10 Things To Know About Blog Ghostwriters For Hire
Blogging is essential for your business. Scratch that. Creating longer and more comprehensive blog posts at an increased frequency is essential for your business, which is why more businesses are frequently relying on ghostwriters for hire. Don’t believe us? Blogging statistics from Quoracreative back our assertion:
Why Hire A Blog Ghostwriter?
The following statistics back up the reasoning behind why you should hire a ghostwriter for blog content:
- In-depth long-form blog content generates 10 times more leads than shorter content.
- The average blog post length is 1,150 words, though content that targets popular keywords should be between 2,200 and 2,500 words.
- Companies that published 16+ blog posts per month generated 3.5 times more traffic and 4.5 times more leads than those that posted four or fewer blog posts a month.
- If you were to increase the frequency with which you blog by 100%, you would see a 300% return.
Those numbers are pretty exciting, aren’t they? What’s not exciting for many time-strapped professionals is the time it takes to write a single blog post. According to the statistics, the average blog post takes a writer three hours and 30 minutes to write. If you don’t have that kind of time, you’re not alone, hence the need for ghostwriters for hire.
What Do Ghostwriters For Hire Do?
Dead men tell no tales — but ghostwriters do. Ghost blog writers are real people who can seamlessly step into your brand’s style and voice and create engaging content that appeals to your target market and positions you as an industry leader. Why are these writers called “ghosts?” The answer is less spooky than you may have imagined.
Ghostwriters for blogs get paid to write on another person’s or business’s behalf. In exchange for payment, the writer doesn’t take credit as the author. Rather, the person who commissions the piece does.
Traditionally speaking, ghostwriters for hire worked with authors to write books. However, with the increased need for exceptional online content, the “ghosts” have broken into the digital realm, leaving their footprints across websites, online news publications, social media, e-books and other online collateral. For many businesses, influencers and organizations, ghost written blogs have become essential elements of their content marketing strategies.
Wait, Aren’t Ghostwriters for Blogs Essentially Freelance Writers?
Not really. Though some freelance writers feel comfortable ghostwriting blog posts, many want or expect their own bylines. In fact, some freelancers are so influential themselves that businesses and publications hire them to guest blog. Ghostwriters, on the other hand, never expect a byline.
Why You Might Commission Ghost Written Blogs
You know your business and your customers better than anyone else, so why would you hire a ghostwriter to take over such an important task as blogging? There are plenty of reasons, actually, and a few of them are more common than others:
- You lack the time to write lengthy, informative blog posts.
- Writing isn’t your strong suit.
- The content creation process overwhelms you.
- You want to elevate your brand’s story with well-written and highly engaging content.
None of these reasons is a reflection of your capabilities as a business owner. In fact, they’re the very opposite. You don’t have time to write or learn how to write converting blog posts, because you’re busy thinking of your next big project, training employees, nurturing relationships with customers and engaging in other key business tasks. Go you!
Now that we’ve covered the why, it’s time to cover the how.
How Do You Hire Blog Ghostwriters?
You need ghostwriters for hire who will produce the kind of content that will amaze your audience and convince them to pledge their loyalty to you and only you. How do you know where to look? Like with any major investment, you need to do your homework and learn the ins and outs of using blog ghostwriters in marketing.
10 Things You Need To Know About Ghostwriters For Hire
From learning about the types of ghostwriters (and agencies) to work with (or avoid), to understanding your role in the process, there is a lot you should know if you hope for your collaboration with a ghostwriter for blogs to go according to plan.
With an extensive background in ghostwriting blog posts, we know a bit (okay, a lot) about what it takes to form successful partnerships with clients, and we thought we’d share some insight with you.
1. You May Go Through Several Ghostwriters Before You Find “The One”
Imagine this: You hire a ghostwriter for blog articles and expect instant magic, but when you read the finished product, you experience instant regret. Your disappointment may stem from one or more of the following reasons:
- The tone and style are not at all in line with that of your business.
- The piece is riddled with stylistic and grammatical errors.
- The blog writing is so poor as to indicate the piece was written by a non-native English speaker.
- The tone is bland, and the article does not showcase your industry expertise.
