Internet marketing gurus have a saying: “Content is king.” To make an impact online, you need both quantity and quality of content. Unless you are an experienced writer who likes to sit in front of your computer 24 hours a day, you will need the help of professional writing services. This should be easy. There are thousands of writers offering their services online. The problem is that some of them are more professional than others. How do you find the best writer for your needs?
If you need a doctor or a lawyer, finding a professional is fairly easy. Doctors, lawyers and other professionals cannot hang a tile on the door until they have passed rigorous examinations. However, anyone can call himself a “professional writer”. A journalism degree is not a requirement for the job, nor is it always an indication that the writer will provide you with the best professional writing services for your online needs. Journalistic writing and online writing require very different skill sets.
What is a professional?
Adopting a broader definition of “professional” can help you find the right professional writing services for your needs. The hallmarks of a professional in any discipline are expertise, experience and service. The experience only comes after long learning. All the experience and expertise of a professional is useless unless you then conscientiously apply it to the service of you, the customer. If any of these elements are missing, no one can be called a true professional.
If you are only going to the doctor for a check-up, you can confidently go to your GP. If you want a nose job or a face lift, find a specialist. The same is true of writers: some of them are better at one type of writing than another. If you need a technical article, it is best to find a writer with technical writing experience. If you need animated blog content, that same technical writer can put your readers to sleep. On the other hand, you might be wanting to let your creative side out and be brilliant for the job. How can you know? Who are you going to choose?
Writer’s portfolio
The writer’s portfolio will give you the best indication of whether their professional writing services are the best for you. In a portfolio, what you see is what you can expect to get. Do you really care if the writer has a Ph.D. if he can’t write a lively, informative article on hair care products? If the examples in the writer’s portfolio display a lively and compelling style and are free of glaring grammatical errors, they are likely to offer the best professional writing services for your needs.
Freelancers versus professional writing services
Many freelance writers are moonlit and just trying to make a few extra bucks. Some of these may be very conscientious, while others may not have the time or inclination to meet deadlines and do whatever it takes to meet the needs of their clients. The best way to know if a writer will be willing and able to approach your work is from the comments of your former clients. If most of your clients have been satisfied with your work, you probably will be too.
If the professional writing services of your choice meet all of the above criteria, chances are they will charge more than their competitors. It’s worth it? Definitely. They will save you time and money by taking responsibility for your efforts. You won’t have to edit your work or reject half of your articles and wait another week for them to get it right. They will earn you money by writing engaging content that readers will respond to favorably. Instead of wasting your valuable time going from writer to writer, you will have a long and fruitful business relationship with the professional writing services of a single writer.