Tag: Other Ghosted Content

5 Ways to Use Content for Customer Retention

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

“When the customer comes first, the customer will last.”— Walt Disney

Attracting customers is one of the biggest challenges companies face. Keeping them is an even bigger one.

After all, customers are the lifeline of all businesses.

When companies successfully care for customers, they not only attract new customers but also retain them. While attracting customers is pivotal to ensuring success, retaining them is even more so. Thus, the question becomes, “How can companies retain customers?”

In this discussion, we will focus on the importance of customer retention. Moreover, we will explore five ways to use content for customer retention.

What is customer retention?

Customer retention boils down to keeping existing customers by selling to them repeatedly.

In other words, customer retention is about keeping customers coming back.

Moreover, customer retention is crucial since it means a company’s customers do not purchase from competitors.

On the whole, customer retention is one of the most effective strategies that businesses can use to boost revenue and improve their bottom lines.

The question, nevertheless, lies in understanding why customer retention is such an important part of successful business management.

Consider this fact:

The likelihood of selling to a new customer ranges between 5% and 20%. The probability of selling to existing customers jumps to 60% to 70%, according to consulting firm Invesp.  

Indeed, the data shows that it is much easier to sell to existing customers than to attract new ones.

So, what does this mean for companies?

It implies that businesses must focus on the most effective customer retention strategies available. While there are several, there is one that stands out.

What is the most effective customer retention strategy?

Customer acquisition (new customers) and retention (existing ones) hinge on a company or brand’s ability to deliver value during every interaction. Often, delivering value means providing useful and actionable information without selling anything.

Unfortunately, most advertisers get it wrong. They believe effective marketing is about pitching products and services every opportunity they get.

However, great advertising provides customers with value without “selling” them a product or service.

The best marketing strategies focus on relieving customer pain points by helping customers discover how they can solve their pain points.

Brands can help customers relieve their pain points by delivering relevant content. This content enables customers to solve their pain points while the brand provides them with the tools to do so (i.e., products and services).

Content marketing allows companies to consistently deliver useful and valuable information without “selling” to customers.

Content marketing is a powerful tool that allows businesses to maintain a two-way conversation with customers. Most important, content marketing gives companies the flexibility to tailor their message to customers’ needs.

As companies address their customers’ needs, they build trust in their brands. And trust is an extremely valuable commodity in today’s business landscape.

According to a 2019 survey, 81% of consumers indicated that trust determined their purchasing decisions. Therefore, it is paramount for marketers to build trust through an ongoing dialogue. Content marketing is the key to facilitating this ongoing interaction between brands and consumers.

Considering that content marketing fosters ongoing communication, it is worthwhile to explore five ways in which content marketing helps boost customer retention.

1. Direct Email Marketing

According to some figures, 81% of customer acquisition happens through direct email. Additionally, direct email marketing leads to 52% of customer retention.

How exactly does email marketing lead to customer acquisition and retention?

First, it is worth considering how direct email marketing does not work.

A common misconception is to view direct email marketing as sending subscribers a list of sales and promotions.

However, direct email marketing goes beyond alerting subscribers of new deals. Successful email campaigns involve delivering useful and relevant tidbits that benefit subscribers.

Content marketing plays a key role in delivering value at every turn.

Consider this approach:

A brand sends out a weekly email newsletter. The newsletter contains information topics that interest customers. In particular, there is no direct mention of sales or promotions. Customers get a free newsletter filled with relevant information they can use as they wish. At the end of the newsletter, customers receive an invitation to check out the website, where they can find more information about the brand’s products.

In this example, the band has avoided sounding salesy. Moreover, the brand has made every effort to remain present in customers’ minds by building trust.

How is it possible?

Customers know the brand is real because the information it provides has been useful time and time again.

Direct email marketing works. It does not matter if emails go out daily, weekly, monthly, or even annually. What matters is that the information helps relieve customer pain points without overtly attempting to push any products or services.

2. How-to Guides

How-to guides are a great way for companies to target their customers without “selling” them anything. Brands use how-to guides to approach their customers by offering free, actionable advice. In particular, how-to guides deliver value by allowing the target audience to learn a useful skill.

Here is something important to consider:

How-to guides help brands sell to customers by enabling them to see the company’s products in action.

For example, a hardware brand issues a series of how-to guides on common household repairs. In addition to branding, the company features its products throughout the demonstrations.

This approach creates a two-pronged effect.

First, customers get free, valuable information they can use in their everyday lives. Second, the brand showcases its products. Then, the brand encourages customers to purchase its products for their home repair projects.

Indeed, how-to guides provide a straightforward way of selling products without pushing them on customers. Moreover, how-to guides help boost customer retention as customers keep coming back to learn more.

Using how-to guides ultimately becomes a win-win for all sides.

3. Whitepapers

Whitepapers are detailed research documents that offer in-depth information and analysis about a product, situation, or problem.

As such, brands can use whitepapers to raise awareness or offer a solution to a specific situation.

Please note that whitepapers do not aim to sell anything at all. Whitepapers aim to draw the public’s attention to a specific matter.

The selling occurs when the brand offers a solution to the situation discussed.

Consider this situation:

A renewable energy brand publishes a whitepaper on the dangers of fossil fuels and their impact on the climate of its local community. The whitepaper’s purpose is to raise awareness about reducing energy consumption. Moreover, the whitepaper highlights how renewable energy can help build a more sustainable future.

Where does selling occur?

Based on solid academic research, the brand suggests that solar panels are a viable alternative to traditional fossil fuels.

The brand then encourages customers to learn more about solar panels on its website and YouTube channel. The link to the brand’s website showcases its line of solar panels, including product information and pricing.

In this example, it is clear that the brand aims to raise awareness on a serious matter while drawing the public’s attention to its product.

There is one caveat, however, that brands must consider. Whitepapers are serious business. Therefore, whitepapers must contain serious, accurate information based on trusted sources.

Unfounded claims will most assuredly defeat the whitepaper’s purpose and call the brand’s integrity into question.

4. Product Information and Reviews

Product information and reviews are highly useful, particularly when brands have an extensive product catalog.

Specifically, product information and reviews help customers determine what products suit their needs best. This approach allows brands to highlight their products while allowing customers to select the products they truly need.

Here is a great example:

A paint manufacturer has an extensive line of interior and exterior paints, wood finishing, sealants, varnishes, and spray paints. The manufacturer publishes a product guide containing a detailed description of each product line and its application. In addition, the guide contains product reviews from real customers. Each review highlights each product’s best features and useful applications.

Why is this content marketing strategy successful?

This strategy delivers highly useful information because it saves customers time.

With this guide, customers do not need to go to a local shop to get the information they need. They can read the guide to get detailed information.

Nevertheless, the brand encourages its customers to visit their local shops to get more details and purchase products.

Product guides, catalogs, and brochures are useful for communicating with customers, especially when this documentation does not aim to “sell” anything. Their sole purpose is to educate customers on how the brand’s products can help solve specific pain points.

5. E-books

E-books are highly successful ways brands can communicate with their customers. In particular, e-books provide truly relevant information on any number of subjects.

Furthermore, e-books come in many sizes. They can range from a handful of pages to a relatively substantial size.

Consider this example:

A psychological counseling clinic publishes a series of e-books on various mental and emotional issues. The purpose is to inform and educate the public. The e-books are free to download from the clinic’s website.

Here is the catch:

Each e-book contains a disclaimer stating that it does not constitute medical advice. Those wishing to get medical advice must seek help directly from a qualified professional. The book then suggests contacting the professionals at the clinic.

Why is this strategy successful?

It is successful because the book does not openly ask readers to sign up for any services or purchase anything.

The clinic suggests that readers seek professional help if needed. Then, the e-book provides the clinic’s contact information

Using e-books is a great way of reaching the public without being salesy. Moreover, e-books are a great way to boost customer retention as they help build trust in a brand. Therefore, using e-books as a consistent strategy allows brands to reach their customers without needing to pitch their products and services directly.

How can a ghostwriter help a brand’s content marketing strategy?

Producing top-quality content marketing materials is a painstaking endeavor. It requires dedicated attention to detail to ensure accurate and relevant information.

However, brands and companies may lack specialized expert writers. In this regard, a professional ghostwriter can ride to the rescue.

A professional ghostwriter can work in tandem with a company’s incumbent experts to produce high-quality materials such as brochures, product guides, e-books, how-to guides, blog posts, or social media materials.

Moreover, a ghostwriter’s overall experience and skillset can become a considerable asset to any brand’s content marketing strategy.

While hiring a ghostwriter is a great idea, hiring a ghostwriting agency may be a worthwhile consideration.

How so?

A ghostwriting agency typically consists of a team of experienced and talented writers. On the whole, different writers bring different skillsets and areas of expertise to the table.

Consequently, hiring a ghostwriting agency may become a highly useful strategy, particularly for brands looking to implement a far-reaching content marketing strategy.

Hiring a professional ghostwriter or ghostwriting team is a cost-effective way to produce useful and relevant content consistently.

After all, customers want to consume material from a trusted source. With effective content marketing, brands can become those trusted sources of valuable information.

GET YOUR CONTENT WRITTEN TODAY

HIRE A GHOSTWRITER

One Final Consideration

Consistency is the most important factor when it comes to successful content marketing.

Regardless of publishing frequency (i.e., daily, weekly), brands must remain consistent in their publishing schedule.

Tasking incumbent staff members may limit a brand’s ability to publish on a regular schedule. Consequently, hiring a ghostwriter or ghostwriting agency is the ideal means of staying on a regular publishing schedule.

Brands must consider enlisting the services of a professional ghostwriter to ensure they reach their customers consistently.

Please remember that consistency is one of the pillars on which trust relies.

Should I Hire a Ghostwriter for My Company Blog?

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

A blog is an effective communication tool between a business and its customers (or potential customers). However, companies often find that running a blog poses several challenges. These challenges range from lack of time to lack of writing experience.

