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If you’re in need of a seriously good article writing service, don’t get caught in the trap of someone promising wonderful things when they cannot deliver in the end. This can happen very easily to businesses that are waking up to the benefits and relevance of article writers in today’s content-driven digital market. They’re eager to get someone on board who will produce award-winning content for them so they can experience an influx of followers and, ultimately, paying clients.
However, if you are naïve about the process, you may be caught out by someone who can talk the talk but can’t necessarily write effectively.
Here are some red flags to look out for when choosing your article writing agency.
1. The Writer Has No Understanding Of The Target Audience
Putting together an article or blog about your company’s services is one thing, but speaking to the right audience is just as important. If your article writer is writing generic content or the topics are too broad, it may be a sign that he/she does not understand the target audience.
Business articles, for example, are not meant to push a sales agenda but rather draw in your niche market through topics they are specifically interested in or inform them about how a service you provide can help them achieve their goals. Your writing service needs to ask the right questions to understand this well and gear the content around this. If you feel they are not doing this, it is either time to seek a new service or go back to the drawing board and clearly define your target audience for them.
2. Plagiarism
When it comes to article writing, plagiarism is a serious offence and could land your company in hot water. If you suspect your article writing service of plagiarising, or if you’ve picked it up in one piece of writing, stop right there because that is a major red flag. If they’ve done it once, chances are they will do it again.
Google heavily dislikes plagiarism and will penalise and de-rank your site quickly if it is found. Plagiarism isn’t just copying a text word for word; it also includes not correctly citing your work if your copywriter got inspiration from somewhere else. Using easy tools such as Grammarly or Copyscape can quickly help you find plagiarism in content that is provided to you.
A professional company will produce original quality writing that is thoroughly checked and referenced. You have to pay a little more or wait a little longer for carefully written articles, but it’s well worth it in the long run!
3. Unrealistic Promises
Another early warning sign is when an article writing service promises to deliver a considerable number of articles in a short space of time. If this is the case, they are most likely not putting in enough research and using automated systems to churn out content writing services on-demand.
Businesses indeed have deadlines to meet, and a good turn-around time is an impressive quality when you are outsourcing a service, but this should be within reason of how long it takes to find information and construct a well-written piece with both the business interests and readers/clients in mind. In short, be wary of someone who is just trying to impress you or someone who is charging by the hour and charging you for exceedingly long hours.
A good indication of whether or not the service is trustworthy is to ask for evidence of performance. A strong portfolio that matches the style, professionalism and turn-around time you want for your business is usually a good sign. But if there is no evidence, move swiftly along!
4. They Don’t Communicate Well
Communication is essential in any business, but more so when you are outsourcing a service. Since the article writers will not be working on your business site, you need to have effective communication means in place. A red flag would be if they are hard to reach, do not reply to emails or calls within good time, and miss deadlines without providing any communication to explain the reason for delay. The sign of a good service is one that is in constant communication with each client, insists that there is clarity on the client goals and requirements, and seeks regular feedback throughout the production process.
For professional article writing services that will give you good results and peace of mind, speak to our expert team at theContenTribe. We are a digital marketing service that prioritises our clients’ success. We will deliver SEO optimised articles for higher website rankings.
View our range of services or contact us for more information.