you.
- They often charge higher fees — If a freelancer offers both credited contributions and ghostwriting, chances are the latter service is more expensive. That’s because they’re prohibited from getting credit for their work, which makes it tough for them to build a portfolio.
- It takes a high level of trust — Your brand could appear disingenuous to your audience if you hire a ghostwriter and take credit for their work. Be sure to write a non-disclosure agreement or NDA to prevent them from telling anyone, even their peers.
3. Copywriters
Lastly, copywriters are the ones you should call if you need:
- Advertising copy
- Press releases
- Product reviews
- eBooks
- Newsletters
What sets them apart is their ability to create content that persuades readers to take action.
Of course, there are plenty of ghostwriters who are flexible enough to take on similar assignments. Copywriters, however, are more reliable in terms of going by the book and ensuring the conversion-friendliness of content.
Where to Find Writers for Hire
There are several ways to find potential freelance writers for your blog:
1. Content Development Pros
Full disclosure, I outsourced content from Content Development Pros specifically for this post.
It is not like any other content writing service provider that pays no attention to quality.
They are a team of professional content marketers who can produce quality content for specific purposes, including:
- Blog posts
- Guest blogging
- eBooks
- Newsjacking
- Product descriptions
- Web pages
With their service, they will assign a professional writer to handle your content requirements.
My experience with Content Development Pros
I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the quick turnaround time of my article.
Since they’re closely monitoring the quality of content from the inside, there’s no need for revision requests. I also didn’t have to go through hoops requesting updates since the project was completed fast anyway.
That has something to do with the initial call I had with one of their agents.
Not only were they incredibly responsive, they already knew exactly what I needed – being content marketing experts and all.
Hiring a writer from Content Development Pros
There are two ways to hire a professional writer from Content Development Pros.
First, you can contact an account manager via live chat or a toll-free phone call.
Alternatively, you can request for them to reach you instead by filling up the free proposal form.
If you ask me, reaching out to them is the better option. There was barely any queue time when waiting for someone to answer my questions.
You can learn more about the hiring process by clicking here.
2. Upwork
Upwork is a popular freelancing platform that connects freelancers worldwide with potential clients who need them.
They have a diverse pool of freelancers in different fields, including:
- Graphic design
- Writing
- Sales and marketing
- Customer service
- Software development
Posting a job on Upwork
With Upwork, you can post the details of your job offer and have freelancers apply for it.
Jobs should contain a title, description, details, required expertise, and budget. You should also set the visibility settings of your job posting as you see fit.
Once your job is posted, it’s only a matter of waiting for proposals from the right candidates.
Looking for freelancers
Alternatively, you can use Upwork’s search tool to find potential freelance writers for your blog.
Bear in mind that you can add extra keywords to search for freelancers with specific fields of expertise.
For example, if you run a food blog, you can use the keyword “freelance food writer.”
Once you find a good candidate, you can either message them directly or invite them to a job you posted.
The “Invite to Job” option, of course, only works if you already have a job posted on Upwork.
If you’d like to make arrangements outside of the site, send them a message instead and discuss everything from there.
Whatever you do, don’t forget to check the freelancer’s hourly rate and job success percentage. As much as possible, go with freelancers with a success rate of at least 90 percent.
3. OnlineJobs.ph
OnlineJobs.ph is another freelancing marketplace you can use to find blog content writers for hire.
What makes it different from websites like Upwork is that they’re solely built around the Filipino freelancing industry.
There are two reasons why you should hire a Philippines-based freelance writer.
While they generally offer lower rates for their freelancing services, they’re widely known as hard workers. Not to mention that their English is pretty good.
Posting a job on OnlineJobs.ph
OnlineJobs.ph has a straightforward yet in-depth process for creating job postings.
After writing a job title and description, you can also set the required skills candidates must possess.
Looking for freelancers
Similar to Upwork, you can also search OnlineJobs.ph for freelancers so you can reach out to them directly.
Just type in a keyword, click ‘Search,’ and browse the results until you find a good fit for your blog.
