7 Essential Traits of an Amazing Content Marketing Writer

So, you’ve heard the term content marketing thrown around, and you’ve heard that it’s an important way to grow your business in a digital economy. But you’re still unsure about what it is, exactly, how it works, and where to get started. 

Content marketing helps to attract and retain customers by providing them with the information they seek, building relationships, and answering questions. Properly done, content marketing positions you, the business owner, as an expert in the market place so that potential customers trust you with their buying decisions and established customers return.

The problem is, you have no idea how to create the content that moves your readers along the path from curious shoppers to paying customers. And finding someone you can trust scares you into doing nothing.

Sound familiar? No worries. I’ve written the following checklist of things to look for in a freelance writer who knows her stuff and works to make you stand out from the masses. 

A professional freelance content marketing writer:

1. Understands your industry

To find the best writer for your business content, look for one who specializes in writing for your industry. A writer who specializes understands the lingo. If she’s a home remodeling writer, she doesn’t have to ask what LEED or CGR stands for. If she’s a gardening writer, she knows the difference between a weed and a bean sprout. Not only that, a writer who specializes has relatable samples to show you and a proven track record of industry knowledge. And, she’ll probably have a stable of subject matter experts in her hip pocket.

The ask: Have you done any writing in the home remodeling field?

2. Is invested in her profession

Many successful freelance writers have gotten where they are without a college degree. But that doesn’t mean they’re anti-education. A serious freelance writer does what she needs to do to keep current in her field of expertise. Whether being a member of organizations like the American Society of Journalists and Authors or taking continuing education classes, a freelance content marketing writer worth hiring constantly does things to improve her craft.

The ask: What continuing education classes did you take last year?

3. Has a portfolio of related work

Writers come in all shapes and sizes. You want to find a writer with experience writing the type of content you need. Here are a few examples:

• Journalist—A journalist researches, collects data, writes, and presents current information as news or how-to information for magazines, newspapers, or other media outlets.
• Copywriter—A copywriter writes text for advertising or marketing purposes. The text is for anything from brochures and billboards to commercials and catalogs.
• Content marketing writer—A content marketing writer writes content in the form of case studies, white papers, blog posts, social media posts, articles, newsletters, or anything else that strategically paves the way for a reader to do business with you.
• Author—An author writes books. 

When visiting a writer’s website or LinkedIn profile, look for samples of the types of writing you want done. While some types of writing are similar and can cross over, like journalism and content writing, you wouldn’t want to hire someone whose only samples are novels to write your website copy.

Also, analyze these samples for quality and storytelling ability. Do they show that the writer possesses research skills? Are they written in the voice of the client? How is her command of the English language? Would you be proud to showcase her work on your platform?

The ask: I need a few case studies. Can you share a few case studies you’ve written?

4. Has references from previous clients

The writer you choose will represent your brand. You can’t afford to work with someone who’s hard to get along with, misses deadlines, or otherwise proves unreliable. The best way to judge this is by what other clients have to say.

A professional freelance writer has current testimonials or references on their website or LinkedIn profile. The testimonials should have the referring person’s full name and business listed. On LinkedIn, you can see how current they are and even reach out to the person if you have a few more questions. If you can’t find any published testimonials, ask.

The ask: Can you provide me with the contact information of previous clients?

5. Understands content strategy

A savvy content marketing writer does more than write blog posts. She’ll want to know the goals you have in mind for the content she’s providing. And, she’ll suggest ways to reach those goals by using specific types of and placement for your content. The strategy could involve not just blog posts but emails, social media posts, video content, and lead magnets.

The ask: We want to increase the sales of our green widgets. What content would you suggest to help us do that?

6. Charges professional rates

A professional writer wants the luxury of giving your content all the attention it needs. Because after all, if the content doesn’t bring results, she’s failed at her objective of selling more of your green widgets. The lower the rate a writer charges, the less likely she’ll give your work the time and focus it deserves. Content writing isn’t a commodity you can shop for by price alone. Remember to look at it as the value that it brings to your company.

The ask: I want one case study, four blog posts, and 15 social posts a month. What would you charge for that?

7. Ranks on Google

A busy writer has content all over the World Wide Web. If you search for her name on Google, it should appear. If she has a common name, try putting ‘writer’ after it or inserting her middle initial. I use my middle initial because there are other prominent Carol Alexanders out in the world. And, if you want to know how skilled she is in your industry, search something like “freelance home improvement writer” and see where she ranks. 

The ask: I can’t seem to find you online. Can you send me some links to your work and your website?

There you have it. Seven essentials for a professional and savvy content marketing writer. To keep this list handy, download the infographic above. (Click on the image. It will open a new tab. Right-click on the image and choose Save Image As to download.) And let me know in the comments if there's anything you'd add to this list.