What is a Ghostwriter? 

Behind every great man is a great ghostwriter. John F. Kennedy authored and published his book “Profiles in Courage” in 1956. But I bet you didn’t know that behind the book’s success lurks ghostwriter, Ted Sorensen. And unsurprisingly, there are many famous personalities who have once used the services of a ghostwriter for minor or major projects. That is to say, ghostwriters aid people of all shapes, sizes, and statuses. But what is a ghostwriter? 

In this article, we dissect what ghostwriting is, why companies hire ghostwriters, when you need to hire one, and the pros and cons of hiring ghostwriters. 

What is a Ghostwriter? 

Ghostwriters are like public relations professionals, sans personal appearances, and verbal communication. In short, they are the writers behind companies, marketers, entrepreneurs, and even authors. However, their names don’t appear on blogs, white papers, social media posts, or books. 

People and companies hire ghostwriters but get full copyright on all writing projects. That means they pay the ghostwriter, the ghostwriter delivers, and the client gets the credit. In some cases, especially when writing a book, authors may choose to give acknowledgment to their ghostwriters. 

Typically, authors and companies let ghostwriters sign nondisclosure contracts to prevent them from mentioning their involvement in the project’s fruition. Doing so will result in litigation and could mean the death of a ghostwriter’s career.

Depending on the ghostwriter, they can charge by the hour, per word, or project. According to The Writers Market, they can charge as much as $70 per hour, a range of 50 cents to $3 per word, and $5,000 to $100,000 per project. And the writing projects could vary, here are the most common ones: 

• Articles
• Blog posts
• Biographies
• Books
• Case studies
• Press releases
• Social media updates
• Speeches
• Manuals
• Email newsletters
• Video scripts
• White papers

Where to Hire Ghostwriters?

Nowadays, it’s pretty easy to find ghostwriters. Businesses either have a choice of hiring ghostwriting companies or interviewing a freelance ghostwriter. For the latter, here are the top sites where the best are offering their services:

• Upwork
• Hubstaff
• Guru
• Fiverr
• Freelancer
• HireWriters

Why Do Companies Hire Ghostwriters? 

Of course, when you are a C-level executive running a multinational business, would you be able to squeeze in a 1,000-word blog post about how to run a company into your hectic schedule? Some professional writers often take a long time writing, editing, proofreading a 1,000-word article, let alone entrepreneurs who have a lot on their plate. So here are five reasons as to why companies hire ghostwriters:

1. Saves Time

A business owner or manager must oversee all business departments. That includes recruitment, production, purchasing, marketing, and more. Hiring a ghostwriter will enable entrepreneurs to focus on other essential business aspects, saving time in the process. 

2. Professional Work 

Provided that you hire the best ones in the industry, ghostwriters offer professional and quality work to their clients. Writing is their bread and butter, so they don’t compromise quality and jeopardize top-paying clients. 

3. Understands SEO

Ghostwriters, especially when writing content for websites, know how crucial SEO is to improve search engine rankings. They update themselves with the latest trends and incorporate the right keywords to appear on Google’s first page. 

4. Consistent Content

If companies work with full-time ghostwriters to handle all their writing needs, they get several projects in a short amount of time. Imagine having to write one blog post, three social media updates, and one newsletter per day. Those tasks could take you hours, especially if you have fledgling writing skills. Hiring writers full-time means they help build your brand through consistent content, which is a vital SEO requirement.

5. Less Hassle

Overall, hiring ghostwriters could be a luxury for some companies. They don’t have to manage them, spend time on research, or proofread their work. This gives entrepreneurs and marketers more time on their hands to do other essential things. 

When to Hire a Ghostwriter?

When the going gets tough, it might be time to hire a ghostwriter. However, you can breeze through these top six reasons on when to hire a ghostwriter:

• Startups or small businesses that want to build brand awareness on different online and offline platforms.
• If you want to be a thought leader or an expert in your field 
• For marketers who want to expand their strategies online, ghostwriting can do a lot for brands.
• If you’re an entrepreneur or marketer with nil writing skills 
• Busy C-level executives who don’t have time to micromanage
• If you struggle to convey your ideas through words

Pros and Cons of Ghostwriting 

As with any other thing in life, it’s never smooth sailing when hiring ghostwriters, especially in business. When companies hire ghostwriting services, they may or may not be lucky with their hires. Here are the pros and cons of ghostwriting services that you must consider:

Pros:

• Business owners and marketers can focus on other things.
• Clients can take credit for their work without lifting a finger.
• You mostly get one revision.
• They mimic your brand’s voice, so it will seem like you’re communicating with your audience directly.
• You don’t have to do the strenuous task of extensive research.
• You get a steady flow of different types of content. 

Cons:

• You’ll have to pay money upfront without the assurance of quality work.
• Most ghostwriting services are expensive.
• Unless you hire one onboard, some freelance writers don’t care about your company’s growth. They just want to get the job done, sometimes hastily.
• Your views might not align with the ghostwriter’s views and might reflect on their write-ups.
• Freelance ghostwriters work with several clients at a time, causing them to miss some deadlines. 
• You’ll risk copyright infringement issues due to plagiarism.

Final Thoughts

Hiring ghostwriting services is a norm for SMBs and even corporations these days. In fact, 25 percent of The New York Times’s nonfiction bestsellers are—yes, you guessed it—ghostwritten. You just have to make sure you hire a professional ghostwriter with a proven track record. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a marketer, or a book author, finding the best ghostwriting services can help you or your brand excel.