How to partner with a content writer?
When I first meet with my potential clients, they are often unsure how it works to partner with a content writer. They don’t know which info to share with me or what to expect from me exactly.
It’s very normal not to be sure because each freelance content writer or content agency will require different processes. So a productive meeting with me may not work with someone else.
Check this article out before reading this newsletter to learn more about content marketing and its potential.
Therefore, when you are looking for a partner to support you with writing your blog articles, website copy, newsletter, etc., you need to consider what you need precisely. There are numerous content writers for each language. You’ll find the best match for your case when you know what you need. For example, I am a good writer, but I am not the only one.
You can start with answers to these questions:
Do you know what you need?
If yes⬇
If you know what you need, give all the information and see if the writer is on the same page. If the potential writer doesn’t get your need, I guess they are not a good match. For example, a social media specialist may not be an expert in blog articles or newsletters. As a result, they may get lost while talking about these tasks.
Or, they will clearly tell you if they can help you with your need or not. Then, things will be more straightforward.
If not ⬇
Here are some services you may get from a content writer: blog article, newsletter, e-book, e-mailing, social media, video script, press release, product description, presentation copy, etc.
If you’re unsure which services you need, try to find out your goal(s). Here are some potential goals:
- Driving more traffic to your website,
- Better digital reputation and higher visibility,
- Engaging communication with your clients, employees, or target audience,
- Revealing your expertise in your industry,
- More followers, likes, and comments,
- Collecting e-mail addresses,
- Introducing your company, your brand, or your product,
- Event organization with a clean presentation,
- And more…
As a business owner, you don’t have to create a marketing strategy; however, it’s your duty to provide information that will help your writer contribute to your business goals. When you know your goal, it’s easier to find a good writer to deal with the process.
How much work do you need from the writer?
If your company already has someone managing the marketing efforts, they will probably know the need.
In some cases, my clients have a team for most of the marketing tasks, and I support them with high-quality blog articles, and they do the outreach themselves by sharing the article on social media and via e-mail.
In other cases, I do all these for them.
In some cases, my clients give me
- their keywords,
- the topics they want me to write about,
- the exact title for articles,
- detailed briefs guiding me step by step.
In other cases, they ask me to manage the blog without taking their time. So, I do keyword research, write the article, publish it on their blog, share it on social media, and e-mail it.
Some writers don’t know about WordPress, but they know more about social media. Maybe, they are not great at SEO, but they are super-creative. Everyone is different. So, you need to be aware of the talents you got in-house and outsource the rest. If you have no one in-house to manage this process, you will need a writer who knows how to manage it and will report to you regularly.
How do you want to communicate?
When you outsource a talent remotely, you’ll need to decide how to communicate. I prefer sharing the work I write on Google Drive so that we all can edit and comment on the document easily. I report the works done on Google Sheets.
We are always in touch through e-mail.
When needed, we have video calls. I adapt to their choice of platform: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, etc.
When do you want to communicate?
Your writer may not live in the same timezone as you. They can be living in other countries or their working hours can be very different from yours even if you are in the same neighborhood. If you want regular meetings, inform them before starting your partnership.
For example, I am not very much OK with having daily meetings; however, I find it helpful to meet from time to time. I adapt to my clients as much as I can, and I expect them to respect my preferences.
How will you pay?
Many freelancers work without official papers, so, in this case, you need to send money to their account without an invoice. They may use some platforms to get payment.
Others have their own companies, and they send you invoices. It’s beneficial to have invoices to pay less tax on your side.
I have my content agency: PUN Content Agency.
So, we decide when to send the invoice while starting our cooperation. I explain all the work done with a monthly report and send you an e-invoice. You complete the payment. And it goes on like this regularly as long as we work together.
Learn about the power of case studies.
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I’m here to answer your questions if you need to learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hgizemtas/
Gizem
