What you should ask of a freelance writer

A good freelance writer is priceless.

They can drive traffic to your website, establish you as a thought leader in your niche, increase conversions and help build relationships with your target audience. Demand for freelance writers has led to an explosion of contracted content writing services.

Many freelancers work independently, while others work through digital agencies—and quality can vary widely.

A lot of companies are duped by services that sell stolen content that has been “spun” until it is barely readable. This content is often written by low-wage workers who have little to no English fluency and the writing lacks depth as a result.

The challenge, as a business owner, is finding a content writing service that doesn’t suck.

Here’s what you should consider before hiring a writer:

1. Ask for a portfolio and references.

Be wary of content providers who don’t give you the opportunity to see their work.

A content writing service should have samples of their work posted on their website. The samples should vary and showcase all of the work the company is capable of doing. Also ask to see any published writing.