Let me give you a quick tip.
OnlineJobs.ph uses the “ID Proof” scoring system to verify the identity of their freelancers.
ID Proof is calculated on a scale of 0-100, with 100 meaning the freelancer’s identity is definitely legit. Use the ID Proof to guarantee you’re hiring a verified freelancer.
4. Facebook groups
Hiring blog content writers through freelancing marketplaces is a great way to find potential candidates.
The only problem is, not all freelancers use them.
Some have their own website and maintain client relationships through traditional means, like emails and phone calls.
Others build a presence on social media and create connections through groups.
Looking for freelancing groups on Facebook
You can easily look for freelancing Facebook groups using the website’s built-in search feature.
Start with a simple keyword like “freelance writers” and then click the ‘Groups’ tab.
Feel free to browse any group that catches your attention.
I recommend joining popular groups with thousands of members like Content Writers Needed.
Things to remember when joining Facebook groups
There’s a handful of things to keep in mind when joining Facebook groups to find freelance blog content writers:
1. Read their guidelines carefully
Facebook groups usually have specific guidelines you need to observe once you become a member.
Some of the typical guidelines are avoiding spam and being respectful.
Be sure to read a group’s guidelines carefully and make sure you’re okay with them before joining.
2. Look at related groups
Facebook is nice enough to show related groups whenever you’re on a group page.
Use this feature to discover more groups where you can find more potential freelance writers.
3. Only post relevant stuff
Want to avoid being kicked out from a group?
Easy — just use the group as intended.
That means only posting relevant stuff, like job postings and useful resources for freelancers.
4. Create detailed job postings
To improve the communication process between you and a freelancer, don’t intentionally leave out details.
Make sure your job postings include crucial information, like your preferred communication channel, per-word rate, and niche.
Don’t forget to look at the average rates being offered by other hirers.
If your offer is substantially lower than the industry standard, you might get a lot of negative attention.
That’s something that every website owner with a reputation to keep should avoid.
5. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a special kind of social media network that focuses on helping users forge professional relationships worldwide.
It’s so popular that I bet you already have an account there.
If that’s the case, then you probably already know what to do.
Using LinkedIn to search for freelancers
To look for freelancers on LinkedIn, simply use the search bar by typing “freelance writer.”
You can click the “freelance writer in People” option to quickly look for potential freelancers.
Alternatively, simply click ‘People’ from the results page to discover freelance writers on LinkedIn.
Once there, you should see a list of potential candidates for your search.
Just bear in mind that, like Upwork, you can add keywords to refine your search based on specializations.
Typing “freelance food writer,” for example, works if you’re looking for content writers for your food blog.
6. Look for freelancers who write for other blogs
Competitor research is a beautiful thing.
It can help you scrape content ideas for your blog, look for backlink opportunities, and potential keywords for organic traffic.
Looking at other blogs can also help you find freelance content writers who can work for you.
The key here is to look at posts credited to contributors.
If they have their own author bio box, they might openly declare that they’re a freelance writer for hire.
How to look for freelancers from competitor websites
Want to know if your competitor hires freelancers for their blog content?
Suppose WinningWP is our primary competitor.
On Google, run the following search query:
Here’s what happened.
First, we used “inurl:winningwp.com” to look for posts on WinningWP’s website.
We then add “is a freelance writer” to specifically search for that text line.
That’s what usually appears in the author bio boxes of freelancers who want to advertise their services.
Sure enough, we come across Colin Newcomer — a freelance writer for hire.
You can confirm that he’s a freelancer in his author bio box.
Apart from “is a freelance writer,” you can use other phrases to look for freelance writers on other websites.
For example, you can just type in “freelance writer” and you might get a hit.
I know — it takes trial and error for this method to work.
But if you’re already familiar with competitors who outsource their content, this strategy should have a 100% success rate.
Apart from that, you also get to see a sample of their work right off the bat. And since they’re already working with your competitor, you can be certain that they’re knowledgeable in your niche.
