Podnar Consulting, LLC

Archives for May 2016

What Your Content Writer is Really Thinking But (Probably) Won’t Say

by

 

I’m a southern girl through and through, so putting a premium on good manners is just part of my DNA. If my kids forget to include “ma’am” or “sir” when addressing an adult, they’ll immediately cut their eyes in my direction, knowing I’ll be shooting them “the look.” And don’t even think about forgetting “please” or “thank you.”

But when it comes to business, being overly worried about accidentally offending someone can hold people back from saying what needs to be said. Especially when the person you’re worried about offending has control over your income stream.

What’s that got to do with content marketing? Well, there might be a lot of things going through your writer’s head that they’re reluctant to say — and that goes double if you’re outsourcing, because you don’t get the comfort level that comes from day-to-day interactions. So let me give you an insider’s view of what your content writer really thinks:

How well do you know your…stuff?

We all know that plenty of people assume anybody can write. And surely anybody can pick up the phone and let a writer know what the marketing department wants…right? Maybe. But the corollary is that the person who’s the contact between the marketing department and the writer could be a pro with 30 years of writing experience — or he could be an intern. The contact could know the industry inside out…or he could be an administrative assistant who just came over from the not-for-profit side. Your writer doesn’t want to talk down to you or tell you things you already know — here in the South, we call that “preachin’ to the choir” — so they’re probably going to keep quiet and give you the benefit of the doubt. But that can cause problems.

I’ve mentioned before that I had a client ask for a post on how to prepare for an OSHA inspection, not realizing that OSHA inspections are unscheduled. I’ve never shied away from taking on the “devil’s advocate” role, so I didn’t hesitate to point that out. But a lot of writers would deliver what was ordered — a well-written post on something that doesn’t make sense. To do anything else is to suggest that the client’s contact doesn’t know what they’re talking about — a move that’s almost always risky.

However, it’s equally important to remember that most writers couldn’t care less whether you’re an expert or an amateur. They just want to know so they can do their jobs.

I’m not an idiot, but I’m not a mind reader, either. Just tell me what you’re trying to accomplish.

People who aren’t writers themselves often think it’s unnecessary to tell a writer the purpose of a piece of content. But they’re wrong. If you ask me to write an article about the different types of sunscreen and the active ingredients in each — I can do that. It’s easy. And that’s fine if your goal is to educate people about different sunscreens. But if you’re switching to a vendor that uses different ingredients and are worried your long-time customers will balk — that’s an entirely different article. Sure, the facts are the same, but the way I present those facts would be drastically different. Not telling your writer what you’re trying to accomplish with a particular piece of content is like telling dog owners not to chew gum without telling them that one of the ingredients in sugarless gum can be lethal to dogs. Purpose matters!

Did you really think this through?

This one’s about the law of unintended consequences. The chorus of voices insisting that you have to choose blog topics based on keyword research is hard to ignore. But it’s important to remember that, in most business cases, the goal isn’t just to draw people to your content — it’s to accomplish a business objective. If a piece of content has tons of page views and shares, but drives undesired behavior, it’s bad content, no matter what the metrics say. I recently had a client request a blog post about the best time to get a certain service performed. My first thought was, “Well, if you’re trying to shift traffic from a busy time to a slow time, I need to know what those times are.” But they weren’t. They just wanted an informational article. Well, I’m not arrogant enough to think that my blog post could transform the traffic patterns for a whole chain all by its little ol’ self…but what if it did? Inventory might be off. Staffing would definitely be off. And there are probably other possible consequences I haven’t thought of yet. Or, let’s say you own a restaurant, and you publish a blog post extolling the virtues of grass-fed beef. Well, do all of your beef dishes use grass-fed beef? And, if they don’t, how will your servers respond when a customer says, “The meat in this spaghetti sauce is grass-fed, right?” And would focusing on grass-fed beef violate any vendor agreements with suppliers whose cattle aren’t grass-fed? If you’ve got a good writer, I guarantee you they’re wondering.

Is anybody backstopping me?

Most writers harbor a secret fear that you’re just putting stuff out there without a thorough review. It’s not that we expect you to catch our typos (although we appreciate it when you do!); it’s that we aren’t you. There are so many reasons that the content I submit might not be what you had in mind — some my fault, some not — that I would never want you to press “publish” without reading it with a very critical eye.

Is this based on data…or supposition?

A lot of content is designed to solve a particular problem. But knowing what the problem is and what’s causing it are very different from thinking you know. So if you ask me to write a blog post touting the value of your product, and your reason is that people aren’t buying it because the price is too high, I’m going to be wondering, “Do you know that’s why people aren’t buying your product? There are so many other things it could be. Maybe there’s just no demand for it — it sound cools, but nobody needs it. Maybe your website is too slow or too hard to navigate. Maybe your returns procedures are too cumbersome. Or maybe your customer service just stinks.” Most writers really, really want to produce content that matters — which is why they hope you really know what matters.

