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5 Best Content Writing Services

Richard Leach Richard Leach | Posted on  

Stack of content platforms showing Stellar, Compose.ly, ClearVoice, Verblio, and ContentWriters logos

Struggling to stay on top of content deadlines without lowering your quality standards? You’re not alone. More than half of marketing professionals faced the same challenge, according to a Statista content marketing trends study. To help ease the content demands on their internal teams, 62% of respondents turned to specialized providers. Content writing services are jumping in to fill the void, helping businesses with content planning, writing, and editing. 

A steady stream of content can save you time and stress, but to ensure you’re getting impactful results, choose a company whose expertise and services complement your business needs.

What to Look for in a Content Writing Service

A content writing service should integrate with your internal team without missing a beat. Ideally, they’ll support your workflow, adapt to your processes, and deliver content that reflects your brand and achieves your goals. It sounds like a tall order, but you can find a well-matched partner by considering a few factors.

SEO Knowledge

AI overviews and generative search have changed how people find information and what’s featured in search engine results. Consider whether your content partner is knowledgeable about search trends and user intent. Keywords can inform the topics covered, but how a piece is formatted, structured and aligned with audience needs also impacts search visibility.

Scalable Production

A content agency should have the infrastructure and processes to handle your immediate and future content needs. Pick a partner that can effortlessly ramp up content production to support large-scale campaigns and match your company’s growth. You don’t want to outgrow your content partner and have to start over again. 

Blue-Chip Writing Talent 

Your content investment should deliver exceptional results. Generic copy gets lost among the competition, sinking instead of soaring. Check if the content agency has a pool of skilled writers with the creativity, thoughtfulness, and precision to help drive engagement. Expertise in your field and with various content types is also important. Can their writers craft snappy marketing copy, in-depth thought leadership, and informative blog posts?

Ability to Match Brand Voice

A smart content team takes time to understand your brand’s nuances, ensuring each article or landing page sounds authentic. Make sure a partner is willing to learn about your brand and business objectives. And because different writers are working on your content, especially if you’re scaling, they should have guidelines in place to convey this information to their team and ensure your brand’s personality and values shine through on every piece. 

Adaptability

Life keeps you on your marketing toes as budgets, strategies, and goals evolve. Can your partner adapt? Perhaps your analytics suggest pivoting your approach and trying new content formats. Or maybe a project’s been unpaused and you need tons of content yesterday. Find a content writing service that takes it all in stride and keeps pace with your needs. This includes a flexible plan or contract that doesn’t lock you into a fixed volume, schedule, or financial commitment.

5 Content Writing Services to Consider

With the above criteria in mind, you’re ready to evaluate companies and find the right content partner. To get you started, below are some content writing agencies to consider. We’ve included summaries of their services, strengths, and pricing models. 

  1. Stellar
  2. Compose.ly
  3. ClearVoice
  4. Verblio
  5. ContentWriters

1. Stellar

Stellar Content logo on a yellow banner with white circular background

Stellar takes a results-driven, strategy-first approach, emphasizing content planning and efficient workflows to create premium content at scale.

Stellar’s Strengths

  • BrandAlign: Stellar’s proprietary content production process ensures brand voice and tone are refined at every stage. This includes detailed guidelines outlining voice and tone, a carefully selected team that can hit brand requirements, a calibration process that integrates your feedback, and meticulous editorial review.
  • Thoughtful AI integration: Though they still offer human-written options, Stellar can leverage AI to produce well-written, effective content. Artificial intelligence can make things faster, but Stellar’s collaborative approach maintains the human creativity and insights that set your content apart. 
  • SEO-focused content strategies: Content is optimized for search visibility — whether you’re targeting search engines or AI citations — with SEO best practices and natural keyword integration.
  • Transparent pricing: There are no subscription costs or minimum commitments. Stellar pricing is by word, by article, or by monthly retainer. Extra charges (for example, for rush orders) are client-approved.
  • Flexible delivery options: Content can be delivered in various formats like spreadsheets or Word documents, or it can published directly to your content management system.

What Stellar Is Best For

  • Tailor-made solutions: Outsource as few or as many orders as needed to support your workflow. Use a self-serve platform and communicate directly with writers, or let Stellar oversee all aspects of content management
  • Curated writing talent: Stellar sources top talent in every field, accepting only top applicants. Within this pool are freelancers and subject matter experts with experience in diverse content forms and industries. Find the right mix of specialists to reliably deliver content on deadline.
  • Rigorous editorial processes: Outstanding content starts with comprehensive strategy and planning and extends through to delivery. Lean on a team of production managers, writers, editors, subject matter experts, and quality assurance professionals to ensure your messaging and brand direction meet your goals.
  • Refreshing content for generative search: To align your content to search trends, Stellar can update and align existing content to perform better in AI overviews and generative AI citations.