7. Just use Google
Here’s another way to use Google to find blog writers.
On the search page, just plug in a phrase like “freelance writer for hire” with quotations.
Google should immediately take you to a results page filled with freelance writers’ websites.
Similar to the previous method, this strategy allows you to view a freelancer’s work samples from the get-go.
You can also make your search more specific by adding a relevant keyword to your query. Just be sure to enclose it in quotations, especially if it contains two or more words.
Once you find a potential candidate, there are two things you should look for right away.
First of all, check their website for existing content so you can gauge the quality of their work.
Check if their posts are consistent in terms of style, topic depth, and overall polish. If there seem to be discrepancies in these things between posts, there’s a chance the freelancer outsources their blog content.
If the website’s content is good and consistent, the next thing you should look for is their contact information.
Luckily, most professional freelancers make this information easy to find for prospective clients.
Some freelancers like Megan Jones even put up a simple contact form like this:
8. FreelanceWritingGigs.com
Freelance Writing Jobs or FWJ is an online board that compiles writing job opportunities for freelancers.
They search the web high and low for listings, including other job boards, LinkedIn, and company websites.
Companies can also place job ads for a fee, which remain on their site for 30 days.
How to place a job ad on FWJ
To place a job ad, just hover over ‘Freelance Writing Job Board’ and click ‘Place a Job Ad.’
You then have to fill up a form with details like the job’s description, rate, category, and contact information.
Before you place your ad, take note that FWJ has specific guidelines for paid job placements:
- Writing jobs must pay at least $15
- Jobs for academic papers are not accepted
- You should only pay money, even if you’re planning to pay goods worth $15 or more
9. Reddit
Reddit, AKA “The Front Page of the Internet,” is a discussion website with “subreddits” for everything under the sun.
Its biggest asset is the large and hyper-engaged community. Users can upvote other posts and comments while earning “karma” for interactions.
How to find freelancers on Reddit
You can find freelance writers for hire on Reddit just by typing “freelance writer for hire” into the search box.
Reddit will then show you a list of posts uploaded by freelance writers who are looking for their next gig.
Just click on a post, read their pitch, and decide if they’re the right fit for your blog.
Joining subreddits to find freelancers
You can also join subreddits like r/freelance_forhire and r/writersforhire to look for candidates.
However, it’s more effective to use search since a lot of users often flood these subreddits with unrelated posts.
Perhaps the only advantage of joining subreddits to look for freelancers is the ability to post about jobs.
Just follow the same steps as posting a job on other websites, like Upwork and FWJ.
Be descriptive, mention the salary, include your contact information, and specify the required skills and expertise.
10. Quora
Yes — you can also find writers for your blog on Quora.
For those who are unfamiliar with it, Quora is a Q&A website where users can have their questions answered.
More often than not, those answers are provided by other users with a marketing intent.
I’m talking about bloggers, virtual assistants, marketers, and — you guessed it — freelance writers.
How to find freelancers through Quora
To find freelancers through Quora, search for questions about any topic related to your niche.
For example, let’s start with the query “email marketing.”
After running the search, let’s inspect the topmost result.
It shouldn’t take long before you find an answer written by someone who’s clearly a knowledgeable writer.
Here’s an example from someone who is a software reviewer on a site called TechJockey:
Remember, you don’t need to look specifically for answers posted by someone who declares their profession.
Sometimes, you just need to look at the way their response is constructed.
If it reads and flows well, they might consider an offer to write for your blog.
11. Ask your connections
At this point, you know more than enough ways to find talented freelancers who can help you create blog content.
There’s just one last strategy I’d like you to try.
If you’ve been blogging for a while, chances are you already have connections with other people in your industry.
In this case, you can ask those connections if they can refer someone who can help with content production.
Don’t have such connections?
You can start a conversation on the official Master Blogging Community on Facebook.
It’s been done before, but you can probably get better answers if you post something more detailed. For example, you can mention your niche or your preferred writing style.
