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Jan 15

The generous, the versatile, and 3 other types of content writers to avoid

By Business, Content writing, Project management

Blue pencil with broken tip to represent types of content writers that undermine content marketing effortsAfter editing thousands of web content pieces created by hundreds of freelancers, I’ve developed a nose for the characteristics of the professional writers I’d recommend to any business. Though no two freelancers are alike, some are more likely than others to hinder your content writing projects.

When I say “type”, I mean a freelance content writer who acts in a certain way when hired to write for a client. Writers of any type can change the way they act from one project to the next. Also, since all the types I’m discussing here are professional writers, they are all capable of creating content that helps brands succeed.

That being said, if I had to hire a freelance writer, I’d steer away from these types, to make my life easier and avoid some risks to my content marketing project. Read More

Feb 20

6 Creative ways to get original business blog ideas

By Business, Content writing, Inspiration

Blue bicycle to represent business blog ideasA very successful blogger confessed he comes up with business blog ideas by spying up on his competitors. He’s considered an authority in his field, and many content marketers look up to him for inspiration. It’s surprising he needs to borrow ideas from others.

At first glance, his strategy seems smart: Seeking truly original business blog ideas takes effort, so let your competitors do the hard work, borrow their ideas, and turn them into better content than theirs.

But what if your competitors are in turn cutting corners? What if they’re not creative at all and they’re in turn borrowing others’ business blog ideas? Then by using their blog as inspiration, you’ll end up creating content that looks like a re-repainted stolen bicycle.

If you’re willing to put in the effort to seek inspiration for your digital content, here are other ways to find original ideas for your business blog. Read More

Jan 25

Things you might not know about your web content writer

By Business, Freelancing, Writing

Newspaper ghost to represent ghostwriter or web content writerH. is a Cambridge graduate who found writing is better for her mental health than scientific research. T. is a part-time teaching assistant who writes part-time to make ends meet. L. is a freelancer who writes digital content when her baby is sleeping. M. is a retired IT technician with a career spanning from punch cards to cloud computing who writes to keep her mind sharp and a roof over her head. These, and many other people you’ll never know, ghostwrite web content for a living.

They’re professional writers who work full-time or part-time from their home offices. They’re not doing some freelance content writing on the side while hopping around the world.

Most of the content online—LinkedIn posts by thought leaders, company blogs by marketing experts, magazine articles by CEOs, whitepapers by Fortune 500 companies, and more—was ghostwritten.

Almost all businesses that have a website are publishers, and many hire web content ghostwriters. If you own a growing business and have a presence online, sooner or later you’ll need a content writer, whether on an ad hoc basis or on staff.

If you’ve never hired a web content writer before, you might not know many things about their work. This post illustrates some less-known aspects of a freelance content writer’s job to help business owners improve their relationships with their freelance writers. Read More

Aug 14

The small-business owner’s proofreading checklist

By Business, Project management, Proofreading

Hat resembling Sherlock Holmes's with a magnifying glass and the word typo instead of face to symbolize a proofreading checklist

Proofreading means checking the final version of a written text to find and correct any errors that eluded the copyeditor. (If you’re not sure what copyediting is, read What’s the difference between editing and proofreading?) But proofreading business reports is often more complex than that, which is why a proofreading checklist is useful.

Multiple revisions offer opportunities for introducing errors in the document, and tight deadlines can sabotage you. So, proofreading your business documents may involve not just finding and fixing typos but also some amount of fact-checking and light editing.

As a small-business owner, you’re used to wearing many hats to keep your operating costs low. When you need to resort to DIY proofreading instead of hiring a freelance proofreader, this 10-step proofreading checklist can make your job easier. Read More

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