Using our Topic Pitch feature is an excellent way to make the most of our talent and use their creativity to benefit the content you’re providing. It’s wonderful when you put out the call for a topic pitch and the writer you are working with comes back with several ideas that all look promising. But if you only need one article, and you’re open to all of the ideas, how can you choose which will be the best one? Here are four tips on how to pick the topic that will lead to the best article.
Choosing a Headline
Does one of the pitches jump out of you for using a clever turn of phrase, a pun that makes you smile instead of groan, or a reference that is perfect for your target audience? Of course, we always want great content to back up great headlines, but the headline makes the first impression and determines whether or not people will start reading or just scroll on by.
Oftentimes when I am making pitches, I’ll do one headline that is a bit more exciting, and perhaps risky than the others, and keep the others safe. I do this in order to give the client the chance to choose the kind of headline that’s best for their project. If you’re really drawn to a particular headline, but prefer the topic contained in a different pitch, then let the writer know how much you like the style of ‘Pitch A’ and would love it if they could apply it to the headline for the topic in ‘Pitch B.’
Who is Your Audience?
Successful marketing is all about knowing your audience, and then gearing your content to be appealing for them. As guerrilla marketing expert, Orvel Ray Wilson points out, “customers buy for their reasons, not yours.” There might be one pitch that represents the topic you’d most enjoy reading about, but it’s important to put yourself in the shoes of your core audience, and choose the topic that will most appeal to them.
Does It Promote Your Brand?
These days, brand has become somewhat synonymous with personality. More and more actual personalities—from Hollywood celebrities to internet personas—are cultivating their personal brand. However, looking at brand as a form of personality is actually great for companies. From social media posts to blogs and emails, there is a certain voice and tone that creates a fully formed brand. Once effectively established, it will be one of the most effective tools to bind your core demographic to the company. It motivates people to buy and creates the loyalty that keeps them coming back. Choosing the topic that will resonate most with the brand that the company wants to project is always the right choice.
That ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’
Is there one topic that just has that extra spark? Do you suspect that the writer is genuinely excited to write about it? We’re all professionals here, and no matter what topic you choose, your writer will turn in quality content. However, there’s no replacing passion. When a writer has extra enthusiasm for one of the topics, you’re bound to get a stellar piece if you choose it. And it will likely include a larger dose of authenticity, something that all brands strive to promote.
Alexandra M is a writer and content strategist for WriterAccess, who specializes in understanding a client’s needs and creating the perfect voice for the intended audience.
