Work with me - blogs — Caroline Kings

This is the first in my series of how it works, ‘it’ being working with me, Caroline Kings. Hopefully this blog will answer some of your questions on the blog writing process, but if you have any others, please get in touch! caroline@Carolinekings.com or just hit the ‘Contact’ button above.

Why would you employ a blog writer like me?

Businesses use blog writers because it allows them to outsource an important task and focus on their business. Blog writers are great for people who lack time (everyone, right?) or who don’t want to write themselves, for whatever reason. We also know what we’re doing; I love writing and I especially love writing blogs. I know what to consider when it comes to keywords, writing engaging content and, importantly, writing well.

What is a blog?

Blogs are not sexy. They’re not like website copy which has to have pzazz and draw the client in straightaway. They’re the worker bees, behind the scenes, often tucked away on a website page, secretly drawing people in with keywords and engaging content.

Blogs are online articles that you find on many websites (they may be called ‘News’ or something similar) which are essential for boosting the SEO (search engine optimisation – how to make sure you feature highly in a Google or any search engine search) of your website.

A blog allows you to inform, entertain and connect with your reader through written content whilst helping people find you at the same time.

The process of blog writing

‘Core Questions’ for blog writing

I love writing blogs and write for a wide range of industries.

When we meet to discuss blog writing for you, here are my ‘Core Questions’:

· Your business – what do you do and why do you do it? What’s the story behind your business? Tell me about your successes and challenges. What does the future hold? Why have you decided on employing a blog writer now?

· Your target audience – who are you writing for? Describe your ideal consumer.

· How you want to sound. Friendly/formal/funny? Serious/professional/knowledge?

· How frequently you want to publish a blog.

· Whether you have performed keyword research

· Your own ideas for blogs, if you have any.

For this last question, people fall into three camps – they have a list of blog ideas, they don’t know where to start and then a mix of the two.

Types of blog client

I know what I want!

These clients know what they want me to write.

We talk about each blog to make sure that I know what they mean and the keyword we’re targeting for each blog, if it’s not obvious. We also discuss key points that they want me to make and the direction they want the blog to take. In some cases, they might have bullet points for the blog but in most cases, equipped with all this information, I do the research myself and write the blog. There may be the odd question along the way.

No blogging idea

Some clients want to outsource the blog writing in its entirety. The same core questions are asked but then I carry out some research on their keywords, the industry, perusing their website and social media to understand what’s relevant. I’ll then return to the client with some suggestions and we take it from there.

Blogging collaboration

This is how the majority of my clients and I work. They have some ideas and I have some ideas and they are bounced around between us. It’s a real collaboration and involves the odd phone call, voice note, text or email but it means that the client can provide direction when they know what they want and then benefit from some outside inspiration from me.

None of these is set in stone. I might have some inspiration for the client who knows what they want and I’ll send it over; likewise, once the ‘No blogging idea’ client gets into the swing of things, they will think of topics they wish to cover. Almost all clients end up as ‘blogging collaborators’ with me as the ‘do-er’.

Blogging ‘BTS’

Once a blog title or titles is decided, I do the work. I take the stress out of blog writing for your business as you’ve outsourced it to me. No need to worry that you’re running out of time or you’re lacking inspiration; no need to dread sitting down at your computer to write. It’s all taken care of.

So, ‘behind the scenes’, I write away. We will have agreed on some timescales for a first draft based on your ideal blog publishing date and when I’m happy with it, I’ll send it over. I don’t PDF it; it’s in Word and it’s sent via email.

Depending on what we’ve agreed, you may have keywords highlighted, headings arranged to optimise SEO and other annotations so it may be colourful!

Over to you

And then it’s over to you.

You have to read the blog and consider a number of points:

Do you like the blog? Is it easy to read and engaging?

Does the tone suit your brand? That comes under ‘Core Questions’ so have I delivered on the tone you requested and we discussed?

If it’s meant to sound like you writing the blog, does it? For example, I once used the word ‘unorthodox’ in a blog and the client came back to tell me that she would never use that word. Readers would know it wasn’t her writing and so we changed it.

Does the blog do what it should? Does it market your product/provide more information on your brand or service/instruct/entertain?

My former career was in an environment where feedback was a constant and I have been institutionalised by that so tell me what you think, what you like and what you don’t like. ‘I love it, it’s perfect,’ is also fine. 🤣

To date, I have left uploading the blog to a business’s website and publishing it to the client. Similarly, clients source their own photos or images for the blog; websites like Unsplash and Pixabay, Canva and Wordswag, make it easy to find free photos that work.

It’s a simple process which yields great results for you: no stress of blog writing whilst attracting clients.

FAQs

How do you make the blog sound like me?

We talk and we talk and we talk. I get to know you, get to know the way you speak and importantly, the way you want to come across. Sometimes it doesn’t need to sound like you but how you want your brand to sound and that’s an important distinction.

You publish the blog and so you have to read it to give it the green light. If there’s anything that you think doesn’t sound like you, it can be changed!

Work with me - blogs