As a tactic long employed by the top content marketing firms, repurposing content is an excellent way to give old work new life and expand its reach.
But what does it mean to repurpose content? And what are the rules for doing so?
Stay tuned as we go over ways that content can be repurposed, the benefits it can bring to your content creation strategy, and how to get started yourself.
What is Content Repurposing?
Repurposing content is quite simple: you take all or part of an existing piece of content and reuse it in a way that expands its original scope and reach.
The most common way to repurpose content is by converting the content into a new medium. For example:
Using an existing article as the base for a video script
Converting a blog post into an infographic, slideshow, etc.
Creating social media posts to promote the content
Creating accompanying narration for an article so it can be listened to
In addition to conversion, republishing and/or rewriting the content for new platforms is also a good way to repurpose it.
The latter is especially viable when you’re already thinking about doing major updates on the piece in question.
4 Benefits of Repurposed Content
If the idea of repurposing content is new to you, you may be wondering why you should bother. Well, believe it or not, there are actually a lot of benefits to repurposing your content. Here are our top 4:
1. It can significantly boost your audience.
A blog post that is also converted into an accompanying video and gets a tweet promoting it is going to get more eyes on it than a post released by itself. By the same principle, it can also give old content new life by putting it in front of fresh eyes.
2. It provides a great opportunity to update your keywords.
Updating the keywords in previous content becomes more beneficial the longer it’s been since the original publishing date, as the SEO landscape will have inevitably changed.
Post-published keyword refresh years down the line can help old content rank higher in search results again, which can breathe new life into the piece even if you don’t directly promote the update.
3. It provides your audience with multiple ways to consume and engage with your content.
Actively and passively consuming content is as different as night and day in terms of practicality and multitasking.
Active consumption, such as reading a book or article, requires the audience to put effort into absorbing the content out of its medium. Increasing their immersion in the content can lead to stronger retention, at the cost of excluding your focus from most other tasks.
Meanwhile, passive consumption, such as watching a video or listening to a podcast, delivers the content directly to the audience without them having to do anything besides hit play.
This decreases immersion and retention but frees them up to perform other activities while it plays in the background.
By providing both active and passive ways to consume the same content, you will naturally appeal to a wider swath of the audience than if you only published one or the other.
4. It’s easier to scale than creating new content wholesale.
By recycling content, you save yourself a massive amount of work because a good chunk of your research and organization is already done.
You just need to present it in a different way than you already have.
This not only saves you valuable time but can also be a large money saver as well. After all, ass we all know, time is money.
Content Creation Strategy to Repurpose Your Content
Now that we have established the top reasons for repurposing content, let’s take a look at how to repurpose your content.
Focus on Evergreen Content
Evergreen content is content that’s optimized to stand the test of time, remaining relevant to readers even years after its initial publication.
Evergreen content typically takes the form of listicles, tips, “how to” guides and tutorials, product reviews, and certain types of videos. Needless to say, it forms the backbone of many a content creation strategy.
On the other end of the content spectrum, you have more perishable content such as news coverage, which typically lose their relevance in the online zeitgeist (read: SEO rankings) within a few weeks to months of initial publication.
The phrase “old news” exists for a reason; people stop caring as much about news coverage they’ve already seen, and it’s hard to get them to care again unless you introduce something new and substantial to the established narrative.
With all the above in mind, you’ll be using stronger content marketing tactics by prioritizing Evergreen content for repurposing.
The limited shelf life of perishable content dampens the long-term gains that repurposing provides, and overall will end up making more work for you.
If you aren’t already sure of your current content catalogue, you should do a full audit to figure out what’s still relevant and likely will be into the foreseeable future. From there you’ll have a list of works best suited for recycling.
Don’t Be Lazy With Your Recycling
It might be tempting to think you can do the bare minimum to convert existing content into a new form and still reap the benefits for your content creation strategy.
Don’t. Because you won’t.
Content that only has the bare minimum effort put into it is destined to turn out lackluster.
Sure, you can put an article to words and record yourself speaking said words aloud, and it will technically be a video. But unless you’re capable of stellar voice work, a video produced with these elements alone will probably put your audience to sleep.
And even if you are by some miracle capable of the stellar voicework to make it not boring, chances are you also have enough professional pride to not settle for the bare minimum.
Do Your Research! Figure Out the Best Practices for the Mediums You Recycle Into
Going off a similar principle to the above example: what works in one medium might not work well in the new one.
You should tweak and optimize your content to adhere to, if not exceed, the standards of what you’re converting it to.
Going the extra mile will help your repurposed content stand out from the pack.
Split Your Content up Into Smaller Chunks
Parceling out a larger piece of content in appropriately sized, platform specific chunks is a great way to repurpose it with relatively little work.
Rather than doing a medium conversion, you’re just reducing its presentation to the most strategic, attention-grabbing bits that will draw the audience in to engage with the full work.
Embrace Visual and Audio Presentation
Text works fine, sure, but putting in the effort to convert text content into visual and audio versions can pay off massively (see the passive vs active consumption argument in the benefits section).
Articles can be converted to graphics and videos fairly easily with the help of contractors, if you lack the means to do it yourself.
Armed with all the information above, you should be well prepared to begin your journey into content repurposing.
That said, it’s not just videos and graphics which you can get outside help for; if you’re still unsure of where to start or aren’t confident you can handle the additional workload, you should consider hiring a writing agency to help you repurpose your content.
Okay, is everyone ready for the target keyword scavenger hunt? Make sure you have your map, your compass, a magnifying glass, some trail markers…
Don’t worry— finding target keywords isn’t actually a scavenger hunt that requires a map and compass. But you can think of target keywords as the true North on a compass, pointing you in the direction of high search engine rankings. Or, from a user’s perspective, you can think of target keywords like guiding stars, directing them directly to your site and content.
However, from a marketer’s perspective, you can think of target keywords as a crucial component of your campaign plan. Since every click counts and every search query holds potential, the importance of keyword research, selection, and tracking cannot be overstated.
But how do you actually identify target keywords? This guide will help you determine which keywords are best to rank for and understand which keywords are easiest to rank for in your content plan. You’ll also gain insight into two popular tools for tracking your keywords: Moz and Semrush.
Keyword Research and Brainstorming
Before diving into keyword research, it’s best to first lay a solid foundation. This preliminary phase is crucial for aligning your keyword strategy with your overarching campaign goals and understanding the area of the internet you’ll be working in.
Prepare
Define your campaign goals
We suggest starting with clearly identifying the goals of your campaign, as this will serve as an overarching guide to the rest of your keyword and campaign marketing efforts.
If you need help defining your campaign goals and objectives, consider the following graphic:
Graphic created by C. Bechteler
By clearly outlining your objectives, you can tailor your keyword strategy to support these goals effectively.
Identify your target audience
Your target audience plays a paramount role in your target keyword selection. Who is your campaign trying to reach? Assess audience demographics like age, location, and even their income level. Explore their interests, preferences, and online behavior. These insights will help you choose keywords that resonate with your audience and align with their search intent.
Brainstorm general keywords to rank for
Now that you have a clear understanding of your campaign goals and target audience, it’s time to brainstorm general keywords that align with your objectives. These keywords should encapsulate the core themes and topics related to your marketing campaign and business or industry. Consider both the products or services you offer, as well as any specific terms or phrases that your audience may use when searching for information related to your niche.
Identify and assess key competitors
Although the word “competitor” might leave a bad taste in your mouth, knowing who your main competitors are can actually help facilitate your keyword research. For each of your top competitors, find out which keywords they have high rankings for. This will help you gain contextual competitive insight that you can use to:
Graphic created by C. Bechteler
Keyword Vocabulary
Before we get into researching target keywords, we want to take a moment to review four types of keywords that you’ll (directly or indirectly) encounter during your research.
Short-Tail vs Long-Tail Keywords
Graphic created by C. Bechteler
Informational vs Transactional Keywords
Graphic created by C. Bechteler
Research
Explore the web
We suggest kicking off your research by doing some initial googling to get a feel for the topics and types of content that people are looking at in your marketing campaign’s associated space. Look up the keywords and search terms that you came up with during your brainstorming, look at your competitor’s content, and just surf around the web to see what you find.
Use tools to identify keywords
Since keywords are such a, well, key to marketing, it’s no surprise that there are several different tools that can help you identify possible target keywords. Google Keywords and Google Trends are two popular tools that you can use for free.
Alternatively, two powerful tools that you have to pay to use are Moz and Semrush. We’ll go over these tools in more detail further down in this guide, but they both include features that allow you to see what keywords your competitors’ are ranking for, and also review statistics about the keywords you previously brainstormed.
Keyword Analysis and Selection
The truth is, there’s no one type of keyword that you should focus on in your marketing campaign. Instead, it’s best to choose a range of keywords. The following graphics help demonstrate how this mix of keywords will help you create a strong campaign.
Graphic created by C. Bechteler
Tracking Keywords
Finding your target keywords is just as important as the ongoing process of tracking and monitoring them. This process enables you to gauge your ranking progress, measure your performance against competitors, identify opportunities for campaign optimization, and make informed decisions to adapt your strategy accordingly.
Keyword Tracking Metrics
Every business is different, and so everyone will have their own opinions on which metrics you should pay attention to when tracking your keywords. However, the following list should provide you with a strong foundation and a good starting point:
Your local and national ranking position
This metric shows where your website ranks in local and national search engine results for your target keywords. Tracking your ranking position over time helps you assess your visibility and monitor changes in your SEO performance.
The search volume of your keywords
This metric yields insights into the popularity and potential reach of your target keywords. Remember, high search volume keywords may attract more traffic, but they also tend to face higher ranking competition, whereas low search volume keywords attract less traffic, but offer are easier to rank for.
Share of voice (SOV)
Share of voice, or SOV, refers to the proportion of impressions your website or content receives in search engine results pages (SERPs) for selected keywords compared to the total number of impressions generated by all of your competitors targeting the same keywords. The SOV metric provides insights into your brand’s overall visibility, authority, and digital market share of your chosen keywords.
