I’m often asked what content writing actually involves.
So, here I give you an insight into what I actually do as a content writer, so you can better understand how I put together new copy for both online and offline marketing communications...
RESEARCH
In order to create credible and effective copy for my clients I spend a lot of time researching the topic and making sure I have all of the facts and details that I need before I even think about putting pen to paper. This can involve plenty of desk research, looking at competitor activity, learning about the product or service in question and reading industry blogs and articles. It can also involve spending time with target customers to get their opinions or members of staff within your business. Whichever route I take, I will fully immerse myself in the subject matter and make sure I really understand what it is that your target customer wants and how to inspire them to take action.
INTERVIEWS
If appropriate, I will spend time talking to and interviewing key people whether they be customers, members of staff, industry experts or brand ambassadors. I get their take on the task in hand and, in some cases, I'll use their own words to back up the copy I produce - a direct quote from someone who your customer perceives to be highly credible and trustworthy is very powerful and can really help to get their buy-in.
DRAFTS
I will write several drafts before I get to the final piece. Every sentence, word and use of punctuation is carefully crafted and edited to ensure the prose is succinct and effective. I'll often start by breaking down the piece into subtitles and then listing bullet points under each one with all of the important points that need to be made or details that need to be included. These points will then evolve into eloquent sentences before being tweaked and polished to reflect the tone of voice required.
EDITING
Every piece will be edited over and over and over again until it's perfect. Quite often I get excited and carried away and end up with more words than I need, so some careful editing is usually required to cut it down to a version that is clear and concise, not vague and woolly.
PROOFREADING
This involves prising out typos, punctuation errors, repetition or formatting issues before I send the final draft out for your approval. Being able to pick up on copy mistakes requires an incredible eye for detail and a conscientious approach.
SOURCING IMAGES
There's not much to say here other than 'a picture speaks a thousand words.' Beautiful copy can bring information and brand concepts to life but accompanying your words with stunning and high-quality imagery will enhance the message even more. I understand the importance of pairing copy with relevant imagery and so will often source photos to sit alongside the words that I write, whether they are for online use, or print.
So there you have it - a quick overview of what content writing entails. Of course, there are many other facets to content writing that I haven't even begun to touch on here, but I'll be sure to cover more subjects in future blog posts. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch via email: felicity@fp-marketing.co.uk.