Running a blog or website is a lot of work. One of the biggest challenges you’ll face is figuring out how to manage content production. You could write all of your site’s content yourself, but you’ll save time and, in many cases, get better results if you hire an experienced freelance writer.
The question is: where do you find experienced writers? These six sites will connect you with talented freelancers who can help with your content needs.
6 Best Sites to Hire a Freelance Writer
1. Fiverr
If you’re looking for a freelance writer, Fiverr has no shortage of talent. In fact, there are more than 24,000 content writers offering their services on the platform.
Fiverr is, essentially, a marketplace for talent. Writers create gigs that outline:
- What they offer
- How much they charge
Most sellers will include samples in their profiles, but you can also reach out to them directly to ask for samples.
One big advantage of Fiverr is that you can easily find specialized writers, like:
- Medical writers who are actual licensed doctors, nurses or other healthcare providers
- Sales copywriters who can increase your conversions and sales
- SEO-focused writers who optimize content to boost rankings
- Niche-specific writers who are experts in their field
- Creative writers for storytelling
You can also find other freelancers who offer related services, like graphic design, digital marketing and other services that you may need to help your site or blog grow.
Pros
- Easy to find and vet freelancers
- Reviews and testimonials help you find experts
- If the writer doesn’t complete the work, you won’t pay a dime
- Huge marketplace used by big brands around the world
Cons
- Fiverr charges additional fees
- Anyone can create a gig on the platform
Before you hop over to Fiverr and start looking for a writer, it’s important to understand two important things:
- You’ll be charged 5.5% of the order total in fees. If your order is less than $75, you’ll pay an additional $2.50 small order fee. Fees apply to every payment, so if you purchase a gig, then buy a Gig Extra and then tip the freelancer, you’ll pay a service fee for each of these things. Those fees can add up, but you’re paying for the convenience of being connected to freelancers.
- Fiverr does perform reviews on freelancers, but you don’t need any special credentials to create an account and a gig. Keep this in mind if you’re in a niche that really requires people with credentials.
Overall, Fiverr is a great resource for finding freelance writers as long as you go into it with the understanding that you’ll pay higher fees.
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2. Upwork
Fiverr is probably the top place to find a freelance content writer, but Upwork comes in a close second. The platform gives you access to premium talent. Currently, there are more than 33,000 writers on Upwork in the U.S. alone.
Unlike Fiverr, Upwork requires you to post a job (which is free). Your job listing can include as many details as you want. The more detailed you are, the more likely you’ll get applicants who will meet your standards and needs.
One big advantage of Upwork’s approach is that you don’t have to spend as much time actively searching for writers. Once you post your listing, the writers will come to you. Anyone who is interested in your job can submit a proposal.
Upwork also allows you to:
- Hop on video calls with freelancers
- Share files
- Track the progress of your project
If you’re looking for more than just a single post, Upwork makes it easy to manage a big project.
Pros
- Contracts and payment milestones give the platform a more professional feel
- Easy to collaborate, invite multiple freelancers to a job and manage a large content project
- Easily view and vet freelancers based on past feedback and their portfolios
- Find ultra-specialized writers with a simple search
Cons
- Upwork charges a 5% fee on all payments made to freelancers and a fee of USD $9.95 for each new Marketplace and Project Catalog contract
Like other freelancer platforms, Upwork charges a fee for using their service. Make sure that you budget for these fees, so you’re not taken by surprise.
3. ProBlogger Job Board
ProBlogger’s job board is a popular place to list writing projects and connect with talented freelancers. In fact, marketing agencies often list jobs on this board.
Pros
- You’ll likely receive hundreds of responses per post (a pro and con)
- Easy to add a very descriptive posting to find only qualified talent
- Premium candidate options are available, but it’s a hit-or-miss
Cons
- ProBlogger charges a membership fee for posting on their job board
The fees for posting on ProBlogger can be quite steep. For example, their five standard ads package gives you access to 10 premium candidates and allows you to keep your ads live for 1,095 days. The fee? $320.
If you’re serious about hiring professional writers, you may find that ProBlogger’s job board is worth the cost.
One issue with ProBlogger, especially in the writing niche, is that you’ll be inundated with responses from people who may or may not have read your job posting or requirements. Be sure to add a special keyword or phrase in the description and have the person use it when applying to reduce the number of bots responding to your ad.
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4. LinkedIn
LinkedIn’s ProFinder can help you find freelancers who have a wealth of experience. You can also start searching within your network or just start scouring profiles to find prospective writers who you may want to work with.
You might even have writers pitching you, which makes finding a skilled writer so easy.
Pros
- Easy to post an ad
- Access to top talent
- View recommendations and past work
Cons
- Overwhelming number of replies to job postings
LinkedIn has over 875 million members, and your posting will receive a ton of great responses. The problem? You’ll also find plenty of professionals who do not have the skillset that you demand applying for your job posting.
If you don’t mind going through a ton of responses, you’ll be sure to find a wealth of talent on LinkedIn.
You can get started on finding freelancers by going to the search bar on LinkedIn and simply typing in, “freelance writer.” If you’re in a very specialized niche, you’ll want to find a specialist.
Once you begin your search, you can click on the left side of the screen and begin filtering results by:
- Industry
- Location
- Language
- Etc.
If you’re trying to find a writer in a certain country, the filters are an amazing help and will make the process so simple.
5. Google Search
Can you find freelance writer on Google? Absolutely. You’ll find a lot of great opportunities to hire professionals who have put the time and effort into creating their own:
- Website
- Online portfolio
And, there are a lot of pros and cons here:
Pros
- High-end professionals are easier to find
- You can often access vast portfolios
- You find the freelancer and do not need to weed through pitches
- Free to search for talent
Cons
- Lack of reviews
- Lot of work
If you don’t mind putting in the time and effort, you can find some of the best freelancers in the world right on Google. You’ll want to use some advanced search operators, such as:
- “freelance writer” +KEYWORD
- “hire me” + “freelance writer”
You’ll need to do your due diligence on the freelancer to learn if they’re a good fit for you or not. Ideally, you’ll have a profile of work to look through and can schedule an interview with the person.
Many freelancers want to be paid a portion upfront for their work and then the remainder on completion. Others, you’ll find want payment after the article is written. You want to be very cautious of giving anyone a substantial amount of money upfront if you don’t know them or what to expect from their work.
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6. Twine
Twine is a platform for finding experts, such as a freelance content writer, and it’s been around for years. You’ll find Reddit reviews from years ago that mention a few concerning things, such as some profiles impersonating people.
But, it’s an issue that can plague most platforms that do not verify their freelancers.
With that in mind, there are benefits to the platform, too:
Pros
- Pay only when you hire someone
- Vetted freelancers on the platform
- Hire more, pay less
Cons
- Fewer professionals than on other platforms
- App is lacking key features
Twine is geared towards creatives, development and marketing. You’ll need to post your brief to the platform, which requires a few questions to be filled out, and then you’ll begin receiving pitches from writers.
All writers are hand-picked for you.
I recommend browsing freelancer profiles and inviting freelancers to send you a pitch. If you follow this tip, it will improve the odds of a good writer pitching for the job.
While Twine certainly has a few great freelancers on the platform, they’re the lowest on my list because the quality can be a hit or miss compared to other platforms.
