I have had the good fortune of hiring lots of bloggers and other content creators over the past 10 years. When staffing any editorial position, whether it’s a one-time gig or a full-time career, there are certain traits/abilities I look for. Obviously, strong grammar and command of the English language are essential skills. However, there are other things I like to see in a blogger as well.
CREATIVITY
One of the biggest challenges a busy freelance blogger faces is conceptualizing article topics. Bloggers are a dime a dozen. But bloggers who can produce compelling content are a much rarer breed. Interesting articles generally begin with a thought-provoking topic. Hiring a blogger who can come up with ideas on their own, as well as enhance the topics I have provided, is a tremendous asset and a big time-saver for me!
A RE-WRITER
You’ve undoubtedly heard some variation of the expression, “every good idea has been taken.” That being said, almost everything has been written about in some form or other. The best bloggers can take pre-existing content and quickly put their own spin on it, turning it into 100% original content. From adapting press releases to covering a topic that has been explored a million times, good bloggers can customize on the fly and deliver a written product that cuts through the noise.
COMMUNICATION
Allow me to generalize. Writers can be a reclusive bunch. I mean no disrespect, but in my experience, many great writers are not great communicators. When hiring a freelance blogger I look for two types of communication.
A) The majority of the blogs I own and write for require a conversational tone. That mandates that the blogger understands who the audience is and can “speak” to them in a language that they understand and can relate to. This takes a good writer AND a good communicator. The last thing you want is a blogger who misunderstands the audience, or worse yet, is perceived as talking down to readers.
B) For most people, freelance blogging is a hobby or a way to generate supplemental income. Because of this, many bloggers have a hectic schedule. I never expect a blogger to drop what they are doing to make time for me, however, it is important to hire a blogger who communicates efficiently and regularly; someone who is willing to ask questions — the right questions.
The bloggers I tend to hire back for repeat assignments also tend to be outwardly optimistic, critical thinkers, and have a proven track record (though it doesn’t have to be within the blogging world).
If the above sounds like you, I look forward to possibly working with you one day! Connect with me on LinkedIn.
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