The bottom line is that, if you’ve got a good writer, you’re probably not even close to tapping their full talents. Make sure you’re not wasting a valuable resource.

Is Your Writer a Diamond or a Dud? Here’s How to Tell.

by

Have you ever hired a writer — whether in-house or outsourced — only to start wondering if you’ve been had? I don’t mean that the writer intentionally tried to put one over on you. But, as I’ve been saying since I first started my business, [tweet]the internet is an all-you-can-eat buffet for writers — and it starts at value-menu prices.[/tweet]

If you’re an aspiring writer, you can find all the work you want with no experience whatsoever, as long as your rates are low enough. I think most brands know that the lowest prices (like the ones on bidding sites) won’t buy the highest quality, but they’re also nervous about working directly with freelancers. Is a freelancer going to be hanging out at the dog park while you’re sweating a deadline? Is writing a hobby or side job — something they do when they feel like it? (And what if they stop feeling like it mid-project?)

Add to that the fact that a lot of brands don’t really know what a good writer looks like (it’s not the same for everybody), and you’ve got a situation that’s enough to make you as nervous as a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs (yes, I’m southern!). Either you keep interviewing writers without ever hiring one, or you hire a writer and start hearing that niggling voice of buyer’s remorse, constantly asking, “Is this the right writer for me? Should I be happy, or is there more?”

It depends.

First things first: There are no cut-and-dried answers, because it’s completely dependent on what you want that writer to do. If you’re well-versed in content marketing and just want somebody to execute your strategy, then you need a kick-ass copywriter who follows directions to a T and churns out content that search engines love. If you’re not an expert in content marketing, you need a writer who is. You need someone who can pull double duty as a content strategist. But how the heck do you know the difference?

Content strategists drive you nuts with questions.

I don’t mean silly questions like, “Can I leave 30 minutes early today?” I’m talking about the kind of questions that bring you up short, making you stop and give a mental “uh oh.”

The non-negotiables

If you’re working with a content strategist, there are a few questions you should be hearing with every assignment:

Who is the audience?

This question goes beyond demographics to include things like:

  • How much does the audience know about this topic? Are they beginners? Experts?
  • Where are they in the sales funnel? Have they indicated interest in your product or service, or are they “cold calls”?
  • What are their pain points? Why would they care about this content?

A content strategist will try to get inside your audience’s heads rather than going on demographics alone.

What do you want them to do, think, or feel after they read this?

This is the “why” of your content. A writer who’s also a strategist will ask this for every single piece. In my opinion, it’s the single most important question, and a lot of brands don’t know the answer. They know they need content, so they’re producing content. But, without a clear purpose for each piece, it’s not going to matter much. This category of questions includes things like:

  • Is the purpose to get them to see the company in a positive light, so that we’ll be their first choice if they ever have a need?
  • Are you trying to grow your customer base by educating people who otherwise might not have been interested in your product?
  • Do you want them to make a purchase? Sign up for an email list?

Let’s take a home improvement store as an example. You might want your audience to think, “Hey, I can do this.” You might want them to feel, “It sounds like fun, and I like trying new things.” As far as what you want them to do, that could range from coming into the store and asking your employees a lot of questions to jumping right in and buying everything they need.

Why is that important?

This is one of the most enduring lessons from my corporate writing days. A lot of brands are very clear on what they want their audience to do, but they’re far less clear on why they want them to do it. You may think that doesn’t sound like a big deal, but a really good writer will want to know the answer. Even if they don’t explicitly include it in the content, it will frame both the tone and the way the “story” unfolds.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you sell perfume. You hire me to write a post on why you shouldn’t leave perfume in your car.

Me: Why is that important? Why shouldn’t you leave perfume in your car?

You: Because when it gets hot, the bottle can explode.

Me: And why is that important?

You: Because people keep doing it, and, every summer, it drives our damaged returns through the roof.

Ah…that’s it. That’s the real reason. In my experience, it’s not that clients intentionally try to hide the real reason; they just don’t think it matters. But it does. The article I write to enlist customers’ help in lowering the damaged return rate would be very different from the article I’d write if you were concerned about people cutting themselves on broken glass or asphyxiating themselves on fumes. A pro will understand that and won’t start writing without a clear answer.

