Content writing: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What content writing is

A content writer produces articles, blog posts, guides and web pages on a topic you choose, sized and structured for the readers you need to reach. People hire one when they need a steady set of text they do not have time to research and write themselves.

Signs you need it

  • Your website pages are thin, out of date or missing the questions customers ask before they buy.
  • You need blog posts that answer specific questions about your service area or your product.
  • You are planning a buyer's guide or a how-to, and do not have the time to research it properly.
  • Competitors publish detailed pages and yours only name what you do without explaining it.
  • You know what you want to say but cannot turn your notes into organized, readable articles.

What the pro does

  • Reads your site, your notes and the reader you are writing for, then confirms the topic, angle and length.
  • Researches the subject from sources you approve and lists the points each piece will cover.
  • Writes an outline with headings so you can check the structure before the full draft.
  • Drafts the article or page with a clear opening, short sections and a close that tells the reader what to do next.
  • Revises after your feedback and checks facts, links and headings before delivery.

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Length of each piece and the number of pieces in the batch.
  • How much research is needed, and whether the writer uses your sources or finds their own.
  • Technical depth of the subject, since specialist topics take longer to get right.
  • Whether images, charts or formatting for your content system are included.
  • Number of revision rounds, and whether a change to the outline counts as one.
  • Whether the writer also does keyword research or search planning.
  • Timing of publication dates.

What a written quote should spell out

  • The number of pieces, the length of each and the format, such as article, guide or web page.
  • Who supplies the research sources, and whether the writer checks facts against them.
  • The outline step, and whether you approve the outline before the draft.
  • Revision rounds and the deadline for each draft.
  • Who owns the text after payment, and whether the writer may reuse the research or wording elsewhere.

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Can you send two published articles you wrote on a topic like mine, and say what the reader was meant to do after reading?
  • How do you check facts, and will you list the sources you used?
  • Do you write in my voice, and what do you need from me to learn it?
  • Will you include headings, meta descriptions and internal links, or only body text?
  • If the first draft misses the angle, is that one revision or does it count against the total?
  • Who reviews the technical details before delivery?

Red flags

  • Writes long articles without an outline or without asking what the reader needs.
  • Cannot name the sources behind the facts, or refuses to share them.
  • Fills pages with the same paragraphs repeated across different topics.
  • Promises that an article will rank at the top of search results.
  • Uses copied text from other sites without credit.

What you can do yourself

You can gather your own notes, the questions customers ask most often, and a list of the pages you need. Hire a content writer when you need several pieces within a set time, when the subject needs research you do not have time for, or when a page has to meet a standard you cannot reach on your own.

Licenses and permits

Content writing is not commonly licensed, so a license is usually not required for this work. Check with your state or local licensing agency about any business rules that apply to you, and ask the writer for a portfolio in your subject as proof of skill.

Content writing questions

How long should my article be?

Length depends on what the reader needs and where the text will appear. Ask the writer to propose a length in the outline, and check it against the topics the piece has to cover.

Do I get to see the research before the draft?

A good writer lists the sources and key points in the outline. Ask for that list before the full draft so you can add or remove material early.

Who checks that the facts are right?

The writer should check facts against sources they can name. You should still read the final piece for details that only you know about your business.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer content writing remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

Edit history

How guide reviews work

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See screened pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

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