When you create a website, no matter if it’s a personal blog or for your business, your first thought will be, “How do I get people to visit?” The web is an enormous place, and despite many business owner’s best efforts, websites often get lost amid millions of others.

The answer to increasing the amount of traffic a website receives is simple: Create high quality, well written content and update your web site every single day. Sounds simple? It is, but creating compelling website copy can be difficult for someone who may not have a way with words. It can also be time consuming for a small business owner whose plate is already full. Hiring a writer to provide interesting content for your website could be the solution; and luckily for you, there are many of them out there.

Some Available Options

• Odesk.com is a freelance market place that pairs contractors with employers. On Odesk, you can hire content writers for anything from press releases to blog posts. The site’s star rating system is based on feedback, so if you hire someone with excellent feedback, you can be sure you will receive excellent content. On Odesk, you can hire someone hourly and the website will provide you with ‘snapshots’ of their progress. You can be sure that your contractor is doing the work, and you provide payment through an easy to use system.
• Elance.com has a similar service to Odesk.com, and has a similar directory of freelancers who are ready, willing, and able to bid on your job. As with Odesk, you will find that no job is too small and there is no shortage of people wishing to bid on it. With Elance, your funds are put in escrow and will stay there until you are satisfied that the job has been completed.
• If you want to find someone locally or you don’t wish to hire through an online marketplace, Google is the simplest way to seek out a copywriter. There are many freelance writers listed on Google, and a little research can provide examples of work from previous clients as well as specific areas of expertise.

Things to Consider

When hiring a content writer, there are a few questions you should ask them for, prior to signing a contract.

• Do you have a portfolio or references?  Many freelance writers will have an online portfolio or resume available for potential clients, as well as a list of references that you can call to confirm their work ethic and writing ability.
• How quickly can you complete the job?  Even the best writers can get caught up in deadlines. Be sure to have realistic expectations of how quickly you wish to have a project completed.
• What is your pay rate?  Just as a writer’s ability will vary, so will their pay scale. Keep in mind that the least expensive pay rate does not always mean quality. Just like anything in life, you often get what you pay for.  For a set of guidelines on what to pay a writer, visit the Professional Writers Association of Canada.

The web is a huge place, and the success or failure of a web site will often depend on the content. Great writing provided by an excellent content provider will have your visitors returning again and again.