We recently received a question from one of our new clients, and we thought it would be a good opportunity to answer it for everyone else out there who was wondering the same thing. That question was, what do writer rankings mean, and how a client can tell if a level 1 writer is just new, or not very good?
What are Writer Rankings?
So, let’s begin at the beginning. At Verblio, every new writer starts at level 1. To get to new levels, writers have to earn points. They earn those points for every article they submit. When clients buy their articles, writers earn bonus points for writing the first post in a new client’s queue, and for getting 5-star ratings from clients.
It sounds pretty simple, right? However, while clients might feel a knee-jerk reaction to avoid level 1 writers, it’s important to remember that just because a writer is a beginner at Verblio doesn’t mean he or she can’t get the job done. In fact, many of Verblio’s writers have been working in the field for years; they’re new to us, but not new to blogging. It’s not always about the writer rankings.
Or, they may be new to the freelance writing scene, but that doesn’t mean they can’t write. Maybe they’ve just been busy with other careers, family, or school. Some of our most successful writers have no formal writing experience at all. However, they come to the table with a wealth of other life experience and an innate sense of what makes a great blog post.
In fact, that’s one of the things our writers like most about Verblio: it’s an even playing field. No matter what your professional background is, if you can find customers who like and buy your work, you can make some extra cash, hone your writing skills, and rise through the ranks.
Evaluate the Work, Not the Writer Rankings
It’s no cakewalk, of course. In order to reach the higher levels, a writer has to work hard. Verblio writers want to increase their writer rankings. Achieving a higher level means they tend to be better regarded by clients looking for experienced bloggers. Plus, they get rewards at higher levels like a cool Verblio shirt at level 6 (3,500 points). And, ya know, who doesn’t like leveling up?
But to get to those levels, they need to find clients willing to work with them.
It’s All About the Work
So what should you do when you receive a blog post from a low-ranking writer? Remember that writer rankings aren’t representative of skill or time on the job. Rather, the ranking is a measure of the amount of work that’s been completed specifically for Verblio. It’s quite possible that the writer in question has over 15 years of experience working for magazines, newspapers, and other online companies, but they haven’t been added to our community until recently. So instead of using writer rankings to guide your decision as to whose posts get published, evaluate the work on an individual basis.
After all, it’s quite possible that a level 1 writer will give you a piece of 5-star work. If that happens, then you may want to mark that writer as “preferred,” so they know you like their work and want to see more of it. We’ve seen a lot of symbiotic relationships develop between writers and customers, and it’s our favorite thing about the job. The customer regularly gets high-quality posts that help them grow their web presence, and the writer gets a steady stream of work that helps them get to higher levels at Verblio. A true win-win.
