Hire Content Writers That Actually Get Results: A Business Owner’s Guide

Hiring content writers should feel like a smart move—not a gamble. But if you’ve ever paid for blog posts, product descriptions, or website content that didn’t match your brand or boost your search visibility, you know how tricky it can be. With so many freelance content writers out there, finding someone who can write well, follow SEO best practices, and deliver real results takes more than luck. This guide will help you hire content writers who create high quality content that grows your traffic and supports your business goals.

In this Guide:

• The ROI of Great Content
• Before You Hire – Get Clear on What You Need
  • Types of Content
• Where to Find Great Content Writers
• What to Look for in a Content Writer (Quick Checklist)
• The Interview and Test Process Made Simple
• Setting Expectations Early Saves Time
• Managing Writers Without a Headache
• Bonus Tips for Getting Top Notch Content at a Reasonable Price

Great content doesn’t need a big agency—
just the right writer, a clear goal, and a strategy that works.

The ROI of Great Content

Content isn’t just something you publish because you’re “supposed to.” It’s what drives your visibility, keeps your audience engaged, and moves people closer to buying. For many businesses, it’s the quiet workhorse behind strong marketing results. In fact, 83% of marketers say content marketing is their most effective tool for demand generation. And that’s not just about traffic—63% say content helps build customer loyalty.

In 2024, 14% of businesses reported content marketing delivered the highest ROI, alongside SEO, websites, and email. That might not sound huge at first glance, but when you consider the amount of noise online, standing out through useful, well-written content is more valuable than ever. Even better—92% of brands are planning to invest more in content creators this year. That means if your business isn’t already investing in content, your competitors probably are.

Great content brings people to your site through search, holds their attention with useful information, and builds enough trust that they eventually convert. Whether it’s blog posts, product descriptions, or long-form articles, the right words in the right place can make a big impact.

Before You Hire – Get Clear on What You Need

Hiring a content writer without a clear plan often leads to poor quality content, missed deadlines, and rework. Whether you’re managing things yourself or working with a content manager, knowing what you need from the start saves time, money, and energy.

Think about the role content plays in your business. Are you trying to bring in more organic traffic through search? Do you need someone to write engaging articles that build brand trust? Or maybe you’re looking for top notch content to support your product pages or email campaigns? Each goal requires different skills, writing styles, and expectations.

You should also be honest about how much support your business can give. Do you have someone to review and give feedback? Or do you need someone who can manage projects on their own, from proofreading to formatting? Businesses with a larger team might assign a dedicated account manager, but many smaller companies prefer working with freelance writers who can handle multiple steps of the process.

Budget matters too—but it’s not just about finding the lowest price. It’s about finding freelancers who can deliver original content that meets your goals at a reasonable price. Hiring cheap often leads to wasted efforts, especially if you’re looking to create content that ranks well in search engine optimization and drives real business results.

Set your expectations clearly. What’s the job? How many articles or pages per month? Should they match your brand voice or help you define one? Do they need experience in your industry? Are they comfortable working in your content manager or CMS?

When you have the answers, it becomes much easier to find writers, brief them properly, and confidently build a content workflow that works for your company, your clients, and your goals.

Types of Content

Different content types serve different goals—some drive organic traffic, others build trust or help convert visitors. Below are the most common formats you’ll want to consider.

Blog Posts

Blog posts are excellent for establishing authority, enhancing search engine rankings, and generating organic traffic. With the right focus and keywords, they support your SEO efforts while maintaining your brand’s visibility. Quality blog writers know how to blend helpful ideas with a clear writing style that your audience will understand.

Website Content

This includes your homepage, service pages, and landing pages. These pieces define your brand voice and move visitors through your sales funnel. Freelancers with experience in website content know how to create content that is both user-friendly and optimized for search engines.

Product Descriptions

Product descriptions need to be short, persuasive, and clear. A good content writer knows how to turn features into benefits while supporting SEO content writing best practices. These blurbs can make or break a sale, especially in industries with lots of competition or similar offerings.

Articles and Guides

Articles and long-form guides help your company establish itself as an expert in its field. These types of content often require more extensive research, thorough proofreading, and meticulous editing. Hiring article writers with experience in your industry helps you produce top-notch content that delivers long-term results.

Where to Find Great Content Writers

There’s no shortage of options when it comes to hiring content writers, but not all paths lead to quality or consistency. Some businesses rely on platforms, others use agencies, and an increasing number are now opting to work directly with experienced freelancers. Here’s a look at where (and how) to find the right fit.

