Full-time content writer vs. making do

Trying to decide.

[Hawkgirl]

I'd like to be cranking out a ton more content than we are currently. I don't have time to do it myself (it used to be my job but I've got too much else going on right now). So I'm debating hiring a full-time writer (or a contractor) to create scads of content over the next few months.

How many sites have full-time content writers these days?

I'm wondering if I'll run out of things for this person to do too quickly, or if I can keep them busy indefinitely ...

[JamesR]

Do all the content myself but hiring a college student, English major, may be an inexpensive way to go. Some have good grammar skills and are already writing 2 papers a week so their skills are refined.

[mahlon]

One of my jobs is product copy, I work with another person who also does copy and we are full time, the site is a rather large 10,000+ page retail site and product is always changing. We also do images and navigation etc.

[digitalghost]

I can't give you a number on sites that have full time content writers but I can tell you that there are enough of them to keep me working at home even if I quit optimizing sites.

Generally writers are more than capable of keeping up with content demand so they produce "chunks" of content per contract then sign a new contract when the new content bin starts running low.

Rather than ask for ready samples of their work, ask for a short piece with a topic of your choosing and give them a definite and preferably close deadline. This will give you an idea of their style and how quickly they can produce quality pieces. Every writer has a polished sample in their portfolio but it might have taken ages to produce. :) Many writers also have pieces all over the web that they would love to show, but are prevented from doing so by NDAs.

Personally, I try to avoid long term contracts and prefer to negotiate price by the article or by the word. An opinion piece can be written quickly while an article on non-linear wave dynamics requires considerable research so many writers try to negotiate price on a per article basis. If you have a need for large amounts of content on a weekly or daily basis then a salary may be preferable but be sure that you can keep the writer busy.

DG

[edited by: digitalghost at 11:20 pm (utc) on July 15, 2002]

[Hawkgirl]

I would love to find someone who can not only produce good web content, but can also help optimize the site via good cross-linking and even helping me with some HTML and UI design.

Now that's a bit more complicated ... does this person exist? And if so, can I afford him/her? And if so, will they take over my job? :)

[volatilegx]

You might want to post your request in the Commercial Exchange Forum: [webmasterworld.com...]

[mahlon]

Hawkgirl, not only do I do copy and images as I said above, I also do SEO, minor coding-making pages with Interdev, site optimization and working on getting links to our site, processing orders, Flash etc. There are people out there that can do quite a bit.

[Hawkgirl]

You might want to post your request in the Commercial Exchange Forum

Thanks. Haven't done that because I'm not officially looking. I'm involved in some freelance organizations locally, and I assume I'd start there for resources.

I'm really just trying to suss out what might work and what might not.

Example(s):

- I have a great SEO guy that I use as a consultant but he can't write! (go figure)
- I used to have a writer who couldn't code
- my HTML guy can't write
- I do unpaid SEO and others in my company do paid SEO

So I'm trying to figure out if I should slot someone in to fit my needs now, or if I should shuffle stuff around and create a role.

Ugh!

[paynt]

Great post digitalghost, thanks for the terrific input.

Thanks for starting this discussion Hawkgirl; I’ve had my own question lately about connecting professionally with a content writer. When you think of all the content you need, and it’s like pulling teeth to get it from clients sometimes, geez.

produce good web content, but can also help optimize the site via good cross-linking and even helping me with some HTML and UI design. – Hawkgirl

That’s a reason right there why I like working with teams, either together within the structure of a company or as independent contributors; combining talents these days is certainly one way to satisfy clients. It wasn’t very long ago that design and optimization were looked at as totally separate needs for the web site but now we see they must work together to succeed. Certainly the content and text of the site belongs with this group and so at the very least there’s the need for this triad.

To respond to your last question Hawkgirl, and it’s a great one,

I'm trying to figure out if I should slot someone in to fit my needs now, or if I should shuffle stuff around and create a role.

If I were in this position I would first assess the team. Like you say one person does this but not that and another does that but not this. Looking first to what you do have and even how satisfied the members are with their current roles is important whether you bring in a new team member or are able to redefine roles to fit your current needs.

Unlike digitalghost:

I try to avoid long-term contracts and prefer to negotiate price by the article or by the word.

