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Things to Think About Before You Hire a Freelance Writer

freelance writer

Things to Think About Before You Hire a Freelance Writer

Michael Marchese

August 4, 2015

Online businesses prioritize providing great website content, but the time and resources required to craft the information needed pose a challenge. As a result, many businesses seek to outsource this task to freelance writers.

Hiring freelancers to produce content can be an effective strategy because it frees up employees to focus on core competencies. However, there are a number of risks and challenges for companies who work directly with freelancers. These potential problems can end up costing a great deal more than just the freelancer’s fees.

Missed deadlines

Timely and steady content is especially important for companies that have a schedule to keep. People get sick, go on vacation or fail to meet deadlines for a variety of reasons. Additionally, freelance writers are typically juggling many projects at once. Some have full-time jobs and freelancing is their side project.

If you have a time-sensitive schedule, directly hiring a writer can be risky. There’s a chance the person may not complete the work on time. Also, most freelancers don’t have a back-up lined up to take over the job. Purchase content through a managed services provider to eliminate this risk. That way if one writer becomes unavailable, there are other writers on hand who can jump on the project to ensure the expert content is well crafted and delivered on time.

Plagiarism

Most professional writers would never dream of stealing the work of another person. However, there are those who try and pass themselves off as qualified writers and commit plagiarism. A business often finds it difficult to determine the originality of the content provided. Inadvertently publishing content that has been plagiarized is the last thing any business wants.

Freelance legal risks

Legal issues are another consideration. The said plagiarism risk can bring legal problems if the original content creator pursues action under copyright laws.

Another challenge is associated with contracts. Because there are a lot of details to be covered, if one is missed, this could lead to legal conflict. Businesses need to specify the freelancer is writing on a work-for-hire basis. They also need to emphasize that the content created is owned by the company so there is no dispute on who owns the material.

Additionally, firms that hire freelancers directly can potentially end up with tax issues. If the freelancer has no other clients and is told specifically what to do, this could be a slippery slope. The line between freelancers and part-time or temporary employees gets blurred. Companies that outsource content creation to a managed service provider can also outsource these potential headaches.

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Freelance writers may not have the expertise

Businesses want to be sure they hire a writer who is a subject matter expert (SME) on the type of content needed. Some writers eager for work may try to pass themselves off as being a specific SME when they really aren’t qualified. The results can be embarrassing for everyone involved.

Firms outsourcing their content need to be sure the freelance writer being considered is a proven SME. If there is no sure way to vet the writer, this is risky because no business wants to end up in a situation where its writer is less savvy about the content than its readers.

Finding the right voice

Each writer has his or her own strengths, and hiring one freelancer directly poses a challenge. While the writer may be experienced and well-versed in the subject matter, he or she may NOT be good at writing certain types of content.

For instance, the writer might be an excellent choice for writing white papers or e-books but doesn’t have the right “voice” for the company blog. That is why it is important to work with a company that has a network of writers possessing a variety of specializations. They will be able to match a firm’s specific content needs with the right writer for the job.

Working with a managed services provider such as Tempesta Media can have a number of benefits because the provider takes on these responsibilities and risks. Tempesta Media can ensure the quality and originality of its custom content because it continually rates the quality of each writer’s work. And every bit of content produced by Tempesta Media is checked for plagiarism and edited by experienced professional editors.

The experts at Tempesta Media can take the stress out of producing quality digital content for you and your customers. And they can do it for significantly less that the cost of alternative sources.

If you have a content marketing program, or are planning one, download our ebook:  100 mistakes businesses make when starting, optimizing and scaling content marketing programs.  Learn from the mistakes of hundreds of other companies.  100 mistakes walks you through common and uncommon challenges that they faced with their content marketing programs.

Get more information on what Tempesta Media can do for you.

Michael Marchese

Michael Marchese

Michael is the founder and CEO of Tempesta Media. He is responsible for corporate strategy, executive team leadership, and overall business operations across all the company’s segments. With over 25 years of experience, he has held various strategic and operating positions. ​​As a recognized expert, he has served on numerous committees for the following industry associations: SEMPO (Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization), IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau), CGA (Casual Gaming Association), and the MMA (Mobile Marketing Association).

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