What Is Ghostwriting: How To Hire A Ghostwriter?

You’ve heard the term ghostwriting, but what exactly is it and how it can benefit your business? 

In this article, we’ll explain the ins and outs of ghostwriting and provide actionable steps for hiring the best ghostwriter for the job.

Let’s get started.

What is Ghostwriting & How Does It Work?

Ghostwriting is the creation of written material for which the author doesn’t receive credit. The business or entity hiring the ghostwriter is credited as the author.

Ghostwriting services are used for a variety of content, from celebrity memoirs and nonfiction books to speeches for political leaders.

However, one industry that greatly benefits from ghostwritten content is digital marketing.

Ghostwriters are often the invisible force behind thought leadership blogs, engaging newsletters and even social media posts. Their ability to replicate a business’s vision and message is what makes them so valuable. As a business owner, this means being able to maintain a consistent brand voice across all platforms—without having to personally write every piece of content.

Is ghostwriting ethical?

Although it may seem unethical to produce content without receiving recognition, ghostwriting is ethical. What keeps ghostwriting ethical is clear communication around expectations and ownership agreements. However, academic ghostwriting for the purpose of obtaining a degree is considered cheating and is not ethical.

The Benefits of Ghostwriting from a Business Owner’s Perspective

We’ve answered the question, “What is ghostwriting?”. Now, what kind of benefits can a ghostwriter offer a business?

Ghostwriters provide a wealth of benefits to already overloaded business owners. They present the ability to build credibility and brand awareness—all without the business owner taking on more than they can handle.

• Consistent content output: Ghostwriters can ensure content is produced and published regularly. This means that other business commitments won’t affect content production. The writers will maintain a cohesive tone and message across all content, which is a critical element in building brand identity.
• Time-saving benefits: The writing process can be enormously time-consuming from topic research to writing and editing. The entire process is often more than a business owner can manage. Hiring a ghostwriter is an efficient way to outsource content production.
• Professional writing expertise: A ghostwriter can confidently experiment with new content formats. Alternatively, they can delve into topics they might not have time to tackle themselves. A professional ghostwriter will have niche-specific expertise in addition to marketing experience. This is a niche skill set that business owners are unlikely to be able to invest time in developing.
• Build authority: Ghostwriters create content that boosts site authority. Content like thought leadership pieces or ebooks can help build credibility in a niche and give a business a competitive edge.
• Scalability: Ghostwriting lets a business ramp up production (or scale back) as needed. The alternative of hiring an in-house writing team is neither flexible nor cost-efficient.
• Confidentiality: A ghostwriter agrees to create content published under someone else’s name.

The Skills and Qualities of a Good Ghostwriter

When beginning the search for a writer, there are a few necessary skills and qualities to prioritize for your ghostwriting work.

A good ghostwriter will possess the following attributes and skillsets:

• Strong writing skills: A good ghostwriter will excel at producing clear and engaging content, that is polished for a variety of audience types.
• Subject matter expertise: An ideal ghostwriter will have the subject matter expertise you require. Or, they will demonstrate an ability to quickly acquire the knowledge needed.
• Research Proficiency: Ghostwriters need to be skilled at topic research and identifying quality sources of information. Look for someone who demonstrates thorough research skills and links to credible sources.
• SEO knowledge: SEO knowledge is a core requirement in digital marketing.
• Reliability: A ghostwriting job often involves strict deadlines and high expectations. A reliable writer will not only deliver content on time but also to the desired standard.
• Confidentiality: An experienced ghostwriter understands the importance of discretion when producing content. They should be willing to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to ensure that all work remains confidential.
• Time management skills: A ghostwriter must be able to juggle multiple deadlines effectively. This means they must be able to plan and prioritize their tasks.
• Self-motivation: A ghostwriter will undoubtedly be working alone. This means they will need to show the drive required to complete tasks autonomously.

In addition to these hard and soft skills, an experienced ghostwriter will also have a portfolio of work. This portfolio will give an overview of their writing style and their work in different niches. If they don’t have one, assigning a test task will be a crucial part of your writer selection process.

How to Hire a Ghostwriter

So, how do you hire a ghostwriter, and where can you find one to write your content?

Step-by-step process

Let’s go through the process of hiring a ghostwriter step-by-step:

1. Define your requirements: Before you dive headfirst into the hiring process, understand what you need from a writer. What type of content do you want written? How frequently do you want to publish the content? And what kind of skills might you need to look for in a writer?
2. Research writer platforms and agencies: There are many platforms where ghostwriters offer their services. These include UpWork, Freelancer, and Fiverr. However, it pays to do a bit of research because a content writing agency like My Content Pal can offer a better solution. With a content writing agency, you’ll get a writer and expert content strategy advice.
3. Vet candidates thoroughly: Shortlist suitable candidates.Then, interview them and assign a test task. From start to finish, this process can take several weeks. However, working with a content writing agency eliminates this candidate assessment process.
4. Agree on terms and formalize a contract: Both parties need to agree on points like content output and rules of termination. When working with an agency, the contract is clear and transparent. Generally, an agency only needs to understand your business needs and agree to a provision of work before the content can start flowing. However, engaging freelance writers and developing a contract leaves room for some uncertainty. Leaving many writers and businesses unsure of their legal rights and responsibilities.

