So, you've decided it's time to start looking for an article writing service. This is an excellent 
idea! Inbound marketing is more complex than most people realize, and just like with offline advertising, you'll usually do better in the long run by hiring experts to help.
Now comes your next challenge: finding the right article writing service to meet your needs and budget. While you're going to get the best results from hiring a team of dedicated content marketing specialists, not everyone's in a position to make that investment, especially if you're relatively new to SEO-based marketing.
Today, we're going to look at some of your options, and the general pros and cons of each approach. We'll go in order from generally cheapest to most expensive, but remember: this is very much a “you get what you pay for” situation.
Different Types of Online Article Writing Services
1. Content Brokerages
For most people who are first looking to hire a writer, this is where they look first. There are plenty of websites online, such as Textbroker and Zerys, which act as interfaces between writers and clients, allowing you to search through writers who have already been vetted to find one that fits your needs.
Prices on these services are generally quite low. Prices can start at under a cent per word, although at those rates, you're also unlikely to find very good writers. Anything below 2-3c per word and you're likely hiring newcomers, non-native English speakers and at worst, “writers” who cheat, using autospinners and other computer-generated writing systems to deliver junk content.
That said, you can still find plenty of good writers on these sites, as this is where most who are new to content writing get their start. You may have to try out a few writers to find one who fits your needs, but it's a good way to develop a basic partnership at low rates. Further, these sites handle payments themselves, so there's a decent amount of protection for both you and the writers.
2. Independent Freelancers
Plenty of freelancers eventually get tired of the brokerage model and want to start having more direct control over their pricing and what clients they accept. Some of these may move to a less restrictive article writing service, such as Freelancer.com. These don't have the same protections as the brokerage sites, but they allow you to negotiate more specific writing contracts that fit your needs.
Many freelancers also set up their own independent websites with their portfolios, to advertise directly. Simply being able to find these sites among the mass of large-scale freelancing sites is often a good indication of whether these writers understand SEO techniques.
Prices here are generally more in the per-piece range, rather than per-word. You may be paying up to $50-$100 for article, but at those rates, you'll also be getting writers with real experience and, often, credited work in mainstream magazines and newspapers. On the other hand, no payment protections means you (and they) have to be constantly wary of scams.
3. Full - Featured Article Writing Services
At the top end, there are Atlanta Internet marketing agencies. These are really no different from offline ad agencies, just with a focus on SEO and content development. You'll get the best writing from them, generally speaking, and they usually can offer a full range of other services as well, from keyword discovery to social media to video production.
At this price range, it generally costs about as much to hire a full article-writing service as it does to hire a dedicated in-house writer. You're paying more, but you get far more for your money.
However you go about it, hiring an article writing service is a great idea for a company that's ready to take their SEO to the next level. Take your time, look at your options, and find the one that best suits your needs!
