How to Hire Top Content Writers for Your Business

Are you in the market for a top-notch content writer? This guide will help you understand a content writer's diverse roles and examine the current hiring landscape and compensation trends. It will provide a structured roadmap to secure the best content writing talent suited to your business needs.

Key Steps to Finding and Hiring the Best Content Writer

1. Define Your Needs: This is the first step in your hiring journey. Whether blog posts, white papers, social media content, or email marketing, clearly articulating your needs will help you attract the right talent. Consider whether you need a specialist in a specific type of content or someone versatile enough to handle various formats. This clarity will set you on the right path and make the rest of the process smoother.
2. Craft a Detailed Job Description: Your job description is your first point of contact with potential candidates. Write a job description highlighting the necessary skills and qualifications, such as SEO expertise, proficiency in CMS tools, exceptional research capabilities, and specifying any industry-specific knowledge required. Mention the level of experience needed, from entry-level to expert. This detailed description will attract the right candidates and save you time in the long run.
3. Utilize Job Posting Platforms: Post the job on reputable platforms like Rayness Analytica. Ensure your job title is specific and descriptive (e.g., "SEO Content Writer for Tech Startups") to attract the most suitable candidates.
4. Assess Portfolios and Writing Samples: Review candidates' portfolios and writing samples to evaluate their writing style, versatility, and quality. Please pay attention to their ability to write engaging and well-researched content. Also, consider their previous work's alignment with your brand's tone and audience.
5. Conduct Thorough Interviews: The interview stage is your chance to get to know your top candidates. Use this opportunity to assess their writing skills, strategic thinking, and understanding of content’s role in marketing and customer engagement. Discuss their content creation process, from research to writing to editing. This thorough approach will give you confidence in your final hiring decision.
6. Negotiate and Hire: Discuss and agree on compensation, whether on a per-project basis or as a full-time hire. Ensure clarity on deliverables, deadlines, and communication preferences before finalising the hire.

The role of a content writer

Content comes in various formats, from podcasts and articles to videos and social media posts. A content writer creates the content that a business uses to attract, convert, and retain customers.

Content writers do more than write, as their responsibilities often include some or all of the following:

• Researching topics to create engaging, original, and persuasive content
• Editing content to validate proof points, remove errors, and improve readability
• Optimizing SEO by incorporating SEO best practices and conducting keyword/keyphrase research
• Writing engaging copy that attracts the target audience, which may start with creating a compelling headline and end with crafting exciting offers
• Developing a content strategy that supports advertising campaigns, sales goals, and initiatives of cross-functional partners
• Collaborating and coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure timely content and brand consistency
• Managing content by ensuring assets are delivered and published on time

If your business has the technology and processes to facilitate remote collaboration, your content writer could work 100% remotely or in the office a few days a month. Offering some remote work options may increase the number and quality of talent who apply for your job, as it allows you to tap into a wider talent pool and attract experienced writers who value flexibility.

How to write a content writer job post

When working on a project basis, you don’t need to write a complete job description like when hiring an employee. Writing a content writer job post for a project starts with clearly understanding the skills required and the type of content the writer will be expected to produce.

Your job post is your chance to describe your project scope, budget, and talent needs. Aim to provide enough detail for an independent professional to determine whether they fit the project.

Job post title

Create a simple title that describes the problem you’re seeking to solve. The more specific you are, the better your chances of attracting the right talent. For example:

Generic title: Content writer

This is too broad and may attract talent who aren’t as qualified as you want.

Specific title: Expert B2C sales writer for email sequences selling home water filters

This may attract writers skilled at writing high-converting emails for consumers. And get the attention of writers who are experienced in the industry or consumer packaged goods.