For a few of the above scenarios, the problem obviously lies with the quality of the writer you hired. If you pay for cheap content, cheap content you’ll get. If the problem is the ghostwriter (or possibly the lack of a thorough QC process), you may have to go through one or several content writing agencies to find the right fit. After a bit of trial and error, you will find The One, we promise!
However, for some of the other issues, such as those stemming from tone and style, the issue may not be with the writer but rather with the way in which you work with the writer, which brings us to point two.
2. Hiring Ghost Blog Writers Doesn’t Mean You Can Disappear
If you want to enjoy a successful partnership with your ghostwriter, collaboration is key. While it’s true that ghostwriters for hire have exceptional research skills, and while many of the more experienced writers can emulate just about any voice you want, they will never have the industry knowledge and expertise you have, even if a writer has experience in your industry. You’re the expert, and the ghostwriter needs your guidance to create the works of art you expect.
Share your knowledge, ideas and expertise with your writer, and he or she will help you clearly convey it all in ways that are engaging and readable. Give your blog ghostwriter direction and be available to answer any questions he or she may have, and you will receive far higher quality ghost written blogs than if you had dumped an assignment on him or her with no guidance at all.
3. Respecting the Ghost Writer’s Process Will Yield the Best Results
Though you don’t want to be a ghost yourself, you also don’t want to be one of those clients who are too involved. These clients have six-page long briefs for a 500-word blog post. They check in with the ghostwriter every day, “just to see how the writing is going.” They send updated requests every 24 hours or whenever they think of something new that they’d like to add to the content. Don’t be that client, as it will make ghostwriting blogs posts very difficult for the person you hire.
Yes, your website or blog is very near and dear to you, but you hired a ghostwriter for a reason. Your process and standards didn’t work for you, so why would you expect them to work for a person who writes for a living? Give your ghostwriter some space and creative freedom, and chances are he or she will produce something far more magical than if you had dictated the process.
4. Address the Extras To Ensure Everyone Is on the Same Page
Edits, revisions, images, meta descriptions, social media posts … There are dozens of extras that your ghostwriter for hire will be more than happy to tack on for you, for a fee. Though basic edits and revisions are typically included in the initial price, be sure to double-check with your writer or copywriting agency before you hire a ghostwriter for blog posts.
Images, title tags, meta descriptions and social media posts all require additional work on the writer’s part, so expect to pay extra for them. Think of them as upcharges, like adding guacamole to your sandwich, or opting for soup instead of salad.
5. Provide a Content Outline or Guide
If your content asset is short (less than 800 words), it may not be necessary to send along an outline of what you want the finished product to look like. However, if you want a long-form blog post, an in-depth landing page, an e-book or a whitepaper, outlines can serve as exceptional guides during the process of ghostwriting blog posts.
To ensure you receive the asset you envisioned, spend some time to create a detailed outline that includes the sections you wish to include, the points you want to cover and the word counts for each section. You may also wish to include how thoroughly you would like the ghostwriter to cover any given topic (brief mention, a couple of sentences or in-depth paragraphs).
6. For Some Topics, Only So Much Can Be Said
There’s nothing worse for a ghostwriter than to receive a word count request that far exceeds the collective information on the subject.
For instance, say you want to promote the new gravity-feed toilet your home improvement store recently added to its inventory. You request a 2,500-word product review on this toilet alone. Its features are undoubtedly noteworthy, but are there really 2,500 words to be said about the fixture? Probably not. Asking your ghostwriter to come up with so many words for a subject that can be covered in 500 or less is asking for a piece full of fluff — and for the writer to forever turn away future assignments from you.
Before requesting an assignment from your ghost, ask yourself: Is there enough relevant information out there to cover the word count? And if so, is it information your intended audience would want? If the answer is yes to both questions, by all means, request away. If you answered no to either question, however, consider shortening the word count, if for no other reason than for your writer’s sanity.
7. For Other Topics, a Lot More Can Be Said
On the other hand, there are those requests for a writer to cover a comprehensive topic within a measly 500 words. Again, this hurts your ghostwriter’s heart, and not because you’re forcing him or her to write fluff, but because you’re forcing him or her to glaze over so much important information. If you have a long-form worthy topic, don’t squander its potential by allowing the writer less than 1,000 words to cover it. Give your ghostwriter the freedom to run with it by paying for a higher word count.
