How to Choose the Right Writer for your Project

Choosing a writer is just as personal decision as choosing a designer. In order to know if the writer you are considering is right for you, you need to see examples of their writing. Then choose the writer whose work appeals the most to you, and whose style fits the purpose of your website.

Informational Content vs Marketing Copy

Remember that crafting the written word is a skill that takes time, and how much time a project takes, depends on the style and purpose of content. For instance, writing effective marketing copy will take much longer than writing a factual representation of facts, such as a historical recounting of a company's history. The more content leans toward marketing copy, the more thought has to go into how the words are interpreted by the reader, in order to lead them to a certain conclusion and take desired action.

Examples of Various Types of Website Content

• Company History: factual recounting of the growth of the company - simple writing
• President Profile: factual recounting, with some "spin" to market his skills and experience - simple writing, choosing words carefully to give right message about the person
• Services Page: Facts, but a lot of marketing copy, to make people feel the need for the service, and take action to contact the company - a lot of thought and experience has to go into crafting this content, to not only convey the facts, but drive the potential client to action by an understanding of marketing psychology.

How Much Will a Writer Cost?

Prices for writing vary... some writers charge by the hour, some by the project, some charge by the word. Make sure you understand the pricing structure for whichever writer you choose. Remember, MORE WORDS ON YOUR PAGE DOES NOT MEAN MORE VALUE! Sometimes, when writing marketing copy rather than informational copy, it can take hours to distill a set of concepts down to a simple sentence or two. As with design, you get what you pay for... if you have a bare budget, you'll get simple flowing text with factual representation of your company and services, if you want to spend more, you can have the writer condense it and craft it into marketing copy.

• Marketing Copy: Condensed Concepts = Powerful, Condensed Writing = People Reading Content + Taking Action. Effective to boost leads and sales.
• Informational Copy: Expended Concepts = General, Conversational Copy = Page is full, Some People will read, may lead to action or not. Simple, relaxed writing, not pushy.

How Can I Save Money on Writing?

In order to save money, I suggest writing down all the facts and ideas you have for a page of content, which will allow the writer to send their time writing instead of searching for missing information. The bottom line is though, that you get what you pay for. If you hire a marketing expert to write for you, you may pay more, but you will also get a better response to your content, which translates into sales.

Does my Content have to be Complete before I build my site?

In the old days, the answer used to be yes. Now, with the use of the Content Management System that allows you to update your website on your own, you can have us start to design your website, then work with your writer on preparing your content. Your website will not be ready for content until the design package, cut, launch and training are all complete. Then, you can insert the content from your writer as she has it ready, and make changes whenever you want.

Some Writers to Check Out:

We like the examples these writers have provided of their writing, and therefore they are on our list. However none of these writers are employed by West Coast Web Ltd., the decision of which writer to hire, is a decision you will need to make after researching the writer's styles and prices, depending on who you feel will best represent the style of your company.
 

Writer Profile: Margo Bates

604 536-9501 - MargoBatesPR.com
Notes: High end PR & Copywriter - Great for informational & for marketing copy.

Margo Bates writes for a living. A seasoned public relations professional, when she isn't speaking on the telephone, she is most often writing at her computer. She has thirty years business experience, with twenty-two years in the public relations field. Bates recently completed her first novel, a fictionalized memoir set in Northern British Columbia.

Writer Profile: Eve Lazarus

(604) 990-9397 - EveLazarus.com
Notes: Excellent business writing style, engaging and warm personality.

Eve has been a writer for almost 20 years. She's worked in the business, city and feature sections of the Vancouver Sun, as the Vancouver correspondent for Marketing Magazine, and as a researcher for CBC-TV. Eve works with several corporate clients crafting copy for newsletters, brochures, company histories and annual reports. With both a communications degree from Simon Fraser University, and a journalism diploma from Langara College, Eve is more than capable of taking on the writing of any website.

Writer Profile: Barbara Adamski

BarbAdamski.com
Notes: Writing is clear, simple and easy to read. Available for proofreading

In addition to a degree from UBC, Barbara also hold a diploma in professional writing and editing. She is a member of the Editors' Association of Canada, the Professional Writers Association of Canada, and the Federation of BC Writers. She has also been awarded the designation of Certified Proofreader by the Editors' Association of Canada.

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