“The main things I hear from people when I work with them as a ghostwriter [are] ‘I’m capable of writing this, but I don’t have the time to do it’ or ‘I can do it, but I would find it very stressful.’ Other people have many skills, but writing may not be something that comes easily to them. If you find a good ghostwriter, they should be able to capture your voice and deliver something you would’ve created if you had the time.” — Flori Meeks, Ghostwriter at The Writers For Hire

Writing doesn’t come easily for everyone. Many people have excellent ideas but find it hard to convey them effectively in words. Hiring a ghostwriter can be the best decision to simplify content creation for your company.

Some are capable of writing but just find it demanding or have no time.

Instead of struggling for hours to create one piece of content, a ghostwriter can express your voice and convey your thoughts and ideas quickly, in an easily digestible way.

If you need tons of content, seeking the help of a ghostwriting agency might be the answer to your writing woes.

What is a ghostwriter?

A ghostwriter is a professional writer who creates different materials anonymously for individuals and companies. You can hire a ghostwriter to create several kinds of content, saving yourself the time and energy to focus on other priorities.

What types of content do ghostwriters create for companies?

Creating consistent content is vital to keeping your business relevant among your competitors.

Take blogging, for example. It’s recommended for smaller businesses to post a blog at least one to four times weekly, and for larger businesses, posting multiple times a day isn’t uncommon.

Keeping up with these numbers can be quite difficult without a dedicated writer to pump out content consistently.

Ghostwriters who specialize in creating content in specific industries are very useful for technical writing.

If your company is undergoing rebranding or constantly requires quality content to express the benefits of new ideas or processes, a ghostwriter can be beneficial to your team.

Some of the most common types of content ghostwriters produce for companies include:

• Marketing content. Long-form content such as blog posts and case studies are common projects for ghostwriters. They can also lend a hand in creating social media content, emails, and newsletters for your business.
• Technical writing.Many ghostwriters specialize in technical writing that requires in-depth knowledge of different industries. Requests for proposals (RFPs), standard operating procedures (SOPs), grant packages, instructional manuals, and whitepapers are simple tasks for an experienced ghostwriter.

5 Ways Hiring a Ghostwriter Can Help Your Company

1. Ghostwriters are professional writers.

Writing is a good skill for everyone to learn, but there are professional writers for a reason. Ghostwriters spend multiple hours a day writing and make a living by producing quality content. A skilled ghostwriter can easily express your ideas or the benefits of your product in a way that only a professional writer can.

2. Hiring a ghostwriter saves time and frees you to work on other things.

When you leave writing to the professionals, it frees up your time to prioritize other tasks that are more up your alley. This is especially true for leaders in large companies and C-level executives, whose workloads are often overflowing before writing is even added to the plate.

For many, simply writing one blog post can take hours—never mind an entire training manual! Hiring an experienced ghostwriter is your best option if you want to save time and still produce quality content for your business.

3. You can put content out faster when there’s a dedicated writer.

Ghostwriters specialize in delivering consistent content with a fast turnaround time. When it comes to marketing, getting quality content out as fast as possible is a must. Since a ghostwriter’s workday is dedicated to producing content, a seasoned writer should have no problem with quick, consistent deliverables.

4. A ghostwriter can collaborate with you to build your brand voice quickly.

A ghostwriter’s job is to capture your voice and articulate your ideas most effectively. Experienced ghostwriters can quickly build your brand voice because they understand the importance of marketability and how using concise, compelling content is key. You can bounce ideas off of each other, and a good ghostwriter will be able to provide feedback and recommend the best strategies for your content.

5. Ghostwriters are SEO experts.

Choosing to hire a ghostwriter for content marketing is a great way to increase your number of organic website visitors and build your online presence. Ghostwriters understand the significance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and ranking on Google. Most important, they know the correct way to structure content, so it’s found easily online.

What makes a good client/ghostwriter relationship?

“Communication is very important,” says ghostwriter Flori Meeks. “I think for a ghostwriter, whether you’re helping somebody write a memoir or a complicated whitepaper, one of the most important things you should be doing is listening. Letting the client talk and paying close attention to their priorities, their personality, and their voice is essential; so, in the end, what you deliver meets their needs and reflects their voice. And strengthens their brand by delivering a quality product.”

