Secrets to Maximizing the Impact of Your Outsourced Content
Deciding to outsource your content needs to a professional copywriter can be a game-changer for your business. It can free up your time, allow you to focus on core areas, and help create a consistent brand voice.
However, to ensure the effectiveness of this collaboration, it’s critical that your copywriter fully understands your project’s scope. Here are the main things they should know in order to deliver a finished product that fulfills all your needs:
1. Project Basics
The project basics should cover the type of copy to be written, brand, and the turn-in date. This way, your copywriter can plan their work accordingly and deliver on time.
Type of Copy
This refers to the specific format or style of content you’re aiming for. Whether you want an informative blog post, a persuasive email campaign, or a conversion-focused landing page, defining this helps the copywriter understand the primary purpose and structure of the content.
Client/Brand
This is the heart and soul of the content. Providing information about the company or individual allows your copywriter to gain insights into your brand’s personality. This includes understanding the brand’s values, mission, audience pain points, and unique selling points, which ensures the content resonates with the brand’s audience, identity and ethos.
Preferred Turn-In Date
Every marketing strategy operates on a timeline. By specifying the deadline, you ensure that the copy is delivered in a timely manner. This allows for any necessary revisions and makes sure it aligns with any broader marketing campaigns or launches.
2. Content Tone and Voice
As mentioned, your brand has a unique voice and tone (personality) that sets it apart. Your copywriter should know the specifics of this voice so that they can effectively emulate it. This includes understanding whether the tone should be formal or casual, playful or serious, informative or entertaining, etc. This ensures consistency across all pieces of content for your target audience.
Copy Tone
The tone sets the mood for the content. Whether you want a playful tone for a younger audience, a serious tone for a financial report, or an inspirational tone for a motivational piece, defining this helps the copywriter strike the right emotional chord with the audience.
Voice
The voice determines how the content connects with the reader. A first-person voice (“we”) might make the brand feel more personal and relatable. Meanwhile, a second-person voice (“you”) directly addresses and engages the reader, making the content feel more interactive.
3. Audience and Engagement
You can’t write effective copy without knowing who you are writing for. As such, you should provide your copywriter with the target audience’s age, gender, location, interests, and even their values.
Target Audience
Every audience is at a different stage in their journey with your brand. When you provide insights into whether they’re at the top, middle, or bottom of the sales funnel, the copywriter can tailor the message to meet the audience’s current needs and move them to the next stage towards conversion.
Call-to-Action Preferences
Beyond just reading the content, what action do you want your audience to take? Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or simply visiting another page, a clear CTA provides direction and purpose to the copy.
4. Content Specifics
Aside from the general guidelines, your copywriter also needs to know the specifics of your desired content. This includes the length of the content, the use of keywords for SEO purpose, and any particular structure or format that you want the copy to follow.
Copy Details
This dives into the nitty-gritty of the content. Do you need a catchy hook to grab attention? A compelling headline to draw readers in? Detailed industry-specific blog post content to inform and educate?
Additionally, should the content include any keywords to optimize for SEO? Or any specific phrases that align with your branding? Specifying these elements ensures the writer delivers comprehensive content that meets all your requirements.
Template
If there’s a specific format, layout, or structure you want the content to follow, providing a template ensures consistency and alignment with your brand’s established style. Setting these guidelines allows the writer to maintain the design principles while crafting the copy. This helps enhance the content’s readability and appeal.
Moreover, having a template can also make integrating the content into your website or other marketing platforms much easier. It eliminates any guesswork and ensures that the text fits seamlessly within your existing design framework.
5. Additional Details and Resources
Lastly, you should provide any additional information or resources that can help the copywriter understand your company, the project, or the target audience better. This could include any existing content samples from your brand, any research data or reports, customer testimonials, and competitor analysis.
Website
The copywriter can immerse themselves in your brand’s world through your website. This provides context — a feel for the brand’s existing content, style, and even the nuances of its voice.
Additional Resources
The devil is in the details. Any extra context, background, or insights can be invaluable. Whether it’s the history of a product, the ethos behind a campaign, or the demographics of a target audience, these details help refine and tailor the content.
Understanding the competitive landscape can also give the copywriter an edge. If they can see what works and what doesn’t for your competitors, they can craft content that stands out in the market.
Your Gateway to Outstanding Content
Providing your copywriter with a comprehensive brief is crucial to achieving the best result. It sets clear expectations and guidelines, enabling them to produce copy that resonates with your brand and audience.
This process makes sure the content is on point and also streamlines your workflow, saving time and effort. Remember, your copywriter is your collaborator — the more information you provide, the better they can understand and communicate your brand’s message.
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Sign up for a free trial today and experience the difference that expert copywriting can make to your brand’s visibility, engagement, and conversion rates.