Bonus points: pushback

If the person you’re working with isn’t asking those questions (or similar ones…I’m not picky), you’ve got a writer, not a strategist. If they are — congratulations! You’re way ahead of the pack. Now you can raise the bar and start listening for the kind of pushback that lets you know you’re working with a writer who isn’t going to let you make an idiot out of yourself:

  • Do you/we own the rights to these photos? Does the source require attribution?
  • Does including that information violate any SEC rules (like insider trading)?
  • If  you write a blog post about why you don’t like to hire mothers of young children, you might get in trouble with the EEOC.
  • Are there any liability issues with saying Brand C (for competitor) is a dud?
  • What are the liability issues if someone follows your advice and it ends up causing a problem?
  • What’s the point of this post again? Are you sure there’s enough meat here?

That last question is subtle but important. I’ve had clients ask me for content that just didn’t make sense — like an article on how to prepare for OSHA inspections (they’re unscheduled). If you’re not a content pro, you want a writer who sees covering your butt as part of their job. If you’re lucky enough to find a writer who gives you pushback, be thankful! Sure, it can be annoying. I’m pretty certain I’ve gotten on a lot of editors’ nerves by pushing back. But what’s the worst that could happen? Either I’m right and they regroup, or I’m wrong and they tell me to just go write the article already.

Diamond or dud?

A word of caution before you decide that your writer is a dud. A lot of really good writers have gotten slapped down so many times for asking questions and giving pushback that they don’t try anymore. They’ve been told too many times that their job is to crank out copy, so that’s what they do. It doesn’t take much to change that, so give your writer a chance. If he or she does have the chops to be a strategist in addition to a writer, you’ll have an asset who’ll be willing to go to the mat for you every time.

The bottom line? If you know exactly what you’re doing and just need somebody to make it happen, your task is much easier. There are a lot of writers out there who can do that exceedingly well. If you’re a beginner, though, you need a writer who can also serve as a strategist…someone who can not only write your content, but help you figure out what you should write in the first place. These questions will help you distinguish the two.

 

image credit: freeimages.com/Candice Courtney

Mythbusting: Content Marketing “Rules” Are Made to Be Broken

by

 

Lately, it seems like I’m always finding myself in the role of content marketing “mythbuster.” Although social media comes with incredible marketing potential, things like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn also make it really easy to spread claims that may or may not have a basis in fact. That’s how “best practices” so often come to be taken as gospel, although they’re often not much more than gossip about what the cool kids are doing. But that doesn’t mean those are the only right ways to do it, or even that they’re best for everybody. So I’ve developed a habit of questioning claims of how things “should” be done, especially when it comes to writing and content marketing. And I’ve noticed a lot of questionable claims lately, so today’s post is a mythbusting roundup:

