When I talk to people about my busy schedule, I was often told “Why don’t you outsource your writing to someone else?”
Well, outsourcing can be one of the best ways to get work done… if you do it correctly. Lately, I have given it a go, and frankly, I didn’t really get what I want.
There are many portals for outsourcing, or finding freelancers, like Elance, or RentaCoder, or Design Outpost. But from my experience, here are a few tips you need to watch when you use these portals, to make sure that you are happy with your outsourced job.
#1. Write your project proposal in detail
Many of us just go in and say “I want 10 articles on blogging”. Yes, that one sentence might say what you want, but what about things like the format? Will you want it in Microsoft Word, text files, or HTML? What about the deadline? When are you expecting the project to be done? What about the structure? Is there a certain structure you would want for your articles? All these should be specified in your proposal.
#2. The cheapest might not (and will most probably not) be the best
Of course, I understand the cost is a major concern most of the time. But face it, if someone is going to offer you $2 per article, versus another firm offering $10 (or when the market rate is about $10), there might be something with the $2 deal. My advice is, don’t rule out the possible great deal, but evaluate each bidder by asking for sample articles (and make sure they fulfill the same quality when they deliver your project!)
#3. Review until you are satisfied.
Remember, you are the buyer. You are paying the money to get work done, and you have the right to say “This article is not up to the standard of the sample” Keep reviewing your articles as many times as you wish until you are satisfied. There are many firms out there who are just providing sloppy work for a cheaper rate, knowing that people will choose the cheapest bidder. I personally think offering cheaper services should not be an excuse for sloppy work – so make sure you get your money worth!
By the way, if you are having your own blog that really represents you – like how this blog represents me, I think it is a good idea NEVER to outsource your writing. You are putting your own branding and reputation at risk.
You make some good points! As a writer I agree with points number 1 and 3. Personally, I wouldn’t even consider offering articles for $2 a piece. As you point out, I would be suspicious about the quality of those articles, particularly if they are coming from a Western writer.
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Oh boy, could I have a field day with this topic…
You’re absolutely right – never shop by price. Writers.ca gives an example of suggested writing industry rates (and that $10 market price you suggested isn’t really accurate… where’d you get it?) and those rates are similar for writers in the U.S. People with pens need to earn a living and pay bills, too.
The perception is that since writing is so common, anyone can do it. Alright. Anyone can run. Are we all going to the Olympics? Of course not. Olympic runners have years of training, coaching, practice, and they hone their techniques every time they run to be better. The same goes for writers.
Also, do you really want someone from another culture and country writing on a U.S. subject matter? Think of raising kids – would someone who has never lived in the United States know how children there are raised?
And don’t skimp on price – one well-written article that may cost more achieves far better results than 20 poor articles smeared all over the Internet. Quality counts, far more than people realize.
Think about what you would want to read – and then go out and find the person that offers that quality (Selfless promotion: Hire us and we’ll do the job right – the first time.
Read writer reviews. Be skeptical. Examine portfolios. Talk to the writer – does he sound helpful and knowledgeable? Or are you holding his hand and babysitting? Ask about revision policies. Ask for referrals and contacts you can email. Ask about payment policies and business terms. Ask friends if they know anyone good.
… okay, that’s enough for now, eh? 😉
Outsourcing something as creative as writing is dicey in the first place, and expecting folks who compete only on price to deliver great stuff on something so creative is even more dicey!
NS @ http://www.engineeringservicesoutsourcing.com
How about getting the writing done for free instead?
James Brausch does this well- he has an intern program, where people write articles, blog posts, etc for him.
The key to making this work is reviewing what people write. I’m sure 90% of the people in his intern program write rubbish, and he just doesn’t use their stuff. But the 10% that write good content more than make up for that.
It sounds like it wouldn’t work well, but he seems to pull it off. At least I can’t tell when it’s him posting or someone else!
Duncan
Hello Kian.
You are absolutely right about the $2 and $10 difference. Even I continuously get approached by writers offering $2 to $5 articles or blog posts and whenever I have tried them I have been disappointed not only by the quality but also by the attitude. I think the best way to hire a writer for your blog is to see how that writer writes for his or her own blog or on other blogs and websites. Good and experienced writers are slightly expensive but I think they are worth the investment if your blog matters to your scheme of things. Having said that, if you can manage it somehow, there is no substitute for writing your own blog posts because it renders them your unique voice.
Thanks. I agree about $2-10 level articles. You can try modifying PLR articles or pref. write them yourself if they fall within your zone of passionate interest. GD.
Create an article maybe very difficult. You can use the PLR article but remember, edit it with your own words.
But, it’a a good idea to use freelancer to do your work. Choose the cheapest and the best.
😀
well if you are really busy and needs to focus on the growth and strategy of your business you’ll be needing the help of an agent from offshore outsourcing company. i have heard about this company offering great services at a very cost effective price.hope this info helps! agentsofvalue . com
Thanks for this useful article. I’m quite new to article outsourcing as well.
Another tip I learned from a friend is to engage writers for a “trial period” of 1-2 articles, but don’t let the writers know they are on trial, so their natural writing style will surface.
On a somewhat related note, if anyone is interested in Singapore accounting or bookkeeping services for your Singapore business or web startup, do feel free to visit or contact us. J
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outsourcing uk jobs
Hi Tan Kian Ann,
I thought more about like if you live in India for example than $2 is a lot of money while $10 in uk is not really worth the time.
I totally agree the problem that you mention, but there are also very good writer out there.
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Hildiid Inventory
Different people have different needs.
Some just need fresh content in bulk in order to aid traffic coming in, others need high quality articles to build up a reputation.
Would I hire a $5 writer for bulk articles for my sites? Yes. But would I use the same writer for everything? Of course not!
Outsourcing can really help a business a lot in terms of minimizing expenses. There are several outsourcing companies out there and there are also many clients that are willing to pay for a good price in exchange of quality content.
Recently, I was looking for a good outsourcing company, and luckily, I found one. It’s OBW, which you can find at http://onlybestwriters.jimdo.com . I ordered once and I think I will hire them again. Really good.