Keyword Tracking Tools
We recommend using a tool to help you streamline the process of tracking and monitoring your target keywords. Two popular options that are popular with marketers are Moz and Semrush, although one might better suit your circumstances than the other. You can use our chart below to identify which tool best fits your needs:
Graphic created by C. Bechteler
Find and Track Keywords with The Writers For Hire
You now have the keys to the castle! With this guide in hand, you can jump into finding and tracking keywords to ensure your marketing campaign is nothing short of a success.
Of course, there’s nothing like starting a new campaign with some friendly support and writing services from a trusted content agency. Our team at The Writers For Hire is keyed up and ready to help you conduct target keyword research, identify and track the right keywords, and develop an SEO content strategy that delivers the results you were hoping for.
In the world of content overload, the key to standing out among your competitors is your content marketing campaign.
Great content campaigns— as part of a solid overall content marketing strategy—provide customers with highly useful information, deliver value, and help shape brands into market leaders. That is why brands cannot afford to make mistakes when putting content out there.
Top brands recognize the importance of ensuring high-quality content always hits the mark with the target audience.
Unfortunately, content writers may occasionally miss the mark by confusing certain terms in content marketing. It’s not always their fault, though. Some of these terms are frequently used inappropriately across various platforms, misleading content writers. That is why clearing the air is crucial in order to ensure great content marketing strategies meet their intended targets.
5 Confusing Terms in Content Marketing
1. Thought Leadership
Thought leadership is about establishing oneself as a go-to source in one’s respective industry. Thought leaders become standard-bearers for other professionals in that field.
Thought leaders are typically CEOs, influential entrepreneurs, or authoritative academics. These individuals are known for their track record and become well respected for their achievements.
Consequently, many thought leaders become content writers by authoring books and memoirs or contributing to major publications.
The term “opinion leader” is also utilized when referring to thought leaders.
In essence, thought leaders and opinion leaders are synonymous. Both terms refer to influential individuals in their respective fields. As a result, either term may be utilized when drafting content marketing materials.
It is worth mentioning that both terms are interchangeable, though it is up to each individual to choose the term they feel best suits their persona.
The biggest contribution that thought leaders make to their field is taking complex concepts and translating them into accessible and engaging narratives. They intertwine often complicated subjects with their unique perspectives based on experience and knowledge.
They know how to cater to their audience by delivering insights very few others can provide.
However, some content writers mistakenly attempt to replicate thought leadership content by producing generic materials as part of a broader content marketing strategy.
The problem with this approach is that audiences do not want generic content. They seek insights and perspectives not readily available.
In short, audiences seek personal contributions from influential individuals, not run-of-the-mill content. That is why brands seeking to produce an effective content marketing strategy must strive to provide singular perspectives relevant to their fields.
Producing common, generic information will not cut it in today’s marketplace. The best brands and professionals offer their expertise to the benefit of their followers and consumers.
2. SEO Content Marketing
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has been the bread and butter of brands seeking to position themselves in the vast expanse of internet searches.
SEO content marketing utilizes keywords users utilize to find the content they want. Content writers employ keywords to ensure their materials are visible to anyone looking to find it.
Some brands employ content marketing services to produce SEO-optimized materials.
While working with content marketing services can be a great way to produce materials, a dark side must also be considered.
Some content writers utilize a practice known as “keyword stuffing.” Keyword stuffing consists of artificially including relevant keywords within the text, even when the text seems nonsensical or illogical. The point is to “trick” search engine algorithms to find the material and provide users with links to websites and product pages.
In the early days of search engines, this practice worked. However, as search engines used improved algorithms, they were able to detect keyword-stuffing practices.
Search engines such as Google punish websites employing this content marketing strategy by shoving such content to the bottom of search results.
The bottom line is that any effective content marketing strategy must strive to deliver useful content. Gibberish littered with keywords will not suffice.
Brands looking to work with content marketing services should do their due diligence. These services should demonstrate a track record of quality work. In such situations, brands can be sure their content will meet today’s rigorous SEO requirements.
3. Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is often tossed in as an umbrella term for any type of online advertising. While digital marketing encompasses a wide range of online marketing tactics, digital marketing offers much more than just online advertising.
Brands employing digital marketing have various channels to choose from.
For instance, channels such as social media marketing, email marketing, video content, blogging, e-books, and newsletters can all reach a wide audience. Some of these channels are quite cost-effective, while others may require a more substantial investment.
Unfortunately, some brands believe that a content marketing strategy involving digital channels is solely based on throwing content out there. The belief that “more is better” can ultimately lead brands down a disappointing path.
When a content writer produces content for the sake of producing it, they knowingly or unknowingly damage the brand they represent.
Audiences do not want content just for the sake of it. They want content that speaks to their wants and needs. That is why the “less is more” approach has never been more relevant to digital marketing.
When thinking about how to create a content strategy, considering the most appropriate channels is crucial.
For example, a brand can choose to focus on one or two channels as opposed to casting a wide net. Becoming highly proficient in a single channel can yield far better results than attempting to scatter content across multiple channels.
In addition, working with an experienced content marketing service can help brands hone their sights on the most effective channels given their products and industry. Above all, effective digital marketing focuses on delivering the right content to the right audience over the right channel.
4. Content Marketing Strategy
Traditional advertising focuses on selling products and services to customers. This approach features products, extols their best qualities, and then urges audiences to purchase.
Traditional marketing utilizes calls to action and catchphrases to prompt customers to acquire the products and services in question.
As the world became increasingly digital, traditional advertising began to fade. The once-popular infomercial format became largely obsolete.
Digital channels such as social media have essentially replaced mainstream ones like television and radio. Print advertising agonizes as people predominantly choose digital formats over print.
Given digital marketing’s growing influence, content marketing has become a highly influential way of reaching customers.
Today’s consumers are no longer satisfied with customer testimonials and product demos. They want to get more information and content from brands. These savvy customers want to know the research backing a brand’s claims. Delivering this sort of value is not something done over a thirty-second TV spot.
Now, more than ever, successful brands use content marketing to communicate with their customers. They employ content marketing strategies to inform consumers but also “sell” their products and services.
The key is to deliver valuable information without sounding salesy. The most effective content marketing strategies employ solid data and evidence that can support customer testimonials. Smart consumers can see through actors pretending to be satisfied customers.
Concrete content marketing can win over skeptics. Therefore, brands must consider working with content writers or content marketing services known for their track record in producing high-quality content marketing materials.
Specialized content producers can mean the difference between building rapport with customers or completely alienating them.
In the traditional marketing world, brands employ marketing or advertising agencies to craft their campaigns. These agencies take care of virtually every aspect related to campaigns. From filming TV spots to writing brochures, advertising agencies have the skills and experience to produce well-rounded campaigns.
As the world transitioned from a traditional to a digital marketing world, traditional advertising agencies were faced with a dilemma: They either got with the times or faced extinction. Sadly, some went the way of the dinosaurs. Those that remained had to evolve in order to cope with the emergence of digital media platforms.
From the emergence of digital marketing came new firms specialized in digital content marketing.
These content marketing services could produce a wide of materials suitable for the array of available digital marketing channels.
As is the case with most fast-growing industries, new competitors entered the market, claiming to possess the expertise needed to excel in digital content marketing.
Many of these competitors could not live up to their claims, often employing inexperienced or untrained content writers. The results have led some brands to tarnish their reputations by producing subpar materials.
In some instances, unreliable content marketing services have produced such low-quality materials that brands have lost followers and customers.
In this regard, brands must do their due diligence when choosing individual content writers or employing content marketing services. Nowadays, practically anyone can claim they are a social media marketing expert or possess ample experience in digital marketing. But, the fact remains that a proven track record is the best way to gauge a content marketing service’s effectiveness.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Content Marketing
The widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) in virtually every aspect of life has raised concerns about its use in content marketing. Some brands may feel compelled to harness the power of AI in their content marketing strategy.
Indeed, the use of AI can be quite useful in planning great content marketing campaigns. For instance, using AI to process large data sets used to pinpoint target customers is quite encouraging.
But what happens when brands attempt to use AI in content marketing materials?
Ethical considerations aside, practical issues come to mind. Firstly, AI lacks the depth, insight, and experience that comes with becoming a seasoned professional. AI cannot hope to replicate the insights that years of industry experience can provide.
If anything, AI content is known to be generic and lacking in originality. This characteristic makes AI an unsuitable competitor for human intuition.
Also, AI does not always get things right.
While AI can produce substantial amounts of text in very little time, the text is often flawed.
In fact, it generally takes longer to review and correct text than it does to produce it from scratch.
This reason underscores the need for human intervention despite the purported benefits that AI provides.
Lastly, AI does not have a voice. AI’s voice comes from the language models employed to generate text. These language models attempt to mimic the way a person would actually sound.
While this text may seem convincing, audiences crave unique perspectives that come from real-world experience.
Perhaps AI may one day be on par with human intelligence. Nevertheless, that day appears to be quite distant. In the meantime, no substitute for human content writers in effective content marketing strategy can be found.
A Final Thought
AI tools can be quite effective in content marketing. They can assist in research, summarize materials, and generate useful lists and content ideas.
Some content writers employ AI in drafting outlines and brainstorming ideas. These uses make AI a highly useful tool. But AI is nothing more than that.
Like a typewriter or a pen, AI is a tool that enables human scribes to generate meaningful content. Thought leaders can harness AI’s power to facilitate their content production. However, AI cannot hope to contend with opinion leaders.
Thought leaders earn the right to be called as such due to their years of hard work and dedication to their craft. This reason highlights why AI-generated content remains vastly inferior to that produced by highly respected professionals and opinion-makers.
Today, content isn’t a “frill” ornamenting your marketing strategy; to a large extent, it isthe strategy. And a content-centered strategy requires a plan.
Sprinkling random content “here and there” doesn’t constitute a content plan. It’s certainly better than nothing, but to consistently connect with and sell to customers or clients, a strategiccontent plan is where the smart money is now.
Companies of all sizes are putting their marketing budgets to work to create and publish content that transcends traditional advertising. Rather than just “getting the word out” to the world about their offerings, they are engaging target customerswith targeted content.
Recent statistics show that around half of marketers plan to up their content marketing budgets, and that 80 percent of marketers see their content strategy as “very successful.” This growing trend means that by 2026, the content marketing industry is on track to hit 107 billion U.S. dollars.
