How to hire the perfect content creator in 7 easy steps

A valuable content creator can drive engagement on your social media and website, increase brand awareness, and help to spread your message. What's more important, though, is that a content creator can help you drive sales for your business.

So it’s essential to make sure you choose the right person. How do you do that? How do you sift through all the content creatives and find the right one for you?

Here are seven steps to help you hire the perfect content creator:

1. Pick the type of content you want to create

Although there are expert content creators who can provide you with multiple types of content, most of them focus on one or two specific categories.

You know what they say, a jack of all trades is a master of none - so if you want the best results, you should know what type of content you need most before you go searching for a content creator.

Here are the most common content types you should consider: 

Written content

This refers to blog posts, long-form articles, newsletters, website copy, ebooks, and more. Content writers are usually very good at writing and in-depth research. The research part is usually done by an expert content strategist.

There are also copywriters that specialize in writing advertising copy for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other types of social media advertising. They can also create landing page copy. Moreover, they know the difference between content meant to educate, entertain, or persuade and they can use language and attention-grabbing techniques accordingly.

Video content

Video content is gaining a lot of ground, as it’s an effective way for businesses to communicate with their existing and potential customers. Video content includes webinars, product tutorials, interviews, ads, educational videos, instructional videos, live streaming, and more.

Content creators who specialize in video content must have excellent presentation skills and be comfortable working with editing software. They also need to know how to use engaging visuals to relay a story and convey messages.

Audio content

Audio content largely refers to podcasts and audio ads, which are becoming increasingly popular. Content creators who specialize in audio have to understand how a story is built, as well as the process of recording and editing audio, to make sure that it’s high-quality and engaging.

Graphic content

Graphic content creators are usually advanced graphic designers with solid marketing skills, which makes them experts in creating visuals that capture attention. They know how to design images, videos, infographics, and GIFs to help you spread awareness, drive engagement, and convert leads.

It is worth mentioning that sometimes, the content you need is at the confluence between different categories. For instance, if your content marketing strategy is focused on social media, you will need one (or more) social content creators.

This means you're after someone who has basic skills in all of the aforementioned areas (they can write, design, and edit videos). That would fit a social media specialist role.

Now that you've picked the types of content that you want to create, let's talk about the numbers.

2. Determine your budget

There is a creator for every budget. Before you search, determine how much money you’re willing to spend on content creation, but keep in mind that very high-quality content will not come cheap. Remember that the tighter your budget is, the more you will have to sacrifice the quantity or quality of your content, so consider your business goals to see what your priorities are. 

For instance, if you're on a limited budget you can get a less expensive video content creator. However, they might not have the skills (or the time) to work on small details in your videos. Likewise, you can hire a more expensive creator, but you won't be able to afford to create too many assets.

3. Create the perfect content creator job post

Once you’ve determined the type of content and your budget, it’s time to create a job post. One of the best ways to ensure you filter through the potential applicants is by being 100% honest and clear with your requirements. Don't beat around the bush on what you need, and clear state what you can offer.

Here are some of the essentials to include when creating a content creator job post:

• The type of content creator you're looking for (e.g., social media content creator, freelance writer, etc.)
• Experience (how many years of experience do you expect?)
• Education (formal and informal: university degrees, courses, certificates, and so on)
• Technical skills (which software they need to work with, for example)
• Industry experience (if you're keen on hiring someone with experience in your industry)
• Soft skills (communication, collaboration, etc.)
• Marketing skills (SEO, copywriting, and so on)
• Specific skills related to the type of content you want them to produce (e.g., writing, video editing, etc.)
• Examples of content they’ll be creating (include links to existing projects that are similar to what you need)
• Part-time vs full-time - whether you need a freelance content creator, an in-house content creator, or a part-time one 
• Your offer (mentioning your budget and benefits could help you attract better-suited candidates)
• Details about the recruitment process (e.g, does it include a test -- and if so, is it a paid one?)

4. Reach out to your professional network

One of the easiest ways to get in touch with an experienced creator is to reach out to the people in your network.

