Telling your company’s story is a key piece of the marketing pie these days. To keep people engaged, you need to provide a steady stream of engaging, fresh content – and to do that you need writers. For small companies with a limited budget and resources, hiring a staff writer isn’t always realistic.
Freelance writers are willing and able to help you create the compelling content you need, you just have to know where to find them (or how to help them find you). Here are some actionable and effective tips for finding the perfect freelance writers for your business.
Finding a quality writer who “gets” your industry is a whole lot easier than you might think. There is a bevy of online tools designed to help you find writers with expertise in your industry. Sites like JournalismJobs.com and Muck Rack have already sorted out and vetted their writers to make it easy for you to locate writers by industry specialty.
These sites operate like the Match.com of PR and marketing. They help you identify your unique writing needs and match you to the writers that best meet your criteria. Writer Access is another site worth checking out, especially if you don’t have a huge budget but still want a proven writer who is familiar with your industry.
Going on the hunt for writers isn’t the only way to engage a freelancer. You can bring them right to you with a smart, appealing “Write for us” landing page. Put the word out that you’re looking for great writers and make it easy for them to approach you.
An effective landing page should provide specific detail about what type of writing you are and are not looking for, submission guidelines, pay rates/ranges and editorial contacts. If you have any special events or themes coming up (new product launch, a charity event, etc.) be sure to highlight those and include the timeframe for pitches and submissions.
Because you already have a blog and a social media presence, use these established mediums to let writers know you’re looking for them. Put out a call for freelance writers via your company-run blog. This is a great way to engage writers with your brand, provide examples of the types of content you’re looking for and make it easy for writers to respond.
Don’t be afraid to put out the call on Twitter and other social media channels. Many freelance writers look for potential jobs on social media, so be sure to use tags they search for, such as #copywriter or #freelancewriter. LinkedIn is another rich resource for connecting with great writers. Post your need for writers as a job or link to your company’s open-call blog post.
There are several ways to score quality content without breaking the bank. Contact the journalism or English department at a local college or university. Many students are willing to work simply for a byline.
Craigslist is another great place to find freelance writers. Post in the gigs section under writing and editing, as well as listing in the jobs section. Another valuable resource is former colleagues who know your business. Ask them to write a guest post in exchange for promotion and exposure on your company website and social media pages.
You can attract a lot of writers and content with a contest. Ask customers, writers, and anyone who visits your website to write up their favorite experience with your company, product or service. Some companies have used a contest to find a house writer. If the prize is a regular gig where a writer can establish a body of work, you can land an awesome writer without going over budget.
Even after you’ve found a writer or two you enjoy working with, you should never stop seeking writers. To keep content from becoming stale or repetitive, regularly feature a new writer with a different perspective and a fresh voice.
Refresh your landing page, update your content requirements and send out new and different calls for writers a few times per year. By keeping your feelers out there, you also protect yourself from being left in the lurch if your favorite writer publishes their book or decides to take a day job.
Because quality writing and consistent content is the key to establishing your brand in the current marketplace, don’t be shy when seeking out writers. Try out any and all of these tips and techniques to get your company on the road to industry domination.
