Now is the perfect time to start looking for content writers, if you want to outsource blog writing
to free up internal resources. Prices for content have never been cheaper, and there is a huge range of writers available at all levels of experience. Whether you just need someone to write 100-word blurbs for T-shirts you're selling or you're looking for complex technical articles, there's a writer out there who can do it for you.
For those outsourcing blog writing, there are also just as many ways of connecting with content writers. Some are obvious, some less so. We have a lot of experience here at 98toGo in connecting with writers, so kick back and take a look at some of the ways you can go about getting the content you need.
Overlooked Ways to Outsource Blog Writing
Just to start with, there's always the old-fashioned way: want ads. Unless you're in a major metropolitan area, like Atlanta or New York, you'll probably want to use online resources such as Craigslist to spread your message as far as possible.
These sorts of ads still work, especially if you aren't on a tight timeline or want a slightly more intimate experience. Having writers send you their portfolios allows you to vet them personally, and select the one with the tone that best suits your needs. You'll usually also have more room to detail the job, to make a better match.
On the other hand, it's also slow, and you're limited to what gets sent to you.
Of course, you could be more proactive about your outsourcing and browse writers' websites directly. Plenty of writers have hung virtual shingles online and are building their own business from their website. They usually maintain their own blog as well as having an online portfolio, so it's easy to see what they have to offer.
Another advantage of going this route is that you know you're dealing with someone who understands at least some of the difficulties of marketing online, since they're doing it themselves. On the other hand, even finding some of the better writers can be tricky since the large freelance writer websites have pretty much taken control of the obvious Google searches.
Then again, maybe going with a major freelance resource would work better for you. Websites such as Freelancer.com and FreelanceWriting.com host massive job boards that any outsource blog writing specialists can peruse and choose from. A job you post to these is going to get a lot of exposure.
With these services, you can generally still haggle directly with the writer, and it's on you and
the writer to work out an equitable contract. You don't get any guarantees, but you also don't end up paying any money to a middleman either.
Now, if you want a middleman, brokered content sites might be more relevant to you. We talk more often about these, as they're probably the simplest all-around way of connecting with content writers. Websites like Textbroker and Zerys are among the more popular of these, although there are dozens of similar services.
With these, the broker vets the writers for you and assigns them a rating, as well as handling payment securely. You pay a bit more for your content - there's generally around a 10%-30% markup - but you are making the deal in a safe environment that protects both you and the writer. These sites also usually have good conflict resolution options, if you and the writer end up in a dispute.
Finally, of course, you could go whole-hog and outsource your blog writing to a full Internet marketing service. It costs the most, but rather than individual articles, you'll have a full advertising agency to help your website grow.
