After all, it seems like everyone is into content marketing these days, with 66% of marketers expecting an increase in their content marketing budgets this year.
Consequently, the demand for online content is higher than ever. And someone has to produce it!
Meanwhile, the best blog writers typically don’t actively look for clients because they are already busy, with their schedules fully booked.
While many people want to make money writing blog posts, great writers that can consistently produce high-quality content are in short supply.
It means that the usual advice of “just post a job ad on a freelance marketplace” doesn’t work anymore.
That’s why today, we want to share alternative ways to find amazing blog writers for your business!
Where to Find Blog Writers You’d Want to Keep Forever?
The best way to find blog writers is to contact people writing for online publications you love.
When you see an article you like, check out the writer’s bio, find their contact information, then reach out to them and ask them if they would be interested in working with you.
Of course, you might find that their schedule is fully booked, so you might want to join the waitlist if they have one.
Also, if the writer you reached out to is too busy at the moment, inquire whether they can refer you to other writers they know.
And if this approach didn’t work, here are other methods you might want to try:
1. Browse LinkedIn
LinkedIn has some 830 million members.
There are many freelance writers, so it’s a great place if you need a blog writer for your business.
There are several ways in which you can go about finding one.
Use regular search. Experiment with keywords such as “freelance writer,” “content writer,” “blog writer,” etc.
Use services search. It can help you find freelance writers that use LinkedIn’s “Add Services” feature.
Note that while this feature has been around for 3 years, not all freelance writers use it, so not everyone will appear in your search.
Ask for referrals. Publish a LinkedIn post asking your network for blog writer recommendations.
Just know that people might refer you to someone not because they were impressed by that writer’s work but because they have a personal connection to them (e.g., recommending their unemployed nephew with no previous blog writing experience).
So ensure you carefully vet all candidates, even those with glowing recommendations.
After all, writing blog posts might seem like it’s something that anyone can do, but the reality is that content creation requires both skill and domain expertise.
An example of a LinkedIn post asking for referrals. Source: LinkedIn.
Pros
- LinkedIn is the largest professional social network. You get access to a massive user base.
- Convenienrch functionality that allows you to use not just keywords but also various filters.
- A free way to get recommendations from people in your network.
Cons
- This approach works best when you have a large personal network that includes a lot of people that are somehow involved in content creation (marketers, editors, writers, etc.).
- Looking for writers can be time-consuming because you must go through many profiles, manually reach out to each person, then vet them.
- You can never take referrals at face value because the person giving the recommendation might be trying to help a family member or a friend who doesn’t have blog writing experience.
2. Get on Twitter
Twitter isn’t everyone’s cup of tea or coffee.
It’s a platform notorious for endless outrage, controversy, and vicious trolls.
However, it’s also a place favored by editors, journalists, and blog writers, which perhaps shouldn’t be surprising given that Twitter is a text-based social network.
You can use this platform to find writers for your blog. And you don’t even need to have a following on it yourself!
Instead, you can search for threads where other people are asking for blog writer referrals, then look at the replies.
You’ll likely see professional writers expressing interest in that opportunity. Based on that, you can assume they are seeking work.
So why not reach out to them? You can do so by either tweeting at them or sending them a DM.
An example of an “asking for referrals” thread on Twitter:
Pros
- This social network is favored by writers, so it’s safe to assume that there are many blog writers on it.
- You don’t need to have a Twitter following yourself. You can go through various “asking for referrals” threads.
- When you see a professional blog writer that looks like they might be a good fit, you can contact the same platform.
Cons
- Twitter’s search functionality can be somewhat confusing.
- Going through replies in popular threads is time-consuming.
- You might want to check writers’ timelines before reaching out. It’s best to avoid hiring blog writers who regularly express controversial opinions on Twitter because their hot takes might reflect negatively on your brand.
3. Publish a Job on a Niche Content Writing Job Board
We don’t recommend posting job ads on generic job boards due to low application quality.
However, there are job boards that specialize exclusively in content writing jobs. Posting ads in places like that can help you find blog writers.
Problogger job board is the most popular content writing job board out there. As the name suggests, its focus is blog writing.
You can find experienced blog writers there, but you should be prepared to sift through hundreds of applications, which can be incredibly time-consuming.
Best Writing Jobs (formerly Content Writing Jobs) is a great place to look for blog writers.
Our job board, Content Writing Jobs, is another option you might want to consider.
Posting a job allows you to tap into our audience of professional blog writers.
We have:
- 300K+ monthly website visitors.
- 13,500+ newsletter readers.
- 157K+ writers on LinkedIn.
- 5.8K+ writers on Facebook.
It’s probably safe to say that with our job board, you will get fewer applications than you would on ProBlogger, but the quality of those applications will be significantly higher.
It can save you time and help you find blog writers faster.
You might also want to check out BloggingPro and Freelance Writing job boards.
Regardless of the job board, consider including this information in your job ad:
- A clear description of your business.
- A clear job description of the project that you are hiring for.