Suppose you’re thinking about starting a company blog or have already started publishing content. In that case, you might be facing challenges in producing content.

So, what can you do about it?

In this article, we are going to explore how hiring a ghostwriter for your company blog can provide you with a great solution to the challenges you might be facing.

Defining a Company Blog

A company blog is a communication tool used to publish official information. A good blog should reflect what you want customers to know about your company, products, and services.

A blog is also a powerful marketing tool.

Companies use blogs to position their brands in consumers’ minds by delivering valuable content consistently.

Since this content is generally free, its purpose is to give brands visibility in customers’ minds.

Your company’s blog can become a highly effective communication and marketing tool when done right. Nevertheless, there are three key considerations when implementing an effective blog strategy.

  • Consistency. Consistency is crucial in establishing an effective blog strategy. It doesn’t matter if you publish weekly, monthly, or even quarterly. The key is to maintain a consistent tempo. In doing so, your followers will anticipate when the next post is due. Consequently, your company blog serves its purpose.
  • Relevance. Undoubtedly, your company blog must be relevant to your brand and target audience. A common mistake is to produce content about random or unrelated topics merely because these topics are popular at the moment. This approach will most likely confuse your followers and undermine your brand’s message.
  • Value. Your company blog needs to deliver as much value as possible. For instance, how-to guides are extremely valuable to customers and a great way for your company to advertise its products and services.

The Challenges of a Company Blog

Producing a company blog comes with its share of challenges. So, let’s take a closer look at the most significant ones.

Lack of Qualified Writers

Companies often find they don’t have anyone on their staff who can take on a load of producing content regularly. In this situation, it’s not that staff members cannot write effectively, it’s that they don’t have the experience needed to take on a company blog.

Lack of Time

Unless your company has a full-time staff writer on hand, you’ll most likely need to ask someone from your team to contribute to the company blog on top of their usual workload. Consequently, it may become complicated for staff members to contribute alongside their usual duties.

Lack of Consistency

When there is a lack of time and qualified writers, publishing content consistently may become extremely difficult. While content may be great, a lack of consistent publishing may cause followers to lose interest in the blog’s content.

Lack of Vision

A common misconception is that a blog is just about publishing as much content as possible. This strategy is flawed because there needs to be a vision behind the content. Therefore, a lack of vision may lead to random content that fails to communicate your company’s message.

Lack of Value

A successful company blog delivers value by consistently providing readers with useful content. Producing unrelatable content may defeat the entire purpose of your blogging strategy. Ultimately, the core of all successful blogs is to provide readers with valuable insights that solve a specific pain point.

Hiring a Ghostwriter for a Company Blog

When companies are serious about producing a meaningful blog, they often turn to a trusted ghostwriter or team of ghostwriters.

A professional ghostwriter, or team of ghostwriters, can produce valuable and relevant content that communicates your company’s core values and unique value proposition.

Nevertheless, hiring a ghostwriter may seem somewhat daunting, especially if you’ve never worked with one before.

It is, therefore, a good idea to do your homework on hiring a ghostwriter before taking the plunge.

Five Things to Consider When Hiring a Ghostwriter For Your Company Blog

1. Is it a good idea to hire a ghostwriter for my company blog?

In short, yes. It’s a good idea to hire a ghostwriter for your company blog since a professional ghostwriter has the skill set to deal with the challenges we discussed earlier. Here’s what a professional ghostwriter brings to the table:

  • Writing Experience. Professional ghostwriters know what it takes to produce quality content. They understand the writing process and how to engage readers with compelling and relevant material.
  • Availability. Professional ghostwriters have the skills to handle the workload that comes with producing regular content. As a result, professional ghostwriters can maintain a steady output of high quality content. Please remember, though, that the best ghostwriters are generally very busy. So, don’t be surprised if you may have to negotiate the frequency with which they produce new content.
  • Vision. Your company can work together with a professional ghostwriter to develop a vision for your blog strategy. By working in tandem, you can develop an approach that consistently engages readers and delivers meaningful content.
  • High Quality Content. A professional ghostwriter can take your company’s unique value proposition and translate it into a compelling message. As a result, your company blog’s content will consistently provide readers with useful content.

2. How does a ghostwriter know what to write?

There are two answers to the question.

First, your ghostwriter will write whatever you tell them to write. If you have a clear vision of the company blog’s direction, you can provide your ghostwriter with a list of topics. From there, a professional ghostwriter can craft meaningful content.

Second, a professional ghostwriter will work with you to develop a list of topics for your blog. This approach is especially useful when you don’t have a clear vision for the blog. Therefore, your ghostwriter will work with you to come up with a plan to generate top-quality materials.

Above all, experienced ghostwriters intuitively know what works and what doesn’t. As a result, they will assist you in making crucial content decisions.

Your ghostwriter’s input will become a valuable resource while you will have the final say.

3. How does a ghostwriter get information?

Professional ghostwriters must be skilled researchers. Otherwise, it would be virtually impossible for them to produce high quality content.

Even when a ghostwriter is highly knowledgeable, they must conduct research in order to produce accurate and relevant information.

The biggest concern in this regard is how a ghostwriter handles your company’s information.

After all, your company has sensitive information that you may not want your ghostwriter to access.

To avoid any possible issues with information, it’s always good to sign a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with your ghostwriter.

These agreements provide you with peace of mind knowing that your ghostwriter understands your information’s sensitive nature.

Here’s a key element to consider:

If a ghostwriter is hesitant or unwilling to sign any confidentiality paperwork, move on.

Reluctance to comply with NDAs is a major red flag. Moreover, don’t be surprised if a professional ghostwriter brings up the subject before you do. Please remember that experienced ghostwriters understand their clients’ concerns.

Last, it’s a good rule of thumb to determine the information your ghostwriter accesses. For instance, your ghostwriter may only access public information such as your website. By the same token, you may grant your ghostwriter access to specific company information.

Above all, it’s crucial to establish boundaries. In doing so, you can avoid inadvertently releasing confidential information.

4. Where do ghostwriters get information?

This question ties into the previous one.

Ghostwriters must be skilled researchers in order to produce high quality content. As a result, professional ghostwriters are familiar with public information, scholarly databases, government data, and other sources.

Nevertheless, you might be concerned about how your ghostwriter collects information related to your company.

For instance, your ghostwriter may interview employees and managers. Also, your ghostwriter may go through archival information on your company.

If you’re keen on supervising the information your ghostwriter is privy to, it’s best to set up a fixed contact point between your company and your ghostwriter.

Your contact point can be a manager, staff member, or even a senior executive. The contact point signs off on content outlines and supervises research. Moreover, they authorize material before it goes to publication. In this regard, your company retains control over the entire writing, editing, and publishing process.

GET YOUR CONTENT WRITTEN TODAY

HIRE A CONTENT WRITER

5. What are the pros and cons of hiring a ghostwriter for a company blog?

There are numerous pros and cons that come with hiring a ghostwriter. So, let’s take an in-depth look at both sides of the argument.

Pros:

  • Hiring a ghostwriter saves time and effort. Your company does not need to assign extra work to incumbent staff members. Your chosen ghostwriter will take care of the content you intend to produce.
  • Hiring a ghostwriter means your company has a dedicated staff writer on call. Yes, your company has a dedicated staff writer (or team of writers) without actually having them on the payroll.
  • Hiring a professional ghostwriter means you gain an experienced staff member. Instead of training a writer to do the job, you gain an experienced professional that can hit the ground running from the beginning.
  • Hiring a ghostwriter boosts your company’s marketing efforts. A successful company blog boosts your marketing strategy, eventually leading to more customers and improved sales.
  • Hiring a ghostwriter means you have one less thing to do. A professional ghostwriter is quite capable of working in the background with minimal supervision. This quality enables you to focus on the most important duties involved in running your business.

Cons:

  • Hiring a ghostwriter costs money. Indeed, your company needs to invest in a top-notch ghostwriter. Nevertheless, investing in a successful company blog strategy may become part of your marketing budget.
  • It may take some time to find the right ghostwriter. While you may find several ads for ghostwriters out there, not all have the skill set that matches your company’s needs. Therefore, it may take you some time and effort to find the right fit for your team.
  • There is an adjustment period. While an experienced ghostwriter will hit the ground running, there is always an adjustment period. During this period, you must work in tandem with your ghostwriter until they develop the tone you want for your company’s material.
  • You may have to compete for a ghostwriter’s time. In short, the best ghostwriters are always busy. So, you may need to compete with other clients for a ghostwriter’s time. If you find they can’t dedicate the time you need for your blog strategy, it might be best to move on.

On the whole, working with a professional ghostwriter is a worthwhile experience. Like any trusted business partner, your ghostwriter will become a valuable contributor to your company’s success. Thus, it’s crucial that you invest the time and effort needed to find the right fit.

One Last Consideration

By now, you might still be thinking, “Is it better to hire a ghostwriter or produce content in-house?”

The answer to that depends on the circumstances.

If you already have experienced writers on your staff, you may choose to produce content in-house.

Also, you may consider hiring a part-time or full-time writer.

Once they’re on your payroll, you control their time and attention.

However, if you plan to produce voluminous amounts of content, it may be best to hire a ghostwriting agency. Ghostwriting agencies can provide you with the brainpower and expertise you need to get the job done.

10 Best Formats for your Company History Book

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

Given all that goes into starting and successfully running a business, chances are that your company has a story to tell.

Have you been tasked with sharing it? Maybe you have a milestone anniversary to celebrate, a legacy to preserve, or a great brand origin to share.

Whatever the reasons, if you’ve thought about chronicling your company history, you may have discovered there are several styles and formats to consider.

If you don’t know where to begin, here are 10 company history books to get your creative juices flowing.

