As businesses increasingly look to outside help to supplement their in-house marketing efforts, it’s important to keep a few key considerations in mind when hiring freelance marketers. Here are 13 things to think about before you take the plunge.

Define the scope of work

It’s important to be clear about what exactly it is you’re looking for a freelance marketer to do. Do you need help with social media? Creating content? Developing a marketing strategy? Once you’ve pinpointed the area (or areas) you need assistance with, you can start to narrow down your search.

Set a budget

How much are you willing to spend on a freelance marketer? Rates can vary widely, so it’s important to have a number in mind before you start talking to candidates.

Cybersecurity knowledge

When bringing on a freelance marketer, it’s important to consider their cybersecurity knowledge. In today’s digital climate, data security is more important than ever, and you’ll in addition to doing things like regularly monitoring data access and handling, you want to be sure that your freelancer is taking measures to protect your company’s information.

Location

When you’re hiring a freelance marketer, one of the things you’ll want to consider is their location. If they’re in a different country, there may be time zone differences that make communication difficult. Additionally, cultural differences can impact how your marketing message is received. It’s important to consider whether or not a freelancer’s location is a good fit for your company.

Language barriers

Another important consideration when hiring a freelance marketer is their language skills. If they’re not fluent in the language of your target market, they may not be able to effectively communicate your marketing message. This could result in lost sales or customers. Make sure to check a freelancer’s language skills before you hire them.

Time commitment

When you’re hiring a freelance marketer, you’ll want to make sure they have the time to commit to your project. If they’re only available for a few hours a week, it may not be worth your while to hire them. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure they have the time to commit to the project in the long run. You don’t want to hire someone who’s only going to be available for a few weeks and then disappear.

Cost

Of course, one of the most important considerations when hiring a freelance marketer is cost. You’ll want to make sure you’re getting a good value for your money. However, you don’t want to sacrifice quality for cost. Be sure to compare the cost of different freelancers before you make a decision.

Experience

When you’re hiring a freelance marketer, you’ll want to consider their experience. If they’re new to the field of social media management and marketing, they may not have the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively market your business. On the other hand, if they’re too experienced, they may be more expensive than you’re willing to pay. Be sure to consider a freelancer’s experience when making your decision.

Portfolio

Another important consideration when hiring a freelance marketer is their portfolio. This will give you an idea of the type of work they’re capable of and whether or not they’re a good fit for your business. Be sure to ask to see a freelancer’s portfolio before you make a decision.

References

When you’re hiring a freelance marketer, you’ll also want to consider their references. This will give you an idea of what other people have thought of their work. Be sure to ask for references before you make a decision. If they have been at this for a while and have been steadily working throughout their career, they are going to have a variety of references that you can check with. If you found them on a freelancer website like  Upwork or Fiverr, you can also check their feedback scores.

Customer service

When you’re hiring a freelance marketer, you’ll want to consider their customer service skills. This is important because you’ll be working with them on a regular basis. You’ll want to make sure they’re easy to communicate with and that they’re responsive to your needs. Be sure to ask about a freelancer’s customer service skills before you make a decision.

Communication style

When you’re hiring a freelance marketer, you’ll want to consider their communication style. This is important because you need to be able to communicate with them effectively. If they’re not good at communicating, it could result in lost sales or customers. Make sure to ask about a freelancer’s communication style before you hire them.

Of particular importance are their written communication skills. These are people you are likely going to be communicating with exclusively via chat and email so you need to make sure they are clear and concise in their writing.

Experience with project management platforms

When you are managing freelance or contract employees located in disparate locations around the world, it is important that they know how to use and engage with project management platforms such as  Asana,Monday.com, or Trello.

This will help to keep everyone on the same page, track deadlines, and understand what tasks need to be completed. Prior experience using project management platforms is a valuable skill for a freelance marketer to have.

Compatibility

Last but not least, you’ll want to consider compatibility when you’re hiring a freelance marketer. This is important because you need to make sure you’re compatible with each other. If you’re not compatible, it could result in lost sales or customers. Make sure to ask about compatibility before you make a decision.

You will also want to make sure your marketing styles are compatible. If you have built yourself a reputation for whitehat tactics and strive to follow Google’s best practices when it comes to things like content and link building, you don’t want to hire a blackhat marketer who will put your website at risk.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the important considerations you’ll need to keep in mind when hiring a freelance marketer. Be sure to take your time and consider all of your options before making a decision.