1. Hire an Independent Contractor

Working directly with a freelance content writer means you’re not dealing with layers of approvals, added fees, or vague timelines. You establish a more personal and efficient working relationship where your goals and feedback don’t get lost in translation.

If you’re looking for someone who understands how to balance SEO with storytelling, I offer content writing services that bring together strategy, clarity, and results. You’ll find more details on what I offer on my content writing services page, including how I support businesses across different content types and industries.

What sets my service apart is flexibility. Whether you’re a startup that needs a few blog posts per month or a growing company looking to scale, I can match your pace. I’ve mastered AI-powered content tools and utilize them to expedite production when it makes sense, without compromising on quality. I also know when to switch gears and go full human, especially for brand-heavy, research-driven pieces.

Behind the scenes, I collaborate with a trusted network of journalism and communication graduates, as well as skilled SEO content writers I’ve worked with over the years. If your project grows, I have the resources to grow with you. No need to onboard a full agency or get stuck with multiple freelancers. Everything stays streamlined under one roof, with one point of contact.

This approach works well for business owners who want high-quality content without the guesswork—someone who can adapt to different tones, manage shifting priorities, and create content that actually gets read.

2. Use Google to Find Niche Writers

Many of the best content writers don’t advertise on freelance platforms—they build their own sites, showcase real-world projects, and let their search visibility do the talking. That’s why a quick Google search can sometimes lead you to better matches than a crowded marketplace ever could.

If you’re in a specific industry—say, real estate, fintech, or eCommerce—try searching for terms like “freelance content writer for real estate blogs” or “SEO content writer for SaaS companies.” Google often prioritizes writers who already understand SEO, which is a good sign that they can help improve your rankings too.

These writers usually maintain personal websites with work samples, client testimonials, pricing transparency, and a clear breakdown of services. That gives you a better sense of their style and whether they’ve worked with businesses like yours. It also allows you to reach out directly—no platform fees, no bidding wars, and no inflated timelines.

The bonus? Writers who run their own sites tend to take their craft and reputation seriously. They know the value of content marketing and likely have experience working directly with business owners or marketing teams. That makes communication easier, timelines more predictable, and results more aligned with what your business actually needs.

And when you find someone who matches your industry, writing style, and workflow preferences, you’re not just hiring a writer. You’re building a long-term partnership that’s easier to manage and more effective in the long run.

3. Explore Freelance Platforms (With Caution)

Freelance platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and PeoplePerHour give you access to thousands of writers across the globe. You can post a job, review portfolios, and filter by budget. But while the variety is appealing, quality often varies. Some writers overpromise and underdeliver, especially when chasing volume. These platforms also charge service fees in addition to writer rates, and communication can be slower when conducted through the platform’s interface. If you’re after quick, one-off projects, they can work. However, for long-term content creation, managing multiple freelancers across different time zones can create more stress than value.

4. Ask for Referrals in Communities

One of the most underrated ways to find reliable content writers is by asking around. Referrals from fellow business owners or marketers often lead to better outcomes than cold hires. You can post in founder groups, marketing forums, Slack channels, or Facebook communities to ask who they’ve worked with and to solicit recommendations. Writers who come through referrals already have a reputation to uphold, which often means stronger communication, better follow-through, and more relevant industry experience. This is also a great way to find writers who may not actively promote their services but have a solid track record behind the scenes.

What to Look for in a Content Writer (Quick Checklist)

The right writer should know how to match your tone, create content that supports SEO, and deliver consistently without constant handholding. Whether you need blog posts, product descriptions, or full website content, you want someone who brings clarity, not more work. A great writer feels like an extension of your team, not just a freelancer ticking boxes.

Here’s a quick checklist to guide your search:

• ✅ Understands your industry or can research effectively
• ✅ Writes clearly for your target audience
• ✅ Knows basic search engine optimization principles
• ✅ Can adapt to different writing styles and brand voices
• ✅ Submits original content—no plagiarism, no AI fluff
• ✅ Meets deadlines without micromanagement
• ✅ Comfortable using content managers or CMS tools
• ✅ Responds promptly and communicates clearly
• ✅ Takes feedback well and asks smart questions
• ✅ Can balance creativity with structure and SEO best practices

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Even if someone looks good on paper, a few warning signs can save you from hiring the wrong writer. Watch out for:

• ❌ Vague or recycled writing samples
• ❌ Poor grammar or inconsistent tone
• ❌ Missed deadlines early in the process
• ❌ Overpromising output (e.g., 10,000+ words/day)
• ❌ No understanding of SEO or audience targeting
• ❌ Resistance to edits or feedback
• ❌ Generic replies in communication
• ❌ No clear process for research or content planning
• ❌ Inability to follow simple instructions

The Interview and Test Process Made Simple

You don’t need to be an SEO expert or editor to spot a good content writer. A simple interview and a short writing test can reveal a great deal about how someone works. Start by asking a few questions about their process—how they approach research, how they handle feedback, and how they manage deadlines. You’ll quickly get a sense of their professionalism and mindset.