Outsourcing Content: General Guidelines
Ready to hire a blog writer?
Calm down.
I haven’t told you about the best practices in hiring freelance blog writers yet.
So, before you hire, let’s review the essential guidelines first.
1. Avoid content mills
No — paying a company for content creation isn’t the same as hiring a freelancer.
You’re simply entrusting the content production front of your blog to a “content mill.”
That’s a big mistake.
Remember, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
By now, it should be clear that a content mill is a volume business.
Their aim is to attract as many clients as possible and delegate assignments to a large pool of writers.
And to make this business model profitable, they pay their writers very low rates.
As a result, the “freelancers” who take on jobs from these mills usually aren’t reliable in terms of quality.
Take a look at a review of a certain content mill that shall remain unnamed:
There’s also a high likelihood that they aren’t really well-versed in your niche. That means you could end up paying for generic content loaded with factual inaccuracies.
2. Know when you need to hire
If you’re new to the business and nowhere near close to a monetization strategy, don’t hire freelancers yet.
Proper freelancers may cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars per month.
Without reliable monetization, hiring freelancers is like signing your own blog’s death warrant.
My only advice is, be sure your blog earnings can support your decision to hire a writer.
You definitely have the option to pay a freelance writer straight from your savings. Doing so, however, is only advisable for short-term projects.
3. Ask for samples
One of the best ways to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth is to ask for samples.
Looking at previous work samples is the most reliable way of gauging a freelancer’s capabilities. Pay attention to their writing voice, vocabulary, and knowledgeability in your niche.
The good news is, experienced freelancers compile a list of their previous projects for prospecting purposes.
If they have their own website, you can find it in the “Samples” page or anything similar.
Just be careful of “freelancers” who will confuse you with samples they didn’t write themselves.
Remember, freelancers who delegate tasks to other freelancers — usually for cheaper — aren’t uncommon.
This leads us to the next most important guideline in hiring freelance blog content writers.
4. Arrange a paid trial
In some rare cases, a capable freelancer may not be able to provide you with work samples.
This can be due to two reasons:
- They are ghostwriters — Naturally, decent ghostwriters who respect their field won’t tell you about their previous clients.
- They’re just starting out — Just because a freelancer is new to the industry, doesn’t mean they’re not capable of writing quality content.
Your safest bet is to look at other candidates who can provide you with their recent work samples.
But if you’re willing to give them a shot, there is something you can do.
How to do a paid trial project
Without samples, you can assess a freelancer’s writing skills by arranging a paid “trial” assignment.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Think of a project — This can be an entire article or a single product description. Just be sure to focus on topics in your niche to test the freelancer’s knowledge and research skills.
- Calculate how much you’re willing to pay — Let’s say you only want to risk $5 for the paid trial. If the freelancer’s rate is $0.07 per word, only have them write the first 71 words of the project.
- Provide them with an outline — You can create a detailed outline for the paid trial assignment with very specific instructions. This is optional, but it can help you determine the freelancer’s ability to follow instructions.
- Set a deadline — Another advantage of arranging a paid trial is, you can check whether or not the freelancer actually does the work. You can do this by setting a tight deadline, which is reasonable since the task is only a few paragraphs.
5. Think about promptness
Speaking of deadlines, make sure the freelancer you hire can stick to them on a consistent basis.
You can’t afford to have your content and promotion plans delayed just because a freelancer missed their deadline. But first, you must know how to set a realistic blogging schedule.
It looks something like this:
I suggest asking them about their writing speed and projected daily output. That way, you can determine how productive and consistent they are with writing projects.
What to do if they miss a deadline?
The short answer is, give them another chance.
As bloggers, we should know that writing a quality, full-length post takes a lot of time and effort.
In case they miss a deadline, the first thing to do is ask when they’ll get to finish the task.
It’s also important to ask for a valid reason why they failed to do it in time. Some examples are:
- Family emergencies
- Current health conditions
- Problems with internet connectivity
- Software and hardware issues on their end
Those are pretty much the only reasons I’ll accept.