10 Best Formats for your Company History Book

1. Beyond the Pale- The Story of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Ken Grossman’s memoir chronicles his personal experience as a homebrewer turned mega-successful craft brewer. In some 250 pages, Grossman shares not only his adventures and anecdotes but also the approach and mindset that built his brand. The book also contains a section of full-color photography depicting his journey, serving as a well-done combination of memoir and illustrative history.

2. Kaufman Fruit 100th Anniversary Book

In this 145-page history, the Kaufman family includes a wide variety of family and product photographs, more than 50 fruit recipes, and stories based on 30 interviews – a style to consider if your family business has interesting anecdotes to share.

3. Anadarko 20th Anniversary Book

This 165-page company history may look standard at first glance, but what stands out is the use of large, high-end photography, sometimes spanning a page or a full spread, as well as the incorporation of employees, past and present. If you have a strong culture and/or strong company imagery, this may be a style to consider for your book.

4. Behind the Cloud – The Salesforce.com Memoir

Written by the founder of Salesforce.com, this memoir reads like nothing else on our list. In fact, it’s more like a playbook on how the startup became one of the world’s fastest-growing software companies. If sharing industry or entrepreneurial knowledge is more your thing, this may be the history book style for your company.

5. The Cullen Way – J.P. Cullen 125th Anniversary Book

Family owned businesses and construction companies will want to consider this corporate history commissioned by three brothers in honor of their late father. In 155 pages, the book highlights the company’s construction project portfolio, a family tree, and a history that not only chronicles the business but also the family, dating back to the 1800s.

6. Aerojet 100th Anniversary Book

If the length and level of detail of some anniversary books make you shy away from the idea, take a look at Aerojet’s concise compilation of history and photos in just 45 pages. Bulleted copy and a timeline make the book easy to comb through, and there is no shortage of imagery, from products to personal photographs, to advertisements and newspaper clippings over the years.

7. Korte Company 50th Anniversary Book

If your company history archives include plenty of tangible mementos, consider a scrapbook-style chronicle. For this 145-page book, everything from drawings and floorplans, to newspaper clippings, to hand-written notes were scanned in and used to illustrate a 50-year history.

8. Godiva 90th Anniversary Coffee Table Book

As you might expect, Godiva Chocolate’s anniversary book is a decadent journey through the company’s craftsmanship over the years. Unlike many of the others on our list, this one takes a coffee-table-book approach, full of attractive product photos and pitched as the perfect gift for chocolate lovers – an angle to consider if you have an aesthetically pleasing product or service (think architecture, food, fashion, travel).

9. Black Hills Corporation 125th Anniversary Book

This 200-page company history includes a nice balance of text and imagery, but unlike some of the other books featured here, its design relies heavily on the energy company’s corporate colors – a great example of what can be done through graphic design should your business be lacking on photography.

10. Wild Company: The Untold Story of Banana Republic

In this memoir penned by the founders of retail great Banana Republic, husband-and-wife team Mel and Patricia Ziegler write in alternating voices to tell their remarkable story. The nearly 100-page book is filled mostly with text supplemented by black-and-white photography and artist illustrations. Said by reviewers to read like fiction, this book may be a good example for companies with a charismatic voice and a surprising story to inspire entrepreneurial success.

CAPTURE YOUR STORY, TODAY

Preserve your company’s legacy

HIRE A GHOSTWRITER

5 Key Things to Know about Starting a New Company Blog

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

“Blogging isn’t about publishing as much as you can. It’s about publishing as smart as you can” — Jon Morrow

To a reader, a blog can be like an oasis. It is a drink of fresh water in the middle of a barren landscape. Blogs provide information, entertainment, solace, and encouragement. A good blog connects with readers. A great blog inspires them.

In the corporate world, blogs are a highly useful tool that engages consumers with companies and firmly establishes brands in people’s minds. A great company blog provides value while enabling corporations to connect with their customers on a deep level.

For companies that do not currently have a blog, the time has come to start one. The question is: How can a company start a new blog?

Stay tuned as we discuss the key elements needed for a new company blog to hit the ground running.

5 Key Things to Know about Starting a New Company Blog

1. Choosing Where to Host the Blog

Deciding where to host a blog is arguably the biggest factor to consider. According to digital marketing consultancy Hubspot, there are three main elements to consider when choosing a company blog host.

  • Fast loading times. Users ought to access content as fast as possible. Thus, a hosting service must have robust capabilities to ensure fast loading times. This feature is extremely important when blogs generate significant user traffic.
  • Reliable security measures. A blog host needs to have appropriate security measures to ensure the blog and users’ safety. Please note that safety refers to user safety, as well. The last thing a company needs is to have a data breach on its blog.
  • Uptime. A reliable blog host must ensure 99% uptime. This guarantee ensures that the company blog is available 24/7. Particularly, uptime is crucial when blogs cater to international audiences in different time zones.

Based on these criteria, companies looking to start a new blog have two options: launch their blog on a third-party blogging service or host it on their main site.

Both options have their merits, so it is worth exploring them in detail.

Choosing a third-party blogging service such as WordPress, Blogger, Medium, or Weebly provides a hassle-free option to publish content.

These sites offer a mix of free and paid subscription plans.

Small businesses or companies on a shoestring budget should consider using a free or basic subscription third-party blogging service.

These sites offer many of the capabilities needed to produce professional-looking blog posts.

Moreover, these blogging sites do not generally require coding or web development experience.

On the other hand, hosting a blog on a company site is preferable for large businesses and established corporations.

Often, large corporations have professionally crafted sites.

It is, therefore, possible to take an existing website and outfit it with blogging capabilities. Sites built on a WordPress platform typically come with blogging capabilities built in.

In some instances, companies may choose to revamp their website altogether. This renewal process can include the development of a new company blog.

Companies looking to implement a new blog may consider giving their websites a facelift while they are at it.

2. Understanding the Target Audience

Company blogs largely depend on the brand and its target customers. As such, understanding the company’s core customers facilitates identifying the blog’s target audience.

For instance, a company specializing in youthful brands would do well to focus its blog on topics relevant to a younger audience.

In contrast, a brand centered on an older demographic would benefit from presenting topics relevant to older individuals.

As digital marketing expert Neil Patel points out, “Your target audience is who you target with your marketing efforts.”

Indeed, a company blog is a marketing tool. When used effectively, it helps reach the intended audience. In turn, the target audience becomes the target customer.

In the end, the company wins by reaching the individuals that consume its products and services.

Patel recommends crafting a specific persona that adequately depicts the target audience. To achieve this, the following criteria ought to make up the persona:

  • Age
  • Educational background
  • Gender
  • Social status
  • Purchasing powers
  • Consumption habits
  • Location

For instance, a company targeting a younger demographic might craft a persona such as: men, aged 25 to 35 living in a busy metropolitan area, earning an average salary of $60,000 to $75,000, physically active, looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle and interested in consuming dietary supplements.

From this persona, it is possible to identify that a company blog plans to focus on fashion, health, supplements, and lifestyle. Consequently, blog posts should revolve around young men attempting to look their best through a healthy and active lifestyle.

Understanding the target audience is a critical step in ensuring a company blog’s success.

3. Using Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Blogs are highly useful marketing tools. They allow existing customers to find valuable information on the topics related to the company and brand they consume.

However, blogs can also become effective tools in attracting new customers.

How so?

Using blogs allows newcomers to discover what the company and brand have to offer.

Consequently, new visitors can discover the unique value proposition the brand has to offer.

The challenge, though, is facilitating how newcomers come upon this value proposition.

An effective technique is using relevant keywords embedded in the blog’s text.

Relevant keywords refer to the words and terms users would utilize to search for information related to a specific topic.

For instance, an individual interested in learning more about life insurance would type “life insurance” into a search engine such as Google. Google then displays a list of the most relevant search results. These results largely depend on the text’s prevalence of the keyword(s).

Additionally, keywords may include the geographical location in which the business operates. A user searching for “life insurance” in “New York” would come across a number of companies offering this product. Therefore, insurance companies in New York would do well to include these relevant keywords in their blog posts.

The use of keywords in blog posts and other website content gets the term “search engine optimization” or SEO. SEO is a common tactic used to boost a site’s ranking in search results. As such, careful planning of blog content facilitates the implementation of SEO strategies.

There is one caveat: Content creators need to ensure blog posts are coherent and logical while optimizing content for SEO purposes. Overuse of keywords, or keyword stuffing, can make texts incoherent or useless to readers. Thus, ensuring worthwhile and relevant content while developing a solid SEO strategy goes a long way toward building a solid presence on the web.

SEO and content marketing specialist Duane Forrester had this to say about effective SEO practices: “On a broad scale, I see SEO becoming a normalized marketing tactic, the same way TV, radio, and print are traditionally thought of as marketing tactics.”

Forrester’s insight sheds light on how SEO is quickly becoming a common practice among online marketers. Therefore, companies must take advantage of this strategy. The best way to do so is through a valuable and insightful blog.

4. Producing Useful and Relevant Content

On the surface, producing content seems straightforward. Content creators sit down and write.

However, producing content is not quite so simple. Producing quality content requires a combination of skill and experience.

Unfortunately, for most companies, having qualified writers on their team may become quite a challenge.

On the whole, producing content is not merely about marketing copy. It is about producing content relevant to users’ needs.

For example, a food products company may start a cooking blog to showcase its products. Please note that rehashing recipes from old cookbooks will not deliver the value customers seek.

Therefore, producing quality content demands that companies and brands use their unique value proposition to display the value readers can discover. Also, content creators must ensure they avoid making an overt sales pitch. While there is nothing wrong with plugging products, making a sales pitch the sole purpose of a blog post may turn off readers altogether.

The key element to keep in mind is to provide actionable information readers can use to solve a pain point. After all, why would anyone take the time to read a blog post?

Of course, some blogs are popular due to their entertainment value. Nevertheless, business blogs generally strive to provide readers with valuable insights.

Consequently, helping readers solve pain points becomes a truly compelling reason to consume a company’s blog.