8. Give Constructive Feedback
It’s true that many writers are sensitive creatures, but that does not mean you should refrain from giving your feedback. Feedback is good, as it allows the ghostwriter to better understand your expectations so that he or she can create content you’re happy with in the future.
You may find that at the beginning of your relationship, you’re giving more feedback than you would have thought compulsory. This may not necessarily be a reflection of the ghostwriter’s skills and capabilities. Rather, it could be due to a lack of communication at the onset of a project, unclear directions or a sudden change in your own style preferences. Bear these things in mind when you communicate with the writer, because while most ghostwriters expect and willingly accept feedback, if the feedback is more critical than constructive or productive, the writer may be unwilling to work with you on future projects.
Ultimately, the big picture is what really matters. If the ghostwriter pegs your tone, voice and style, addresses all the talking points you wanted to cover and produces a finished product that is both engaging and informative, small, easy-to-fix errors should not be a deal-breaker.
9. Being Nit-Picky Is Never Appreciated
Feedback is welcome and encouraged. Being unnecessarily nit-picky is neither. If the writer failed to include a link to your Contact Us page, or if you notice a typo in the content, sending an email requesting revisions for these quick fixes may be a waste of time and energy. It may also set you up as one of those “difficult” clients, which professionals will agree are never fun to work with.
If you notice very minor errors, make the changes yourself. Include notes in the feedback, such as, “Please remember to include a link in the CTA” or “Run through spellcheck to spot errors you might otherwise overlook.” Ghostwriters for hire who value you as a client and who respect their positions will be sure to keep your feedback in mind before submitting the next piece.
10. When Ghostwriting Blog Posts, You Get What You Pay For
Price is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of content you can expect, as ghostwriter fees vary considerably. Moreover, some writers charge a flat, hourly rate, while others charge on a per-word basis. The price may go up or down depending on the project specifics, type and amount of content, the intensity of the research required and the ghost writer’s level of education and experience.
That said, be smart about how you go about hiring a blog ghostwriter. If you turn to Craigslist or Upwork and hire a writer to create a 500-word blog post for $5, you’re unlikely to get anything of value. The same may be true if you go through a content mill that always promises the lowest prices on content, or a blog writing agency that promises a webpage for “Just $1!”
For the most bang for your buck, go through a content creation agency that specializes in offering ghostwriters for hire. Read the reviews before committing to any contract and ask for a trial order. A legitimate blog writing firm will be more than happy to answer your questions and get you started with a few samples for your project.
Signs You’ve Found Your Ghost Writer For Hire
Say you already know all there is to know about ghost blog writers — now you just want to know how you can tell you’ve found the Casper to your Cat. As they say, a blog post says a thousand words, so let the writing speak for itself. To know whether you’ve found your spirit writer, look for the following telltale signs:
- Your writer is quick and flexible.
- He or she understands your tone and voice and can adapt to and build upon it in writing.
- His or her writing style doesn’t just inform — it paints a picture.
- You would never know that your writer is not an expert in your industry.
- The ghostwriter saves you valuable time and headache by producing quality content the first time around.
- You almost never have to request revisions.
- Your articles and webpages are already optimized for search when you receive them.
- Regardless of how complex the topic may be, your writer explains it in an easily digestible manner.
If ghostwriters for hire can demonstrate these skills, then you’ve found the person (or people) to represent your brand with utmost accuracy and authenticity. Don’t let those ghost writers go! Not only that, but your writers are sure to consistently deliver content that you will want to attach your byline to.
Get Help Finding Blog Ghostwriters for Hire
Hiring ghostwriters for blogs may prove to be an invaluable investment for your business. While you could begin the search for an individual ghostwriter on your own, it may be quicker and more effective to turn to a content writing company that has already hand-selected and trained some of the top ghostwriters in the industry. If the latter sounds more appealing, head directly to our content shop, where you can order 100% unique articles, webpages and more. And if you’re in the market for consistent, monthly blog posts, check out our blog post subscriptions. Our team of ghost blog writers will take care of the keyword research, topic creation, content creation, editing, etc. for one low monthly price.
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