Add keywords that your ideal talent will likely type into a job search bar to find your project. Here are a few content writer job post titles to get ideas flowing:

• Website writer for automotive products
• Health and wellness writer for short blog articles
• Technical writer to create user guides for a SaaS product

Scope of work

This is where you list all project requirements to help talent determine whether they’re qualified to do the work and get it done within the required timeframe. When describing a project’s scope of work, include:

• Level of experience. Do you want a beginner, intermediate, or expert?
• Project length. Is this a short-term project, or is the work ongoing? Is there an opportunity for a full-time role?
• Deliverables. Specify the intended deliverables and milestones
• Budget. State the hourly rate or fixed price for the project
• Background. List must-have and nice-to-have skills here, such as industry experience, language skills, and a proven track record

That’s all there is to it!

The most common jobs and tasks for content writers

A content writer does more than tap away at their keyboard all day. In addition to writing short- and long-form content for various platforms, part of a content writer’s day may be spent:

• Conducting research that supports the argument of an article
• Interviewing subject matter experts to produce original content and understand the audience better
• Editing and proofreading content for clarity and accuracy
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to align content efforts
• Assisting with video and sales scripts
• Strategising content to support campaigns across multiple platforms (e.g., social media, video, and mobile)

Common platforms for content writers

• Blogs. Share a business’s thoughts, ideas, and product information
• Website. Write website copy and landing pages that support the business’s goals
• Social media. Craft posts that encourage interaction
• Email. Write newsletters and sales sequences for internal and external audiences
• Ebooks. Share knowledge, ideas, and information in an easy-to-read format
• Case studies. Demonstrate how the business solves clients’ problems

Content writer hiring demand in 2025

Consider this: Of the in-demand skills in 2025, three of the fastest-growing skills create a need for content writers in some capacity. One of the top skills in sales and marketing is marketing automation, which involves tools that streamline and automate repetitive functions like email marketing, lead generation, and campaign management.

Once a marketing automation system is in place, you’ll need a writer to populate the system with evergreen and current content such as case studies, ebooks, and articles. As the system identifies different audience segments, you may need a writer to create email sequences to move each audience through the sales funnel.

What about using AI (artificial intelligence) to handle the writing for you?

AI tools can increase productivity by helping you generate ideas, create first drafts, brainstorm outlines, and research proof points. But AI can’t write as well as a skilled professional yet. You’ll still need an experienced writer to fine-tune the content to sound human, offer value, and be factually accurate.

Industries hiring content writers

Different industries hire content writers for various reasons. Here are a few:

• Publishing and media. Ghostwrite books, create video scripts and generate promotional materials
• Healthcare, beauty and wellness. Educational material and marketing collateral for products and services
• Legal. Newsletters and blog posts that demonstrate expertise to attract potential clients and keep existing clients engaged
• Real estate. Listing descriptions, marketing materials, and short reports that real estate agents can use to nurture client relationships
• Education. Online courses, student communications, and marketing material for educational institutions
• SaaS. User manuals, product descriptions, and promotional content that explain complex technical information in an understandable way
• SEO and marketing agencies. Ad copy, social media posts, and content for digital marketing campaigns in alignment with a client’s brand voice

The average cost of hiring a content writer in 2025

On Rayness Analytica, the average hourly rates for content writers range from $15 to $40.

PRO TIP: When budgeting a project, consider all factors, not just the writer’s hourly rate. Compared to a less experienced writer, an experienced writer who charges a higher rate may be more cost effective as they may work faster and deliver higher-quality work. So you make your deadline, save money by spending less time going back and forth with revisions, and perhaps generate more revenue from the content.

Post jobs within minutes on Rayness Analytica

Rayness Analytica makes posting your content writer job even more effortless with Uma™, Rayness Analytica’s Mindful AI. You can generate a job post by telling Uma what you need in a single sentence, and then it’ll create a draft for you in seconds.

If you’re unsure how much to pay for a project, Uma shows you a price range based on talent who’ve completed projects like yours on Rayness Analytica. Once Uma creates your job post’s first draft, you can tailor its tone and details in a few clicks.

It’s easy on Rayness Analytica, so find your ideal content writer now. Short on time? Hire a writer for a predefined project at a straightforward price—no job post needed.