Marketing guru Seth Godin once remarked, “I made a decision to write for my readers, not to try to find more readers for my writing.” Indeed, understanding the reader greatly facilitates attracting more users and ultimately positioning a brand in readers’ minds.

5. Hiring a Professional Writer

There are times when companies lack qualified writers on their staff.

At times, companies task inexperienced staff members with producing content.

Other times, executives and entrepreneurs take on the challenge of producing blog posts. However, they soon find that inexperienced and busy executives cannot keep up with the demands of consistent blogging.

How can companies maintain a consistent blogging regimen?

Hiring a professional writer, often a ghostwriter, can help companies keep up with the rigors of regular blogging.

A professional writer has the experience, qualifications, and know-how needed to produce quality content. Additionally, professional writers generally have specialized backgrounds. Companies must, therefore, ensure their chosen writer has the appropriate background to deliver top-notch content.

What must companies consider when hiring a professional writer?

There are five key traits companies must consider when hiring a professional writer:

  • A professional and academic background that fits the content and target audience.
  • A “voice” that matches the blog’s theme and tone.
  • Writing experience in similar situations or topics.
  • Willingness to accept change and constructive criticism.
  • A professional attitude and disposition to sign the appropriate paperwork.

Please bear in mind that there are “inexpensive” writers out there. However, please note that a less expensive option does not always come with the guarantee and assurances companies need.

It is important for companies to check out a professional writer’s references and track record before committing to their services.

It is a good rule of thumb to review applications thoroughly. Then, interviewing prospective writers provides decision-makers with objective criteria they can use to make an informed decision. The five key traits listed above can help companies create an evaluation checklist.

Some companies opt to hire a writing agency. Writing agencies host several writers on staff.

This diversification of talent allows companies to expand their blog’s scope while ensuring they work with qualified writers. Consequently, hiring a writing agency can greatly enhance the blog’s overall marketing reach.

A common belief is that hiring a professional writer or writing agency is costly. However, this assumption quickly falls by the wayside when considering most companies’ marketing budgets.

Virtually any company can make room in their marketing budgets for consistent blogging.

Please remember that blogging regularly does not mean posting new content every minute. Companies may commit to blogging daily, weekly, or even monthly.

Ultimately, the frequency does not truly matter. What matters is ensuring that content consistently reaches readers.

GET YOUR CONTENT WRITTEN TODAY

HIRE A CONTENT WRITER

The Last Word

Most folks believe that predominantly visual marketing tactics tend to overshadow blogging.

However, this assumption is flawed since visually based content serves one purpose while text-based content serves another.

There is an important place for text-based content regardless of a company’s turn of business.

Everything from auto mechanics to fashion brands can find value in utilizing blogs to deliver content. The challenge, though, is to focus content on the target audience. Otherwise, well-written content will not have the intended impact.

Great blogs deliver value by solving a pain point. Solving pain points depends on the target audience.

Naturally, content must effectively address readers’ needs to produce the desired outcomes.

Additionally, having a qualified writer, whether in-house or externally, ensures that blog posts accomplish their mission.

Ultimately, brands position themselves while enabling companies to continue growing as they reach their target customers.

Picking the Best Format to Write Your Life Story

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

You’ve had an interesting life, and you want to share your story with the world. You want to share lessons learned, leave a legacy for your family, or preserve favorite memories. You’ve thought about writing a book more than once, but you’re not sure where to start.

In fact, you’re not even sure what kind of book you should write.

Should you tell your story in chronological order, starting with the day you were born? Should you aim for a series of “snapshots” of important events in your life? Do you want to focus on one aspect of your life, like your career? Do you want to write about a challenge you’ve had to overcome?

We know. That’s a lot to think about.

First of all, don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed.  A book is a big project, and there are several great options for writing your life story. In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular options, and help you decide which is best for you.

Autobiography or Memoir?

Although you’ve probably heard these two terms used interchangeably, there’s actually a difference between an autobiography and a memoir. Both are great options for telling your story, but the option you choose will depend on things like your goals for the book, the focus of your book, and the types of stories you want to share.

The Autobiography

An autobiography is a sweeping factual narrative of your life.

It’s written in chronological order from your birth to the present moment.

It is based on factual events rather than memories and emotions, and highlights the experiences and accomplishments throughout your lifetime.

All autobiographies are written in first-person, typically by the author themselves, but can also be written by a ghostwriter.

While this format is normally used by famous people who have a lot of accomplishments and experiences to document, anyone can write an autobiography.

Within the autobiography format, there are two main approaches.

  1. You can write your life story strictly based on your history and accomplishments, listing the events of your life in consecutive order so your readers can learn about you and your life experiences.
  2. You can write your life story based on a particular theme. How would you define your life in one key message? Maybe it’s the idea that love conquers all, or a theme like overcoming adversity and never giving up. By determining one main theme and weaving it through the all facts of your life, it makes for a more interesting story and creates a better flow.

In fact, many of the best autobiographies out there have a central idea that blends with the author’s entire life story throughout the book.

Pros: This is a little easier to write, due to the chronological and factual nature of the format. Unlike some of the other options available, an autobiography can be straightforward and simple; there is no need to use literary devices or embellishments.

Cons: Presenting your life story in a strictly factual, linear way can be less interesting than a memoir. The “just the facts” approach also means you’ll need to do lot of fact checking and research. Also, it can be difficult writing about yourself, especially in the first person, without it feeling stilted. You might find that you sound too humble or even too arrogant — it’s hard to strike the right balance.

Suggested Reading:

The Memoir

Unlike an autobiography, a memoir focuses on a more specific point in time based on your memories and the feelings of that time period.

It is meant to re-create the past instead of merely record it, which makes for a more interesting read.

This format is also written in the first person but is less formal. Instead of emphasizing factual events, a memoir is focused on how you remember or were affected by these events.

One of the great things about this type of format is that it gives you, the author, great flexibility. You can write about anything. This is also a great option if you find that you really enjoy writing:  because a memoir covers only one aspect, event, or time period in your life, you can write numerous memoirs about other experiences.

You can write a memoir about your childhood, your travels, your family, your career, or anything else. Think about a key theme or lesson and how it affected or shaped you then and now. You can write about a single personal event that happened; a single historical event; a series of connected events that have a common thread; or an external person or event to you and how it/they affected or shaped you, your life, and your outlook on life.

Pros: You can write  about virtually any topic, theme, experience, or event. Plus, because you’re writing about your own memories and events in your life and not about your accomplishments, it’s easier to write without sounding stilted or over-indulgent. And if you love to write, you can write numerous memoirs.

Cons: Writing a memoir takes a little more writing skill to make the story flow in an interesting way. Also, your memories could be less clear than the real events which could possibly open you up to liability issues. Other things to consider are privacy of others and the potential of alienating yourself from friends or family depending on your subject matter.

Suggested Reading:

Many Ways to Write Your Life Story

Now that you know the difference between an autobiography and a memoir, it’s also important to know that these aren’t the only two ways to write your life story. Consider these optional formats:

The Diary or Journal

Many people regularly journal or keep a diary to chronicle their life’s experiences. If you have kept a journal over the years, then you are even closer to writing your life’s story.

It doesn't matter if you have never journaled before.

You can start right now to keep track of your daily life and use that as a springboard to writing your story.

Using a theme or single topic as you journal can be a good way to get started.

Plus, if you do it in this format, you can take a mix of both the autobiographical format and the memoir format by doing it chronologically but with more emotion and not as much fact.

You can also simply intermix the memoir and diary formats together and write your memoir as if you were doing journal entries.

Pros: You may have already been keeping a diary or journal throughout your lifetime, so it makes a great format to start with as much of the writing is already done. You can also still build around a central theme or simply write your memories out in this format.

Cons: Many diaries or journals contain mundane thoughts, feelings, and daily events that aren’t interesting to write about or read. It can be harder to go through each entry and extract the interesting parts from what is probably not all that interesting. Oftentimes, keeping a diary or journal will lead to a lot of rambling and usually there isn’t a cohesive theme or event to it.

Suggested Reading:

The Biography

A biography is the telling of person’s life story—typically a famous person—by another author.

It is usually written in the third-person voice (he/she) and is also factual in content and written in chronological order from birth to the present moment, just like an autobiography.

But just because biographies are normally written by someone else, there is no rule book that says you can’t write your own biography!

All you need to do is take your story and write as if it happened to someone else. 

You can also write your memoir this way using a he/she form of writing.

Pros: Writing in the third person vs. first person can help you detach from your story so you can see it more objectively. Also, much like an autobiography, this format is based on facts and an easy to follow timeline, so you can write in a more direct way without a lot of added fluff like you would in a memoir or autobiographical novel.

Cons: Writing in the third person form can be difficult when writing about yourself and your achievements. You also must still focus on the historical events of your life and the facts which means a lot of research and fact checking is necessary.

Suggested Reading:

The Autobiographical Novel

Another way to present your life story is writing a fictionalized book based on the true or remembered events of your life.

Why write your life story as if it were made up and put it into novel form?

Certainly, there are risks when you write your life story and present a factual (autobiography) or semi-factual (memoir) account.

Liability, privacy, protecting other people who are still living, and a sensitive subject matter are all good reasons to choose this format.

Of course, writing in a fiction format can also be a good way to embellish on facts that aren’t quite so interesting. Just remember to never make up facts and portray them as truth within your life story. You can use truth within your fiction, but not the other way around.

Pros: By choosing this format, you can avoid hurting family, friends, and other people that are a part of your story. You can also protect yourself from liability issues by presenting sensitive topics and information as fiction. Plus, if you don’t fully remember all the events you’re writing about, it might be better to present them as fiction. And writing in novel form allows you to embellish on the facts that aren’t quite so interesting.

Cons: Presenting the truth as made up doesn’t give the healing or closure on certain events or topics in your life which is something many people try to do when telling their life story. Also, you want people to know it is your story and writing in fiction can cause confusion to your audience.

