Confessions of an Online Article Ghostwriter

It's true, I am a ghost. People who know the benefits of publishing online articles to promote their businesses and attract traffic to their websites, but lack the time or writing skills to write their own articles, hire me to write for them.

There are many reasons marketers my wish to hire a ghostwriter. Sometimes they just need to have twenty or so, well-written articles published online within a very short period of time.

Each article contains what is called a "resource box" at the bottom that tells a little about my client's business and why someone would want to contact him, her or that company. But most importantly, that resource box also contains a link to the client's website.

Then as other webmasters and newsletter publishers read the article, find it interesting and republish it to their own sites; the resource box starts creating many inbound links that all point to my client's website.

Another reason a client might hire a ghost writer is because that writer has an expertise in the client's field. For example, I am a former attorney who was also a financial planner in a previous life (I succeeded as a lawyer but was a dismal salesman as a financial planner. But at least I have knowledge of both fields). When someone needs to have articles written within certain fields, it is often a good idea to seek out someone with relevant experience.

But a ghostwriter can also be helpful in other fields. For example, I have done work for clients in banking, real estate, health and nutrition, and retail marketing. Good ghost writers know how to quickly get up to speed on a subject by researching the topic on the internet (love those Google news alerts) or by interviewing the client.

If you hire a ghostwriter, be prepared to share your knowledge. Spend time telling your writer what your article ideas are, what types of customers you want to attract, what those potential customers want and what information they are looking for, and let your ghostwriter pick your brain for a while.

You may not have the writing skills or the time, but if you will share your knowledge with the writer you hire, the benefits to you will be several well-written articles with your byline on them.

How much should you expect to pay for a ghostwriter? My fees range from $50 to $150 per article, and more if I have to spend a lot of time researching the topic. You can certainly find cheaper writers, but it is a good idea to find a native speaker of the language you wish to have your articles written in.

Many marketers have thought they were getting a great deal when they hired someone to write their articles for $25 each, but then got back articles that did not flow and had the disjointed syntax of someone who had learned English as a second language. So you may find that you get what you pay for.

Working with a ghostwriter to have online articles you can publish under your byline can be a very profitable way to build traffic to your site and increase your name recognition in your field. But be sure to invest both your time and your money wisely if you want to see great results.

Charles Brown is a copywriter and internet marketer who teaches entrepreneurs how to create superior marketing campaigns, write compelling web content, capture more leads, build huge email lists and use autoresponders to turn casual website visitors into buyers. His popular newsletter, Tightwad Marketing Ideas is a must for any entrepreneur wanting to successfully market any business without spending a fortune.