Do you need to contract a freelance writer to help you with your blog entries, newsletters, or website copy? You should strongly consider hiring an American freelance writer or other native English speaker.
You might be looking at hiring writing services from a budget standpoint. Sure, you will pay more for the final product than you would with a foreign-based writer. However, the benefits you receive in return outweigh your other options and make it a wise investment.
Take a look at the benefits of hiring a writer who speaks English as a first language.
1 – English is a complex language
English has long been considered by leading linguists to be one of the most difficult languages to master. While all languages have their unique complexities, English has subtle nuances plus a long list of rules. Even more challenging than all the accepted grammatical guidelines are the exceptions to each rule, making non-native speakers confused about when to use particular phrases, spellings, and terms.
It becomes glaringly obvious to English speakers when someone who does not speak English as a primary language writes content. Subtle errors in prepositions, usage, and spelling raise a red flag while we are reading these pieces.
2 – Many dialects of English
The numerous dialects of English wildly vary from continent to continent—and even within the United States.
English is an accepted language in the UK, Australia, Canada, Kenya, the US, and many other nations. However, in American English you find phrases coined that are different from other nations.
As an American, I illustrate this point with an example from college. A girl from the UK had boys constantly visiting her dorm. Turns out, she was telling her new friends to “come knock her up any time.”
Apparently, that phrase, in the girl’s hometown of London, is an invite to pop by for a visit. In the vernacular of an American, she was inviting boys to stop by and impregnate her.
You don’t want your content to include any such embarrassing snafus if you are trying to appeal to a US-based audience. An American freelance writer will know how to craft colloquial phrases that are appropriate for your copy.
3 – Understanding of the American consumer
If you want to market and sell your goods or services to an American consumer, then you need to hire an American freelancer. They have a firsthand knowledge of the cultural influences and trends that shape purchasing decisions.
Yes, Filipinos and Indians are obsessed with American pop culture. The problem is that trends shift quickly. Often, what is popular in other countries right now was over a month ago in America.
Perhaps an even deeper concern isn’t keeping up with hot trends. It’s holding a true insight to the complicated needs and problems that Americans are trying to solve right now. People who live in other countries often embrace popular culture blind to the distinct undercurrent that drives American behavior.
Political issues, escalating heroin addiction, rising housing costs, and other economic influences must be lived to be understood wholly. Here’s an example. I can empathize with the plight of homeless youth in any given nation—my heart goes out to them. However, I cannot fully comprehend their day to day struggles of poverty because I’ve never experienced homelessness.
Hiring someone to write for Americans comes off as lacking authenticity. An American writer will be able to craft content for your target audience.
The Bottom Line
If your company is trying to capture an American audience, consider hiring an American freelancer to shape your communications. Americans detect foreign-quality writing in a heartbeat. When you need to attract sales not make people click away from your content, an American freelance writer will get the job done.
