Before you hire iGaming writers, make sure they understand the concepts and can be trusted to deliver high-quality content. Writer portfolios don’t always tell the whole story, as they often feature overly polished iGaming content. Trial and sample articles are a better way to see whether prospective writers are truly talented before you hire them. In this article, I’ll explain what you need to do to ensure you hire only the best of the best.
Trial Articles After Portfolio Samples Truly Put Writers to the Test
One mistake I’ve often seen is project leaders hiring iGaming writers based on portfolio strength alone. These are, of course, sample articles, sometimes written specifically for the portfolio and other times pulled from archived work.
The problem with judging portfolio samples alone is that they are often heavily polished and edited to the highest quality. They aren’t necessarily a true reflection of what a writer’s content looks like.
Portfolio sample pieces have their use. It is important to check the quality and style found in a writer’s portfolio, as this gives you a good baseline. After doing so, though, I believe it is essential to ask iGaming writers to produce a trial article. This lets you control the content you’re evaluating and get a true reflection of what a writer can produce under your guidelines.
The Key Metrics to Consider
You don’t need to go overboard when requesting trial articles before you hire iGaming writers. 700 to 1,000 words is usually enough to gauge how writers produce content. My advice is to pick a specialised topic that only experienced writers would be familiar with, and provide a brief that gives a prospective writer the best chance of understanding what you want.
In the brief, consider competitor references, the target audience, the required sections, and, of course, the required tone of voice. This sets writers up to succeed and makes it easier for you to gauge how professional the copy is.
Personal Experience Counts
iGaming experience is an invaluable commodity. The more they’ve played, the more likely they are to compare sites and games. They should have no trouble understanding wagering requirements, variance/volatility, handicaps in online sports betting, and other terms. For instance, if you find your writer confuses RTP with house edge, it’s a telltale sign they lack experience in the field.
Different Strokes for Different Folks
Don’t look at one writer for all your needs. It’s worthwhile keeping several writers on retainer for a variety of projects. Here’s what I typically look for:
- Online casino and slot reviews are ideal for fast-paced writers with a deep knowledge of game mechanics
- Sports betting articles are suited for those with analytical commentary and a good understanding of probability
- Poker and table game content is best-suited to writers with great technical accuracy and a thorough knowledge of strategy
- News and blogs are great for writers with a flair for journalism, especially if they have deep knowledge of licensing, software providers, and regulatory updates
- Finally, promotional content is ideal for writers who can keep things simple, honest, and who understand how important regulatory compliance is
Red Flags for AI-Generated Content
Less-experienced writers who don’t know the iGaming sector may be tempted to use AI to generate an article, and then lightly edit it.
Walls of text, excessive bullets, and the presence of a list of words from the AI banned words list can all be signs. Similarly, writers should be able to explain in a way that denotes experience, with 100% accurate facts.
Grammatical disagreements are a good thing. AI tends to be pitch-perfect with grammar, and less-experienced writers may simply “approve all changes” in Grammarly. If you notice odd grammar, that is generally a sign a human writer has produced the content.
Finally, look out for overly fluffy content, filler phrases, jargon (especially inaccurate jargon), and writers who ignore localised spelling and terminology. These may also indicate AI.
Subtle Tricks and Traps
One of the best ways to spot genuine experience is to explain what you want and see what iGaming content your test writer delivers. It may seem sly, but mentioning unavailable payment methods, promo terms that breach regulatory compliance, and non-existent bonuses makes for a solid trap in trial articles.
If your test writer spots the dodgy terms or other booby traps and reaches out to say there is an issue with your brief, it shows they have done their research and homework, not just Googled content or used AI searches.
How to Analyse Writer Quality
I want to leave you with a few final tips, namely things I’ve used to regularly identify quality when I’ve hired iGaming writers over the years.
- Look for engaging, authoritative language tailored to gamblers, while balancing a reader’s excitement with realistic expectations.
- Look for regional language in grammar and spelling, especially if you’ve told them the GEO or target audience requirements.
- Check keyword density to avoid fluff or stuffing.
- See if your writer understands regulatory compliance, what can be said, and what can’t.
- How long does it take for them to deliver the trial article? If they’re too slow, they won’t meet your future deadlines. Too fast and they may have skipped the research and used AI.
- Does the writer have a good understanding of SEO? This is critical. They need to understand user intent and content alignment.
- Provide feedback on the trial articles and wait for their response. If they provide pushback, is their response logical, and do they have proof? If so, that shows experience and determination to produce high-quality content. Being defensive but being unable to back it up is a weakness. Will they engage in rewrites if needed?
These criteria can clearly separate excellent writers from average ones. If most of the checkpoints above are positive in the trial article, you may have a writer who understands the assignment and one you may want to consider hiring for your next project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a paid trial article recommended after checking a writer’s sample portfolio?
Polished work in a portfolio doesn’t show you whether the writer can meet your deadlines, accept feedback, or follow your guidelines. A trial article lets you critique and evaluate custom work against your standards.
Do I have to pay for a sample, or should writers provide this for free?
Paid trials are the norm. You’re unlikely to land a top writer and convince them to do a trial article for free. Set aside a small budget for trial articles, and remember: you can propose a set fee rather than pay per word.
What elements should a great iGaming test article include?
Top articles should have an authoritative, conversational, analytical tone of voice; hit the target audience (GEO); be regulatory compliant; stay within responsible gambling guidelines; be properly formatted and structured; and align with keyword search intent.
How will I know if an iGaming writer understands regulatory compliance and responsible gambling?
I recommend asking them to write a localised promo section for a target audience. This is usually the best way to see whether they can write without being overly promotional and whether they understand regulatory compliance in your target country.
How many writers should I test before hiring?
If you have a dozen interested parties, it’s worth offering up to five writers the chance to complete a test assignment. From there, hire the two most successful. Giving trial articles to more than five writers may make it hard to evaluate them properly.