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When you enter into agreements with freelance writers to develop content for your web presence, you will find early on that an open door for communication between writer and client is invaluable. A writer needs to understand your business, intentions, and audience to shape the material with the goal of creating great content that will perform well for you.
Writers Need to Know You
No matter how knowledgeable they may be about your industry or trade, freelance writers are meeting you for the first time and, in many cases, online. They don’t know the nuances of your business like you do. They may not have ever heard of a special technique or service you employ if it’s not commonly used in your field. Never assume a writer can take a few keywords and figure it out as that leaves far too much room for interpretation, which can easily steer the content off course. Your goal is for the writer to express your business, not your business category.
Provide Well-Rounded Information Upfront
When you provide instructions in the initial job order, supply as much of a 360-degree perspective of your business as possible with any materials you have available. Call attention to those specialized services or products you offer with details on why they set you apart from the competition. Supply informational resources about your company that are relevant to the assignment, such as:
- Corporate brochures
- Company and product website links
- Press releases
- White papers
- Links to mentions of your business in the news.
This may sound like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. Collect the materials as they become available in one folder on your computer. Do this once and you can share the file package every time you engage a new writer to work on your content.
Answer Questions Early
Freelance writers will undoubtedly come up with a list of questions for you while developing your content. They may be simple questions like asking for clarification on how something works or to better understand your audience. The sooner you can respond the better. Usually, these questions come at stopping points in the writing process, and the writer might not be able to proceed without your answers.
You don’t want too much time to pass and risk less than desirable content that is submitted for approval in a rush against the deadline. So, when you see an alert that your writer is contacting you, take a minute to respond. The more time the writer has to work on the content, the higher quality it will be.
Maintain an Open Dialog
Keeping an on-going conversation with the writer about your business and goals can lead to new ideas worth exploring for your web content. You may discern something about your business that was not obvious at first. If you have the opportunity to meet in person or speak on the phone for 15 minutes, by all means do it. Continue the conversation online as the project develops.
Take full advantage of freelance writers who want to communicate with you. Your business can only benefit with the great content it yields.
David G is a freelance writer in Connecticut with a background in creative and corporate communication who happens to publish dark fiction and horror stories.
