What is the difference between an article, a white paper and a blog post?
What is a case study?
Why do I need all this content on my website?
Why should I have you write my web content? I/My employees can do that.
How much do you charge?
How long will it take you to finish my project?
Do you do other kinds of writing?
Can you design my website/brochures too?
What is the difference between an article, a white paper and a blog post?
An article is an informative piece, usually 300-1000 words long. It gives your customer information about a topic, ideally something related to your company or industry. For example, a mortgage lender might post a series of "how-to" home improvement articles. A company selling firewalls to other businesses might provide articles on network security and best internet practices.
A white paper combines the features of an article with a marketing document. White papers are usually PDF documents rather than being part of your web content, which encourages visitors to download and share them. A white paper will typically address an issue and explain how to solve it, with your company's product or service mentioned as one of the solutions. White papers that are heavy on information and light on selling are generally more welcome to your customers.
Blog posts are shorter, usually under 500 words. Rather than address an ongoing topic as articles and white papers do, blog posts focus on timely issues. A blog post might mention new company developments such as product updates, talk about an industry-related news story, or address seasonal issues.
A case study tells a specific customer's story. It will usually open with a problem they had, talk about how they found your company and then describe how your company helped them. Think of it as a testimonial crossed with an interview.
Why do I need all this content on my website?
A solid content development plan is the key to an effective website. The more content you have on your site, the better you will look both to visitors and to search engines. Articles and blog posts help you target keywords associated with your industry, so your website will rank higher in your prospective customers' search results. High-quality pieces act as "linkbait," encouraging other sites to link to them and leading yet more prospects straight to you. And updating your content frequently will encourage search engines to place your site front and center in their results. That's one reason why so many companies have adopted blogs on their sites.
Why should I have you write my web content? I/My employees can do that.
How much do you and your employees already have to do in the course of a working day? There are plenty of projects that only you can do. It makes sense to hand off your web content to a freelancer, who can devote the time and energy to really make it shine.
My training and background give me special expertise in producing great web content that's specially customized to your needs. I can do more than write the text... I can also help you identify the best keywords, work with you to determine just what types of content will be best for your company, and help you build an update schedule to optimize its impact.
That will vary depending on the complexity of the project. As a rule, I charge by the piece (one article, white paper, etc.). That way you can buy content as you need it or are ready to budget for it.
How long will it take you to finish my project?
Again, that depends on how large or technical a project is. I can usually turn around a white paper in two to three weeks - I'll give you a specific timeline before I start writing. Articles and blog posts are usually done as part of an ongoing content development schedule. Ideally, you'd want a minimum of 1-3 blog posts per week and 1-2 new articles per month, to keep your content fresh. We can work together to determine the best schedule for you.
Do you do other kinds of writing?
Absolutely. My specialty is web content, but I also do technical writing, newsletters, internal correspondence, email marketing letters, and print marketing copy (brochures, etc.).
Can you design my website/brochures too?
Frankly, I'd rather not. My design skills are strictly adequate and you're better off hiring me for my real talents (writing and search engine optimization) and getting a professional designer to do the graphics. If you'd like, I'd be happy to find one for you.