Who Are the Customers You’re Writing Content For?
As leading multinational services firm Deloitte states, “It’s no longer about reaching as many customers as possible, but instead reaching the right ones.”
So how do you determine who the “right” ones are?
An effective approach is to build customer personas that include age, gender, education, needs, lifestyle, digital channels used, and the types of media your customers read and view.
Normally, you will need to build more than a single persona to represent your customer base; for example, say you’re marketing condos. Both young couples and retirees may desire a simple lifestyle, but for different reasons, and their online habits probably differ, too.
There are a variety of ways to go about building customer personas that represent your typical or most likely customers. Among these are:
Using market research and data compilation available through “business intelligence” firms
Doing your own online research
Holding Focus Groups
Performing surveys and getting feedback from your customers through social media, newsletters, or in person.
Gathering insights about customer traits from your customer-facing employees
Asking your customer-facing employees to list the most common concerns voiced by customers
Using a good mix of science-derived data with in-person impressions is your best bet for developing reliable customer personas. Statistics and personal insight each contribute valuable information the other source can’t.
It’s also important to recognize that most customers today are tech-savvy. So, whatever their demographics and tendencies, they’re looking for a smooth digital experience. They don’t want to waste time or get stuck trying to access your linked content. So, work the access and usage kinks out of every piece of customer-serving content you place before it goes live.
Your new website sales pages, social media content, or landing pages can do wonders for your engagement and sales—but only if you’ve ensured they’re easy for your customers to find, understand, and use.
Create Strategic Content to Reach Your Customers
Before we talk about specific types of content, let’s look at some general ways content can make connections with your customers.
It can meet them “where they are” in the buying process. Have they just begun to consider investing in “X,” which you happen to offer, or are they making comparisons to zero in on a decision?
As your customers are making decisions, your content can address their desires, requirements, and feelings.
Your content can use the experiences of previous customers to show that your offerings have worked well for them.
It can show your customers how to use your products or services to their best advantage.
It can help establish your firm as a thought leader in your field.
It can introduce your company’s team members and their expertise.
It can provide a descriptive, pictorial tour of your facilities.
It can provide answers to your customers’ questions and engage them in conversations.
It can work to establish your reputation in your community, region, nation, or the world.
It can help you know your customers or clients and their preferences better, so you can continually improve content to better speak to them.
Where Will Your Marketing Content Live?
When picking the channels that will work best for your brand and audience, first consider your overall approach.
To engage customers better, companies are turning more and more toward using content (blogs, social media, resource centers, etc.) to promote their brands and the quality of their offerings, rather than running traditional “marketing projects.”
Budgeting for production and publishing for each type of content is part of the decision-making process, too.
Possibilities for content include:
Website Copy (Homepage, About Us, product pages, blogs, white papers, case studies)
Ad Copy that grabs attention
Advertorials for magazines and newspapers
Brochures: Digital and print
Ebooks that show your company’s expertise
Emails—digital or print
Landing pages that show “surfers” the features of your products and services
Newsletters that keep your customers updated on your latest news
Press releases that publicize your latest locations, products, and services
Sales and data sheets that enumerate and explain the benefits of your offerings
Social Media (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Snapchat, Pinterest, Quora, Tumblr, and others, including many audience-specific channels)
Earned media (content written about your business by someone else, that you didn’t pay for, but earned by your reputation).
Wikipedia articles that show authority in your industry
Generate Ideas for Brand-Perfect Written Content
Every piece of on-brand content starts with a spark that generates an idea. Below, find 23 “spark plugs” for flashes of insight that generate audience-right content ideas.
Feature interviews of your own employees and experts.
Share case studies that describe customer experiences and testimonials.
Tell your company’s story. Make it personality-centered and historically interesting. This could be turned into a blog series, an e-book, or a series in your newsletters.
Introduce your exciting new products or services.
Canvass your audience through social media about their primary needs and concerns, then use the results as topics.
Create seasonal content that follows inventory changes and sales.
Promote upcoming industry gatherings or describe a recent one, highlighting what your offerings brought to the table.
Recycle content ideas you have used successfully, approaching them from a different angle.
Think in terms of “topic clusters.” Brainstorm about all of the topics that are connected to large, central one.
Do some surfing to find the types of content your competitors are using.
Write engaging digital instruction guides to your products or services. Be sure they’re never boring.
Write about how cutting-edge and on-the-horizon technology will soon be affecting your industry.
Ask for audience input on tricks or techniques they’ve discovered while using your offerings.
For blogs, consider inviting an occasional expert guest blogger.
Share attention-grabbing industry statistics and show how your company is in the center of creating (or changing) them.
Think in terms of your target customer’s “buying journey” and write some content for each stage.
Ask your employees and experts what they think customers would most want or need to hear about
Do a comparison of your products or services with others on the market. Be sure the information is accurate.
Follow the news and write content connected to major stories that impact your business (or that your business can impact).
Use a current cultural phenomenon as a theme for transitory content like emails and newsletters.
Show your customers how your products are made, or how your services are carried out.
Write a press release or blog about a charity event or cause, and how your company has contributed.
Partner with a collaborator or influencer—someone who can catch your audience’s interest—and inject their quotes, images, or videos into your content. Choose carefully.
Who Will Be Responsible for Each Piece of Written Content?
It’s time to size up the abilities of each of your potential content creators. Do you have journalistic types who are seasoned interviewers, able to churn out newsy press releases, advertorials, and newsletters?
Do you have other people who are crackerjack social media posters who love conversing with clients?
Put them to work to create posts and interact with your customers on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and the rest.
What about research “detectives” who can track down industry statistics and quantified industry trends and translate them into striking graphics?
Or tech-savvy types who can write your instruction guides or white papers?
As with any other kind of team, your content team will operate best with a defined plan and a workload that’s reasonably paced.
For each person on your content marketing team, also consider: Is the tech each person will need to produce their content available, integrated, and are they trained in it?
Put Your Content Marketing Strategy on a Schedule
If you’re going to keep everyone who’s involved in your content creation, approvals, and publication in the loop, a schedule—or content calendar—will do the job.
This tool gives all involved a big-picture view of your content strategy, keeps the content creation workflow moving, and (importantly) enables budgeting for associated costs.
A content calendar is just what it sounds like. It’s a shareable calendar that shows when each type and piece of content will be produced and go live for customers. It can be shared through your intranet, another in-house system, and/or in physical form. The main idea is to make it easily accessible and useable.
Getting your calendar together will normally require some input from all parties concerned, from executives to marketing, creatives, buyers, distribution and possibly others.
Measure the Success of Your Content Marketing Strategy
How can you know if your content plan is working? By using KPI’s—key performance indicators, that report back to you numerically to give you the specific pieces of information that spell “success” and “growth” to your organization.
KPI’s can include search engine performance (ranking), website traffic, number of shares by visitors, click-through rate, number of unique visitors, and more. Whether you keep track of a few indicators or quite a few is up to you.
You can track KPIs through software that uses business analytics to gather data and provide reports on your performance within selected indicators.
Getting Help from Content Marketing Services
Planning an entire content campaign is challenging because it usually: a) Encompasses many types of content, b) that must be coordinated to stay on-message, c) sound authentically “you,” d) be produced and released in a timely manner, e) be measured frequently for effectiveness, and f) be adjusted accordingly.
There are real advantages to hiring a marketing-savvy content planning team. This is exponentially true for large campaigns that involve many types of content.
Our teams at The Writers for Hire collaborate with your team to develop your content plan as if it were our own. A skilled team can help you see through the “forest” (your overall objective) to the “trees” (the individual pieces of content that will accomplish it) by:
Developing your customer or client personas
Zeroing in on the problems your customers want to solve
Helping to define your brand and the factors that distinguish it
Determining which KPIs can best track your campaign’s performance
Helping pick the channels where you can best engage with your audience
Creating your content calendar or calendars, to ensure your campaign stays on schedule
(If desired) Writing brand-right content for all your channels
A content campaign that is fresh, ambitious, and achievable is the goal. A content marketing services team can give you a boost in all three areas, giving you a content campaign thatworks for your brand, 24/7.
Running a successful public awareness campaign that inspires positive change and drives action is a rewarding, though challenging, marketing endeavor. If you’re interested in creating an awareness campaign and need some inspiration of your own, the case study below is sure to help you unearth some ideas.
In 1975, the U.S. passed the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) to, as President Gerald Ford put it, “make us invulnerable to cutoffs of foreign oil.” With the exception of a small amount to Canada, the EPCA banned the export of American crude oil.
With technological advances like “fracking” (hydraulic fracturing) boosting U.S. production and stockpiling a surplus, the EPCA became antiquated and unnecessary. The problem was that most people didn’t know the U.S. still wasn’t allowed to export crude oil.
But Canary, a small oilfield services company, did know—and they wanted to get the ban lifted.
However, as a business-to-business facing company without any expertise in government affairs, Canary needed a strong team to help them set the course for their public awareness campaign. The Writers For Hire (TWFH) was prepared to help them do so.
Our team provided expertise and support to help Canary:
Establish the objectives of the campaign.
Come up with the name of the campaign (“Talk Crude”) and a provocative campaign moniker (#TalkCrude).
Create various types of content aimed at increasing awareness about the ban.
Appropriately tailor content to different audiences—including internal employees, external customers, the general public, and government leaders.
Increase interest in revoking the crude oil export ban.
Rally the public’s support for lifting the ban via petition signatures.
About Our Client
With over 200 employees working in locations scattered around the U.S., Canary, LLC is one of the country’s largest independently held oilfield service companies that offers comprehensive oilfield drilling and production services.
Since its founding in 1984, Canary has been committed to making a positive difference in its communities and the industry. The company’s values in corporate responsibility and ethical integrity help guide efforts as Canary works to unleash America’s energy, one well at a time.
In 2014, specifically, Canary’s main goal was to get the U.S.’s crude oil export ban lifted. So, they sought out The Writers For Hire to create an aggressive campaign that would help them do so.
Canary and The Writers For Hire
Canary needed an experienced team to help them raise awareness of the export ban, garner interest in the campaign, and gather support for lifting the ban.