The relationship between you and your ghostwriter is essential for the success of the end product.

Any old ghostwriter won't do. Seeking the help of a ghostwriting agency can help your journey of finding an experienced writer who produces the results you’re looking for.

A few key aspects every quality ghostwriter should have include:

• Communication skills. As in any healthy relationship, communication is key. Communication skills are a necessity for both you and your ghostwriter, as you should be able to express your thoughts, ideas, and concerns to each other effectively. Poor communication often leads to avoidable mistakes, straying from your vision, and wasted time and effort.
• Listening skills.Good listening skills are also a must. Your ghostwriter should understand your goals and vision for your company. They should also know how to ask the right questions and listen actively to your responses to produce the best product. Listening skills are also important on your part to ensure you’re providing the ghostwriter with everything they need to do their job effectively.
• Writing skills. This should go without mention. A quality ghostwriter should consistently produce concise and compelling deliverables that are engaging and free of grammatical errors.

What You Should Consider Before Hiring a Ghostwriter

“It’s also good to just spend some time talking with ghostwriters,” says Meeks. “Whether it’s the owner of the ghostwriting company or the person who will actually be doing the writing, make sure that you’re able to click, communicate well, and that they listen to you and respect your priorities.”

Before you decide to hire a ghostwriter, establish your priorities to get a better sense of what you hope to accomplish with this new relationship. You should consider key aspects, such as the type of content you’re looking for, timelines, and availability requirements.

Figure out any additional services you might need, such as editing and proofreading. Having a grasp on the desired level of experience you’d like the writer to have is essential to making the best choice for your business.

For larger projects or a need for recurring content, you may want to seek the help of a ghostwriting agency. With a ghostwriting agency, all writing, editing, and proofreading tasks are handled in-house by experienced professionals.

Be sure to research anyone you’re considering when choosing a ghostwriting agency. It’s important to spend time talking with different companies and exploring examples of their work. If you think a company is a good fit, make sure you can connect and work smoothly with the writers.

What does the process look like with a ghostwriting agency?

The ghostwriting process is similar for technical writing and content marketing, but there are a few major differences. The basic steps in the ghostwriting process include:

• Kick-off call. The kick-off call is the first step to establishing a relationship of understanding with your ghostwriter. This step usually consists of one or two meetings where the writer shares any research, ideas, questions, or concerns they may have about the proposed project. You’ll discuss the project scope, turnaround time, communication preferences, and expectations. If you’re working on a technical project, the kick-off call is the perfect time to assign a subject matter expert (SME) from your company for the writer to interview. Include the SME in the meeting if possible.
• SME interview. The ghostwriter interviews the assigned SME. They’ll come up with questions to ensure they completely understand the assignment and have all the information they need to get your point across.
• Writing plan. Once the necessary research and interviews are completed, the ghostwriting agency will devise a plan and assign writers to different tasks. They will establish a suggested outline and internal deadlines for you to approve, and then the writing begins.
• Content submission. After the writing process is complete, the ghostwriter or agency will submit the content to you for review. This is when you’ll request any revisions you want or ask any follow-up questions you have about the content.
• Final deliverable. The ghostwriter will make necessary edits based on your feedback. The content is edited and proofread against your style guide. The end result should be a concise piece of content that represents the essence of your brand and vision.

The writing process for content marketing is usually less complex with fewer people involved, depending on your necessities.

A ghostwriter may not need to interview a SME for content marketing materials like blogs, newsletters, and social media posts.

Different skill sets are also required for technical writing and content marketing.

For technical writing, a ghostwriter might need extensive industry experience to produce quality content appropriate for your business.

Content marketing materials may require a more creative ghostwriter with strong storytelling skills or SEO knowledge.

Final Thoughts

At first, you may not clearly understand what a ghostwriter can do for you or how the process works. If the ghostwriter explains the process early on, it can be extremely beneficial to your company and save you lots of time.

Knowing what to expect, how a ghostwriter can help, and the best ways to communicate set you and your ghostwriter up for a smooth, successful working relationship.