Habits of a Good Content Writer

Pouring out content consistently burns out many website owners. Discovering a good content writer can be just as stressful. Investing some effort into research so that you are working with a content writer that you know on some level may save you the hassle or re-writing content or the pain of paying for content that you do not want.

Tips for Finding Good Content Writers

1. Grammar and spelling – pay close attention to the emails that the writer sends to you, including the subject line. The more attention that the little things get then the more attention the big things will get.

2. Response time – the amount of time it takes for the content writer to answer an email may be an indication of the amount of time it will take for a project to be completed.

3. Existing clips – spend a little time and effort to research a writer before you begin a working relationship. It may be harder to find anything on new writers, but a quick search by name will probably turn up something if that writer has been active for very long.

4. Word of mouth – references can still be used today. Ask a new writer to provide you with someone that you can contact about past work.

5. Critiques – good content writers should be willing to hear your requests or changes and be willing to work with you to get the content right for your website. An even better content writer will ask you a number of questions from the beginning to be sure you are both on the same page from the start.

No matter how you find your content writer you should consider starting slow. Offer smaller projects until you are comfortable with the voice and style of that content writer.

Pay writers a decent wage. The old adage, “you get what you pay for,” holds true in writing. Pay peanuts and you will end up with a lot of nuts. Start new content writers off at a lower amount but be sure to increase compensation along the way or you may end up losing a good writer to a better deal.

Getting things in writing should be stressed from both sides of the deal. Writers need the protection but the clients need the protection as well. Keep in mind that emails may be enough protection if no formal contract is signed, but take the better route with a signed contract.

Finding good content writers gives many websites owners a headache. The writer that seems great in the beginning quickly starts to fizzle out. Molding and growing a content writer means that writer flies off to another point in his or her career. Knowing how to find good content writers and then working to keep them around can be the answer that many websites owners desire.

1 Comment  

More Steps for Content Calendars

Annette asked if I was using an editorial calendar for my website. I had to say no. But an editorial calendar is a great idea for managing my content and keeping that content fresh and flowing. Taking my website to the next level means pushing beyond the ordinary. Creating a list for what I want to write and when I want it posted is definitely NOT the ordinary way I do things.

Most of my life has been spent meeting deadlines by the skin of my teeth. Planning things in advance might be an option, but procrastination kept them in the planning stage. I have always been a very good procrastinator. These last several months have helped me to understand the value of following the plan if I want my website to be all that it can be.

5 Easy Steps for Planning and Writing Content

1. Review your website. Start your content calendar session by reviewing the content that already exists on your website. It is always a good idea to link back to your own articles whenever possible and relevant. Knowing what you have already been writing will help make that possible. Reviewing past content will also give you an idea of the topics that you tend to make the focus of your content.

2. Discover the purpose and direction of your website. Reviewing what you have written is one of the best ways to determine what you want to be writing. Knowing the vision and mission of your website will help you develop the right content for your site.

3. Create content blocks. Break up the content that has already been written into specific topics or subjects. Also consider any topics that have been raised in comments or emails to you that you have not covered. These new topics may be opportunities for you to invite in some guest bloggers.

4. Brainstorm ideas. Spend a few hours or a few days coming up with potential content titles for your different topics. Use this time to visit other blogs, forums and websites in your niche to see what are on the minds of people in the industry.

5. Work the content into your work schedule. Set aside time every day or every week to produce some of the content for your site. You can pre-post the content or keep it in a folder to be posted as needed.

Organization may not be the easiest thing for you, but it is essential to your content writing success. Not only will a content and editorial calendar organize you materials, but it will also help you get the writing done. Knowing what you are going to write and when you are going to write can be a great deterrent to writer’s block. Creating an editorial calendar may be that new step you need to make all the difference on your website.

2 Comments  

Featured Article Directory: Articledashboard.com

ArticleDashboard.com is a free article directory website and ezine that provides a place for authors to submit their articles and for website owners to access content. The directory was established in 2005 and continues to stand as a solid provider for a wide range of topics.

Article Dashboard has been working to establish itself as a top content provider since it first came on the scene in August 2005. It not only provides content, but also provides free software that allows sites to establish their own article directories. Websites can use this software to build resources for their visitors and the software can be customized for a specific need or niche.

Articledashboard.com lets people from around the world view your content. It currently boasts a unique visitor count of around 125,000 per month. This means that your content will be exposed to new eyes from around the globe through the Article Dashboard site but also through those sites that repost your content.

According to the Articledashboard.com website, there are only a few simple rules to submitting material to their directory. Some of the rules are basic guidelines about how the articles can be used.

• Articles must be the original work of the person submitting them. You must have the rights of all the articles that you submit to Article Dashboard.

• Article Dashboard has the right to used submitted material on any of its outlets – including website, blogs or RSS feed.

• Others also have to the right to use articles that are posted on Article Dashboard in their newsletters and online magazines (with the stipulation that articles be left in their original state, including the resource box and any links).

• There is no guarantee of acceptance into the directory database. Each article will be reviewed. Submitting an article to Article Dashboard does not mean that it will be published.

Article Dashboard is a free article directory. This means that all submissions are done without monetary compensation. Writers do not get paid for submitting material to ArticleDashboard.com. The best thing about article directories, like Article Dashboard, is compensation comes in the form of help establishing a writer as an expert in a particular niche through the published content.

Article Dashboard has a strong standing on the internet. It currently holds a 5 out of 10 Google Page Rank. The Alexa rank of ArticleDashboard.com is 4753.

Submitting material to different article directories is a good way to build your own visitors. Article directories can also be a solid source for discovering content for your own website.