As a Houston-based copywriting firm that works at the heart of the oil and gas industry, The Writers For Hire was a perfect fit for the job. With decades of experience in the oil and gas industry, our team was ready to #TalkCrude and maximize the campaign’s reach and success.
What We Did for Our Client
Canary first came to TWFH for help creating an awareness campaign focused on American energy. The result was the edgy #TalkCrude campaign, with Canary’s CEO Dan Eberhart as the face of it. While TWFH ran the bulk of the campaign over a few months in 2014, our team helped Canary throughout the multi-year operation.
Our team worked to:
Raise awareness.
Rank high on search engines.
Elevate Canary’s online presence.
Generate traffic.
Increase engagement levels.
Deliver petition signatures.
Created Promotional Content and Materials
TWFH created a wide array of content types to help promote the campaign. This content consisted of:
Speeches
Presentations
Ghostwritten blogs, editorials, case studies, and white papers
A website
Campaign landing pages
A petition
Social media posts and conversations
Ads on social media
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements
A wallscape
15 original visual and video pieces
A 250-page book about energy policy
Our team strategically repurposed the extensive amount of #TalkCrude material produced throughout the campaign to help provide content and editorial assistance for Mr. Eberhart's book, The Switch.
This enabled us to glean double the mileage—and thus double the value—out of our copy.
TWFH also helped Canary promote the wrapping of a #TalkCrude wallscape, which proved to be an incredibly effective tactic for educating the public about the crude oil export ban and generating interest in its repeal.
Promoted Awareness and Support
To maximize the reach and impact of the #TalkCrude message, TWFH team aggressively worked on behalf of Canary to put the content in front of as many people as possible by:
Improving Canary’s online presence.
Posting content across Canary’s profiles and the website.
Engaging with others on social media.
Promoting the petition.
Integrating paid advertisements.
Dominating keywords search rankings.
Asking credible sources to also post our content.
The Results
Our efforts to raise awareness of Canary’s #TalkCrude campaign and drive users to its promotional content proved to be extremely successful—both from a data perspective and a political one:
On December 16, 2015, the U.S. repealed the ban on crude oil exports! Canary’s #TalkCrude campaign was a success!
Here’s how TWFH helped Canary increase public awareness of the ban, rally support for the #TalkCrude campaign, and secure petition signatures:
On behalf of Dan Eberhart and Canary, we worked to get their content published in as many places as possible. One editorial published in The Hill was even mentioned as ‘pivotal’ for getting the Republican Caucus in Congress to take repeal efforts seriously.
We also significantly boosted Mr. Eberhart’s online presence and engagement levels, which drastically widened #TalkCrude’s reach and impact—and achieved petition signatures.
One of TWFH’s infographics, called America Bans Free Trade, was especially effective in drawing attention to Canary’s #TalkCrude campaign.
Additionally, when users looked up certain keywords, TWFH ensured that Canary held a dominant ranking in the search results. This boosted brand and campaign awareness, which, in turn, helped drive users to the website and increase traffic and engagement.
The Reward
Ultimately, TWFH played a major role in the #TalkCrude campaign’s success. With our team’s help, Canary won the 30th Annual American Marketing Association (AMA) Crystal Award in 2016 under the “Social Responsibility” category!
Our client knew of TWFH’s deep-rooted experience in the oil and gas industry, and that was expertise they were keen to capture for the #TalkCrude campaign. Working with our team means working with writers who:
Were once freelance oil and gas reporters.
Are marketing professionals.
Have technical writing and communications experience.
Held in-house positions with major energy companies.
Have degrees in related fields such as geology and civil/environmental engineering.
By partnering with TWFH, Canary gained an ambitious team ready and determined to help the #TalkCrude public awareness campaign excel and thrive.
Excellent brand awareness is essential for business growth, and the key to driving high levels of brand awareness is implementing a robust content marketing strategy. As the title of the research paper by Müller and Christandl 2019 suggests, “Content is king, but who is the king of kings?”
Different businesses have different marketing requirements. With a whole spectrum of content options available, it can be tricky to decide which medium is the most appropriate for growing visibility in your target audience. You may even find a hybrid content strategy to be the perfect impetus for achieving your visibility goals.
Let’s look at the concept of brand awareness and how it can be molded and transformed with the main content mediums, respectively.
What is brand awareness?
Brand awareness is a fairly straightforward concept. According to Oxford Languages it simply means:
The extent to which consumers are familiar with the qualities or image of a particular brand of goods or services.
The simplicity of this concept, however, should by no means overshadow the possibly detrimental consequences of not getting it right. Most markets in the U.S. today are mature, which is forcing businesses to compete at levels never seen before and to create unique business identities and personas in order to stand out from the crowd.
When asked how important brand awareness is, Etienne de Jager, Managing Director of University College Roosevelt (UCR) in the Netherlands, said, “Not being visible or having a brand identity is much like being a library book without an index number. You may have the best book cover, but what does that help if no one can find it to read? Simply put, without brand awareness you are invisible.”
Apart from the occasional impulse buy, most customers are far more likely to buy your products or use your services if they are familiar with your brand. Customers usually look first at your website, social media, and any online reviews to give them an idea of your consumer reach and the quality of your products or services.
There are two ways to assess brand awareness.
Unaided Brand Awareness
This method measures how many people in a segment of the population express knowledge of your brand without a direct prompt. This is also referred to as ‘brand recall’ because you are measuring how many people recall your brand without an explicit prompt, i.e., not giving any indication of your company name. For instance, If your business sells business cards, you may formulate a question such as: “What company will you use to print your business cards?” If you pose this question to 100 people and 25 people mention or recall your company as one of their preferred printers, then you have a 25% brand awareness.
Aided Brand Awareness
This method measures brand recognition by using a direct prompt such as a list of companies, including yours, to see how many people recognize your brand from the list. A typical aided brand awareness question may be: “Which of the following printing companies are you familiar with?”
Both aided and unaided brand awareness initiatives can be conducted through a mix of open-ended and closed-question surveys.
Content marketing is a component of inbound marketing and is arguably one of the most effective methods to drive traffic to your platforms, increase your brand awareness, and generate meaningful leads. The Content Marketing Institute suggests:
“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”
The institute asserts that traditional marketing techniques are becoming less effective, and a more forward-thinking approach is now more critical than ever. Whereas traditional marketing focuses on explicit ads describing your products or services, content marketing provides your customers with relevant, interesting, and useful information which indirectly relates to your business.
For instance, in addition to creating an ad for a specific kind of business card paper quality, you may also want to publish an article on your website blog about all the different kinds of paper used in business card printing, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of each. This article will engage your audience, ensure they spend more time on your platforms, and ideally get a couple of items in their shopping carts.
Holding a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and two master’s degrees, de Jager has a strong professional and academic marketing background and has held multiple senior marketing roles in London and the Netherlands. He adds, “Blogs allow businesses to make relevant connections with products, services or any topical discussions, and it still remains one of the most effective tools to optimize the value of your SEO.”
Below are seven steps put forward by the Content Marketing Institute to consider when you start planning your content strategy.
Let’s look at the main content mediums in more detail.
1 – Blog Posts and Articles
The blog can be traced back to 1994 when Justin Hall posted the first blog ever on links.net, which he referred to as his home page because the term “blog” had not yet been coined. Traditional blogs were personal online collections of thoughts, information, and opinions published on various platforms.
Today, almost every business imaginable is also blogging because of the unique way this medium provides to promulgate information to their customers in a more informal and relaxed tone, not to mention the various other marketing and financial benefits.
According to medium.com, blogging is the most effective type of content marketing because its main objective is to increase brand awareness by providing accurate information and optimizing your website through brand-relevant content that also supports SEO (Search Engine Optimization). So, what else is blogging good for?
Website Traffic
Most business marketers agree that blogging is the best medium for generating web traffic and, according to a Hubspot study, it can lead to a 55% increase in traffic. In addition, companies that blog on a regular basis grow their inbound links and indexed pages exponentially.
Whenever you publish a new blog article, you create a new web page, which is then indexed by various search engines. This means that you literally grow your online presence with each new page and therefore increase opportunities for customers to find you. In addition, frequent blogging shows the likes of Google and other search engines that your website is active and updated regularly.
Lead Generation
If your main blogging goal is lead generation, then every blog post you publish should give your site visitor the opportunity to interact. This is called a call-to-action and comes in many shapes and sizes. You may add a “sign up to mailing list” button for special offers, or perhaps offer a free webinar or other content assets. Call-to-action lead generation is one of the most effective ways to build a client contact database and is the most ethical way to build your direct email list.
Link Building
Link building or “backlinks” is one of the most crucial factors for Search Engine Optimization. That said, link building is extremely challenging. Backlinks are essentially other businesses that link a page on your website to their website. This means that some of the traffic from that business’s website can be diverted to your website, and, if that business ranks high on Google and they have associated with your business by sharing your link to their site, your site ranking will also increase by default.
Your best chance to grow your backlink presence is by ensuring your content is factually accurate, unique, and of the highest quality. Reputable businesses have online authority, so they are cautious about whom they associate with and what content they publish or share.
Other Benefits
As opposed to Google or any other online ads, a blog post or article is more cost-effective because there is no time limit for how long it remains published. Whereas you might buy and run an ad for one week, your blog post stays published online and works 24/7, attracting visitors at all hours of the day. Ads can also be a nuisance as opposed to informative blog posts that people search for and actually want to read.
2 – White Papers and E-books
The white paper has become a well-known term in recent years, and there are many different types of white papers used in both the public and the private sectors. We will focus on the latter. According to Investopedia:
“A white paper is an informational document issued by a company or not-for-profit organization to promote or highlight the features of a solution, product, or service that it offers or plans to offer.”
In business, white papers are used as sales and marketing documents to describe in considerable detail any new products, technologies or methodologies, and services. One of the most well-known, influential, and popular white papers published in recent years is the Bitcoin white paper by Satoshi Nakamoto, which instantly attracted global attention.
White papers are usually at least 2500 words in length and written in a more formal academic style. A white paper must be written by an authority on the subject and should aim to educate readers about the topic, with the ultimate goal of generating sales. A white paper is a sales pitch but not in the traditional sense, as it is much more formal and includes the following:
Introduction
Regardless of the topic, all whitepapers must have an engaging introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the paper. This is your opportunity to convince the reader to read the entire document.
