Hiring a freelance writer is a brilliant way to bring fresh, engaging content to your business. But it’s important to remember – it’s a collaboration, not a total hand-off!
If you want your partnership with a freelance writer to be a success, it all starts with clear communication, setting expectations, and giving helpful feedback along the way. In this post, I’ll walk you through how to work effectively with a freelance writer so you can hit your content goals and get the results you’re after.
Agreeing on the Basics
Before any writing happens, your freelance writer will want to get a few key details locked in. These basics will shape how you work together:
- Content Volume: How much content do you actually need? Are you after a one-off blog post, a handful of articles, or ongoing content support?
- Pricing: Every writer has their own pricing model – some charge per word, others per project or per hour. Make sure you discuss rates, payment terms, and deadlines upfront so there are no surprises later.
- Types of Content: Be clear about what you need. Blog posts, website copy, social media captions, newsletters, eBooks – each one requires a different approach.
Sorting all this out at the start saves time, avoids misunderstandings, and sets a positive tone for the whole collaboration.
Sharing Your Content Goals and Ideas
Before you even hire a writer, it’s a good idea to get clear on your content goals. Are you aiming to boost your website traffic? Build up your brand authority? Maybe you want to educate your audience or drive more sales?
Whatever your goals, share them openly with your writer. The more detail you provide, the easier it’ll be for them to create content that fits your vision perfectly.
Here’s how to help them help you:
- Clarify Your Objectives: Do you want the content to educate, entertain, inform, or convert? The clearer you are, the better the end result will be.
- Understand Your Audience: Share who you’re targeting – their age, interests, challenges – so the tone and messaging hit the right notes.
- Suggest Topics and Themes: If you’ve already got some ideas, brilliant! If not, ask your writer – they’ll often have great suggestions based on trends and industry insights.
- Share Examples: Point out articles, blogs, or websites you love. Highlight what you like about them – the tone, style, structure – so your writer has a clear benchmark.
- Offer a Content Brief: A simple document covering word count, SEO keywords, and formatting preferences can save so much time (and revisions!).
- Keep Communication Open: Encourage a two-way dialogue. Writers love feedback; the more constructive you are, the better your future content will be.
- Give Clear Feedback: When reviewing drafts, don’t just say, “This isn’t right.” Explain why and suggest tweaks. Also, let them know what’s working well so they can keep building on that!
Taking the time to map this out will really pay off – you’ll get content that matches your expectations and resonates with your audience.
What the Writer Needs to Know
To write spot-on content for you, your freelance writer will need to understand a few key things about your business:
- Your Brand Voice and Tone: Should the content sound friendly and chatty? Professional and authoritative? A style guide is really helpful here if you have one.
- Preferred Formatting and Structure: Are you looking for short, punchy paragraphs? Specific calls to action? A set word count? Let your writer know upfront.
- SEO Guidelines: If SEO is part of your strategy, share target keywords, internal linking practices, and any other optimisation preferences.
- Content You Love: Share examples of content you admire – it gives your writer a crystal-clear idea of the style you’re aiming for.
Providing all this information at the start saves time, reduces revisions, and makes the whole process so much smoother for both sides.
Final Thoughts
When you find a freelance writer who really “gets” your brand and produces great work, think about building a long-term relationship. Over time, they’ll get to know your voice, audience, and goals inside and out, meaning the content will keep improving.
With open communication, mutual respect, and clearly defined goals, you’re not just ticking off your content to-do list – you’re setting yourself up for long-term success.
Let’s Work Together
Are you looking for a freelance writer ready to work with you to bring your content ideas to life? Let’s collaborate and create content that connects with your audience and supports your goals. Get in touch via email or book a discovery call – I’d love to hear about your project!
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