Much has been said about the hiring of professional bloggers to blog for your website. There are some who are firmly opposed to the idea and some who support it wholeheartedly. Blogging is a passionate activity and good posts invite interactivity from readers. Those who are opposed to hiring professional seem to think that bloggers that are hired are somewhat stifled in the types of content that are considered acceptable, and this take the creative edge from the post. However, hiring someone to write for your blog is helpful in that it frees your time for other business tasks; but there are things to consider before delving headfirst into hiring a blogger for your website.
Blogging is a highly creative medium and you will find blogs on just about every subject imaginable. People just cannot seem to resist the lure of being able to express themselves and the possibility of being heard by the masses. And this is what usually happens with a good blog. Blogging is somewhat akin to composing good music, improvisational and highly creative. It is not something that can be taught in a classroom, because it is intuitive by nature. However, it is always understood that solid writing skills are required.
Without that being said, when you are considering applicants for your blog, one of the things that you will need to focus on is the skill of the prospective writer as a blogger. Just because someone is a good writer does not necessarily mean that this will translate well in the blogging arena. Blogging requires passion, as well as knowledge of the subject. Your prospective blogger will need to be able to write in a way that expresses the voice of the site and also invites active participation from readers.
One of the things you should check before hiring a blogger is the quality of his posts on other blogs for which he has written. Is the style reflective of the site or are the posts just there taking up space on the site? You should also check to see if the posts are written in a manner that encourages exchange and discussion with visitors to the site.
Interactivity is one of the attributes of successful and popular blogs. Be sure to read a few of the comments on the blog posts, and look for the writer’s response to these comments. Your blogger should not be easily offended or opposed to criticism, since blogging can be highly opinionated at times, and some of the comments to posts are just as opinionated. Remember, your blog is reflective of you and your site.
Sometimes, there may be writers you believe are qualified for the position, but who are new to the blogging scene. If you are considering hiring someone new to blogging, be sure to request sample blog posts on the subject of your blog to gauge the style and ability of your prospective blogger.
Since most blogs are constantly updated at least three to five times a week, if not daily, you will need to be sure that the blogger you hire is consistent and disciplined. You do not want to hire someone who is sporadic in posting, especially if your blog is the center of the hub of activity for your site. Be sure to hire someone who will put in the required time and is dedicated to the task.
Another attribute that will be important in your prospective blogger is that he is willing to learn. Be sure that you hire someone who is willing to continuously research and learn more about the subject of your blog. Your blogger’s ability to quickly learn about the latest news in your industry will help keep your blog on top.
Before hiring any blogger, though, keep in mind that your blog should have a purpose, whether it is to garner traffic for your site or to provide the latest information in your industry. This will be essential if you expect your blog to meet your needs.