Problem
Here you should articulate the particular problem your product or service can resolve. You will need to demonstrate that you have a comprehensive grasp of this problem and describe in detail how this problem can affect the reader negatively. The more convincing and relatable this section is, the more likely you will generate sales.
Solution
This section must describe how or why your product or service is the best solution to the above problem. The more detail you provide in this section, the more convincing your white paper will be. Just be careful not to oversell as you may lose the reader’s interest.
Conclusion
The conclusion section gives you the opportunity to summarize the main points of the problem and solution sections and is your final chance to motivate the reader to buy into your business and your products or services. An effective conclusion will also contain a call-to-action that tells the reader what to do if they are interested in your products or services.
White papers are a great public relations tool to help you generate interest in your business, establish credibility, generate sales, and increase engagement.
Similar but less formal than white papers are e-books, a type of long-form content medium businesses can publish and offer to their customers as either free-of-charge or paid downloadable media. E-books have gained a lot of momentum and are a great marketing tool businesses can use to accomplish the following:
Translate complex information into a simple, easy-to-understand medium for customers
Establish themselves as an authority on the products or services they offer
Grow brand awareness and drive traffic to their websites
Generate leads
Build trust and brand loyalty
Educate customers on their products or services, and wider issues relating to their industry
Organically grow email lists
3 – Email
Unbelievably, email marketing is celebrating its 44th birthday this year, tracing back to 1978 when Gary Thuerk sent out the very first mass email to around 400 recipients in the days before the term junk mail had been coined. According to Thuerk, this first mass email generated an astronomical $13 million in sales revenue. Needless to say, email marketing has come a long way since 1978. Most notable are the legal and data protection measures authorities have implemented to protect everyone from nuisance and scam emails.
Nonetheless, ethical email marketing still remains one of the most effective tools when executed professionally. With an estimated 306.4 billion emails sent daily across the globe, it would be foolish for any business not to invest in an email marketing campaign. As the graph below by marketinginsidergroup.com illustrates and compares, email marketing’s return on investment is quite lucrative:
According to HubSpot, email is listed as one of the top three most effective marketing mediums by 79% of marketers. Eighty-seven percent of e-commerce marketers primarily use email marketing to increase brand awareness, and email visitors are the most likely to convert on forms. Thirty-one percent of B2B marketers is convinced that regular email newsletters are most effective at nurturing leads. Lastly, about 60% of e-commerce, retailers, and consumer goods businesses personalize emails to their customers based on previous purchases.
Build your email list and set goals.
Before you embark on an email marketing campaign, first ensure that you have a decent-sized mailing list made up of customers who voluntarily signed up on your platforms. Depending on the size of the business, most e-commerce brands have between 1,000 and 10,000 email contacts. Bear in mind that buying email lists is not only illegal, but it is also unethical and frowned upon. There are thousands of online sources which can help you build an email list ethically.
Once you have your mailing list, you should define what you want to achieve with your campaign. Some goals could be:
Increasing brand awareness
More web traffic
Lead generation and sales
Feedback or surveys
Referrals
Promoting your blog, e-books, or whitepapers
Informing customers of special offers such as newsletters
Target your campaign.
Here it’s all about working smarter, not harder. An effective email campaign should be tailored to the individuals it is being sent to, based on their geographics, demographics, psychographics, and behavior. As illustrated by the www.superoffice.com graph below, a good approach is to use data and analytics from past campaigns to help inform your segmentation process:
Your content will determine how effective your campaign will be, so keep the following in mind:
The headline makes the first impression; keep it catchy and enticing.
Create attractive and inviting content with lots of white space.
Humor is great for grabbing someone’s attention.
Add the customer’s first name in the subject line or greeting.
Convey a clear and to-the-point message; don’t waste the reader’s time.
Personalize the email as much as possible.
Ensure the email is mobile friendly.
Don’t send too many emails, as you may get unsubscribed.
4 – Infographics
Infographics, as the name suggests, are visual representations of data and information with the aim of informing, educating, and building brand awareness through a data-rich visualization of a story.
The infographic to the left, by Business 2 Community, provides a brief overview of the history of the infographic, and is a great example of one.
So, why have infographics become so popular?
The real question should be: Why aren't they popular? The list will be much shorter.
According to Martech.zone, the visual aspect plays a key role in the rise in popularity of infographics, as 90% of the information our brains retain is visual, and studies have found that humans only retain between 10-20% of written or spoken information as opposed to 65% of visual information.
Infographics are also great for generating backlinks, as businesses are more likely to share visual aids on their websites.
In addition, humans process visual information much faster.
A well-designed infographic can simplify complex information into easily digestible visual aids. For instance, we follow directions such as road signs around 323% better with visual aids than without.
Infographics usually include company logos and branding, which is a great tool to build brand awareness. People also tend to spend more time reading visual content than just plain text. With the right call-to-action incorporated, infographics can increase lead generation greatly.
What to Consider When Designing a Good Infographic
As the image below by infogram.com illustrates, there are broadly four areas you should pay close attention to: data, design, story, and shareability.
The most imperative aspect when designing an infographic is to make it informative but keep it simple at the same time. Forbes lists the following 12 ways to use infographics effectively in marketing:
Keep it simple and to the point.
Amplify true customer stories.
Explain complex concepts.
Showcase the strength behind numbers.
Start from scratch.
Focus on transmitting intelligence.
Make complicated topics more digestible.
Include precise messaging.
Visually represent trends.
Weave smaller ones into blog posts.
Turn data into a visual story.
Optimize your image data for search engines.
5 – Video and Social Media
According to guinnessworldrecord.com, the very first TV ad by Bulova Watches aired on July 1, 1941, on the U.S. channel NBC just before a baseball game. It was an instant success:
Today, video marketing still remains the backbone of terrestrial TV and has infiltrated all corners of the internet. In fact, more than half of Twitter’s ad revenue is generated through video ads. Marketers in all industries love video, as it is undoubtedly the king of all kings, with around 86% of all businesses using it, according to Wyzowl.com. As the graph by Wyzowl’s State of Video Marketing Survey illustrates, the use of video as a marketing intervention by all businesses has increased by 25% since 2016.
People love to watch videos,which is evidenced by the approximately one billion videos watched on Youtube each day. Video as a medium has the ability to give us the information we want quickly and easily. Dreamgrow.com lists eight reasons why video marketing is so effective. It’s really quite simple:
Video boosts conversions and sales.
Video offers a great return on investment.
Videos can build trust.
Google loves videos.
Mobile users love videos.
Video marketing can explain everything easily.
Video engages customers who don’t like to read.
Videos are more likely to be shared on social media.
When it comes to video marketing, de Jager says:
For us at UCR, it is inconceivable to appear in front of, appeal to, and ultimately attract a single prospective student from Generation Alpha without the use of video. There is however another side to this coin. Quality video marketing is the most expensive medium with the highest upfront cost, and video is very difficult to adjust if your campaign is underperforming. Data protection also makes video a nightmare because you need the consent of all parties in the video. In addition, video always has to be produced in multiple formats to accommodate the various platforms. Lastly, because marketing videos are very personalized, you may connect with one person with your video and alienate another at the same time.
How to Create Great Content for Social Media
Having a strong social media profile is critical for all businesses in 2022 because it allows the business to grow its visibility and to communicate and interact with its consumers. With around 2.3 billion active Facebook users, the direction of travel for marketing intervention is crystal clear: The number one most effective way to connect with your audience on social media is through quality content in a variety of media.
Grin.co has a few suggestions, starting with the idea that sharing positive news and statistics may be the key to building trust with your audience, as this can lead to a positive association with your brand. Partnering with social influencers can also be a great way to create authentic and engaging content; they have millions of followers you can reach instantly.
Doing something good for the community and sharing your philanthropic endeavors on social media makes for quality content, is a great way to get your audience’s attention, and may get you a few shares and re-shares. Content that is too in-your-face “salesy” does not go down well on social media. Keep it fun, personalized, relatable, and interesting.
People love getting free stuff and a freebies campaign on social media can’t go wrong. The opposite is true, however, for posts with controversial topics, so be very careful. Lastly, it is definitely worth doing some research on what makes content sharable.
I’m too busy to create my own content. What do I do?
The simple answer is to hire a writing agency. Although most people have the ability to create fantastic marketing content for their own businesses, the reality is that the content creation process is not only extremely time-consuming but is also very labor-intensive. Other benefits of hiring a writing agency include the expertise, knowledge, and speed with which the agency can develop your campaign. Finally, as the client, you have a lot of scope in working with the agency to mold the final product.
De Jager insists: “As a business, you have to invest heavily in your content creation. In most cases, companies do utilize external experts to take on the heavy burden of content creation, giving them more time to focus on the bottom line.”
“Your business and results are a reflection of you. Your business and results will grow in direct proportion to your own growth.”— James Arthur Ray
Growing your business is no easy task. It takes time and dedication to build a business from the ground up. Of course, thanks to your full commitment to your brand, you are up to the task.
But there are times when you might not be sure about the next step.
Believe it or not, writing a nonfiction book can be just the tool you need to help grow your business.
In this article, we will discuss five ways writing a nonfiction book can help you grow your business. Moreover, we will explore how you can spur organic growth to ensure your business’s longevity.
So, stay tuned because we have lots coming your way!
What is a nonfiction book?
In essence, a nonfiction book refers to a publication that does not deal in creative writing. By “creative” writing, we mean novels, short stories, or poetry.
We are talking about books based on real-life topics that provide information. This information relates to people, objects, and events depicted as accurately as possible.
Merriam-Webster offers this succinct definition: Nonfiction pertains to “writing or cinema that is about facts and real events.” Thus, we are talking about real situations, topics, or people. This definition, however, does not mean that nonfiction writing has to be boring. It can be quite creative and imaginative.
A nonfiction book can touch on any number of subjects.
But when it comes to growing your business, nonfiction material must always deliver value to your target audience.
In doing so, your audience will see the relevance of your material. Your material will, in turn, generate further growth.
Ultimately, the key to organic growth is to ensure your material consistently delivers value. Please remember that organic growth may be slow but highly sustainable. Sustainability is what ensures your brand’s longevity.
