A Guide to Using a Content Specialist

Are you struggling with creating intriguing content? Do you feel like there is so much to write about, but you lack the time and skills to consolidate it into a comprehensive article or two? What you need is a content specialist.

The biggest question when starting out with content marketing is “who will write the content?”.

Some businesses attempt to do it themselves but they soon find it hard to keep up with the timelines, they miss publishing deadlines and experience difficulty in coming up with engaging content on a regular basis. To top it off they spend too much time writing and lose out on time that could be better spent focusing on other business development strategies.

Hiring a content specialist takes the load off you since this expert content creator will be in charge of building your online brand through engaging content. So how do you go about using a content specialist?

Hiring a Content Specialist

Do not be in a hurry to get this out of the way. Take time to review different content specialists in order to find the one who fits best with your business. Consider the following:

• Writing experience. Do not be afraid to ask about their level of experience. An entry level writer will not produce the same quality content an intermediate or expert writer will.
• Sample previous work. This will allow you to see the writer’s natural voice and gauge whether it resonates with yours. You will also be able to pick on their writing style and quality which will give you an idea of how much editing you will need to do to make sure the content meets your expectations.
• Reliability and dependability. What is the writer’s response time when you shoot them an email? Do they address your questions appropriately and on time? Remember, this will reflect in the work they do for you.
• Pricing. We are always looking for a bargain but remember cheap does not necessarily mean premium work. When it comes to digital strategies quality beats quantity on any given day. Go for a content specialist who gives you quality.

Now that you know what to look for, let us dive into how to go about actually working with a content specialist.

Working with a Content Specialist

• Have Goals: Establish why you want the content written. Is it to increase traffic to your site, increase awareness about your business, increase conversion rates or all three?
• Provide clear instructions. Be very clear about what you need, otherwise, the writer will create the content they think you want which may not be what you had in mind. Choose the topics you would like your content specialist to address.
• Identify your voice. Do you prefer a professional tone or is your approach more conversational? The voice of your content should align with your brand. If you can provide examples of what you want as well as what you do not want you are more likely to get the right style.
• Review the work internally. Have a point of contact with your writer who goes through the content before it is published. You want to make sure that the message you are passing to your audience is consistent, represents your brand appropriately and addresses the interests of your target audience. In addition, regardless of how experienced the writer is, there is likely going to be some editing that needs to happen to make sure the content is perfect.
• Measure the success of the content. Use online tools such as Google Analytics to measure how your content is performing in line with goals you outlined. Communicate these metrics with your content specialist and where necessary change content strategy to enhance performance.

Finding the right content specialist is important to the search engine optimisation aspect of your online marketing strategy. It will also impact the first impression that you make on potential clients. Take time to find a long-term writer who resonates with your brand and, when you find the right one, be clear about what you intend to achieve. Outline your goals clearly, review content success and engage your specialist regularly to optimise performance.