When you want to hire a writer for your project, you face a wide range of writing levels and styles to choose from. You want to hire the best writer, but you are not sure where to start. Before you even think about hiring anyone, you must know what it is you want to achieve.
You can select writers from many classifications; these include quality levels, amount of topic experience, and educational background. No matter how high a writer’s quality, if you do not express what you want, you will not get the results you desire. Freelance writers may be many things, but they cannot read your mind.
Communication is the Key
If you are looking for technical content, you need to communicate this need to your writer. You must also take that a step further. Do you want engineering level content or something that the average reader can make sense of? If you just specify “technical” in your writing request, you writer will find numerous ways to define technical.
Let the Writer Know What Type of Results You Want
If you want a product description that does not look like marketing copy, say that up front. On the opposite side of the scale, if you want to turn browsers into buyers make sure you specify that in your instructions. You may just want to provide interesting reading material to keep viewers on your website. You may want to pique the reader’s curiosity and get requests for more information. Each of these results requires a different writing style.
Keep these points in mind when you request your content:
- What educational level are you trying to reach?
- What results are you trying to achieve from the article you want written?
In addition, specify what you do not want. If you include a half-dozen links to a company’s website, but do not want the writer to mention the company, communicate that fact. If you have a competitor you do not want mentioned, state this upfront.
A large part of receiving exceptional content is letting your writer know your needs. However, avoid the impulse to create a five-page document containing your instructions. You writer will become lost and frustrated.
No freelance writer can hit the target if you do not make the target clear. When your expectations are clear, your content writer will hit the ground running. You will receive better quality, because your chosen writer is not spending hours just trying to figure out the direction of the content. Finally, if your finished content is off the mark, define where it is wrong. Your writer will be able to give you what you need.
Barbara B is a freelance writer who loves writing about home and auto repair, construction, science, and engineering. She loves writing even on days when she does not know exactly what a client wants.