Stellar Service Highlights

Stellar’s range of content solutions includes:

  • Fully managed services for content at scale, including strategy, planning, content audits, and calendar development
  • Self-serve content platform with tools for brief creation, bulk ordering, and writer communication
  • 100% human and AI-hybrid writing options
  • Humanization services to add voice and flow to AI-assisted drafts 
  • Content refreshes to optimize pieces for generative search
  • User-generated video production through a content creator network

2. Compose.ly

Compose.ly logo on a yellow banner with purple circular background

Compose.ly provides content writing services with a focus on building search engine visibility and authority. 

Compose.ly’s Strengths

  • SEO services: Complement your content creation with SEO expertise without bringing another agency on board. Compose.ly’s experts can perform technical site audits, run keyword research reports, and craft SEO content briefs for better visibility.
  • AI-assisted SEO content: Compose.ly experts train AI to create content using SEO best practices. Content is source-checked for credibility and tone. 
  • Certified client success managers: Experienced account professionals hold HubSpot SEO and Inbound Marketing certifications to effectively manage your content production.
  • Handpicked writers: Writers are evaluated for their ability to meet content, tone, and style requirements, with specializations in a variety of industries and topics.

What Compose.ly Is Best For

  • Performing technical SEO audits: Ensure your site is technically sound before publishing content to improve the chances of ranking well in search engine results.
  • Sourcing contract writers: If you’re looking for a dedicated writer to support your team as a contractor, Compose.ly can shortlist candidates and host a call with your selected freelancer. You can exchange contact information and discuss the first project. 
  • Accessing subject matter experts (SMEs): Use Compose.ly’s subject matter experts to add industry insights and ensure content accuracy. SMEs are vetted for higher education degrees, certifications, industry experience and writing skills. 

Compose.ly Service Highlights

Compose.ly provides the following services:

  • Editing existing copy, including proofreading, copy editing, line editing, and fact-checking
  • Search engine optimization, including site audits, keyword research, and SME review
  • Managed content services starting at $900 per month for human-written content 
  • Managed content services starting at $700 per month for AI-assisted content
  • Dedicated contract writers starting at $50 per hour (minimum 10 hours per week for 6 months)

3. ClearVoice

ClearVoice logo with orange and black text on a yellow banner

ClearVoice is a complete content solution, providing content ideation, SEO, content creation, and amplification. 

ClearVoice’s Strengths

  • Skilled content teams: Tap into a wide range of expertise. A typical ClearVoice team includes a project manager to keep things on track, an account executive to assist with strategy, a freelance producer for quality control, and freelance content creators.
  • Feature-rich content platform: The ClearVoice platform supports your workflow with features for ideation, freelance pitching, collaboration, in-app communication, and campaign creation.
  • VoiceGraph: ClearVoice uses a proprietary talent-discovery software to recruit trusted content creators and identify top talent in different industries.
  • Flexible APIs: Integrate ClearVoice with CMS platforms such as WordPress, HubSpot and Contentstack to streamline content publishing.

What ClearVoice Is Best For

  • End-to-end production: ClearVoice specialists manage the entire creation process, including ideation, brief creation, writer onboarding, and quality assurance. 
  • Content for key industries: Specializations include finance, technology, health care, legal, and real estate.
  • Data-centric content strategy: Keyword research, competitive analysis, and backlink analysis help the team develop relevant content for your audience.
  • Content boosting: ClearVoice can help with guest posts, syndication, and social media and email snippets to promote your content and brand.
  • Image sourcing: Custom illustrations and stock photography complete your content so it’s publish-ready. 

ClearVoice Service Highlights

ClearVoice offers several services to meet your company’s needs:

  • Managed content production for a monthly fee
  • Access to a freelance writer network if you want to manage your content production 
  • Hybrid human-AI content aligned with your brand and with quality checks
  • Stock photography images and custom illustrations to enhance written content
  • Content amplification

4. Verblio

Verblio logo featuring overlapping teal and pink circles on a yellow banner

Verblio delivers affordable content by combining skilled writers and generative AI in its content creation processes. Fully human-written options are also available. 

Verblio’s Strengths

  • Simple-to-use platform: Request content by completing a few fields such as content type, title, description, and CTA.
  • Proprietary AI tools: In-house tools help writers create content faster. 
  • Custom subscription plans: Build a plan by selecting monthly credits for your content creation and add-on services. Agencies can create a subscription for each client.
  • Anti-plagiarism checks: Commercial plagiarism detectors and proprietary internal systems ensure content is unique.
  • Publish content with ease: Integrate Verblio with your tech stack.