How to assess writing style and fit

Before you commit to a ghostwriter, you will need to vet their writing performance and process. Evaluating their writing style will ensure it aligns with your brand’s voice. Ask for writing samples, a portfolio of work, or assign them a paid test project. This will help you gauge their ability to research, adapt, and produce content that meets your standards.

Don’t overlook the importance of communication during the evaluation process. The ideal ghostwriter will produce quality content but also needs to be responsive, open to feedback, and pleasant to work with. Clear, consistent communication ensures smoother collaboration and higher-quality content.

Legal considerations when working with a ghostwriter

When you hire ghostwriters, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• The ownership and usage of content is often the first question. You, as the client, should have full rights to claim the content as your own work and to use it however you choose.
• Agree to the number of revisions that are permitted.
• Content plagiarism needs to be carefully communicated in the contract.
• Agree on the terms of contract termination.
• Payment for services is another important feature of the contract. Many ghostwriters accept a flat fee for content, but some will work on a salary basis or charge an hourly or daily rate.

Tips for hiring a ghostwriter

This will guarantee your content expectations are met consistently.

1. Clearly outline expectations and deadlines. But remember to factor in extra time for revisions and other in-house approval processes.
2. Provide detailed content briefs with links to similar content and other relevant materials. This is the foundation for quality content and reduces the number of revisions required. It also allows for smoother content creation overall.
3. Create a feedback loop between all those involved – the writer, editor, content manager, SEO specialist. This open two-way communication channel allows the writer to progress and continually improve. It also helps to avoid miscommunication between the various parties.

Tools to enhance the partnership and polish content

Using collaborative cloud-based tools will streamline the process of a ghostwriting project. Some platforms facilitate real-time editing and feedback and include content optimization tools. Others, provide project management tools to coordinate multiple freelancers and projects.

Some of the most popular platforms include:

1. Google Docs: The Google Suite is versatile and free to use. It allows users to create access permissions, collaborate on documents, include comments, and track changes.
2. Copyscape: Copyscape is a commonly used plagiarism checker. This ensures finished content is not penalized by search engines.
3. Hemingway Editor: This editing tool is free for use and guides the process of creating written content that is easy to absorb. Content is given a readability score and recommendations highlight the improvements needed.
4. SurferSEO: This platform allows users to create keyword-optimized content. Enabling users to gain a foothold ahead of the competition in SERPs.
5. Semrush: Is an SEO tool used for completing keyword research and generating content topic ideas. This helps to elevate and enhance online visibility.
6. Basecamp: This popular project management platform allows file storage, sharing, and team collaboration.

An Agency Ghostwriter or a Freelance Ghostwriter?

When it comes to sourcing a writer for your website content, it boils down to one of two options. One, you can hire freelancers or, two, engage a content writing agency. There are pros and cons to each, so we’re going to present both.

Pros and cons of hiring a freelance ghostwriter

Pros	Cons
Direct communication with the writer throughout the writing process. This builds rapport and helps work through revisions.	The hiring process can be time-consuming.
Ability to negotiate contract terms directly with the writer, which can lead to better rates.	Content quality can fluctuate over time.
	Managing freelance writers requires a lot of time to coordinate.
	There is a lack of additional resources like an SEO specialist or an editor.

Pros and cons of hiring an agency ghostwriter

Pros	Cons
Contract establishment is straightforward. Simply outline your requirements and agree to a content creation schedule.	Can be expensive
You’ll gain access to an entire marketing team from an SEO specialist to an editor. This also includes expert content strategy advice.	It’s not always possible to have direct contact with the writer.
Consistent quality is guaranteed as a result of the editing process.
An agency will stand by clear contract deliverables because their reputation depends on it.

Avoid the Hassle and Hire Professional Writers Today

Working with ghostwriters from a reputable agency like My Content Pal is the smartest choice for creating top-notch website content. The process is simple: Express your content needs, then watch as skilled writers transform your desires into high-converting content. This frees up time, allowing you to focus on more pressing business concerns.

Working with a content writing agency is also very affordable. While skipping the middleman and going for a ghostwriter may seem a budget-friendly option, you risk blowing your budget due to poor-quality content requiring extensive revisions. However, with an agency, you will always stay within budget, and you’re able to maintain consistency across all content.

Our dedicated writer service delivers high-quality content when you need it, with the ability to pause and restart your subscription anytime. This flexibility in a dynamic, ever-changing market is invaluable.

With the expertise our content writing agency provides, you can elevate your online presence effortlessly.