How to Effectively Hire Freelance Writers
Strategies and Payment Models for Getting the Work Done After Layoffs
When layoffs happen in the tech industry, content marketing is often first on the chopping block. Turnover is always toxic, but this particular type of self-inflicted wound puts the market value of the company at risk in one fell swoop by creating a vacuum in the very area that creates brand differentiation, adds contextual relevance, and initiates growth. Eventually—sometimes immediately, next quarter, or at the beginning of next fiscal year—the powers that be realize their plan to reduce headcount was a bit shortsighted and they start to look for solutions to feed that hungry content marketing beast.
“Tempting as it may be, successful companies do not hand over their brand narrative to Chat GPT.”
For better or worse, content specialists, copywriters, and designers are all too familiar with this scenario and know that corporate layoffs are typically followed by an uptick in freelance work. That swing of the pendulum often brings with it an influx of hiring managers or recruiters who have never engaged contractors of this particular type. In fact, sometimes the folks who are left trying to keep the lights on have no experience working with creatives of any kind.
No problem—work is work! Writers are happy to lay out their most common payment structures. For those on the hiring side who would like to take a more strategic approach, here is a basic list of options, including the pros and cons of each.
Wordcount. Once upon a time when writing was printed on paper, editors literally needed columns to fill, so word count mattered. Today, unless you're running a content mill or hiring a writer for one of the few remaining printed editorial publications, don’t bother discussing the price per word. Instead, put your focus on the form and function of the content.
Hourly. Hourly billing can be a smart way to try out a new copywriter, but it can sometimes translate to higher costs for the client. An experienced writer will be able to provide a ballpark estimate of how long the work will take, so ask for that upfront. To minimize costs on your side, project manage the job with a firm grip on the scope and lay out exactly what the processes of collaboration and approvals will look like. For example, writer interactions with chatty colleagues who like to “ideate” can make that bill skyrocket, so build in regular stakeholder check-ins to mitigate surprise dollar signs at the end of the project.
If this is your first time hiring a writer, remember that by hiring a writer, you are paying for human expertise and creativity, which do not always move with the speed and precision of a bullet train. Build in time for the freelancer to get up to speed on your company and digest the brand guidelines. Trust in the process, which will get faster and easier with each project.
Flat Fee. Paying a writer a flat fee for an individual project is a great option. It’s a low-commitment way to try out a writer on something small and relatively inconsequential, like a single blog post versus a white paper ghostwritten for your CEO. Because the cost is agreed upon upfront, there will be no surprises with the price tag at the end.
Pro tip: Write out clear parameters on scope, deliverables, and project due date, then ask the writer (or a few writers) to bid. To negotiate, ask about their formula for the bid and ask if they think hourly billing options might be a better fit. For flat fees, many writers prefer to be paid 50% upfront and 50% on completion, which helps set expectations and keeps all parties engaged through project completion.
Like any marketing output, a content project stands a much better chance of being effective when attached to a go-to-market strategy or marketing plan, so steer clear of too many one-offs by different writers.
Retainer. Once you find a writer you like, paying for content through a monthly retainer is the best-case scenario. This low-overhead, no-headcount option gives you the flexibility and consistency to create an appropriate schedule of deliverables without the effort and cost of repeated content agreements or statements of work. This is especially true for writing work that spans three months or more.
By working on a retainer, the writer gets to know all the stakeholders involved in completing the project, like the designer, product developer, marketing operations manager, social media manager, etc. Over time these collaborations get faster, more efficient, and more effective. The same is true for your marketing tech stack or project management tools—everything flows more easily when all parties are present and using the same system.
To get the full value of a content retainer, align a clear set of weekly or monthly content deliverables with your go-to-market strategy and set a cadence for distribution. Having a distribution plan in place will prevent an accumulation of backlogged content that never sees the light of day. Until you’re able to return to a more substantial headcount, a content retainer provides all the accountability and mental commitment of a regular employee without the added overhead.
If writing is not your specialty, finding and hiring a freelance content strategist, manager, writer, copywriter, or designer may feel like a guessing game, but the models listed above can get you started on finding a good match for your company. Tempting as it may be, successful companies do not hand over their brand narrative to Chat GPT. The good news is once you have a professional under contract, you can actually get some work done.
