Of Aristotle's three modes of persuasion, he first focused on the speaker's credibility. According to Aristotle, credibility often determines when there is uncertainty and disagreement.
Reputation breeds trust, which builds loyalty over time. For brands, this is critical to developing a long consumer life cycle that meets their business needs.
New and existing brands can benefit from brand storytelling and content marketing to market their products/services.
Here's a guide to everything brands can do to research, vet, and recruit high-quality resume writers.
What kind of writer do you need?
Not all writers and content creators are created equal. When researching writers for projects or full-time staff, you need to consider the type of writing you need and the writing services that will best meet that need.
First, there are several writing disciplines, some of which translate well to business and marketing writing. For example, some writing disciplines include:
SEO Writing
- technical writing
- journalism
- creative writing
- scientific writing
Which type of writer you choose will depend on your project goals and business model. For example, do you need technical writers to help with tutorials, grants or user manuals, or business/SEO writers to help you optimize your website for extra traffic and conversions?
Second, you need to determine the level of service you need from a writer. Businesses have three options for hiring outside writers for their business.
Freelancer
Of the three services, freelance writing is the cheapest and least reliable option. While you can strike gold and find a quality freelance writer for an ongoing project, it takes a lot of trial and error.
Typically, freelance writers can be hired on a project-by-project basis or paid for their services.
Advantage
- most cost-effective option
- abundant labour force
- can pay by item
- Can fill talent or workforce gaps
Shortcoming
- work may be unreliable
- Talent is hard to measure
- lack of loyalty
Internal
Hiring an in-house writer is one of the best options if you can find high-quality full-time writers. In-house writers are usually the easiest to manage and best suited for projects. Additionally, in-house writers can grow into managers or take on different positions within your business.
Advantage
- Easiest to manage and coordinate projects
- Easiest to communicate
- Gain a deeper understanding of your product/service/brand
- Potential for long-term relationships and leadership positions
Shortcoming
- more expensive than freelance writers
- Harder to replace if the author leaves
- A stricter recruitment process
Mechanism
The final option is hiring a full-service SEO or content marketing agency specializing in your industry or sector. If hired long-term, this option can be the most expensive option, but it also maximizes your access to useful tools, resources, and talent.
For example, an agency might staff writers, editors, and SEO experts to help you optimize your content to drive traffic to your website.
Advantage
- Access to professional tools, resources and talent
- Provide rich industry experience
- All paperwork is done under your brand name
- Easiest to review previous work and experience
- Can quickly meet the needs of your team
Shortcoming
- Most Expensive Option (Especially Long-Term)
- Agencies may be more generic rather than specific to your industry
- Proxy contracts are harder to break if expectations are not met
- What are your project goals and budget?
To determine which writing service is right for you, you need to determine project goals and budget.
Your goals will include the scope of your project and the KPIs you seek to accomplish. For example, does hiring a general agency to increase website traffic make more sense, or does it just need a freelance writer to assist with ad copy to get more clicks?
How quickly do you need to finish a project? Are you looking for a long-term or short-term solution to your content needs?
Your budget will also determine how much you can spend to find a quality writer.