Next, assign a short paid test project. This could be a blog intro, a product description, or a simplified version of what you’d need regularly. Please provide a brief that includes your brand tone, topic, and any specific formatting requirements. You’re not just looking for grammar—you’re checking if they understand voice, structure, and purpose.

Watch how they respond. Do they ask smart questions? Do they deliver on time? Is the content aligned with your goals?

Writers who take initiative, follow instructions, and ask for clarity when needed are usually the ones who’ll make your life easier long-term.

Setting Expectations Early Saves Time

Hiring is only half the work—setting expectations early is what keeps the partnership smooth. Clear direction at the start prevents wasted efforts, missed deadlines, and awkward rewrites later.

Start by sharing the full scope of work. How many blog posts or pages per month? What’s the expected turnaround time? Do you need the writer to upload content to your CMS, add internal links, or incorporate basic SEO formatting, such as headers and meta descriptions?

Next, define your brand voice and style. If you have content guidelines, share them. If not, provide a few sample articles that reflect the tone and structure you like. Clarify who handles proofreading and what the revision process looks like.

It also helps to explain your approval process. Will you review drafts weekly? Is there a content manager involved? Freelancers work more effectively when they know exactly who to contact, how to deliver files, and when to expect feedback.

The clearer you are up front, the more confident your writer will be—and the faster you’ll get quality content that hits the mark.

Managing Writers Without a Headache

Once you’ve hired the right writer, the next step is setting up a workflow that’s clear, simple, and repeatable. You don’t need to overcomplicate it with endless meetings or tools. Just use a system that keeps communication open and tasks organized.

Some of my favorite tools for managing content projects are Trello, Asana, and Monday. These platforms use a simple kanban board format, where you can move tasks between stages, tag collaborators, and update statuses as things progress. It’s a visual way to keep track of content that’s in progress, in review, or ready to publish. What’s even better is that each task card keeps all communication in one place. That means if you need to revisit feedback, update a brief, or make edits to a specific article, everything is attached to that one task—no digging through old emails or chat threads.

For basic editing and draft collaboration, Google Docs is still a go-to—but always combine it with a proper asset storage system.

Here’s a quick but important tip: Clients should have their own drive or content repository—whether it’s Google Drive, Dropbox, or a company-hosted folder. This ensures all outputs stay with the business and protects sensitive information. Writers may create the content, but once paid for, it’s your property. There’s no reason to store it in a personal drive where access might get lost over time.

Bonus Tips for Getting Top Notch Content at a Reasonable Price

You don’t need a big budget to produce high-quality content. In fact, many businesses find success by hiring skilled writers from the Philippines. With strong English proficiency, a deep understanding of Western communication styles, and a reputation for professionalism, Filipino content writers have become a go-to choice for companies looking to scale without the agency price tag.

Hiring skilled writers from the Philippines is one thing, but pairing that talent with a clear strategy is what drives real growth. Over the years, I’ve worked with businesses in different industries that needed more than just words on a page.

Take one of my long-time clients in the grass sod industry. They came in with a good product and a working website, but very little search visibility. We focused heavily on blog content—writing helpful, keyword-focused articles that answered real questions from homeowners and landscapers. After a few months, their traffic took off. In less than a year, they were getting over 9,000 organic sessions per month—up from just 900 when we started. Here’s the full case study.

A cybersecurity company I worked with had a different challenge: high competition and complex topics. We created a blog calendar centered on SEO content, designed to simplify cybersecurity for business owners and decision-makers. That content became a key driver of visibility on both Google and LinkedIn. The result? A 600% increase in organic traffic. Read more here.

Ready to Hire Content Writers Who Actually Get It?

Finding the right website and blog writers doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you’re after more organic traffic, stronger brand presence, or simply someone who can take content off your plate, the key is hiring with clarity and intention. Filipino writers bring a unique mix of affordability, fluency, and professionalism that makes them a strong choice for businesses looking to scale smart.

If you’re ready to create content that ranks, converts, and sounds like your brand, I’d love to help. Let’s work together and build content that gets results.

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