What are examples of nonfiction books?
There is a wide array of nonfiction books. Here is a list for your consideration:
Autobiographies
Blog compilations
Company history books
How-to guides
Memoirs
Product guides
Research reports
Technical specifications
Whitepapers
As you can see, there is no shortage of materials you can produce. So, the question is: What nonfiction materials will help you position your company and brand in your customers’ minds?
How to Choose the Right Nonfiction Content
Choosing the right nonfiction content depends on your target audience. For instance, a younger audience might prefer lighter and shorter materials. In contrast, an older target audience might choose more comprehensive and lengthier discussions.
Please keep this rule in mind: Your content must deliver value at all times. Therefore, choosing the right nonfiction content boils down to delivering as much value as possible.
Producing irrelevant content will not help position you, your brand, or your company in your customers’ minds.
So, what is valuable content?
Valuable content addresses your customers’ pain points. You provide relevant information your customers can use to satisfy their needs or deal with an issue.
Consider this example:
A shoe brand has been a successful force in the fashion industry for decades. Now, the brand wants to celebrate its success by telling its story. So, the brand produces a company history book to chronicle its rags-to-riches tale. This project delivers value as it helps customers understand the people and ideas behind one of their favorite brands.
Generally speaking, any type of nonfiction content can help position your brand. Nevertheless, here are five key elements to consider when choosing the right nonfiction content for your brand:
Always focus on your target audience’s demographics. Savvy brands take the time to ask their customers what content type they want. You can use surveys to gain useful insight into what content your customers want to see.
Look around to see what other successful brands are doing. This approach is not about copying another brand’s strategy. Instead, this tactic is about finding inspiration so you can build your strategy to suit your strengths.
Think about what you do not like. Reflect on the content that does not resonate with you. Consider why it does not work for you. Then, strive to use those reflections to avoid similar mistakes in your content.
Avoid “selling” your products as much as possible. Producing content for the sake of “selling” products is not going to cut it. You must focus on delivering content your customers appreciate. Of course, there is always room for plugging your products. However, it is crucial to avoid making nonfiction content all about why customers should buy your products. It is always best to focus on the benefits that customers get from your products. Try your best to build your argument with credible information and sources. That approach is what sells your brand!
Choose the format that works for your company. The right format depends largely on your brand’s image. For example, a sophisticated brand may choose glossy, hardcover print books as their main content form. A hip and edgy brand may choose e-books and audiobooks for their target audience. Please remember that your content format should always represent your brand’s image and spirit.
Ultimately, it is always useful to experiment. Take chances, and most important, ask for your customers’ feedback.
Your customers will tell you when they like something. They will also tell you when they do not.
You never know what content type can strike a chord with your customer base.
5 Ways Writing a Nonfiction Book Can Help You Grow Your Business
A nonfiction book can greatly boost your business’s growth by providing valuable information. So, let’s look at five key ways a nonfiction book can help you grow your business to the next level.
1. Positioning Yourself (Or Your Company) As a Thought Leader
Thought leadership is the gold standard in positioning yourself and your company in your respective market. Thought leadership involves showcasing your expertise so that others see you as the reference point in your field.
How can you establish yourself or your company as a thought leader?
A nonfiction book is a great place to start. Writing a book signals to the world that you know what you’re doing. You are not messing around pretending to know something. You know what you are talking about and are willing to share that knowledge with the world.
Please remember that the most influential thought leaders are those willing to share their knowledge, experience, insights, and expertise with the world. But there is one catch: Becoming a thought leader requires consistency. In addition to producing a nonfiction book, you may need further material such as a blog, newsletter, or research papers. By maintaining a consistent presence, you can bolster your book’s message so you can truly position yourself as an influential leader.
2. Chronicling Company History
Some companies have been in the market for a long time. However, customers know little about their story, origins, and founders. A company history book can become a wonderful way to chronicle your company’s history while generating buzz around your company and brand.
Think about it.
How much do you know about the story behind your favorite brands?
Chances are, you are relatively unfamiliar with your favorite brands’ stories. As a result, a company history book can help address your target audience with a clear message. Your company’s history must be about communicating your company’s core values. These core values are what has made your company successful. Highlighting the people who built your company tells customers there’s an ethos behind everything you do. Customers will be able to see the true driving force behind your company’s success— and it’s not ambition or greed.
Customers get very little access to industry insights and secrets. In fact, most people know very little about what happens behind the scenes. They only see products on the shelves or deliveries at their front door.
A nonfiction book can help lift the veil on your industry so that customers get exclusive access. For instance, writing a memoir or journal can give your target audience your unique perspective. Also, writing about a specific episode in your professional career or company history can deliver immense value to your target audience.
After all, would you like to read about the story behind the iPhone’s creation? Would reading about the invention of the internet sound appealing? Would you be interested in learning about Coca-Cola’s history?
Indeed, these stories would be very interesting to read if they come straight from the source. These insights are exclusively yours. The public would be hard-pressed to find this type of insider information elsewhere. As a result, you have a unique opportunity to take your target audience on a journey no one else can provide.
4. Raising Awareness on a Key Issue
There are cases where your company may be deeply concerned about a situation affecting your customers or industry. As a result, you intend to shed light on this situation by providing information and insights into causes and solutions.
Publishing a nonfiction book is a great way to raise awareness of an issue. In particular, research papers such as whitepapers offer a great deal of insight into what you want your target audience to know. For instance, climate change might significantly threaten your company’s future sustainability. Therefore, your book aims to raise awareness while discussing climate change’s impact on your company, customers, and industry.
5. Showing Your Commitment (Or Your Company’s) to a Cause
Companies often devote resources to worthy causes. After all, corporate social responsibility is one of the most important areas companies engage in outside of their core business functions. Consequently, your nonfiction book can focus specifically on a cause your company is committed to supporting while discussing your efforts.
Showing your company’s commitment to specific causes helps your target audience see more of your company’s ethos. Moreover, it communicates to customers that your company is after more than just profits. You aim to communicate how your company gives back to the local community. Also, adding a call to action can be a great way to pursue further involvement. Asking your customers and followers to support your company as part of a greater cause can deepen your company’s bond with your target audience.
How can hiring a ghostwriter help your company publish a nonfiction book?
Suppose your company is serious about publishing a nonfiction book—or any nonfiction material for that matter. In that case, you might want to consider hiring a ghostwriter to help.
So, why hire a ghostwriter?
A ghostwriter is a professional scribe who can assist your company in producing any content type it plans.
Moreover, a professional ghostwriter is an experienced professional who can deliver the right content in your company’s voice.
The aim is to portray your company’s core ethos so that your target audience can see the corporation behind the brand. It’s about removing the faceless enterprise persona from your brand by allowing your target audience to see the real people running the show. In doing so, your target audience can identify with your brand for what it truly is: a collection of people just like them.
The best part of hiring a ghostwriter is that doing so saves time and effort. There is no need to tap existing staff to produce a nonfiction book in addition to their usual tasks. Also, you do not have to put needless pressure on yourself to write a book. A professional ghostwriter can walk with you every step of the way. Ultimately, your chosen ghostwriter will take care of the heavy lifting, ensuring that your creative vision leaps out at readers.
One Final Thought
The decision to write a nonfiction book can be confusing. After all, you may not know how to get started. And you may not have the time or experience needed to bring your creative vision to fruition.
Hiring a ghostwriter can help you make your vision become a reality. So, take the time to reach out to professional ghostwriters. Take the time to research and interview potential candidates.
Finding the right ghostwriter for your project is worth investing effort in finding the right one.
In the end, bringing your vision to life is a combination of love and hard work. Hiring the right ghostwriter can make the entire journey much easier than you ever expected. Employing a trusted ghostwriter may be one of the best business decisions you’ll ever make!
How can all your created content serve the goal of retaining customers? That’s an important question because your current customers are valuable; they are the ones who have already bought into your product or service.
80% of your future profits will come from 20% of your existing customers.
Repeat customers spend 33% more than new customers.
Given this kind of data, it would be a miscalculation to spend all your company’s strategic content efforts on getting and selling new customers—as important as they are! Using your created content to also keep your current customers happy and on board is a tactical must.
Retain customers with customer-serving content.
Creating content that is intentionally focused on serving your customers makes a lot of sense from a customer retention perspective. Research in this area finds that a “commitment to customer experience results in up to 25% more customer retention and revenue than sales or marketing initiatives.”
Actively working to retain customers through consistent customer-serving content requires a comprehensive plan.
Some vital elements to incorporate into a plan that builds your long-term relationship with each customer are:
Your website.
Most of today’s customers meet you first when they land on your website’s homepage. Besides playing the critical role in gaining customers, your website also plays an important part in keeping them. When your customers come to your site for a quick answer, do they find it easy to navigate? Intuitive? Visually engaging? Does it project empathy with customer challenges and an eagerness to help?
New customer greetings.
The time to start retaining customers is the moment they become customers!
Make your welcoming emails warm, enjoyable, and even entertaining where appropriate.
Show that you want each customer’s experience with your product or service to be everything they hoped for and more.
This is a good place for a coupon or other special offers, sign-ups for your newsletter and emails, and links to your Help Center, FAQ, and contact info.
Help center with FAQ and contact info.
If your customers can quickly find answers about a product or service in your website’s help center, they will be happier customers. And if their specific question isn’t addressed there, they will be pleased you have provided a quick way to speak to a helpful human being, either by phone, chat, or a well-monitored email address.
Emails.
The ones you send to your customers on a regular basis should be personalized and designed to create dialogue. “No reply” emails are frustrating; instead, let your customers ask questions and make comments about the thought-provoking information you send them. And always respond to them, showing that you are listening and concerned with both positive and negative comments.
Newsletters.
A periodic newsletter—either digital or print—is a good way to stay on each client’s radar. Yours is not just another company among competitors for their business. Instead, through a newsletter, you can show authority in your field—and who doesn’t want to stay with a company that knows its stuff? A newsletter can alert customers to trends and help them stay abreast of developments on the horizon. It can share other clients’ experiences, and, above all, let each customer know how much you appreciate their business.
Blogs.
Use blogs to build a friendship with each client. Retention—endurance over time— happens in this relationship much as it does in other relationships you want to keep—through conversation.