Finally, it’s crucial to remind the freelancer that you value promptness. Tell them that you expect the timely completion of projects.
If they won’t be able to meet a deadline, ask them to notify you 24 hours ahead of time.
6. Ask about their internet connection
I just remembered something as I was discussing the valid reasons for missing a deadline.
Before you hire a freelance blog writer, ask them about the stability and speed of their internet connection.
The truth is, there are countless freelancers in developing countries who are more than capable of producing quality work.
Unfortunately, their productivity and reliability can be hindered by poor internet connection.
If you want, you can ask them to conduct a speed test using SpeedTest.net.
If their internet speed is less than 5Mbps, ask them if they could gain access to faster internet.
Otherwise, wait and see if they can still manage to do their job properly. If they frequently miss deadlines because of poor internet, it’s time to look for a replacement.
7. Discuss your method of communication
Another reason to check a freelancer’s internet speed is its impact on your communication.
I don’t know about you, but when I worked with a freelance editor, we always discussed projects through Skype.
Communicating via Skype is extra handy when hiring freelance bloggers.
That’s because you get to hear and evaluate their English communication skills firsthand.
Sure, they may have an accent depending on where they live. But if they can speak with you using clear English, that should translate to the quality of their work.
Alternatives to Skype
There’s literally no reason not to use Skype since it’s free and widely used.
But if you don’t want to use it for some reason, here are the alternatives:
- Slack
- Facebook Messenger
- Telegram
- Viber
8. Set up a project tracking system
To make sure freelancers perform their tasks to the best of their ability, you need a project tracking system.
This includes three important components:
- Task/project management app — A task or project management app is the main part of a tracking system. This will help you organize your projects, share details, and track the completion of individual tasks.
- Word processor with document sharing — Most modern word processors have a built-in sharing feature, which allows multiple users real-time access to the same document. In other words, you can check the progress of article assignments as freelancers work on them.
- Editorial calendar app — An editorial calendar app is useful for setting deadlines and planning future posts. Some project management apps have a calendar feature baked into them.
Worried about the costs of setting up a project tracking system?
Don’t worry — there are free tools you can use for each component.
If you’d like to see your options, jump ahead to the “Some Tools You Can Use” section.
9. Discuss the possibility of co-working spaces
If you run a blog in English, hiring a native English speaker as your blog content writer would be great.
However, since they usually have high per-word rates, a lot of bloggers hire non-native English speakers.
You can also hire local freelancers, which gives you the option to work through a co-working space.
What are co-working spaces?
Put simply, a co-working space is a shared workspace among startups, small teams, and freelancers.
They offer substantially cheaper rates than traditional office spaces for lease.
You can find available co-working spaces in your area on Coworker.com.
Co-working spaces have huge advantages over remote working:
- Make sure freelancers are focused on the job — If a freelancer agrees to work in a co-working space, you can personally supervise their progress. Just check their progress every hour or so — constantly looking at their computer screen will cause more harm than good.
- Discuss projects in great detail — Even if you choose not to use co-working spaces all the time, they’re still great places for holding meetings. You can discuss projects, share ideas, give feedback, and collaborate more effectively.
- Build your professional relationship — Hiring a freelancer long-term can help make your blog content more consistent in terms of quality and style. Working together in a co-working space will help build a dependable professional relationship, which is necessary to make this happen.
10. Talk about the mode of payment
You can’t forget about the mode of payment when planning to work with a freelance writer.
Some of the common modes of payment used in the freelancing community are:
- Payment gateways — Popular payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe are the most common modes of payment used by freelancers.
- Direct deposit — If you’re hiring a local freelancer, you should be able to make payments via direct bank deposits.
- In-person cash payments — Just like direct bank deposits, in-person cash payments are only ideal if you hire a local freelancer. This is actually a good option if you plan to work in a co-working space or in-house.
Obviously, you are limited to the payment modes you have access to.
You are the client, after all.
Luckily, you can easily sign up for a slew of payment services like PayPal and Stripe.
