Ask A Content Writer

"Content is king!" There, we said it. It's a mantra echoed in every corner of the marketing universe, from freelance professionals to large marketing agencies alike; it's earned its cliché. Content's rise to the throne as King was swift, but you'd have to go back over a decade to understand how it came to rule organic search strategy. That's another blog all to itself, but here's a clue from an old Google Webmaster Blog post that explains Google's pivot away from using keyword meta tags as a ranking factor. What that meant for website owners was simple; don't tell us your content is worthy, prove it. The bar was set. It's a measure that continues to tower over content creators today. In part three of this series, we give technology professionals an inside look at what it takes to create content that dominates online search by interviewing our team of professional Content Writers.

Fact:  All staff Writers at One Firefly are rigorously trained on all manners of the Residential Custom Integration channel, and only write for this industry. They have mastered the delicate craft of writing content that is all together technically accurate yet easy to read, persuasive, and, most importantly, effective. Every month, our writing team regularly cranks out over 400 uniquely tailored articles on behalf of Custom Integrators throughout North America. That's a nice setup to say; their insight is priceless (in our slightly humbled opinion). Read on to get the inside scoop.

SEE ALSO: Working With A Marketing Agency: Interview Part 1

1) How do you identify a client’s “voice” before writing for them? How do you make sure each client's unique voice is communicated through writing?

"When clients start the onboarding process with us, they give us some details regarding their preferred writing style. They can choose from descriptors, and our Client Relationship Manager outlines what to expect. From there, writers get detailed instructions regarding client preferences, documented in our CRM. Our writers review those notes before starting any content project to ensure accuracy and on-brand communication.

Clients often keep us updated regarding preferences, or send us samples of something they read and want us to emulate! Our team is flexible and intuitive: I’m proud that we can take client direction, grasp it and turn it into a memorable project."

  - Maggie McCombs, Lead Content Writer

2) How do we adapt a client’s voice and message for different platforms (social, NL, SEO, blogging)?

"One of the most fascinating aspects of the writing job is how many voices you get to use throughout the day! Writers might create a short, snappy social media post and write a long, informative landing page about solar energy storage later on.

No matter the project, we tailor it to the client direction we receive, but we still get to explore within those guidelines. For example, we might honor a client’s request for a more casual style by enhancing social media posts with emojis, or blogs with contractions and conversational language."

  - Maggie McCombs, Lead Content Writer

3) Why is blogging so important for local SEO?

"Blogging is an easy way to increase your website's indexed pages, which creates new opportunities for you to be found in search engine results pages (SERPs). Blogging also increases the opportunity for internal linking throughout your website, which keeps potential customers on your website for longer periods of time and indicates to search engines that your website is credible and helpful. Fresh, relevant and quality content not only helps your website rank higher in search results, but it's a great way to establish your brand as an industry leader and create trusting relationships with your target audience."

  - Brenna Basden, Content Writer

4) Why do you enjoy writing about the home/commercial tech industry, and how do you stay informed on the latest trends/news?

"Having come from the tech industry and also writing about tech in the past few years, I've always had an interest in smart technology. I read both trade press like CE PRO and other sources as well as following major news and industry sources for consumer technology like the Verge and CEA Smartbrief."

  - Ben Algaze, Content Writer

5) How do you handle client feedback, and how can it improve content in the long run? (any input-not necessarily negative)

"How the client feels about the content we create for them is, of course, crucial. While we have the expertise and knowledge about writing a well-crafted blog, it can feel like it all gets thrown out the window if the client is unhappy with the end result.

Our goal is to meet the clients where they are, and to take their critiques and preferences into each new blog we write - but also to explain to them why certain choices were made - and if the client finds those fundamentally going against what they wish to convey, we’ll work until the client is satisfied and happy with the outcome. Repeating what the client loves about the blogs, and listening to and discussing what the client dislikes is all a necessary part of the process."

  - Sarah Johnson, Content Writer

6) How do you get inspiration for new blogs?

