In a recent thread on Webmasterworld, when asked if members had 10 people to help promote their website, what would they do? This interesting question got a surprising answer from a member that they would have 9 people writing articles and one person linking.
One-way links related to the topic, and articles are a great way to get linkable content and can be contracted for around $10 per 400 – 500 word article. Prices however vary, and so do the limits of eligibility.
Article writing, like link building, is an excellent candidate for outsourcing, or perhaps more correctly, out-tasking.
Why outsource?
Our sourcing is great as you can buy the services you need when you need it. You don’t have to worry about completing payroll or providing a computer, desk, or equipment. While a freelancer is doing research and writing, you can take care of other things.
Often, a freelancer represents a group, allowing you access to more resources and expertise.
Misconceptions
One of the biggest misconceptions is that you can ‘just give it to them’ and it will be all good. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the more time and effort you put into it, the better your chances of success.
An example project of 10 articles.
Before talking to my partners in the Philippines, I research keywords and use keywords to establish the title and content of articles. This usually gives me 6 or 8 titles of articles. Since not all articles are syndicated, I visit several article syndication sites and research which articles in my area have the most links on Yahoo. This article gives more data on topics and headings and general tone. Next, I decide what type of article is best suited for the titles. Should it be an “about this” article or a “how-to” article with a bulleted list of tasks the reader can take on now?
Once it’s all written down, I send it to my partner and immediately ask to see 4 or 5 articles so I can confirm everything is correct.
Or of course, I’ve specified in advance that the article must be original, and I check it from time to time to make sure. Once you’ve dealt with a freelancer a few times you can rest easy, but it still pays to check in every now and then.
Do not use software
There are plenty of people who offer software that scrapes article syndication sites and/or the web for content, rearranges it, and spits out hundreds of articles. My experience is that it would have been easier and certainly faster to write the article yourself or hire someone to do it.
Automatic rewriting of scraped content appears to be working on search engines for now, but how long it’s going to last is anyone’s guess. The biggest advantage of automation is that it has to use templates and it always leaves a footprint that other automated systems (ie bots and crawlers) can easily identify.
Price vs turn order time
Most freelance writers take on more contracts than they can handle and juggle turn-around time to maximize immediate cash flow. They only have a few contracts to work with at any given time, although they have many outstanding. Known?
Knowing this, expect to get a low price with a long turnaround or a short turnaround with a high price.
Low or high?
Do not choose the lowest price and do not choose the highest. Review what they say and examples of their work and decide which one you like best, then look at the cost.
A team is also important. Often ‘a freelancer’ represents a small group that works together. With a team of 5 people writing 20 articles, you get different perspectives and perspectives. I prefer and pay a little more for a team.
Eligibility
Competencies are important in regards to what you need. I like newspaper writers because they are in the business of writing snappy headlines and engaging articles, which I love for my sites.
Contracting or outsourcing still works – just a different kind of job. Managing freelancers requires some skill and practice and, if done properly, can lead to increased productivity and reduced costs.