No matter how you choose to use article directories, you should take some time to review Article Dashboard. It is one of the leading article directory websites and provides you with more opportunities to expand your online presence.

Leave a Comment  

Creating Content from Inspiration

Finding inspiration is essential to creating consistent content. Inspiration hides around corners. It resides under every nook and cranny. There seems to be no limit to the amount of inspiration you can discover when you are looking to find inspiration. There is an entire box of inspirational ideas in a box next to my desk.

The problem most writers face is taking inspiration and turning it into an article, book or other publication. The idea gets recorded but then stagnates in a box or file until the path of that idea is lost forever.

Finding inspiration is the first step. After inspiration is discovered it must be recorded in a way that will inspire the words to flow when the time comes.

4 Tips to go From Inspiration to Inspiring Content

• There have been many great lines spilled out in the elevator, Sunday school class or mom’s group. Each thought or idea offers great possibilities for a full length article or other content. Writing down the one line may not be enough to jog the memory for that full length article (and writing it in class is just rude). Make a few notes that can get the words pouring out when you are in a position to sit down and pen the article.

• Write down the potential title of the content and include around five points that relate to the title. These points can be expanded on as you create the content and will help to drive the words forward.

• Jot down a few questions that pop into your mind about the subject or the idea that is inspiring you at the moment. You can use these questions to do some further research and use that research to create your content.

• Be prepared. The Boy Scouts are not the only ones that need to be prepared for any moment. Carry notebooks and pencils around with you everywhere that you go. Have a notebook in every room of your house (with a pencil or pen attached). Keep a notebook and pencil in the car. When inspiration peeks out from its hiding place you will be in a position to capture enough of that inspiration to create content from the moment.

Finding inspiration is often the driving ambition of the writer. Unfortunately, it can become a distraction when all that the writer has is inspiration. Great content has to be molded and worked out of the moments of inspiration. One word or phrase may seem like enough to spark inspiration down the road, but often the thought or path is lost before the words can be recorded. Create great content by leaving enough bread crumbs from your experience with inspiration that you can find your way to the idea or story that inspiration first ignited.

Leave a Comment  

Basic Content Writing Tips

Writing content for your website is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Learning these three magic keys will help you create quick and easy content no matter what niche you are trying to fill.

1. Tell readers what you are going to tell them.
2. Tell the readers.
3. Tell the readers what you told them.

This advice was given to me when I first started writing and was directed at essays for school. Over the years the advice has carried over to speaking opportunities, teaching and to most of the online writing that I do.

Step One: Tell what you are going to tell.

The opening paragraph, the title or somewhere at the beginning of the content readers need to be able to find what you are going to show them in your article. In school it was taught as an introductory paragraph and it usually consisted of three to five points to be covered in the body. This first step is crucial. If readers are not intrigued by what you propose in your opening content then they will probably stop reading before they get very far.

Step Two: Tell it.

The main part of the content must contain enough information to make it worth the reader’s valuable time to read through the content. The body of the article is the meat and readers should be so satisfied with the meal you have set before them that they are eager to come back time and time again to discover what you have created.

Step Three: Tell what you told.

The very best essay, article or content reaffirms the information that is presented so that readers have a chance to digest all that was offered. The last paragraph should summarize the whole article and leave the reader with a sentence or phrase that could remind them of all that was offered through that content.

Writing does not have to be painful or difficult. Most readers are looking for particular information and when you present that information in a process that is easy to understand and to carry away you have managed to create successful content.

The secret to writing content for your website comes down to three steps. First you should tell readers what to expect. Tell them what points your article will cover. The next step is about expanding on each of the points that you mentioned in the beginning. The final step is to remind readers what they have learned from their time spent with you.

Make writing as simple as 1, 2, 3. You will be amazed at how much easier your writing becomes. Your readers will also be grateful that you are preparing all your content with them in mind.

Leave a Comment  

Better Organization for Consistent Content

Great content comes from a place of organization and planning. The time and energy invested into the organization will not only make it easier to create great content but will also provide an easier path to success with your total website and online business or venture.

Organization means having a purpose and a plan for your content, your website and your organization or business. It prides you with the focus, the time and the energy to be creative and develop content that will draw visitors your site and keep them there and returning in the future.

Tips for Organizing to get Consistent Content

1. Make a weekly plan for content topics. Set up a day each week when you will cover a particular subject or area in your niche. Having a plan for what you will write will make it easier for you to create your content. It will also allow your visitors to know what content to expect and will make them more likely to stop by for that new content.

2. Keep notes and ideas stored up in labeled folders. It would be a good idea to have a folder for each topic that you will be covering. When you are away from your computer or just brainstorming you can fill you folders with ideas for future content.

3. Straighten your desk. It may seem silly, but a cluttered desk makes it difficult to think and to be creative. Clutter will also be a distraction for doing the things you need to be doing because you start thinking about straightening and organizing instead.

4. Write out invoices as you go. Knowing what jobs you have completed and filling out your invoices for those jobs will free you up at the end of the month to continue working on your content.

5. Kill the distractions. Planning out your day through a schedule, to-do list or other tools will help you stay focused on the tasks that need to be accomplished. You will never create the content that you desire for your website if you are constantly running around putting out fires instead of plowing along on the path that you intentionally chose.

Organization is not about being neat and tidy. It centers on the ability to easily find what you need when you need it. Reducing the clutter, making a plan and defeating distractions will all push you towards the goal of organization.

Creating an organized work space and work life will not create great content for you (unless you are writing about organization) but organization is a powerful tool in the complete scheme for consistent content that will build your website and draw new and loyal visitors to that website along the way.

Leave a Comment  

Next Page »