A blog is your personal conversation with your client. Which questions can you anticipate and answer via your blog? Which of your new products or services might be just what they need right now?
Have other clients shared successful outcomes that you can pass on?
Customer engagement surveys.
There are times when you really want or need to know what your customers are thinking. And who doesn’t like to be asked politely for their opinions? Customer surveys—usually via email—serve a dual purpose: They help you gather information on customer preferences while also showing that you care enough to ask. Customers who know you care about their priorities make good prospects for long-haul (retained) customers.
Follow-ups.
Whether a customer is new or established, effective follow-up communications are customer-retention tools you can’t do without. In its most basic form, a follow-up is a personal “thank you for your business.” Follow-ups can also provide links to tutorials and online manuals, helpful blogs, email and newsletter sign-ups, coupons, rewards, and special offers. Let your customers know they are appreciated, and that you are ready to help with any questions that arise.
This is a continuous process. As Colin Boylan of the customer engagement platform Intercom notes: “Support isn’t just about resolving a customer’s first question and moving on…You need to make sure the customer is happy with the resolution, so consistent, thoughtful follow-ups are key…they have a profound impact on the customer experience.”
Hire a writing agency for unlimited content creation.
Photo by fauxels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-people-doing-handshakes-3184416/
Creating a customer retention plan and the volume of consistent, quality content that ensures your clients are well-served takes time. It also takes skill—in big-picture strategy, in research, in writing for your brand, and more. And it requires qualified people to do the work of continually creating each form of content.
If all of that seems like a big “ask,” that’s because it is. Especially when you are asking otherwise-occupied employees to shoulder these tasks.
Enter a qualified writing agency to take on all your content creation/customer retention initiatives. A seasoned agency has the necessary scope of expertise across industries and types of content to do the job. Its staff knows how to work tactfully and efficiently with your staff to develop and execute a content-centered customer retention plan.
Hire a writing agency to create the following:
1) A Content-focused Customer Retention Plan
A talented writing agency is practiced in creating each type of content you need to make outstanding customer service and customer retention a top priority.
Its writers and editors also have the skills to create a big-picture plan that encompasses all your customer-keeping content. Having an overall, cohesive customer retention plan in place ensures no element is left out or done randomly, and that the elements work together in harmony.
When you hire a writing agency, there are no limits to the professional-caliber, customer-friendly content its staff will produce for your website.
Attractive, detailed product and services pages are vital to your sales and your distinctive brand—and, ultimately, to customer retention. A diverse agency’s staff has the know-how to create those pages, whatever your industry. Consulting with your sales and marketing teams, they’ll bring your offerings to life in each category, with engaging images and professional-quality copy.
Creating your help center and FAQ is no problem for an adept writing agency, either. Its writers and editors are expert organizers of information. They will efficiently research and compile your help procedures and contacts and frequent customer questions and answers, verifying each with your department heads and experts before the pages go live.
Your blog pages—your frequent online conversations with your clients—need to be compelling, be easy to scan, and bring value. Savvy agency writers understand that you only have a few moments to capture customers’ attention before they move on. The agency’s team writes the headlines, subheads, bullets, and more that serve as magnets to your blog’s content.
If information-gathering interviews are needed, agency writers will make efficient use of your experts’ time.
Your site’s online manuals and handbooks should be easy to find, complete, read, and use. A smart agency knows how to achieve all of that, no matter the high- or low-tech nature of the material covered. As objective writers and editors, agency staff can help ensure that your manuals and handbooks are written in language that truly serves your readers, rather than soaring over their heads.
3) Other Customer-reaching Content
Customer greetings, follow-ups, and customer engagement surveys are all designed to show your clients that you appreciate them and don’t take them for granted.
To accomplish its mission, this content needs to be done consistently. (Periodically, in the case of surveys.)
Hire a seasoned writing agency to help create a calendar for this content, and then to deliver each piece on time, every time.
An experienced writing agency coordinates with your marketing or other departments to garner ideas for topics and survey questions.
Customer appreciation newsletters and emails. A competent writing agency’s staff includes journalists as well as writers from the corporate world. It can provide a team to write compelling copy on the industry-related topics and people you want to feature, at the level of your typical reader’s knowledge of the industry.
Take the intensive work involved in producing frequent, eye-catching, enlightening newsletters and emails off your own full plate. Hire a writing agency to provide professionally written content for these important pieces of your customer retention plan.
In today’s uber-competitive business environment, content is king.
Brands that produce fresh, engaging, and relevant content stand out among their competitors.
According to data by HubSpot, 90% of brands plan to continue focusing on content creation in 2022 and beyond. This figure underscores the importance of relevant content in the current and future business landscape.
So, how important is effective content creation?
Content creation has proven to be an incredibly successful option for marketers. Given the significance relevant content has for consumers, brands must use content creation to reach their target audience.
This article will discuss content creation and its role in business growth. Moreover, this article will explore how content creation has gained a foothold in today’s business landscape.
What is content creation?
Content marketing has increasingly become to go-to format brands use to communicate with their target audience. In particular, content creation effectively delivers consistent value to consumers without “selling.”
Best-selling author and entrepreneur Jay Baer offers this thought: “Content is the emotional and informational bridge between commerce and consumer.”
This quote illustrates the significant relationship brands create with their consumers. Building this relationship is possible when brands successfully bridge the gap between themselves and consumers.
Please bear in mind that content creation is not about “selling” anything.
Effective content is not about getting consumers to buy products. Effective content creation is about eliciting an emotional response in consumers.
Think about the ads that brands such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi produce.
These brands focus on the emotional response their products elicit from consumers.
For instance, people who drink Coca-Cola or Pepsi have fun, are happy, and find themselves surrounded by loved ones.
A brand evokes a personal connection when content strikes a chord with consumers. This connection fosters trust.
As brands consistently deliver value, they position themselves in their consumers’ minds. Ultimately, brands may create bonds with consumers that can last a lifetime.
Why is content creation important?
Undoubtedly, successful content can take a brand to the next level. Specifically, there are three key reasons why effective content creation is critical to successful business growth:
1. Promoting Brand Awareness
Brands seek to position themselves in consumers’ minds. However, using catchy slogans and jingles does not always translate into sales. As a result, promoting brand awareness becomes a top priority.
Please remember that brand awareness is not necessarily about placing billboards all over town or hoarding ad space on television. Brand awareness is about creating a positive association between brands and consumers.
Marketing guru Seth Godin offers this thought: “A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”
Indeed, Godin’s contribution underscores the importance of brand awareness: compelling consumers to choose one brand over another.
Successful brands know how to compel consumers to choose them over another. This effect does not require mind control or deceit. It requires communicating the brand’s unique value proposition.
Effective content creation helps communicate value in a way that resonates with the target audience’s specific expectations.
2. Increasing Engagement
Traditional marketing (television, radio, and print) focuses on a one-sided conversation. Consequently, consumers have little to no say in anything the brand does to meet their expectations. This type of advertising leaves plenty of room for brands to get it wrong.
How so?
One-sided marketing does not allow consumers to voice their opinions about the product or the brand itself. As a result, the brand must directly approach consumers to find out their expectations, wants, and needs.
This situation changes dramatically with engaging content creation.
New channels such as social media enable brands to maintain two-way communication with their consumers.
Consequently, brands receive direct input from consumers.
Brands now have the opportunity to make quick adjustments to meet their target audience’s needs and expectations.
This ongoing dialog is possible thanks to engaging content.
3. Boosting Sales
Indeed, the ultimate goal is to boost sales. But please note this is not merely about making money. It is about delivering value while turning a profit.
Without profits, brands and their unique value propositions would cease to exist.
Engaging content creation facilitates consumers’ purchasing decisions. Amid the sea of alternatives, creative and effective content creation allows them to separate the wheat from the chaff.
In other words, sales climb as consumers’ brand perception reflects a specific set of values and a vision.
Brand expert Simon Mainwaring offers this highly interesting contribution: “Define what your brand stands for, its core values, and tone of voice, and then communicate consistently in those terms.”
Boosting sales hinges on consistently communicating a brand’s message throughout its interaction with consumers.
Consistency builds trust in consumers’ minds. And trust is the treasured commodity that ultimately sways consumers’ purchasing decisions in favor of one brand or another.
What kind of content do growing businesses need?
Businesses focused on growth need content. However, it must not be content for the sake of content.
Producing irrelevant content can do far more harm than good.
Content that fails to resonate with consumers can lead to a disconnect between brand and consumer. Moreover, consumers may be unclear about the brand’s values and vision.
Brands must, therefore, strive to produce content that is relevant, useful, and delivers value at all times.
Here are three key content types that brands must consider to foster engagement and drive revenue:
Blogs
On the surface, blogs may seem old-fashioned. This perception stems from social media’s predominance, particularly among younger demographics.
Nevertheless, blogging holds a significant foothold among relevant content across the board.
73% of marketers indicate that effective content creation allows them to nurture their leads. In comparison, 64% indicate that content creation enables them to generate increased sales and revenue.
Based on these data, it is evident that blogs represent a powerful means for brands to maintain close communication with their consumers. An informative and relevant blog can increase traffic, drive sales, and boost overall revenue.
Videos
Videos are a particularly effective means of engaging younger audiences.
Attractive visuals are often a great way in which brands can interact with their consumers.
For instance, YouTube is a highly engaging video streaming platform that enables two-way communication.
Consumers can leave their comments, suggestions, and opinions about any number of issues.
Is video content truly that effective? Consider these figures:
According to Statista, over three billion online users were consuming some type of video content in 2020.
Video content has an overall reach of 92% of users worldwide.
Nevertheless, the biggest challenge facing brands is compelling content that engages and reaches audiences effectively. There is, consequently, growing demand for adept content creators that can tailor content to suit consumers’ needs.
Infographics
Infographics are predominantly visually based content creation strategies. They allow consumers to digest a large amount of information in a condensed format. As a result, consumers can easily get large data sets without having to go through extensive research and reading.
Here are some interesting points on infographics:
A study revealed that 82% of test participants’ attention spans increased due to the use of infographics.
In general, people are 39% likelier to remember information when using a colorful and visually attractive format.