  • Nobody will notice if you pull a bait-and-switch.
    I live in the South, and one common social misstep people who aren’t native Southerners make is inviting people to a barbecue, only to serve hotdogs and hamburgers. Around here, “barbecue” refers to either ribs or pulled pork, covered in a dry rub or slathered in barbecue sauce, and slow-cooked (for hours) on a grill. Anything else is a bait-and-switch. I feel the same sense of betrayal when I click on a Tweet whose headline promises something really interesting, only to be redirected to a landing page where I have to give away my contact information to read the content that captured my attention. There’s not a thing wrong with asking for an email address in return for valuable content, but be upfront about it. Don’t pretend you’re giving something away, and then try to sell it. (And don’t serve hotdogs to Southerners when you’ve promised them barbecue.)
  • Every piece of content needs a strong CTA.
    I hardly ever share posts or Tweets that include an overtly promotional CTA — like “Buy my ebook to learn more.” I want to share content that adds value, not advertisements. But is that really a thing, or is it just me? As it turns out, it’s a matter of degree. Readers interacting with your brand on social media aren’t as far down the sales funnel as those who connect with you through other platforms, like your blog or LinkedIn. In fact, 90% of social media users classify themselves as “lurkers.” And it’s pretty tough to bridge the gap from lurker to convert in one social media update. So an effective social media CTA can’t be anything that requires too much effort or commitment. It’s kind of like asking somebody how many kids they want on a first date. Instead of asking your readers to buy, ask for something simpler, like subscribing to your blog or newsletter, or registering their email in exchange for an ebook.
  • A writer is a writer is a writer.
    If you hang out your shingle as a doctor or lawyer and don’t have the proper credentials, you’re going to have some very unhappy officials knocking on your door. But there’s no gatekeeper for writers. Anybody can call themselves a writer (and, if they can get and keep clients, more power to them!), and there’s nobody around to call them on it. That’s why you have content mills and other job-bidding sites where you can get a writer for a penny a word: The barrier to entry is incredibly low. However, while it’s true that you get what you pay for, I would never encourage you to pay for more than you need. If all you need is a reliable way to get from Point A to Point B, then there’s no reason to spend money on a BMW. The same is true for writing. If you just need copy for clickbait, fine — use a writer who’ll work for a penny a word. But if you find that level of writer doesn’t meet your expectations, you’re going to have to step it up a notch, because the pros won’t work for those rates. Good writers want good clients, and they have the ability to pick and choose. So, most of the time, “No, thank you” means, “You’re not even in the ballpark.” Not “Offer me two more cents per word.”
  • Writers are creatives who can’t tell time.
    Plenty of people assume that all “creatives” are disorganized, happy-go-lucky, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants types who can’t be bothered to meet deadlines, return phone calls, respond to emails, etc. I call BS. All writers are NOT that way. Only you can decide if a particular writer’s skill is worth putting up with those annoyances, but know that there are plenty of writers who run their business like a … well, like a business.
  • All writers who will work for pennies are losers.
    This isn’t necessarily true. Some really good writers will do whatever it takes to get started. I did. Although I had more than a decade of writing experience, it was all internal corporate communications and all pre-internet. Therefore, I didn’t have any links to prove my skills. So you may very well find a gem who’s willing to work for low wages. If you do, give yourself a pat on the back. Just be prepared to grow with them as their rates increase. You’ll still probably pay less than you would with more established writers.
  • It’s all about the money.
    While the best writers command the best rates, there are some things you can negotiate. A byline is worth a lot; I typically charge 20% less if I get a byline than I do for ghostwritten articles. Even if you don’t want to grant the writer a byline, you can still give permission to include the work in a portfolio. You can also write recommendations and endorsements for LinkedIn and for their website. If you and the writer you want can’t agree on rates, think about other things that might be of value.On the other hand, don’t overestimate the value of “exposure.” I actually had a site contact me and offer to publish my work if I paid them. And then there are well-known sites like Huffpo, that frequently pay in “exposure.” Just keep in mind that top-notch writers don’t need your exposure. They’re business owners, and you’re going to have to pay them in actual money, just like you would any other vendor.
  • You need a writer who’s an expert in your industry.
    In some cases, maybe. In most cases, however….no. Just no. You need somebody who’s an expert in writing. Anybody can string sentences together and run them through spellcheck and Grammarly, but subject-matter expertise doesn’t magically grant you the ability to write content that matters…content that sucks readers in and motivates them to do something. Somebody with years of experience writing academic papers may or may not be able to write an engaging blog post, but I guarantee you that somebody who can write an engaging blog post about IT can also write one about supply chain. Subject-matter expertise is no substitute for writing expertise. Look for a writer who has written the same type of content you need rather than one who’s written about your particular niche.
  • You can trust a portfolio.
    Here’s the thing about portfolios (and I say this as someone who has managed a lot of writers over the years): You have no way of knowing how much editing went into the piece after the writer submitted it. In most cases, it’s easier to fix things yourself than to send it back to the writer, so the finished product might look very different from the writer’s version. I’m not saying that portfolios are worthless, but I am cautioning you to look for work published on a variety of platforms. It’s pretty unlikely that every single site that publishes the writer’s work has an awesome editor willing to cover for them.
  • Grammar isn’t important.
    The casual tone of blogging has led to the myth that actual technical skills — you know, like grammar, spelling, and punctuation — are only important to other writers. Not true. Trust me on this, there are plenty of non-writers out there who pick up on those errors and will conclude that you and your brand are stupid and/or sloppy for not catching them yourself.

I don’t expect you to accept my opinions as gospel any more than I’d expect you to accept best practices as gospel. That would make me quite the hypocrite. I just encourage you to run the “everybody knows that” stuff through a common sense filter. If it works, great — adopt it and make it your own. If not — trust your judgment. Just because the cool kids are doing it, that doesn’t mean you have to.

Awesome examples of correlation without causation!

by

One of the best things about being a content writer across multiple industries is that you find yourself learning a little (just enough to be dangerous!) about a lot of different things. So every now and then I’ll post a few of the more entertaining tidbits I come across. Here are a few gems I found while researching examples of correlation vs. causation:

  • There’s a 95% correlation between per capita cheese consumption and the number of people who die by getting tangled in their bed sheets.
  • There’s a 99% correlation between the divorce rate in Maine and per capita consumption of margarine.
  • There’s a 98% correlation between arcade revenue and the number of computer science doctorates awarded in the U.S.
  • There’s a 95% correlation between the marriage rate in Kentucky and the number of people who die after falling out of a fishing boat.
  • There’s a 90% correlation between the number of people who drown in swimming pools and total power generated by U.S. nuclear plants.

And, my personal favorite…

  • There’s a 66% correlation between the number of people who drown after falling into a pool and the number of Nicholas Cage movies.

Writing challenge: Pick one, and come up with a logical argument for causation. Who’s up for it?

Pin It on Pinterest