"As a writer, you have to be willing to learn new things all the time in order to better your writing and make it more interesting. I'm a big fan of industry newsletters and following industry social media accounts to learn about new products. Social media is also an exciting outlet for companies to show their current and potential clients what goes on in the field or behind the scenes. Delving into the details of new technology is exciting, and seeing how others speak on the topics is a great source for blog inspiration."

  - Liz Sizemore, Content Writer

7) What is your typical process for writing a blog?

"Once I have a direction on a blog's topic, I'll start by researching and freely writing ideas into a Word document. It tends to look like a mess in the beginning. I'll compile information as I find it, then start outlining how I'll arrange paragraphs.

Often a headline idea will form before I've written the blog, so I'll type that at the top of the document as motivation. I'll start writing the blog without worrying about how well it reads—editing is truly most of the work. Once I have it written, I tweak and fix sentences until I'm pleased by the second read-through."

  - Kelly Anderson, Content Writer

8) What are the most important aspects of writing a blog in order to connect with potential buyers/customers?

"It is important that you do not write the blog as if you are selling a product. It should not be a glorified ad for your business, but rather a piece that educates the consumer on a topic they are interested in. Once you have given the consumer meaningful information and established yourself as an expert in your field, the consumer is more likely to invest in your business."

  -Shae Carey, Content Writer

9) Why should you work with a writing team (particularly one with industry and SEO knowledge)?

"Clients may not have the time or expertise to write blogs on their own, so we can take that task off their plate and harness our experience to deliver quality results."

  - Rob Ryan, Content Writer

10) What roles does a content writer serve beyond writing blogs?

"Relying on a wide variety of English, Communications and marketing backgrounds, writers embrace a number of roles at OneFirefly to promote client’s online presence. Even though blogs make up the bulk of their responsibilities, writers are also involved in executing the overarching campaigns laid out by our team of account managers.

How do we use our communication and writing skills to deliver results for clients? Along with blogs, we create the copy for FB ads, SEO setups, newsletter campaigns, landing pages, marketing slicks, trifold brochures and more. Developing a unique tone and approach for each of these different disciplines is what helps our team of writers stand out."

  - Deby Rubi, Lead Content Writer

11) What background/education do you have, and how does it prepare you for the role?

"I have a bachelor's degree in Writing and Literature, and have previously worked as a copywriter in a small agency. I think my education helped me become a more concise writer and more familiar with criticism and feedback. I also had a handful of invaluable internships during college. And in my previous role, I definitely learned how to write for different voices and write copy on subjects I wasn't familiar with."

  - Kelly Anderson

"I studied English and Creative Writing in college, and I felt that it taught me how to write concisely. I also studied history, which taught me how to research unfamiliar topics and write about them."

  - Shae Carey

"I have a Bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. I feel that not only my education has helped prepare me for the workload that is required of a content writer, but has allowed me to adapt and mold my writing to whatever "voice" or tone I need for a certain blog or client. I have always loved writing both professionally and personally - so bringing that passion to this role has made the job that much more beneficial for both me and our clients."

  - Sarah Johnson

"I hold a BA degree in English and a certificate in technical communication. I'm also certified by HubSpot in email marketing, content marketing and inbound marketing. Before One Firefly, I worked as marketing manager for a Houston technology company where I led various projects in web copy and design, email and social media campaigns and more."

  - Brenna Basden

I'm a former newspaper writer and editor, and I covered a wide range of topics over that time. I have a strong command of the finer points of grammar and style, and my general experience makes me equipped to handle any topic thrown my way.

  - Rob Ryan

I'm a former college librarian who specialized in teaching students how to conduct research. I taught students how to think about their topic in a variety of ways, going from broader topics into narrower topics, then synthesizing that information into manageable knowledge. I understand how blog readers think about products and write blogs to meet their needs in the awareness, consideration and decision stages of the buyer's journey.

  - Liz Sizemore