Suggested Reading:

Alternative Formats

Want to do something completely unique?

The great thing about writing your own story is that, well, it’s yours. And that means you can tell it any way you choose.

The only limit is your creativity.

Here are some ideas of other formats you can try:

  1. Like almost everyone, you probably have a phone in your hands at any given moment. Start taking video of important experiences and events to create a video autobiography.
  2. Create an audio or oral autobiography by voice recording yourself talking about your life, history, events, or anything you want to talk about to your intended audience.
  3. Take a series of photos of you with captions and create a digital photo autobiography that chronicles your life by placing it online, CD, or another digital format.
  4. Using photos, letters, certificates of achievement, journaling, and paper, make a one-of-a-kind keepsake scrapbook that tells your life story. It will be visual, unique, and something you and your family can treasure.
  5. Do you like to take your own photos? Create a digital memoir using photos you have taken across a life event, experience, or topic.
  6. Maybe you’re an artist and have created paintings and drawings over the years. Consider putting them all together into book form that helps tell a story of your life, similar to a memoir or across your life like an autobiography.
  7. If you are an avid social media user, you could consider taking your social media conversations, social media posts, even your text conversations and compile your life story around these things, even using a similar format. Group them together by topic or theme to make for easier reading. If using text messages or comments made by others, be sure to get permission from them before you publish in any sort of way so as not to plagiarize.
  8. Write a series of short stories and put them together into a book, like an anthology. They can be stories about similar topics or events or can be completely separate and random.
  9. Create a book of poetry with each poem detailing aspects of your life or memories.

Pros: You can present your life story in anyway you choose! You can be as creative as you want while possibly even starting a new niche in this genre – you could be a trendsetter!

Cons: You have fewer examples to follow to help you along with telling your story, especially if you are a new writer. You’ll have to be extra creative and make up your format as you go which might extend the time it takes to get your project completed.

Suggested Reading:

CAPTURE YOUR STORY, TODAY

Preserve your legacy

HIRE A GHOSTWRITER

5 Steps to Finding the Right Ghostwriting Agency for Your Technical Book

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

Do you think most politicians, business tycoons, celebrities, and experts write their own books? Think again. As you might have guessed, many bestselling books are written by ghostwriters working for ghostwriting agencies.

Ghostwriting agencies have gained massive popularity in recent years because, with them, you can get your content curated by an experienced team of professionals just the way you want it.

But what types of services can a ghostwriting agency offer you if your content is highly technical? And how do you choose the right ghostwriting agency?

Choosing the Right Ghostwriting Agency for Your Technical Book

Technical ghostwriting is a lucrative profession. The job of a ghostwriter is to take your technical content and turn it into something engaging, interesting, and informative for the target audience.

So, how do you choose a ghostwriting agency that is the right one for your book? The following steps will help you understand the entire process and make the right decision.

1. Clearly define your book.

The first thing you need to do is define the goal of your technical book and what you want it to cover. For this, you will have to explain your requirements to your chosen ghostwriting agency.

You can either provide them with written information or a verbal explanation.

Providing detailed information to ghostwriting agencies will help them clearly understand everything and write your book accordingly. As a result, you will avoid multiple rewrites and save time.

Make sure you provide the following information to your chosen ghostwriting agency.

The Title and Subtitle of Your Book

Clearly state your title and subtitle to avoid ambiguity. The ghostwriting agency may suggest changes based on their experience to improve the title. The ghostwriter can help you determine how clearly the title conveys what the book is about. Will it grab your reader’s attention? Will they be satisfied that the book delivers on the promise of the title?

The Message You Want to Relay to Readers

Explain the message you want to relay to your readers thoroughly. Tell the ghostwriter what information should be included in the content and what information should be excluded.

An effective way to confirm that your ghostwriter understands your message is to request an outline before they begin writing. It will save you time and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Remember that your ghostwriter may suggest some changes to the agreed-upon outline during the writing process. Accepting or declining changes would totally be up to you.

The Three W’s

The three W’s structure is the most effective way to define your content. It can be a valuable tool for helping to clearly define the scope of your book. The three W’s take you through three stages: What happened? What changed? What’s the latest situation? Use the three W’s when you discuss the outline of your book with a ghostwriting service.

2. Interview the agency.

Once you have shortlisted some ghostwriting agencies, and determined which ones might be a good fit, you need to prepare for interviews with each of the agencies you have selected.

You should assess them in the following categories to help you make the right decision.

Their Experience and Niche Knowledge

Few ghostwriting agencies are experienced in every niche. The knowledge and experience of their ghostwriters are what determines how good a fit they may be for your project.

Some ghostwriters have more experience writing memos and reports, while others prefer writing product descriptions, datasheets, and whitepapers. You will have to choose the one that can work comfortably in your niche.

A nonfiction ghostwriter may not need to perform much research if they are already an expert on the subject of your technical book.

Your Target Reader

You may have a good understanding of your target audience, and your ghostwriting agency should too. An excellent ghostwriting agency can help you create content that successfully engages your target reader, since the success of your book lies in your ability to connect with your target audience.

They will help research and identify your ideal customers by developing a market segmentation plan. Segmenting the broad market into smaller groups of like-minded individuals who share specific needs, behaviors, and characteristics will enable them to engage better with your target audience while writing the book. Next, they will ensure your writing goals are clear and concise.

3. Outline the project.

A good ghostwriter understands that outlines are a great way to start a book writing project.

An outline helps to present the ideas for any topic using a coherent structure.

It’s a good practice to request an outline from your writer to be sure that they understand the purpose of your technical book.

How will you tell if the outline is good enough?

The outline should clearly define what you want your readers to understand concerning your topic. It should establish the structure for the entire book.

Also, the outline should be divided into headings and subheadings to distinguish the book’s main points from the supporting points. The sections need to be ordered in a way that will make sense to you and your readers.

The best ghostwriter for your technical book should be ready to deliver an outline that will make you eager to see the rest of the content.

4. Discuss schedule.

Time and Payment

You should clearly discuss your book project’s budget and timeline with your ghostwriting agency. The discussion should cover the time needed to write the book, the volume of the content, the amount of research, and the payment schedule.

The time to complete your technical book can vary from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the size and type of content.

It would be best to be prepared to give your ghostwriter ample time to finish your book.

Many ghostwriting agencies request an upfront fee and milestone payments.

Some writers choose to collect 30% of the project fee upfront, another 30% after submitting the first draft, and the remaining 40% at the end of the project. Milestone payments like this offer protection for both you and your ghostwriter and can ease the work process.

5. Sign an NDA.

NDA stands for a Non-Disclosure Agreement. It is your legal right to get an NDA signed when working with a ghostwriting agency.

It covers a wide range of legal aspects, royalties, and your rights to the book.

NDAs are usually unique and best kept simple. Key features that should be included are the time frame, the definition of confidentiality terms, information about the purpose of the NDA, and other essential legalities.

With an NDA in place, everyone’s interest is protected, and your ghostwriter will not be able to claim ownership of the book or share your book idea with anyone else.

CAPTURE YOUR STORY, TODAY

Preserve your legacy

HIRE A GHOSTWRITER

Benefits of Hiring the Right Ghostwriting Agency

By now, you may be questioning why you should hire a ghostwriting agency when there are so many steps needed to choose the right one. Hiring a ghostwriting agency has several advantages, including avoiding the inconvenience of project delays, low-quality writing, inauthenticity, and plagiarism.

No Delays

Delegating your writing task to a ghostwriter is a great way to meet your deadlines for completing a book and publishing it. With a lower chance of delays, you’ll get your final copy on schedule.

Some delays are emotional, and if you haven’t written a book before, you may find it challenging to get started.

You may keep procrastinating about writing your book when there are so many other things that need your attention – such as family, important business meetings, or medical appointments.

Ghostwriters can handle your technical book more objectively because they are simply doing their job, and they have done it many times before. They have the skills and experience to write your book within a specified scope.

High-Quality Writing

If you aren’t a professional writer, you may have difficulty creating high-quality content that will appeal to readers. Your book needs to be more than just your thoughts on paper; your ideas should flow naturally from one section to the next. This is what will make your book engaging and informative.

The educational level and experience of a ghostwriter are crucial for technical ghostwriting.

Ghostwriting agencies obtain and verify the background and academic level of their writers.

You can rely on the reputation of a ghostwriting agency when you consider hiring them. An easy way to review their reputation is to read feedback from clients, usually provided in the website's testimonial section.

A high-quality ghostwriting agency gets excellent reviews from its clients, ensuring your book will be written by top-notch ghostwriters.

Plagiarism-free Content

Plagiarism involves one writer taking another person’s content and presenting it as their own. It is unethical and unacceptable.

Professional ghostwriting agencies often run plagiarism checks on their content to ensure you are getting a 100% original book. Since it is their work to write content, professional ghostwriters uphold the highest standards against plagiarism and deliver unique content.

Authenticity

Inauthentic content contains non-factual information. Such content can cause you embarrassment, and your technical book will lose its credibility. It can hurt your reputation and negatively affect your future projects.

A high-quality ghostwriting agency should understand that you have a goal for your technical book, and you want your book to fulfill your purpose.

For example, you may wish to use your technical book to help advertise or sell certain products. The content of your book should engage with your audience and benefit your business.

As you are the author of your book, it should reflect your message to your audience.

A high-quality nonfiction ghostwriter can weave your company or brand values into the content. They can ensure your technical book aligns with your other content and successfully integrate your advertising strategy with your overall business and brand.

Conclusion

When looking for a ghostwriting agency to write your technical book, you should take the time to choose one that is best able to meet your needs. A ghostwriting agency with a good reputation is more likely to share your valuable knowledge through well-written content.

During your search for a ghostwriter, a good approach is to start by shortlisting five to six ghostwriting agencies. You don’t want to spend the time interviewing dozens of ghostwriting agencies if you can avoid it.