- The main deliverables of the project that you are hiring for.
- Your requirements for blog writers.
- Your budget.
Also, here’s a pro tip: Include a random requirement in the middle of your blog post.
For example, if you’re accepting applications via email, you can mention that “your email subject line must include the word ‘kangaroo’ for your application to be considered.”
It might sound ridiculous, but it’s the best way to weed out applicants who haven’t read the entire job ad.
After all, why should you read their application if they can’t be bothered to read your ad?
Pros
- Popular blog writing job boards get a ton of traffic, so you will almost certainly receive a lot of applications.
Cons
- Popular blog writing job boards charge for posting job ads.
- You will likely need to sort through dozens or even hundreds of applications to find a great blog writer who can produce quality content.
4. Try a “Find a Writer” Service
There are several agencies that serve as “matchmakers” for business and blog writers.
Typically, these agencies have a large database of content writers and charge a flat fee for introducing you to the ones that are the best match for your project.
Their main selling point is that you get hand-picked, vetted candidates that are experienced blog writers instead of having to deal with hundreds of questionable applications.
If this model of hiring freelance writers appeals to you, you might want to check out these agencies:
Note that ClearVoice doesn’t just pair you up with blog writers but also offers managed content creation services.
The Writer Finder can introduce you to 3-5 writers in your niche, with a writing sample from each, with a 3 business days turnaround. Source: The Writer Finder.
Pros
- These agencies offer access to high-caliber talent, making it easy to find proven, experienced blog writers that can produce quality content.
- Paying for a “matchmaking” service like this can help you save a ton of time that you would have otherwise spent sifting through blog writer applications.
Cons
- These agencies tend to charge substantial fees for their services, so if you’re on a tight budget, their prices might be too steep.
5. Join Freelance Writing Communities
You can also find writers for your blog in various freelance writing communities.
Joining them allows you to become an “insider” and learn who are the best people in the industry, what they are working on, how much they charge, and so on.
Here are some freelance writing communities that you might want to check out:
- Superpath community
- Peak Freelance community
- Female freelance writers group
- Freelance Writers Den community
Freelance Writers Den is a paid online community with over 1,500 members. Source: Freelance Writers Den.
6. Use Advanced Google Search Commands
You can also use Google to find writers for your blog.
However, we don’t recommend using generic search terms like “blog writer” because that is unlikely to bring useful results.
It’s better to be more precise.
Use search terms such as:
- Freelance blog writer [city or country]
- Freelance blog writer [your niche]
- Freelance content writer [city or country]
- Freelance content writer [your niche]
- B2B freelance writer [city or country]
- B2B freelance writer [your niche]
- B2B blog writing services
- [your niche] blog writing services
You’ll get better results if you are more precise with your search terms. Source: Google.
7. Ask for Referrals
89% of freelance writers name “referrals” as their top way to get new projects, so recommending writers to potential clients is a common practice.
You can reach out to editors and content managers of various online publications and ask them for referrals.
Granted, people in these roles tend to be busy, so you won’t always get a reply from them.
They tend to be inclined to give recommendations, which helps them build goodwill with the writers.
8. Check Writer’s Directories
Businesses related to content creation sometimes provide directories of writers you can use to find a blog writer for your company.
People listed in these directories tend to be professional writers with a track record of producing quality content such as blog posts and guest posts.
Here are some writer directories that you might want to check out:
- Copyblogger certified content marketers
- Best Writing Writer’s Directory
- AWAI Directory of Professional Freelance Writers
- Surfer Content Writers Directory
- Writerfolio Freelance Writer Directory
- All Freelance Writing
Our writer directory covers a wide variety of popular blogging niches.
Conclusion
Some people get lucky when hiring writers. Most not.
However, finding a blog writer who consistently produces high-quality blog posts won’t be easy.
You’ll have to sift through many applications, read a lot of blog post samples, and interview multiple candidates.
You must invest time, energy, and money into the process.
But that’s a price that you should be willing to pay if you want to find a blog writer that can help you take your content creation to the next level.
FAQ
Here’s a list of common questions regarding where to find bloggers.
Are freelance writers in demand?
Yes. The growing popularity of content marketing means that the demand for freelance writers is also increasing.
This trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
How much does it cost to hire someone to write a blog?
Blog writer rates vary dramatically. Some writers charge as little as $0.01/word. Meanwhile, others charge more than $1/word.
You should budget at least $0.10/word if you want to work with an experienced writer with a proven track record of producing quality content.
How do I hire a professional blogger?
The best way to hire a professional blogger is to contact people who write for the publications you love and ask them if they would be interested in working with you.
Alternatively, you can look for writers on social media, freelance writing job boards, and freelance writing communities.
You might also want to consider asking your network for referrals.
Should I hire an editor for my blog?
Hiring an editor can help you significantly increase your content quality. It’s worth considering if you can afford it.
It’s not necessary to get your blog off the ground. If you are on a tight budget, it might make more sense to do the editing yourself.