The 411 on Ghost Blogging

Congratulations, you have finally decided to create a blog. But have you decided what you plan to write about and how often you will publish it?  According to Michael Brenner, Author of the bestselling book The Content Formula, a successful blog requires original content, consistency, and frequency of posts. At a minimum, Brenner suggests you blog 2 - 4 times per week for the highest traffic and conversion results.

While Brenner likely has the data to back up his advice, I’m pretty certain that the majority of business owners already have too much on their plates to take on blogging themselves.  If this rings true for you, consider hiring a ghost blogging.

What is a Ghost Blogger?

Similar to ghost writers, ghost bloggers are writers for hire who are paid to produce work for someone else and allow them to take the credit. A ghost blogger is simply a ghost writer who specializes in producing blogs for others. Some ghost bloggers are self-directed and will recommend content as well as write each blog. While others will work with topic suggestions and enthusiastically write about the subject under their client’s name. So where do you find a ghost blogger?

How Do You Find a Ghost Blogger?

One way to find a ghost blogger is too advertise for one online.  There are several websites where you can post an ad to hire a blogger, including Fiveer, Toptal, and Freelancer.

When posting your “help wanted” ad, be specific about your blog category. For example: Is your blog going to discuss personal finances or raising a family? Clearly, these two topics require different areas of expertise. Be sure to include how many blog posts you are expecting per month or week.

When hiring any kind of writer, ask for samples of their work and get references. When it comes to ghost bloggers, they should have experience and knowledge of how to write for search engine optimization (SEO).  After all, the main objective for blogging is to drive traffic to your website and/or business.

Other key qualifications you should look for in hiring a ghost blogger are:

• Fluency in American-English or your native language.
• Ability to provide original content.  Some services sell the same blog to as many people as possible.  Using these blogs can adversely affect your search engine results so be sure you are paying for unique content. 

Additionally, it is important to note that blogging is not just about words written on a page; a good post will include text along with at least one image such as a photograph, chart, video, etc.  Having a relevant image not only helps convey your message but also improves your blogs visually appeal. You may want to ask your ghost blogger to submit a visual element with their blog.  If you do so, be sure the image they are providing is copyright free.

Finally, you may be wondering how much you should pay for a ghost blogger. Fees vary depending on several factors, such as length of blog post, amount of research required, the writer’s experience, and whether they will help you share and promote your blog on social networks. Some bloggers charge by the word count, while others charge a flat fee per post. 
 
Should you do decide to proceed with blogging, keep in mind that it is an investment in your business and one that could pay off big if done well. Want to know more about the benefits of blogging. Watch for our next post: 6 Reasons Why Blogging is Crucial for Business. ​

If you're interested in implementing a cohesive blog strategy, or looking to improve your current blog content, please contact us to schedule your free inbound marketing consultation.

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