Top Tips for Managing Freelancers
Because freelancers are not employees, it can be a juggling act to effectively manage a professional team of freelance content writers. Following is some advice from local San Diego SEO agency Saba, Inc. to accomplish this feat in a way that is beneficial to company and writer alike.
Provide Clear Guidelines
Few things are more frustrating to both the writer and company than undergoing constant revisions based on guidelines that weren’t clear from the beginning. Be as specific as possible, especially if you have a certain idea in mind. Learn from the instructions that you give, and constantly strive to be as clear and concise as possible with your freelance staff.
Maintain Regular Contact
Freelance writers do crave their independence, but they also like to maintain a connection with their clients on some level. By maintaining regular contact, you will not only get to know them better, but they will begin to respect you as a contract employer as well. Call them or use instant messaging technology to keep the writer on task and on schedule, while making them feel valued at the same time.
Set Realistic Deadlines
While it is understandable that you need something done right away, it is not always realistic to expect 50 polished articles of 500 words each in under a day. If you set deadlines that are realistic, your writers will be able to focus on content and working to ensure that each article is polished prior to submission.
Provide Examples
If you can provide some examples of past work that you really love, this will help your freelancers know exactly what you are looking for. Again, the goal here is to provide enough resources so that each article is submitted correctly the first time. This eliminates a lot of back and forth, and will make you both much happier in the long run.
Pay According to Your Expectations
If you expect the best out of your freelance writing staff, then you need to pay up to that level as well. There are many companies that a writer can choose to work for, so the best will get snapped up in a hurry. If you pay a writer what he or she is worth, then the quality of the writing will almost certainly follow as well.
Saba, Inc. is a San Diego-based online marketing company helping businesses near and far expand their customer base through a combination of SEO, PPC campaign management, and social media. Give us a call us today (858) 277-1717 and ask about a free website audit!