When you are discussing your project with a ghostwriting agency, you should assess the skill level of their ghostwriters. You can ask to see some of their previous work, which will help you analyze whether they match your writing style and voice.

Always be clear about what you expect from your ghostwriter and discuss all details of the process. Cooperation and communication between you and your ghostwriting agency are the keys to setting your ghostwriter up for success with your technical book.

Finally, try not to rush the process of selecting a ghostwriting agency. If you find one that you believe will be a good fit, it could be worth waiting for the writers of your choice if they are not immediately available.

Finding the right ghostwriting agency for your technical book doesn’t have to be challenging, and following a systematic approach can help smooth the process and get you the best results.

7 Tips for Choosing the Best Technical Writer for Your Project

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

If you’ve ever been tasked with writing technical documents for a diverse audience, you know that it’s not as simple as it sounds.

You are well versed in your area of expertise and could talk about it for days on end. But when it comes to explaining it to someone outside your field, you find that it’s much easier said than done.

That’s where hiring a technical writer pays off.

What does a technical writer do?

A technical writer creates documents such as user manuals, help files, instructional videos, white papers, press releases, newsletters, e-mail messages, and web pages. Hence, they may also be called instructional designers, instructional technologists, instructional specialists, instructional developers, instructional facilitators, or instructional consultants.

This professional writer usually works directly with a client to determine what information needs to be included in a document.

The writer then researches the subject matter and develops content based on the client's requirements.

Once the content is developed, it is presented to the client for review and approval.

Do I really need a technical writer?

There is an increasing demand for technical writers globally, and research shows that the demand for technical writers should grow by 7 percent between 2019 and 2029.

The need for technical writers is increasing because preparing a technical document can be quite tricky. Unfortunately, you may not have the resources to train your employees to perform this function. This means you will need to contract out the job to a qualified technical writer.

Here are some examples of situations where you might need a technical writer:

  • Your company sells products that require instruction.
  • Your company provides technical support for products that require instructions.
  • Your company produces instructional materials for use by other people.
  • Your company makes presentations to customers, suppliers, investors, or potential partners.
  • Your company wants to improve its image through advertising.
  • Your company wants to attract new customers.
  • Your company offers services to small businesses.
  • Your company is expanding into new markets.
  • Your company plans to sell more than one product.
  • Your company wants to expand its market share.
  • Your company sells software.
  • Your company uses technology to make sales calls.

What should I look for in a technical writer?

Undoubtedly, a good technical writer will create content that will boost your brand’s image and set you apart from your competition.

Because hiring a technical writer is a process that shouldn’t be taken lightly, we’ve put together seven tips to guide you in choosing the best technical writer.

1. Expertise

Choosing a technical writer who has worked in or written about your niche means they can create content that will suit your business perfectly.

In addition, their portfolios and previous writing experience will reveal their writing style and voice, which will help you determine if they are the best fit for your business.

Your ideal technical writer should be interested in your field, familiar with your subject matter, and have experience with similar projects. In addition, you need someone who can create compelling content for your target audience and drive traffic to your business.

2. Excellent Grammar Skills

Do not underestimate grammar skills in your quest for an ideal technical writer. You need someone who can string words together in a clear, accurate, and reader-friendly way.

Grammar is crucial for readability, credibility, clarity, and communication. Unfortunately, readers will find it hard to trudge through a work that is peppered with typos and grammatical errors.

Writers with poor grammar skills are not taking their craft seriously and will string words together haphazardly. But a professional technical writer with excellent grammar skills must have taken the time to master good grammar, which shows a level of commitment to the writing craft. Besides, a document with no grammatical errors will be more enjoyable to read.

3. Creativity

A technical writer must be creative to develop evergreen, unique content for your business.

They should be open to new ways of doing things and create content that stands out from the competition.

Since creativity opens the mind and keeps it active, creative writers will easily use their imaginations to develop creative thoughts, broaden their thought processes, enhance their logical skills, and improve their problem-solving abilities.

By using their creative skills, your ideal writer should be able to craft a decipherable, compelling, and engaging set of instructions out of otherwise complex information.

4. Knowledge

This is probably the most important quality to look for in a professional technical writer. Your ideal writer should be well informed about subjects relating to your specific niche. In addition, they must have enough knowledge of the subject matter to provide accurate information.

Industry-specific knowledge eases the process of understanding and conveying your tech-related information to your audience. This knowledge makes a technical writer more valuable and makes the writer’s work easier.

Hence, a good technical writer should improve their knowledge and skills by studying continuously.

5. Willingness to Learn New Skills

The ideal technical writer must be well-versed in your niche or willing to learn all there is to know about it. Willingness to learn shows that a writer is hardworking and passionate about getting your work done.

Therefore, you should hire a technical writer who is ready to learn new skills and has the tendency to challenge themselves continuously. This will make it easier for them to convey your complex technical information more straightforwardly.

A writer who demonstrates a willingness to learn new skills can take on more responsibilities to prove their commitment to your work. Such people are usually more motivated and have the self-discipline needed to meet your set goals.

6. Adaptability

Not all technical writers have a voice or style that matches your company’s vision. But a good technical writer should be able to adapt quickly and acclimatize to your specific needs.

This soft skill is not just a desired quality but a necessity for technical writers. You want to hire a technical writer who is versatile enough to learn new documentation tools, the latest technologies, and new ways of presenting technical information to your target audience.

For the sole purpose of creating meaningful content for your particular audience, a professional technical writer will readily adapt to new technology, guidelines, language, or standards instead of sticking to old ones.

7. Proficiency with Writing Tools

Technical writing has evolved since the days of using pen and paper.

As a result, there is a wide range of assorted tools or software you can work with to develop great content, format your document, and communicate information more effectively in today's digital landscape.

Although technical writing requires expertise, a technical writer armed with the best technical writing tools will help immensely. In addition, these tools have features that help improve the documentation process by making it easier and faster.

Some of the tools to look out for are grammar checkers like Grammarly and plagiarism checkers like Copyscape.

Final Thoughts

Effective technical writing presents information without necessarily attracting attention to itself. Because it is meant to express, not impress the reader, you will need to hire a technical writer who knows their onions.

A good technical writer is an enabler of information whose primary focus is to move your readers to take the desired action. Therefore, having the key features to look out for at your fingertips will go a long way in choosing someone who will help demystify your technical documents for your target audience.

10 Great Books to Inspire You to Write Your Business Book

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

Articulating book ideas is not a straightforward proposition. There are times when books stall because it is not easy to transform an idea into a tangible manifestation.

Thus, finding inspiration in other sources can help frame one’s ideas into a clearer picture.

To help a business leader find inspiration, books by other influential business professionals can provide a useful frame of reference. Here are ten books to inspire professionals to write their business books.

10 Great Books to Inspire You to Write Your Business Book

1. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

This classic biography features tech pioneer Steve Jobs’ rise from a garage to the heights of the business world.

Serving as both a personal story and business masterclass, the book revolves around interviews and accounts by Jobs himself as well as others that knew him.

This book provides inspiration on how one’s personal story can intertwine with business endeavors.

It is a must-read for anyone looking to find the best way to combine their personal and professional journeys.

2. Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way by Richard Branson

Richard Branson’s autobiography details his rise to prominence. In particular, Branson highlights how he defied conventional wisdom to put his mark on this business world.

This voluminous account reveals insight into why his business ventures have been successful.

Moreover, readers can distill crucial lessons into why some of his other ventures failed.

Professionals can find inspiration in this volume as it is part autobiography, part business guide.

As such, business leaders looking to share their recipe for success can find a good blueprint in this book.

3. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…, and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

Good to Great has become a staple of business literature.

In this book, Collins distills years of research and anecdotal evidence into lessons businesses and professionals can implement to lead their businesses from bad, to average, to great.

Most importantly, the book features personal insights into how leadership is a crucial element in any successful business.

Good to Great provides a model for any professional looking to establish themselves as a subject matter expert.

Professionals who have research and abundant experience can take this book’s approach to present their data.

Moreover, this volume uses a straightforward tone, thus making a highly complex topic digestible for readers of any background.

4. The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko

The Millionaire Next Door is a treatise into how America’s wealthy have made their fortune.

After decades of research into behavioral economics, the authors compiled their findings—along with personal observations and data driven analyses—into a roadmap for wealth accumulation and preservation.

This book is a great source of inspiration for anyone looking to take their experience, coupled with data and analytics, and transform both elements into a coherent contribution.

Additionally, subject matter experts can find a useful example to follow in this classic of personal finance.

5. Built from Scratch: How a Couple of Regular Guys Grew the Home Depot from Nothing to $30 Billion by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank, with Bob Andelman

Built from Scratch chronicles the story of Home Depot founders Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank.

This fascinating book tells how Marcus and Blank grew their business from nothing and transformed it into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise.

Taking readers through the authors’ dismissal from their jobs up to their crowning achievements, Built from Scratch is a great source of inspiration for anyone looking to write a company history book.

Professionals, founders, and business owners looking to chronicle their company’s story must read Built from Scratch.

6. Idea Man: A Memoir by the Co-Founder of Microsoft by Paul Allen

Idea Man is a compelling memoir by Paul Allen. As the co-founder of Microsoft, he was the less public figure behind the corporate giant.

In this book, he recounts his experiences while delivering useful insights into his business dealings.

Throughout the book, Allen goes into detail about his thought process and how he approached his life following his retirement from Microsoft.

In this memoir, business leaders can find a guide on how to frame their personal contributions to their specific domain.

This book can serve as a model by which professionals from all walks of life can systematize the lessons they want to preserve for generations to come.

7. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Think and Grow Rich is a classic of the business world.

In this book, Hill chronicles his experiences with wealthy individuals.

In particular, he distills these experiences into lessons and principles anyone can follow on their way to building wealth.

Think and Grow Rich helped catapult Hill into subject matter expert territory.

Business professionals looking to translate their experiences and expertise into a methodical guide can find inspiration in this timeless work.

