Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the freelance economy has advanced drastically. In fact, the number of freelancers has increased by a whopping 22% since 2019 globally.
As per The Hindu Business Line, India alone is home to 15 million freelancers, many of whom are content writers.
Going by the current trend, the content marketing services in India and worldwide are heavily relying on freelance writers.
But every coin has two sides, and these writers are no different. This article explores the pros and cons of hiring a freelance writer. Read on to find out how to spot the right fit for your business.
Pros of Hiring Freelancers:
- They Are Pocket-Friendly
Compared to full-time employees, freelancers can be a lot more cost-effective for a content marketing agency. Freelance writers are free to cherry-pick any gig they want. Since they are not entitled to the worker’s perks mandated by the central government for full time employees, companies save big bucks by choosing them.
You can find a freelance writer on popular sites at prices ranging from $20 to $500 depending on your budget and requirements.
- They Are Eager to Work
Freelance writers typically get paid by the hour or for each word they write. Consequently, most freelance writers are highly motivated to work. Chit-chatting about the last cricket match or taking long breaks costs freelancers both time and money. Hiring freelancers allows for quicker execution of work, as they want their money as soon as possible. This leads to a more productive and dedicated workforce that is eager to run an extra mile for the employer.
Freelancers are also easier to replace if you don’t find the right set.
- Access to Specialised Global Talent
When it comes to writing, each project can be vastly different from another. The approaches to writing a healthcare blog and an E-com landing page are as different as night and day. Finding an ideal professional who can adapt to your specific needs and schedules can be hard.
Hence, the best content writing agencies count on the pool of specialised freelance talent available online.
Freelancers specialising in specific subjects can add value accordingly. Many content writing agencies in Gurugram leverage their expertise instead of onboarding full-time employees.
Cons of Hiring Freelancers:
- Compromise on Loyalty
Often, freelancers are seen juggling multiple projects of different varieties. As they work in a no strings attached model and do not receive the employer perks, they are generally not as loyal as full-time employees. Additionally, since they work virtually, there’s no way you can tell if they are dividing their attention between other projects as well.
It’s ideal to hire freelancers if your agency requires write-ups in specific domains and your in-house team doesn’t have the relevant experience.
- Unpredictable Quality of Work
There’s no doubt about the fact that the internet is brimming with freelance writers. However, this doesn’t mean that all of them produce the same quality. Even if you find some great freelancers online, there’s always a chance that they’re working with multiple clients. This in turn may result in the degradation of the work quality.
Freelancers are generally hired based on their portfolios and samples, which is not the best metric to judge their calibre in the long run. Content writing agency in India should resort to extensive interview processes.
- Harder to Supervise and Train
As compared to full-time recruits who can easily be moulded to suit the agency’s unique needs, freelance writers are harder to train. Writing in the business world is utilised in a hundred different ways and has distinct implications for different markets. Hence, the training and supervision provided by senior professionals becomes paramount for the fluid execution of projects.
The virtual wall that separates recruiters and freelancers hinders this communication, making it difficult for content writing companies to maintain ideal quality. Today’s online training tools like Zoom and Google Classroom aren’t yet able to effectively mimic the actual corporate training.
Final Verdict
Deciding between freelancers or full-time writers for your business could be a difficult yet important task. Both of these business models bring certain advantages and disadvantages to the table. Freelance writers may bring convenience in terms of speed, flexibility, and specialisation. Nevertheless, their unpredictable nature of work and coachability issues could be deal-breakers.
As a content marketing company, make sure you thoroughly assess your needs and your team’s scope before onboarding freelancers. You could also opt for a model that blends the potential of freelancers and full-time employees for best results.
Hope you found some value in the article and take better hiring decisions using this newly attained information.
Thank you!