If you don’t know any, ask your colleagues for recommendations or search for professionals on social media platforms like LinkedIn. You can also join professional groups related to the type of content you need and look for a potential candidate there.

5. Share your post on online communities

Another way to find a creator is by posting your job listings on online communities. For example, you could research Facebook groups, Slack communities, or Discord servers related to your industry and share the job post there.

You can also post on popular forums, such as Reddit or Quora, or advertise your job offer on platforms like Upwork, or more specialized platforms, like WeWorkRemotely. Just make sure to include all the necessary information about the job, so candidates know what they're applying for.

6. Use Mayple to find the best creators on the planet

If you're looking for pre-vetted content creators with a track record of success, Mayple's your surefire way to ensure you find the best candidates for the job. Hiring through Mayple will save you time and energy throughout the recruitment process. Plus, it will help you make sure you find the best professionals for your needs.

Mayple has a wide variety of creators, ranging from video editors and copywriters to SEO experts, so let's chat, and we'll help you find the perfect match.

7. Order a test project

Looking at someone's portfolio may not always be enough to assess their skills. Therefore, you may want to consider ordering a test project. This will give the applicant an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities on a specific assignment related to your company, industry, and needs.

This will also help you make sure the candidate can deliver high-quality work that matches your expectations. 

7 Reasons you should hire a content creator ASAP

There are many reasons you should hire a creator (and soon!), but if we had to narrow it down it would come down to these 7 reasons:

Driving social media engagement

According to Statista, the average person spends about 147 minutes on social media, every day. In other words, no matter what your brand sells, it's likely your target audience hangs out on social, scrolling through posts, ready to find you.

Just being on social is not enough, though. If you want to maximize the power of social media networks to your advantage, you need to drive engagement too -- and that's precisely what a social media content creator will help with. 

Improving your search engine optimization

You can have the best products in the world, but if your clients can't find you, they won't buy from you. It's a simple equation you can crack if you promote your website through various digital marketing channels - SEO being one of the cheapest and most efficient ones.

Content creation is an essential part of search engine optimization. That's because, without enough content and relevant keywords on your website, search engine algorithms won't be able to "read" your website - and thus, they won't index it.

Saving yourself time and energy

Content creation (whether for social, your website, or any other channel) takes time and effort. All the AI tools in the world cannot replace a real human who knows what other real humans want to read, engage, and consume online.

If you don't have the time (or just prefer using it in other areas of your business), hiring a specialist to take charge of your content creation is the best thing you can do. You will free up time to focus on business strategy and other areas where you can make a bigger impact on the growth of your venture.

Staying on top of the latest content trends

Memes, TikTok trends, hot topics, the latest SEO best practices - content creation can be mighty confusing when you don't have the time to stay on top of the latest trends.

However, if you have a creator at hand, they'll keep up with trends and best practices for you so that they can implement them in your content creation and social media strategy. This way, your brand will always be attuned to the times, and you won't risk looking outdated.

Boosting your brand's authority

Content creation is a powerful tool for building trust and authority in your industry. By creating marketing assets (and making them available to your target audience), you can bridge the gap between you and your prospects and convince them that you're the best in the industry.

Whether it's through educational pieces, guides, reviews, explainer videos, or the latest industry news, your content can help you become a thought leader in your field.

Building a story around your business

Content creators aren't just great at creating and promoting marketing assets on the right channels. They're also good storytellers - they can help you build a story around your business, to bring your brand closer to people's top of mind.

There's a reason brands like Apple, Coca-Cola, Nike, and Amazon have been able to become household names. It's because they've done an excellent job at building a story around each of their products and services - and a skilled content creator can help you do the same.

Generating leads and conversions

Contrary to popular belief, content creation's not all about awareness metrics. Built correctly, a content strategy can help you drive actual leads and conversions.

By creating assets that resonate with your target audience, you can nudge them closer to the conversion funnel and convince them to buy from you. This may not always be 100% measurable, but with the right tracking and attribution in place, you'll be able to see how your content is influencing your bottom line.