You’ve accepted that your business needs a blog. You’ve also accepted that you’re not going to write it yourself, at least not consistently. So you start looking for a writer and quickly find hundreds of them, with rates that range from a few dollars to a few hundred per article.
The price range is confusing because the job itself varies so much. Some writers produce words. Others produce articles that bring in customers. From the outside, they can look alike.
Here’s how to tell the difference before you sign anything.
What should a good blog writer actually do?
Writing is only part of the job. A writer who will move the needle for a small business usually handles four things.
Research. That means finding out which questions your customers actually search for, how often and how competitive each one is. Without it, you’re guessing at topics. With it, every article has a specific job.
Planning. Articles work better when they’re organized around topics rather than written one at a time. Ask whether the writer plans in groups of connected articles, such as a hub-and-spoke cluster.
Learning your business. The writer should want to understand how you work, what you recommend and what you’d never tell a customer. If they don’t ask, the articles will be generic.
Writing in your voice. Your articles should sound like your business on a good day: knowledgeable, clear and recognizably yours.
What should you ask before hiring?
”How do you choose topics?” A strong answer mentions customer questions and search data. A weak one is “whatever’s trending” or “we’ll send you some ideas.”
”How will you learn about my business?” Look for an interview, a questionnaire or a review of your existing materials. You know your industry. A good writer’s job is to draw that knowledge out of you efficiently.
”Who approves the articles?” You should. Nothing should go live on your website without your sign-off, especially in fields like law, health or finance where accuracy matters.
”How will we know if it’s working?” Listen for specifics: rankings for the target searches, traffic from Google and a regular report. Our guide on how long SEO takes to work explains what’s realistic to expect along the way.
What should their samples show?
Read two or three samples as if you were a customer, not a buyer.
Does the opening speak to a real situation, or does it start with filler like “In today’s digital world”? Does it explain technical terms? Does it answer the question directly, or circle it? Would you trust the business that published it?
Then look at the details. Good samples include specific examples, accurate facts with sources where they matter and clear headings. If every sample sounds the same regardless of the client, your articles probably will too.
What are the red flags?
Guaranteed rankings. Google itself has said no one can guarantee a #1 position. A writer who promises one is overselling.
Very high volume at a very low price. Fifty articles a month for a small fee usually means little research, little editing and heavy reliance on AI tools without much human judgment. Google’s guidance warns that using AI to generate many pages without adding value may violate its spam policy on “scaled content abuse.”
No interest in your business. If the writer never asks a question about how you work, they’re planning to write about your industry in general rather than your business in particular.
No plan for measurement. If nobody is tracking results, nobody can tell you whether the articles are worth what you’re paying.
Freelancer or agency?
Both can work. An agency may offer a broader package, including design, ads and social media, with several people involved. A freelancer generally means you work directly with the person writing your articles, which can make it easier to get your voice right.
The better question is who will actually write the articles and whether you’ll talk to them. A brilliant salesperson followed by an anonymous writer is a common source of disappointment.
What does a healthy process look like?
Typically: an initial conversation about your business and customers, keyword research, a content plan you approve, drafts you review, then publishing and monthly reporting. You should spend your time on the parts only you can do, such as answering questions and approving drafts, not rewriting articles from scratch.
Hiring a blog writer fits into a larger plan for getting found locally, which our guide to local SEO for small businesses lays out.
A good blog writer isn’t just someone who can write. It’s someone who can turn what you know into articles your customers find. That’s the work I do for Greenville businesses, and you can book a 15-minute call to see whether it fits yours.