How Clients Can Get the Most fromTextBroker: A TextBroker Writer's Perspective

Hiring a freelance writer through TextBroker or a similar service is the best way to obtain unique, relevant content for your website. If you need thoughtful product reviews, blog posts that sound human, or niche SEO content, a human writer can deliver work that is superior to anything an article spinner can churn out. Article spinners can't generate new ideas, and most spun content has to be edited by hand to remove awkward phrases and illogical sequences.

Similarly, PLR packs of pre-written content can't meet your needs as well as a freelance writer who is hired to work on your specific project. Like spun content, most PLR content has to be reworked by hand to sound unique and improve the SEO. Sometimes the amount of effort you put into rewriting a PLR article is as much as writing an article from scratch. A better solution is to hire a vetted freelance writer who has your best interests in mind.

(Are you a TextBroker writer or interested in becoming one? Read my companion article "How to Write for TextBroker.")

When you place an order at TextBroker as a client, the article instructions are how you create that first impression on a prospective writer. Do you want to receive clear, concise, specific content from writers?  All you have to do is provide clear, concise, specific instructions for each article.

Writers want to deliver content that meets your needs so that you come back for repeat business, but they aren't mind readers. Including the following items in the instructions will help writers produce articles more quickly with fewer need for revisions.

• Suggested Templates: If you have a certain outline in mind, tell your freelancer. This is especially important if you have a large, time-sensitive order where all of the articles need to have similar structure.
  
• Sample Articles: Post an article that reflects what you want.
• Style: Indicate if the content should be written in 3rd person with a formal tone, 2nd person with a chatty tone, or another style. Writers don't know who your intended audience is unless you tell them.
• British English vs American English: TextBroker hires US-based freelance writers whose default style is American English. If you want an article in British English, make it clear in the instructions.
• Suggested References: Do you know a website (besides Wikipedia) that writers can use for relevant research? Great! Tell your writer so that he/she can process your order faster.

Some clients are hesitant about including templates and samples in the instructions for fear that writers will turn in dozens of non-unique cookie-cutter pieces. If you want several articles that are distinct, you can include two samples with different styles. Or, you can provide a very general outline. Most TextBroker writers are conscientious about making content unique.

The Open Order pool is a great way to get cheap content. When you place an order in the general queue, any writer (except those you have on your blacklist) can claim the article. Open Order prices are cheaper than Direct Order prices, so if you have a large batch of assignments, you can get them completed at a low rate by placing them in the general queue. But like anything else in life, you get what you pay for, and Direct Orders are worth the extra cost.

One drawback of placing your entire project in the Open Order pool is the lack of a consistent voice in the articles. If 25 writers work on various articles in your batch, you will have 25 different styles. A uniform style will make your website feel more professional.

Communication can be another issue when you work with multiple authors on one project. If you work with a single author, it only takes one email to change the instructions or make a special request.

To find prospects for Direct Orders, place a few article assignments in the open order pool, and then choose the best writer to complete the remainder of the project.

Keep in mind that TextBroker takes a cut from the fees you see listed. Writers are paid less per word than what clients pay per word. Writers who are browsing the Open Order pool will avoid articles with instructions that present unrealistic demands, or clients who seem difficult to work with. Here are some things that will guarantee your assigments go unfilled in the Open Order pool:

• Awkward/Ungrammatical Keyword Phrases: Many clients request keyword phrases lacking essential words such as "a," "the," "in," "of," etc. Please allow writers to insert the necessary words so that the text is readable. Search engines favor content written in a natural style.
  
• Inflexible Word Counts: Many clients don't realize how the TextBroker submission system works on the writer's end, especially when it comes to word counts. If you place an order and specify the word count to be 300-300 words, a writer cannot submit an article with 299 words. And if a writer submits 310 words, she is not paid for the extra 10 words. Please specify a realistic range, such as 290-310.
• Asking the writer to perform a task off-site: The TextBroker system is only for remitting text. You are free to post it where ever you like after you buy it, but you cannot ask the writer to post it for you.
• Asking writers to email you free samples before claiming an order: This is abuse of the TextBroker system, and your client account may be closed if you are caught trying to get free work from writers. Write clear instructions and you will get articles that suit your needs.
• Overly complicated order: Keep in that writers are paid less than 2 cents per word for the vast majority of Open Orders. Writers want to earn more than minimum wage for their work, and they will skip assignments that require too much non-writing leg work. If you have a complex assignment, please place a Direct Order.
  
• Requesting extensive HTML formatting: The TextBroker system isn't set up for rich text or HTML formatting. In particular, writers cannot add italics, bold, or active links. Also, not every writer is familiar with HTML tags. Clients should format the content on their own.
  
• Asking for "insider information." I am not the only TextBroker writer who has no clue what this is supposed to mean. When in doubt, we skip.
• Article instructions written in poor English. Freelance writers understand that many clients are not native English speakers. But writers cannot fill orders with incomprehensible instructions. Please ask the TextBroker staff for assistance if you have trouble writing instructions. 

This Hub only reflects my opinion, and the opinion of other TextBroker authors I know personally and professionally. Your mileage may vary!