A Guide to Hiring a Holistic Content Writer That Aligns with What You Do

The biggest frustration with content? 

You put something out there — and all you hear is crickets. 

You want to build a community of like-minded folks who are passionate about what you do. And you understand that the best way to do this is through written content.

But, the unfortunate truth, you don’t want to pay attention to?

You don’t have the time needed to make it a success.

So you put off the writing — and therefore your vision of building a community… again. 

The reality is, you’re never going to have time to do it. 

By hiring a holistic content writer, not only can you create more content — faster. But you can eventually get on back on track and make your dreams of building a like-minded community a reality.

And this article is your first step towards doing that. Read on to get a quick and easy process for hiring a content writer that really aligns with what you do. 

Let’s dive in…

Why Hire a Content Writer For YOUR Holistic Business? 

You can pour money into ads and see results quickly. But what about the long-term success of your business?

This is what creating content addresses. 

Content marketing gets 3x the leads per dollar spent than paid search does. 

Which means

• More targetted clients
• People finding you easily
• A solid strategy for building authority in your business.

So when your audience starts to feel the call to your services — your content will make you an intuitive go-to.

What a Content Writer Can Do For You (If They’re Good)

It’s a common misconception that writers just write. 

A good content writer is a valuable part of your marketing team.

They take time to work out exactly who your audience is — intimately. Before they even start to write. From the people who are looking to answer a few questions before they purchase… to those who have no idea what you do.

Content writers are capable of writing to these audiences as if they are a dear friend, asking for help. Addressing pain points thoroughly, and positioning you as the one who has the answers.

Good Content Writer Specs You Should Not Miss

There is no shortage of content writers to choose from — but one that is knowledgeable and interested in what you do? 

This is hard to find. 

Here are some things to look for when hiring a content writer:

Their Experience:

When you hire a content writer, you need to trust that the content isn’t regurgitating what’s already out there. 

And that requires training and experience. 

Key things that help to prove that are:

• Actually implementing SEO (and being successful)
• Published content… that’s good
• An accredited course 

You should be able to find this on their CV… and demonstrated in the content they send to you, which brings us to the second thing to look for…

Their Samples

Samples work twofold:

• They’re an indicator that you’re interested in the quality of their work (might sound crazy, but low-pay/non-legit work don’t ask)
• They show you that the content writer is capable of writing in your niche

Having a barrier of entry, such as relevant samples, filters out those who apply for everything without checking to see if they’re interested in the business.

As a writer, here’s what I would look for in a sample:

• Engaging language
• Writing that is relevant to the niche
• Easy-to-read structure

A sample is a test run, so it’s important you look at the content carefully. 

What they express in the content is a good indicator of whether or not they align with your work. 

Their Visibility

If I can’t find someone online easily — I get suspicious. 

Are they real?

Content writers who are knowledgable in SEO should rank for relevant keywords.

Some simple things to look for:

• Can you find their brand name easily online?
• Is their content ranking? (search things like Holistic Content Writer)
• Where are they published?

Search for them on Google.

You should be stumbling upon them with every relevant term.

Their Alignment

When you work in energetics… describing the processes, or what someone can feel when experiencing your work is hard. 

So, it’s really freakin’ important that you hire a content writer who knows what’s like first-hand. 

Here are some key things that I would look for

• Writers who are on a similar journey
• Those who have experienced something similar to your offer
• The energy of what they post online

Finding someone that feels right for you… AND do a good job, is someone to hold onto!

How to Hire a Good Content Writer for Your Business

To narrow down your candidates — first you need to attract the right kind of people.

Then you need a way to find clearly highlight the kinda people that you want to work with, and promise to bring something valuable to your business.

Here are some ideas of what you will need to hire a content writer. 

Advertising Prep

Taking time to look at what you want to get out of hiring a content writer, and how you envision the role playing out long-term will help you to attract the right candidates.

And, reassure them that they’re joining a company who takes what they do seriously. 

Hiring is a two-way street, after all. 

Take a day to prepare:

• Job description (don’t forget to include what YOU do)

• Spec for ideal hire (include personality types… heck even their human design)

• Budget

• Detail your current marketing efforts and how content writing will fit into that

• Onboarding - how are you going to welcome them?

It’s important that you’re just as ready for the interview and hiring as the candidate.

Filtering suggestions

A lot of people will apply for any job — regardless of the niche or specs they read. 

You need a way to make sure those people shall not pass!

Here are some barriers of entry that can help you with that:

• Ask for detailed descriptions of their experience

• Request relevant samples

• Ask for a test piece

Because you’re in holistic health, doubling down on making sure the candidate knows what you do is extra important.

By opting for their personal or professional experience in this world, you’ll quickly get a feel for their knowledge.

Where to Look

The number of places you can post a job is overwhelming. The bigger the pool, the more chance you have of running into time wasters. 

My advice?

Start really small and get bigger 

• Friends of friends

• YOUR social media

• Job boards (Freelancing Females and All Things Freelance Writing are my faves)

• Marketplaces (as a last resort)

When advertising, bear in mind that this is a job to someone, so be conscious of what you charge, and make sure that it’s enough for someone to live on.

Interview Process Suggestions

There’s a big misconception around interviewing — namely, that it has to be complex. 

As a holistic business owner, you probably have access to your intuition — use it. 

Here’s a simple 3 (+1) step process I’ve used without fail:

• Ask for samples first

• Have a detailed spec of your ideal hire

• Interview with full presence

• If still unsure, ask for a small test piece

It is possible for someone to align energetically, but not do the kind of work that you need. Be sure to assess each step as if they are separate so that bias remains minimal. 

Need to Hire a Content Writer?

Hiring a content writer who specialises in holistic health modalities is working with someone who practices what YOU preach. 

If you're looking for someone that is open to your work — but still knows how to put together a blog — I can help. 

Click here to book an alignment call — and we can talk magic 🙂