Writing That Sticks – 5 Tips

Writing That Sticks – 5 Tips

I just had a great chat with a friend about writing. A communications consultant, she’s at a point in her business where she’s wondering if she should be outsourcing some of her work, and if so, what a copywriter might need in order to get going. When we started talking about it, I realized that her concerns are pretty common. Whether you’re looking for new website content, an article a blog post or any other content, the scope of the project is the first thing that needs to be defined.

1. What do you need?

“New content” isn’t quite enough information for a copywriter to go off of. Before you start a project, make sure you’re clear about what you’re looking for. Blog article, web copy, technical article, white paper… the list is limitless.

2. Who’s your audience?

Target audience is important in any business, and will help content creators write in the right language. If you’re looking for technical writing, a light, humorous approach probably isn’t what you’re looking for. Knowing the brand, and being able to pass on that information, is key.

3. How long should it be?

This one can be trickier, and often times you can work with your copywriter to decide what the optimal length is. If you’re working with a strict word limit, make sure your copywriter knows about it!

4. What result are you looking for?

Persuasive writing is done to make an impression, but if you don’t have a goal you won’t get the results you need. Is content to drive traffic? Increase SEO rankings? Get customers to click through or download a trial? Share on social media? Depending on what you’re after, the tone and components of a piece will change.

5. Where is it going?

There’s a big difference between writing web content and promotional copy. Make sure your content creator knows where the piece will be used so that they can target it properly.