Adding Ghostwriters into Your Content Marketing Mix

As a professional ghostwriter, I often have the opportunity to peer behind the curtains into worlds I might otherwise never see. Every client and every project offers a unique chance to step into a different reality and gain a new perspective.  I learn a great deal over the course of each project and then translate that information into something that offers long-term value to the client.

This process of learning and creating is what I love most about being a ghostwriter.

Ghostwriting is interesting work, but it does carry a fair amount of responsibility with it,  in my opinion. Unfortunately, not all ghostwriters approach their work from this perspective. Therefore, if you are planning to use a ghostwriter to enhance your own Content Marketing efforts, you may want to keep the following in mind:

• Check references and look at samples. Some of the better freelance job boards, like Elance.com, provide feedback on ghostwriters from those who have used their services already. This approach is not foolproof – but it is obviously a good sign if a provider has a lot of feedback and it is almost entirely positive.
• If you are paying for original content, you deserve fresh and unique work 100% of the time. I recommend pulling at least two complete paragraphs from the finished piece and running a Google search on it.  This may seem over the top, but better safe than sorry. Check middle paragraphs as some less-than-scrupulous writers will rewrite the first paragraph and maybe a line or two of each subsequent paragraph to make it appear unique. Also, make sure you are granted full rights to the work and that the writer agrees not to resell or redistribute the work you had created later.

• The message conveyed in each article should be clear, concise and above all, accurate. Passing along incorrect or outdated information can do a lot of damage to your professional reputation. For this reason, some fact-checking is always a good idea!
• The article should ‘flow’ well and be at least somewhat interesting and engaging for the reader. Read each article out loud. Most good writers have a distinct rhythm and flow to their writing – even when they are working with SEO in mind. If the article is overly awkward or sounds “off” – either the writing itself  isn’t that strong or you may have a “re-spun” article  that has simply been rewritten over and over again with slightly different wording to make it appear unique.  Be sure to ask yourself  “is this how I want to appear to my clients and/or prospects?”

• Start small. Rather than placing a large order with an unknown writer, order a couple of articles at first to see how the writer performs in terms of meeting deadlines and producing quality results. This will limit your out-of-pocket costs if you are really unhappy with the finished results. Even after this initial test, be sure to continue checking each article for uniqueness, accuracy and clarity before you send it out into the world with your name (or pen name) attached to it!

Ghostwriters are a great way to enhance your Content Marketing efforts and free up a lot of your valuable time. Keeping the above in mind will help you get the maximum benefit from using this strategy.

Til Next Time,

P.S. If you have no idea where to find a ghostwriter, take a look at Elance.com. You simply place a free job posting and receive bids from interested candidates. (They also provide an easy escrow and payment process). Keep in mind, however, you often get what you pay for – so pay more attention to the feedback provided than to who offers the lowest bid. The content you publish is a direct reflection on you – so it is worth spending a little more to get high-quality results!