Just remember that companies like PayPal have a verification method as a measure against fraudulent activities.
To get your account verified, follow the steps on their website and consult your bank.
11. Consider paying in advance
Some freelancers are willing to work for less than their average per-word rate if you pay in advance.
You can pay in advance on a monthly, weekly, or per-project basis.
I’d go for the third option since it’s the safest arrangement for bloggers who need to make every cent count.
Avoid paying in advance for a whole month unless you’ve already worked with a freelancer for a long time.
12. Hire slow, fire fast
Getting help for your blog is an ongoing process that often requires you to take decisive actions.
My personal motto is to “hire slow, fire fast.”
Hiring slow will make sure you get the right person for the job. Don’t hesitate to look for multiple candidates and arrange paid trial projects for each of them.
If the freelancer fails to live up to your expectations, give them one more chance.
Share detailed feedback and ensure they get adequate guidance for their next task.
Tell them something informative, like:
If they still fail to deliver, fire them.
That only means they’re having difficulties following instructions.
Remember, you need a freelance writer who can work well even without your close supervision. At the very least, they should be able to follow simple guidelines.
It sounds harsh, but you’re only wasting you and your freelancer’s time if you don’t fire them fast.
13. Value attitude
Last but definitely not least, never hesitate to fire a freelancer with a negative attitude.
You need someone who is flexible and can take constructive feedback in a positive and professional way.
You know you’ve struck gold if you find a freelancer who’s always willing to make adjustments on the spot. If they act or respond aggressively when you request for revisions, fire them.
It’s your money, after all.
Some Tools You Can Use
You now have all the knowledge needed to make smart decisions when it comes to hiring freelance blog writers.
It’s time to build an app ecosystem that will help maximize the productivity of both you and your freelancers.
Here are my top choices:
1. Trello
Trello used to be my go-to app for managing tasks between me and my freelance editor.
It is a Kanban-style app, which means you get to organize and manage tasks visually using a card-based interface.
Trello allows you to assign or “add” members to a card. You may also set deadlines from there to make sure your content development efforts go smoothly.
2. Slack
Slack is a great alternative to Skype as your primary communication app with freelancers.
It allows you to make calls, share attachments, and connect with a bunch of other apps for productivity.
Slack’s most important feature, however, is “Channels.” This allows you to organize conversations, so you know exactly where to go when you need to hold certain discussions.
There’s also a built-in “Workflow Builder” that can automate repetitive tasks, like requesting for feedback and sending team reminders.
3. Google Docs
Personally, I use Microsoft Word and share the draft with my editor before I finalize the post.
But since it’s a paid app, I recommend Google Docs — a free, browser-based word-processing app.
What makes both MS Word and Google Docs useful is live document sharing.
That means you and your freelancer can work on the same document at the same time.
Changes are saved on the cloud, which means there’s no back-and-forth sending of drafts when working together on a post.
I still use Google Docs from time to time, especially when I’m working with someone who doesn’t use Microsoft Office.
4. Google Calendar
If you’re the type of blogger who likes planning their content in advance, you need an editorial calendar.
Google Calendar is a great, all-around option due to its free price tag, features, and accessibility.
Similar to Google Docs, anyone with a Google account can access your calendar.
You simply need to generate a shareable link and send it to your freelancers.
This can be done from the “Access permissions” section of your calendar settings.
Once shared, freelancers should be able to view all the events you have scheduled.
And by events, I mean the upcoming posts you have planned for your blog.
This is an effective way of keeping everyone on the same page in terms of due dates.
If you’d like to look at other tools you can use for your editorial calendar, click here.
Conclusion
I hope you learned a lot about how to find writers for your blog.
Remember, hiring freelance blog writers isn’t something you should take lightly.
It is a decision that can affect your content quality, brand image, and overall odds of success.
I honestly had a blast putting together this guide for you. That’s why I’m also looking forward to your feedback, opinions, and suggestions.
Whatever it is, the comments section is yours.
Speak soon!
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