Readers are 80% likelier to remember information in documents using color than black-and-white ones.
Indeed, colorful and visually appealing graphics are incredibly effective in engaging consumers.
Nevertheless, infographics are useless if the information they contain does not resonate with the target audience.
Consequently, brands must present compelling and useful information with attractive visuals. This combination makes infographics a highly successful communication device between brands and consumers.
How can a ghostwriting agency help brands boost their content creation strategies?
Producing high-quality content requires compelling prose, systematic research, and speaking the target audience’s language.
Without these elements, producing content that truly resonates with audiences can be difficult.
Brands face a considerable challenge as they may not always have a dedicated content creation team on staff.
Moreover, they may lack expert writers able to produce top-notch content within a short turnaround time.
So, what can brands do to ensure producing high-level content in a short timeframe?
Brands can employ a ghostwriting agency to tackle writing engaging content. Here is a list of what a ghostwriting agency can do for brands looking to produce top-quality content:
Short and long-form blog posts
Articles and whitepapers on various topics
How-to guides
E-books and handbooks
User manuals and technical documentation
Research and text for infographics
Video scripts
General marketing copy
Website materials
Product information
FAQ and data sheets
These materials are a sample of what a ghostwriting agency can do for any brand’s content creation strategies. As a result, a professional ghostwriting agency produces content that allows brands to provide worthwhile content, leading to a personal connection between brands and consumers.
What are the benefits of employing a ghostwriting agency?
There are three key benefits brands can expect when employing a ghostwriting agency to produce their content:
1. Hiring a ghostwriting agency saves time.
Even when companies have a dedicated marketing staff, producing high-quality content can become a time-consuming proposition.
There are research, writing, editing, and publishing tasks that often intersect simultaneously. As such, marketing professionals often need a helping hand to produce high-quality content in a timely manner.
A ghostwriting agency can step in at any time to help take the burden off overworked marketing staff.
Some brands may look to avoid overwhelming their marketing staff with content creation tasks. As a result, these brands may look to a trusted ghostwriting agency to help them produce high-level content in a fraction of the time.
Please remember that professional ghostwriting agencies employ experienced and vetted writers. These writers have backgrounds and expertise that enable brands to meet their marketing objectives.
2. Hiring a ghostwriting agency saves money.
A common misconception is that hiring a ghostwriting agency is more expensive than employing full-time marketing staff. This idea could not be farther from the truth.
In the long run, employing a professional ghostwriting agency is much more cost-effective.
The savings in hiring full-time staff (salary, benefits, insurance, and taxes) outweighs the expense incurred in employing a ghostwriting agency.
Additionally, the cost-benefit relationship between a ghostwriting agency and the content it produces easily tilts the scales in favor of hiring a ghostwriting agency.
3. Hiring a ghostwriting agency provides maximum flexibility.
A ghostwriting agency is a team of writers. Therefore, a professional cadre of content creators offers maximum flexibility.
Brands can opt for an overarching content creation strategy encompassing several media such as books, ads, videos, blogs, podcasts, and so on when they employ a ghostwriting agency.
Employing a ghostwriting agency allows brands to shift strategies as needed.
When customer perceptions and priorities change, brands can easily request their chosen ghostwriting agency to produce the content consumers demand. With a full-time, in-house marketing staff, these shifts are quite complicated.
One Last Thought
Hiring a ghostwriting agency might not be the first thing that comes to marketing experts’ minds. In fact, some marketers may feel threatened by the idea of hiring a ghostwriting agency.
However, there is no need to feel apprehensive about it. A professional ghostwriting agency strives to become a trusted partner in a brand’s overall marketing strategy.
A trusted ghostwriting agency is like any other valued member and contributor. Ultimately, choosing to work with a trusted ghostwriting agency may become one of the savviest business decisions any brand can make.
You are a seasoned expert in your industry, and you’ve always wanted to write a thought leadership book. But a book is a big project. Where do you start? How do you organize your knowledge? How do you know your writing is any good?
You aren’t alone. Many new authors struggle to start and finish a book. After all, you’re an expert in your expertise, not in writing, editing, publishing, researching, or proofreading.
Getting Help to Write Your Book
“There are two main reasons authors hire a writing agency for help with a thought leadership book – skill and time,” says Wintress Odom, owner and senior editor at The Writers For Hire, Inc. (TWFH), a Houston-based writing agency.
“Writing a book can take hundreds of hours; it’s quite an endeavor. To add that type of workload on top of what is already a 40-, 50-, 60-hour-per-week schedule—it’s just not going to get done. And others feel that their skillsets lay elsewhere. Who has time to be an expert at everything?”
Flori Meeks, a TWFH ghostwriter, agrees it can be difficult for clients to see a thought leadership book through to completion.
Their attempts to write a book can stall for any number of reasons.
Some are stuck at the idea stage, she says.
“Some bring an outline and others bring nearly-completed manuscripts and hire a writing agency to create a smoother finished product that appeals to its intended readers.”
Wherever you are in the process, a good writing agency’s ghostwriters and editors will pick up your project from there—whether it’s brainstorming your book’s concept, organizing its structure, writing your manuscript, or proofreading and editing your finished work.
Hire a writing agency and get a team on your side.
Because he believed that a diverse group of individuals offered the best chance for collaborative success, Edison consistently created teams that had members from several disciplines. The famous group that drove the breakthrough thinking behind the incandescent electric light consisted of a glassblower, a machinist, a chemist, a mathematician, an instrument maker, and a textile worker, along with Edison himself.
You, too, have probably enlisted teams to accomplish large professional goals. When you hire a writing agency, you recruit a team of writing experts to help you achieve another significant goal—finishing your book.
The Writers for Hire is a Houston-based writing agency with a history of effectively filling the writing needs of clients using teamwork.
Odom outlined two team-centered scenarios her agency uses in producing thought leadership books.
The team collaborates with the author (usually remotely) throughout the writing process. If additional help is needed with research, the agency provides it.
When a manuscript is completed, Odom says, an objective proofreader and a previously uninvolved editor are assigned to the project to bring outside perspective:
Basically, [it is] having enough hands to really perfect the book—it’s not something a single person can do. It’s not physically possible. I don’t care how good a writer you are—trying to write in a vacuum without any sort of editing or QA (quality assurance) process, you’re just not going to get the same level of refinement that we can by adding those extra people in the process.
In the second scenario, a more rushed project is produced by the agency on a three-to-four-month timeline. Some projects, the owner recalls, have involved “really intense research [on] tough subjects where they really wanted to show an expertise, but it was a time-sensitive subject for them, and they really wanted [the book] out quickly.”
The company assigns teams of four to five writers to the book in this scenario to finish it on schedule. An editor “smooths out” chapters as they are completed, ensuring that each chapter is written in the same style and voice.
Odom’s teams have put in 600 work hours within three months, something she says is “not physically possible for a single person.” But with multiple team members, the writing and editing are finished on a compressed schedule with continual quality control.
“You can write a book with one person in three months. It’s just not going to be very good,” she adds. With a lone writer, the objective viewpoints of others are missing from what becomes a more hurried process.
Meeks affirms that when the team approach is used, “you’re more likely to have multiple sets of eyes on your manuscript, which is going to produce something that is very clean, polished, and likely to resonate well with the readers.”
Hire a writing agency for its scope of experience.
Just as your expertise has been broadened and deepened over time while communicating and working with your customers or clients, the same is true of a reputable writing agency. Its writers have built their skillsets in crafting thought leadership books through years of conversations and collaboration with leaders in many industries.
Meeks notes: “Our writers have experience writing for many specific industries, and we try to match clients with writers who understand their industry and know to ask the right questions to get the best stories and really flesh those out and get, not just an interview, but a conversation.”
She recalls working with an author who was an entrepreneur in a wide range of industries. With Meeks’ understanding of business and entrepreneurship, she was prepared to ask good questions. The result was “a book that really showcased his expertise.”
Meeks also recounts helping leaders in the oil and gas industry, including one based in Africa, another who ran home foundation and horse-breeding businesses, a female executive in the energy industry, and an author involved in finances and investing.
A ghostwriting team with experience in your own or related industries will offer an informed sense of what your target reader wants to learn from your thought leadership book. The team will help ensure that your readers’ most likely and crucial questions get answered.
A good agency understands thought leadership books.
As you consider writers and editors for your book, look at their published projects. Have their efforts resulted in complete, cohesive, and polished thought leadership books? A respected writing agency has a portfolio of well-organized, well-written expert books to its credit.
One reason an agency completes these books successfully is its ability to oversee the entire process—something usually lacking with independent freelancers.
Odom explains: “A lot of individual freelancers may be familiar with one part of the process—they may be an excellent writer or editor. They may be very good at marketing the book, but it can be difficult to find someone who has a specialty in making all of these connections to walk you through the entire process.”
When a manuscript is completed, her company also advises authors on a range of options for getting it into print.
This could include anything from using a smaller independent publishing house to self-publication or other options in between.
Most important to you as an author, an agency will work to ensure that your own voice, personality, vision, and objectives for your book are reflected when it goes to publication.
Agency ghostwriters will take as much time as needed to learn all about you, your business, your expertise, and your style of communication.
Meeks explains how a skilled ghostwriter listens to an author:
It’s letting them tell stories about their experiences and reflect on their significance or lessons learned or changes they made as a result; share advice for others in their industry based on what they’ve gone through; and maybe reflect on what they’ve observed among colleagues and other companies. They’re given a chance to show what they know and understand.
Thought leadership authors are glad they hired a writing agency.
Image by Pexels
Here are a few samples of author feedback received by TWFH:
“I had previously sent you an email stating how very much pleased with the book…but, I am not sure whether I fully expressed it. Frankly, the writing of the book is simply outstanding! You and your team have done a wonderful job of creating a very readable and interesting book! I just can’t believe how it is all coming together.” — Norm B.
“You guys have been AWESOME throughout this process, and we can’t thank you enough for how quickly you knocked out a whole book insuch a short time. Wecould not have been more satisfied with the work you did!” — Tommasina D.
“Wanted you to know that the book finally arrived on Wed. I would love for you to have a copy. You spent so much time with it you shouldsee the printed version. Thanks for help once again. You may never get rid of me!” — Danny K.