I would prefer to work with a consistent individual who I trust and who can process from the blueprint I develop for the site. Having worked with colleagues from all over, I now see how nice it is to connect locally with talent.

[chris_f]

If I am looking for a burst of content but don't have time to do it myself then I go to my list of sites that are similar to mine and offer them the chance to post some pages in return for some links to their site.

I also send so booze or a present after the first article and then every now and then. That way I keep them sweet.

I current have about 30 people doing an article a month for just one my site (I have over 2,000 and it's only way I can keep them fresh) and it only cost me about £30 per month per site. In return, I get new content daily on top of what I do.

Chris.

[edit_g]

I started off as a content writer but now I find that the only way to keep it up is to diversify.

I now spend more time on SEO and coding (html/coldfusion) than I do on writing. I try to get other people (randoms in the office) to do the content for me and then I edit it and make it readable- because I simply don't have time to do the whole process anymore.

I think, also, that my employers thought that I would spend much more time writing, but they are much happier getting as many free visitors from Google as we do from our biggest paid partner- for only the cost of my time.

When I do get to spend a day researching and writing an article its a treat for me- but it doesnt happen very often nowadays.

[digitalghost]

'Lo Paynt,

>>Unlike digitalghost:

I try to avoid long-term contracts and prefer to negotiate price by the article or by the word.

Just a clarification, I do prefer long term business relationships as do most of my clients, but the contracts suit me better if they are short term. One of my clients has been signing contracts with me for 7 years and I know he would like me to sign on for a year at a time but I think we are both better served by keeping the contracts short term. The research time for the articles vary, as do the length requirements and if there's a period in which he doesn't need quite as much content then he's not paying me for idle time.

I think long term contracts are viable for freelancers and for the folks that need content but I've seen writers and writer's clients get burned if the contract isn't negotiated carefully. My accountant prefers the short term deals as well. She knows she's getting paid that week. :)

DG

[paynt]

Hey digitalghost,

I was away for a bit and I’m still catching up. Great post again. I agree short term contracts with clients are great, and even with the team members. I just like working with teams. It makes the work easier over time. Turning the money over quickly is a very good thing and that’s how I like to do business.

[Hawkgirl]

If I am looking for a burst of content but don't have time to do it myself then I go to my list of sites that are similar to mine and offer them the chance to post some pages in return for some links to their site.

I've thought about getting content from a variety of sources (e.g., multiple freelancers) but I worry about a few things.

project management - having to coordinate multiple resources takes time

quality control - when it comes to my site, I need all of the articles in the same voice, similar styles, etc - which leads to time management issues on my end ... how long will I have to spend editing?

[rogerd]

- I have a great SEO guy ... but he can't write! ...
- I used to have a writer who couldn't code
- my HTML guy can't write

Gee, Hawkgirl, there are so few of us Renaissance Men left... ;)

[Hawkgirl]

You're telling me! Where are the people who can do it all? Darn all of this specialization.

[ergophobe]

Where are the people who can do it all?

They have jobs? Funny, I would like it if my job could actually use my HTML-PHP-CSS-SQL skills instead of just my writing and research skills. I think the flip side is equally true - where are the jobs for generalists?

BTW, I'm a not a Renaissance man myself... my stuff is all on sixteenth-century social and religious history, not the Renaissance per se ;) ... but now I'm getting way off-topic

Tom

[Hawkgirl]

Jobs for generalists - that's a hard one. I think it's probably easier to find an entry level generalist position. Once you've got a few years of experience under your belt, employers expect specialization.

I will say that my experience is that the larger a company is, the more specialists they need and the fewer generalists.

Start-ups are great places for generalists. And the earlier on you sign up, the more secure your "generalist" position is. "How could we ever replace Fred? He's our office manager/HTML coder/content writer/direct marketing specialist!"

[rogerd]

Yeah, we generalists are largely unemployable... ;) Being able to change hats from marketing expert to copy writer to coder to graphic artist is handy in a startup or small company situation, but larger companies want the high level of proficiency that comes with specialization. Face it, the best graphic artist or ASP coder is usually going to be somebody who does that 100% of the time... I guess a logical transition for a generalist would be into a "producer" role, doing less and less hands-on and more defining and supervising.