The lessons and principles contained in this tome remain relevant nearly one hundred years later. Thus, business professionals from all walks of life can find the inspiration they need in this book to translate their acumen into a subject matter expert masterpiece.

8. Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 Into a Billion Dollar Business Bu Barbara Corcoran with Bruce Littlefield

Shark Tales is a memoir/autobiography about real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran.

This book offers various facets of her personal and business life.

It is a company history book, memoir, and autobiography all polled into one.

In this story, readers can discover the secrets and insights that led to Corcoran’s highly successful business empire despite her humble beginning.

Shark Tales inspires readers to write about their transformational journeys.

Moreover, this book delivers a clear roadmap for entrepreneurs seeking to shed light on their personal brand of success.

9. The Martha Rule by Martha Stewart

Celebrity juggernaut Martha Stewart distills her expertise into ten clear-cut rules business professionals can follow to navigate the corporate landscape successfully.

Stewart flexes her subject matter expert muscle to deliver a masterclass on running a successful business in this book.

Business professionals looking to share their expertise as subject matter experts can find inspiration in this highly informative volume. In particular, focusing on how Stewart frames her rules can help aspiring authors present their knowledge in an easily digestible format.

10. Start Something that Matters by Blake Mycoskie

In Start Something that Matters, readers discover a feel-good story about giving back.

The story centers on Blake Mycoskie’s soul-searching journey following multiple failed startups. He founded TOMS based on the idea of giving back to poor children around the world.

This book is a fascinating combination of personal and company history. Additionally, the author reveals his recipe for success following failure.

This book inspires readers, especially after succeeding in the face of failure. In particular, entrepreneurs can find a wonderful source of inspiration to combine personal causes that matter with successful business or charitable ventures.

Making Sense of It All

Ultimately, a business book is about reflecting one’s own journey through the business world.

The books described in this article serve as examples of how other successful individuals have leveraged their subject matter expertise to create masterclasses.

Nevertheless, there may be times when inspiration may not necessarily translate into immediate writing success. As such, hiring a ghostwriter or ghostwriting agency can help make a book idea come to fruition.

Most importantly, the aim is to ensure that great book ideas become a reality.

Who Uses Ghostwriters?

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

Despite the notable names on their covers, it is widely understood and accepted that the memoirs and autobiographies of celebrities and public figures who are not known for their erudition are—in actuality and a majority of the time—the works of hired, uncredited writers.

But were you aware that ghostwriting comes in many forms other than just books? And did you know that ghostwriters aren’t only hired by celebrities and the like?

As a matter of fact, it is arguable that a majority of the ghostwriting out there in the world fits into alternative categories.  And most ghostwriters are hired by people who are not household names.

Ghostwriting is far more ubiquitous than one might think. It is found in nearly every corner of daily life and the services of ghostwriters are implemented by a wide array of industries and individuals.

The output of ghostwriters is found almost everywhere. To gain an understanding of the variety of businesses and industries that utilize ghostwriting, it’s best to investigate its various manifestations in everyday life.

10 Surprising Examples of Ghostwriting in Everyday Life

The following examples of commonplace ghostwriting demonstrate its prevalence outside of traditional publishing.

Scripts, Screenplays, and Videos

During a memorable moment on his 2007 comedy album Werewolves and Lollipops, comedian Patton Oswalt reveals that one of his side-gigs—in addition to his career as a stand-up comic and voice actor—is ghostwriting screenplays for Hollywood.

In his act, Oswalt hilariously defines this form of ghostwriting—known as “punch-up” in the movie industry—as being asked to “think up funny, off-screen jokes that people that aren’t on screen can yell over the unfunny, uninteresting action to make it a comedy.”

Sometimes the ghostwriters that Hollywood brings on to punch up a script are pretty big names in entertainment themselves.

And sometimes the particular movies they are assigned to make for rather inexplicable pairings.

Here are some examples:

  • M. Night Shyamalan, a writer and director known for creeping tension and twist endings—the likes of which can be seen in many of his own movies like The Sixth Sense and The Village—was a ghostwriter for the 1999 teen date movie She’s All That.
  • Quentin Tarantino, a director whose own films rarely venture far from the deep-black end of the comedy spectrum, co-wrote the screenplay for the silly and lighthearted Saturday Night Live production of It’s Pat: The Movie. Tarantino did not accept credit for the work, lending his help as merely a gesture of friendship with Julia Sweeney, who starred in the film in the titular role.
  • Charlie Kaufman—best known for complex and cerebral works like Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Synecdoche New York, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind—was brought on as a writing consultant for Kung-Fu Panda 2.
  • Carrie Fisher, the actress most famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the Star Wars films, was a ghostwriter for 1992’s Lethal Weapon 3.

Many varieties of ghostwritten scripts are also acted out off the silver screen, such as those for television programs, commercials, and even the kind that are read aloud by cold-calling telemarketers and customer service reps.

The modern computing age has provided a new arena for ghostwriting as well.

Just about any up-to-date personal computer or laptop is capable of producing professional grade video graphics and sound. With internet video hosting as widespread and efficient as it has become in recent years, the climate for independently created content has never been more in favor of the little guy.

Individuals and businesses of any size alike now have the ability to create and distribute an infinite supply of promotional videos for advertising, instruction, or entertainment.

This entirely new genre of content has opened up a script quality void that ghostwriters are filling for many of the more successful producers.

How-To Manuals and Technical Documents

Almost all products on the market today—from devices to medicines to packaged food items—come with some form of instructions for use. These instructions may be required by law in some cases or they may only be in place to enhance the user experience.

Regardless of any requirements dictating their existence, instruction or operation manuals are extremely helpful to the end user. And ghostwriters are often brought in to write them.

Ghostwriters unaffiliated with the products at hand approach the writing of their user guides from an objective viewpoint.

They take directions from engineers and designers and translate them for the customer with more clarity than the manufacturer would most likely ever be able to produce internally.

Social Media

Ghostwriters are hired to manage the social media accounts of both public figures and brands.

While some celebrities have so many followers and so much engagement that handling even one of their social media accounts would constitute a full-time job, for the most part, social media ghostwriters simultaneously manage multiple accounts for multiple clients.

Social media ghostwriting is primarily the same for both personalities and brands. The ghostwriter receives updates from their client, repackages it appropriately, and then communicates it to the audience.

Social media ghostwriting differs from other forms of ghostwriting in that there is an element of immediacy to it, and much more audience engagement across platforms.

Followers are able to instantly engage with and respond to content.  A ghostwriter for social media accounts must be able to react and respond to breaking events and trending topics and dialogue with their readers when appropriate.

Advertorials

Ghostwriters are often behind the conceptualization of advertorials—hybrids of advertisements and editorials—that can appear in various forms of media.

They are found in print in newspapers and magazines. They exist in audio-only format on the radio or attached to podcasts. They appear as video on television, streaming services, or online.

The key distinction that distinguishes advertorials from their component parts is how they are subtly disguised as newsworthy discussions that accomplish the goal of brand recognition and information dissemination.

While plenty of people are already averse to completely standard advertising, ads that purport to be something else entirely can come across as even more disingenuous. A talented ghostwriter, however, can produce advertorial content that maintains the reader or viewer’s interest while avoiding insincerity and underhandedness.

Sales Emails, Business Blogs, and Newsletters

A staple of modern business in the digital era is the standard sales email.

The goal behind every business email is not necessarily to get the reader to buy the product or service advertised within it.

The goal is instead, more simply, to get the reader to act—to click a link where more info is offered, to register for a list, to visit a website.

Skilled, advertising ghostwriters are capable of crafting copy that elicits these desired responses from the reader.

Company newsletters differ from sales emails in that they do not highlight a specific product or service but instead keep the reader up-to-date on the latest company developments and keep the company at the front of the reader’s mind.

Business blogs run parallel to newsletters in that their purpose is not to specifically sell customers on any particular item other than the idea of the company as a larger community that includes the reader within it.

The goal behind a company blog is to discuss greater lifestyle topics that would interest their customers—a kayak manufacturer publishing an article about the best North American rivers, for example.

By incorporating blogs and newsletters in their outreach, ghostwriters working on behalf of a company can capture the attention of their customers and further endear them to the brand.

Press Releases

At one time, press releases were one of the few ways an organization could make an announcement or get the word out regarding a particular event.

Despite the fact that there are now many additional avenues for public relations, press releases are still an effective means of sowing interest around a development that a business or individual would like to make the public aware of.

Press releases by nature are also picked up by different news organizations and publicized. Some of the publicity that comes from their issuance happens organically.

Also, press releases are effectively entered into a larger historical record. When published by newspapers, they are archived both in print and online indefinitely.

Some ghostwriters specialize in press releases and are adept at wording them for search engine optimization and to ensure the widest possible print circulation.

Medical Publishing

While doctors and medical research scientists are undoubtedly high-level intellects with advanced degrees, they aren’t necessarily great writers. In many cases the nature of their positions means that they also lack the time required to properly report on their findings.

A large portion of the output in the field of medical publishing is actually the work of ghostwriters.

The doctors and scientists behind the wealth of ongoing medical research rely on specialized ghostwriters who transcribe and translate their work for a more general audience upon completion.

The Music Industry

In the 1960’s and 70’s, Los Angeles based record companies like Capitol, RCA, and Columbia were the very heart of practically all popular music at the time.

To this day, many of the recordings that came out of that time and place remain cherished classics and the artists named on all those album covers are considered icons of that particular music scene.

However, few of those artists actually wrote any of their songs. And almost none of them had anything to do with the production of their albums apart from the vocal tracks.

The real work was left to professional studio musicians who could perfectly execute the performances—sometimes in a single take—saving the record companies a great deal of time and money.

The pool of musicians working in Los Angeles at the time were exceedingly adept and creative and came to be known amongst industry insiders as The Wrecking Crew.

