Perhaps you have read online or heard from others in your industry how important content marketing is in today’s online marketplace. Beyond that, you have determined that you will not be the one to provide that content; this could be because you are too busy or you do not have confidence in your writing skills. Whatever the reason, you have the task of discovering how to hire a copywriter. Before you start browsing profiles, messaging candidates or reading idea pitches, you have one big task to complete—determining your actual content requirements. These steps will guide you through the process of developing an evaluation of your content needs.
How to Hire a Copywriter Step One: Define Success
Content marketing means different things to different people. As such, what you consider success can be quite different from what another firm considers success. Do you want to build a vibrant social media “community?” Are you hoping to rank on the first page for a dozen industry-related keywords? Perhaps you want to develop a reputation as an expert in your field. Understanding what success means to you will help you decide what types of content are the most vital.
Step Two: Catalogue Your Existing Content
The next step in determining your needs is to figure out what content you have currently, and how it can be utilized. You may have old blog posts that can be revitalized and reused, or perhaps your homepage content just needs proofreading and revision. When you better realize what content you already have, you will have a better idea what you need to work on with a copywriter.
Step Three: Start with the Gaps
Once you know what you already have and understand what you’re working towards, you probably have some idea of your biggest areas of weakness. Start here. Filling those gaps is very important and you can always go back to re-do other areas. Ideally you will have the opportunity turn your entire website into a content marketing machine; however, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Once you have documented your content needs, you will find it much easier to begin the process of finding and hiring a copywriter. Providing the writer with a well thought out evaluation of your needs will give him or her a great start in putting together content that will help your web properties look great, and perform, too. Content marketing is not always simple, but if you are willing to work at it, the results will amaze you. Tracy S is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