What Verblio Is Best For

  • Efficient content creation: Verblio uses a mix of skilled writers and AI tools to deliver cost-effective content. Automated QA checks and human proofreaders help ensure quality.
  • Streamlined workflow: After learning about your tech requirements and writer expectations, an account manager will run a pilot to calibrate small batches of content. Once satisfied, you can send requests in bulk.
  • Custom writer pools: Verblio recruits and manages a pool of writers for your projects, scaling as needed. Review samples to ensure they’re a good fit for your brand.

Verblio Service Highlights

Companies can choose from various services at Verblio:

  • Use the self-serve platform to hire writers to create AI-assisted content at $0.06 per word plus a $49.50 monthly platform fee.
  • Opt for 100% human-written content through the self-serve platform for $0.16 per word with no monthly fee.
  • Get a dedicated account manager to handle content needs at a fixed monthly rate plus your content subscription plan (minimum 3-month commitment).
  • Ask your account manager for topic ideation and content strategy to fill your editorial calendar.

5. ContentWriters

ContentWriters.com logo in black and white on a yellow banner

ContentWriters specializes in high-volume content to keep content pipelines filled, handling everything from topic pitching to final revisions.

ContentWriters’ Strengths

  • Multi-level teams: Each order is assigned a three-person team, including a writer, editor, and proofreader, to ensure quality.
  • Easy-to-use platform. Place orders, track progress, review completed orders, review your content calendar, and make payments on a single platform.
  • Stringent writer hiring. Writers must provide writing samples, meet an English proficiency requirement, submit a timed test assignment and complete a phone interview.
  • AI and plagiarism detection: Content is run through an artificial intelligence and plagiarism detector.
  • Satisfaction guaranteed: Self-serve clients receive two revisions per order, and managed clients receive unlimited rounds of revisions. Refunds may be provided for missed deadlines or if work doesn’t meet requirements.

What ContentWriters Is Best For

  • Content brainstorming: Get fresh ideas for your content through keyword research and topic pitching services.  
  • U.S.-based writers: Work with writers in North American time zones for faster communication.
  • Short-term content solutions: For a single project or occasional content, place a self-service order and work directly with your writing team.
  • Extended engagement: Managed services have a 6-month minimum commitment, giving ample time to establish a working relationship and focus on generating results.

ContentWriters Service Highlights

ContentWriters offers the following services:

  • Self-service content creation for low-volume content needs starting at $99/piece
  • Managed services for high-volume content needs starting at $2,500 per month (includes management fee and content spend, and minimum 6-month commitment)
  • Content ideation, writing, editing and proofreading

How to Choose a Content Writing Service for You

Before you reach out to a content writing service, think about the volume of content you need. Make a list of your requirements, such as blog posts, product descriptions, case studies and social media posts. 

Decide what work to outsource. You may want to develop your content strategy in-house and hire writers to execute your plan or task a content partner with all aspects of strategy and production.

Content agencies use AI to varying extents, from creating briefs to drafting articles. Think about whether you want 100% human-written content or AI-assisted content. 

These factors influence the type of services you need and overall costs. Once you know what you want to outsource and how a content agency fits into your workflow, build a budget and ask companies how they can meet your needs.

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Content Writing Service

Bring a list of questions to your meeting to help you assess how your potential partner can get the job done. Here are some questions that help you get a clearer picture of how you can work together:

  1. What’s your process for content creation? 
  2. What are your writers’ qualifications, and how do you match them to my project?
  3. Can I work with the same writers for consistency?
  4. What types of content do you specialize in?
  5. Have you created content for companies in my industry?
  6. Do you perform keyword research?
  7. How do you optimize content for search visibility? 
  8. How do you ensure your writers align with our brand voice?
  9. If using AI, what safeguards are in place to ensure content is unique, insightful and accurate?
  10. Can I see the status of projects/how does my account manager keep me updated?
  11. What quality assurance safeguards are in place?
  12. Are revisions included in your cost?
  13. What happens if I’m unhappy with the final product?
  14. How fast can you scale content if needed?
  15. Is there a calibration process before we launch production?
  16. What happens if we need to change our strategy or put a project on hold? 
  17. What’s the turnaround time for content?
  18. How is content delivered?
  19. What are your pricing models, and are they scalable as our needs change?
  20. Are there fees, subscription costs or minimum commitments?

As you meet with different content writing services, do a vibe check. Trust is a big part of a working relationship, so there should be a good rapport. Check if they’re responsive, if they answer your questions fully, and if they’re transparent about processes and costs.

Richard Leach

Richard Leach

Richard Leach is a Stellar content manager, collaborating with clients to deliver effective blog posts, landing pages, and more. A content professional since 2018, Richard lives on the U.S. East Coast.

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