Their very existence remained a closely guarded secret for decades and the listening public remained in the dark. That is, until the various identities that made up the crew were eventually revealed and celebrated for their rare talents.

While the state of the modern music business has been extremely turbulent since the turn of the century and the dawn of the streaming age, the presence of ghostwriters and other creatives—both credited and uncredited—seems to have remained unchanged.

From the public spats between alternative rockers Courtney Love and Billy Corgan to the various admissions, denials, and breathless clarifications regarding ghostwriting from some of the biggest music stars of today like Drake, Jay Z, Kanye West, Post Malone, and many more, it seems that ghostwriting has definitely established a solid footing among recording artists.

Online Bios and Resumes

Hiring ghostwriters isn’t an act reserved for large companies with deep pockets. Individuals regularly hire ghostwriters for boutique assignments in “one time use” capacities as well.

Often these ghostwriters are hired to elevate the client’s personal brand as opposed to a corporate one.

Resume writing services offer complete makeover packages for resumes, cover letters, and profiles on career sites like LinkedIn.

Ghostwriters of this variety promise results like keyword optimization that will get your resume through forbidding applicant tracking systems, formatting that stands out, and they even back up their claims with interview guarantees.

Speeches, Toasts, and Roasts

It is widely understood that, for the most part, presidents and other heads of state do not write their own speeches, but rely on professional speech writers to skillfully gather their sentiments in a phrasing that is complimentary to their natural speaking style.

Lower level politicians and corporate leaders take advantage of speech writers as well.

Even actors and musicians—in anticipation of awards ceremonies like the Oscars or the Grammys—will hire ghostwriters to help them word acceptance speeches should they be recognized at the event.

Corporate chiefs also commission ghostwriters to help them with their presentations at large, formal company meetings and product launches.

Even events like the roasts held by The New York Friars Club—legendary for the extreme nature of the free-wheeling insults lobbed back and forth by their participants—are in fact carefully planned exercises in ghostwriting.

The basic setup of a standard roast is that there is one individual honored at the event, but only after he or she has been made to listen to a litany of comedic yet brutal personal insults. The “roasters” who deliver these remarks gleefully attack each other as part of the ceremony as well. Finally, the honoree is granted time at the podium for a revenge speech.

Despite the vitriol exhibited on stage, behind the scenes, preparation for the event is actually a completely collaborative process where off-limit topics are agreed upon in advance and the featured comedians help to write the very insults that will be directed at themselves during the show.

Ghostwriters are even available for very small jobs like wedding toasts and other family events.

Considering how easy it is to preserve such events for posterity with the convenience of modern videography, it makes a lot of sense to thoughtfully plan out the remarks that you might make at them.

So, if you have an upcoming event at which you’ll be speaking or presenting written materials, perhaps some help from a ghostwriter is in order. 

Starting a Company Blog from Scratch: 7 Ways to Generate Content Ideas Through Topic Research

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

“Without strategy, content is just stuff, and the world has enough stuff.” — Arjun Basu

In today’s business world, content is king. One way for organizations to succeed is by delivering consistent value—and there is nothing more valuable than relevant and useful content. As such, organizations of all kinds endeavor to consistently provide high quality content.

One of the most effective ways to reach an audience is through a blog.

While blogs may seem somewhat old-school, they continue to be an effective way to engage with prospective clients and customers.

However, starting a company blog from scratch can be a daunting task when there is little clarity about what topics to cover.

In this case, topic research can be a useful tool to help organizations generate content ideas. In essence, topic research boils down to analyzing trends in data relevant to an organization’s specific field of expertise.

In this article, we focus on 7 ways organizations can generate ideas to engage their audience and build more brand visibility.

7 Ways to Generate Content Ideas Through Topic Research

1. The Target Audience

A simple, yet effective way of determining what readers want is to ask them directly.

This approach is straightforward and allows a company blog to address topics specifically relevant to its target audience.

Organizations can talk to their audiences in various ways:

  • Surveys. Surveys are still the most effective means to get accurate information about an audience. A carefully crafted survey can provide valuable insight into users’ interests. Moreover, customized surveys can identify specific topics users want to learn about or products they would like to see.
  • Social media. Nowadays, social media is a highly useful means of talking with users. In particular, users’ comments on social media posts often reveal their thoughts and opinions on relevant blog topics. Since social media is prevalent in most users’ lives, monitoring social media can be a treasure trove of new content ideas.
  • Interviews. Conducting one-on-one interviews can provide wonderful insight into what content users want to read. More often than not, users will be quite honest and upfront about what content they are interested in reading.
  • Focus groups. Using focus groups gives organizations insight into what like-minded individuals want to get out of the content they consume.
  • Newsletters. In general, newsletters are a one-way communication between an organization and its users. However, newsletters can also become a means of getting feedback. Some organizations leave the door open for users and subscribers to contact them to offer comments and ask questions. From this feedback, organizations can determine what type of content, frequency, and format their users prefer.

2. Analytics

Analytics provide highly useful information about the visitors to websites, and the data can be quite robust. For instance, analytics provide information on age, gender, location, and even search history.

Thus, analytics from previous blog posts can also serve as a way of measuring trends. For example, tracking which posts got the most and least visits is a simple but effective way of gauging customer interest.

Additionally, analytics stemming from purchases, downloads, and time spent on a site and links can all offer valuable insight into the behaviors, preferences, and patterns of visitors.

Using these analytics as a base for topic research can yield interesting ideas. For example, company blog topics centered on best-selling products are great for generating new ideas.

Often, user comments on a company blog can shed light on topics followers want to learn about. New ideas can emerge from these comments.

3. Industry Topics

In general, there are topics that are relevant to every industry. These topics revolve around questions, problems, or information users most want to see, and reflect what users are searching online.

For instance, a health and wellness blog could focus on nutrition and exercise.

However, nutrition and exercise are significantly broad topics. As a result, the list of potential topics can become quite extensive.

Thus, content creators should narrow their focus to what is truly relevant to their website. In this regard, a health and wellness blog may choose to focus solely on vegan nutrition.

This decision must stem from a keen understanding of its core audience. Brands, organizations, and content creators can gain this understanding from the analytics they can gather through the various tools at their disposal.

Additionally, content creators must be careful to stay on topic. In other words, attempting to expand into other topics unrelated to their core message may cause followers to become confused.

Maintaining a focused view should be the main priority.

4. Keyword Research

When users search for information on a topic, some keywords or phrases are typically used more frequently.

Keywords play a crucial role in assessing user interaction with content. Thus, keyword research is a vital tool for anyone looking to start or expand a company blog.

Keyword research consists of uncovering the specific keywords most commonly used when users search a given topic.

There are research tools available that track keywords based on different metrics. These metrics measure analytics such as the most common keywords in the last hour, day, week, month, or year.

Additionally, content creators can search for certain keywords to gauge their popularity. Search engines such as Google offer free analytics on keyword usage.

Nevertheless, more robust and content-specific analytics typically come with premium subscription services.

5. Competitor Research

This technique involves some benchmarking. Generally speaking, benchmarking consists of studying what other successful content creators have done.

The result of this practice is to distill ideas that can then become part of one’s content.

Content creators can begin by searching for new ideas on their competitors’ websites. Also, content creators can look at other company blogs on similar topics.

The aim is not to copy someone else’s posts.

Instead, the objective is to identify what content is bringing in traffic to competitors’ websites.

From there, content creators can create their own original posts on the same or related topics.

Furthermore, competitor research enables content creators to see what type of language, formats, and layouts are “in” at the moment.

This research can be used to create new content that incorporates what appears to be getting the best results.

6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When conducting research using search engines, frequently asked questions (FAQs) usually appear in the search results.

FAQs often contain popular keywords used in search queries.

These FAQs can easily become a source of inspiration for fresh content ideas.

For example, a FAQ like “What is the best insurance company?” can yield many content ideas.

Additionally, competitor analysis can examine FAQs to ascertain what information users are seeking.

Company websites often have sections dedicated to answering FAQs. A review of these FAQs could lead to new content ideas for a company blog.

7. Hiring a Ghostwriter or Ghostwriting Agency

A company blog requires a regular stream of content to remain fresh. Sporadic content creation is a sure-fire way of losing user interest.

A good rule of thumb is to post new material in accordance with a regular schedule. For instance, daily content requires content creators to post content consistently, sometimes multiple times a day.

However, some organizations may not have the staff to post with such great frequently.

In such cases, employing the services of a professional ghostwriter or ghostwriting agency can be a good strategy.

Experienced ghostwriters can aid in producing brand-new content at specific intervals. They can be tasked with delivering the new content as often as a company needs.

Some professional ghostwriters are also adept at generating new content ideas. These professionals have experience in keyword research and competitor analysis or can draw from their professional experience to propose topics.

Consequently, employing a professional ghostwriter to generate new content ideas can be a useful approach.

In general, experienced ghostwriters propose a list of topics for the organization to consider. Then, the organization can choose which content ideas best fit their objectives. This decision can rely on analytics, practical experience, or even anecdotal information.

Once the organization chooses a batch of topics, the ghostwriters can work on producing the content.

Please note that ghostwriters with experience in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can greatly enhance the material’s searchability. SEO strategies focus on embedding relevant keywords into the content so that users can find it more easily.

Conclusion

Starting or expanding a new company blog does not have to be a monumental task. The strategies outlined in this article show that uncovering new content ideas is a matter of focused work utilizing the right tools. These tools can provide organizations with the insight needed to generate fresh content ideas.

Nevertheless, generating content ideas is only one part of the equation. The other part requires that posts have the appropriate content, specifically aimed at attracting the right users.

Hiring a professional ghostwriter or ghostwriting agency can make a meaningful difference.

Ultimately, an organization can take the research tools contained in this article and pair them with competent ghostwriters to create a wonderful company blog. The outcome will enhance the company’s ability to generate brand visibility and achieve its objectives.

The Writers for Hire, Inc Ⓒ 2021. Privacy Policy