Content creation is a vital part of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) because it makes your website relevant for the keywords your potential customers are using and helps to attract links. But, how do you actually make that content happen? In this post I’m going to address who should be creating the content for your website.
The general idea behind high quality content is that it is;
- Well written
- Visually appealing
- Easy to consume
- Provides unique and valuable information (this could be truly new data such as original research or it could simply be a new opinion or even a new way of collecting and curating old information)
The fourth point causes many people to suggest that content should be created by the business owner, or someone knowledgeable in-house, because they have the expertise and voice required to create something that’s both unique and valuable.
The often overlooked fifth point to add to the list above is that the content needs to get done. This point is especially relevant for small businesses that can’t afford to hire someone to take care of content creation in-house so it often falls on the shoulders of the business owner themselves. With no in-house help, the content must be created by the business owner alone or with some help from someone external e.g. a copywriter. There are four ways to make this work;
- Business owner creates content on their own – usually requires the business owner to have decent writing skills and time to dedicate to it
- Business owner creates content with help from a copywriter and/or editor – the business owner still requires time and writing skills but what they produce can be polished to create a better result
- Copywriter creates content with help from business owner ie. interviews them to get their insights on a topic then goes and writes content based on that – the best option for most businesses, providing that the owner has the time to pass over their knowledge
- Copywriter creates content on their own. They do the research using the web and other sources and sometimes contacting other authorities on the subject matter – this is the most efficient option as the business owner isn’t acting as a bottleneck but it does mean that the content won’t benefit from the unique knowledge and insights of the business owner
You’ll need to consider your (or the business owner’s) availability and writing ability to decide which option is best for you. Keep in mind that initial enthusiasm can quickly degrade after a few blog posts as content creation is actually pretty hard for the non-writer, particularly with all the distractions that come with running a business. The other thing to consider is, where can the business owner add the most value? In some cases, the business owner can make the biggest difference by being the content creator but in most cases they’re likely to be able to add more value elsewhere e.g. customer service, sales, developing the service or delivering the service. You might have to experiment with a few different models to see what works best.
How to Find a Copywriter
We have Australian copywriters who handle the content creation for our Search Engine Optimisation packages. We can also configure our packages to work with another copywriter if you prefer.
There are many copywriters out there offering content creation services to small businesses. Have a look and ask around in your networks to get recommendations (feel free to contact us for our recommendations). Contact each to get writing samples and pricing before making your decision.
You’ll find plenty of overseas services offering copywriting services and at pretty low rates. We have nothing against overseas service providers in general but we have found that these low cost providers tend to cut corners wherever they can which often results in a sub-par service. You also want to be careful when your writer is not a native English speaker.
Conclusion
You need to be creating content if you want to succeed at SEO.
The best content will have expertise and insights from the business owner, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the business owner has to be the writer.
If the business owner doesn’t have time to write or transfer their expertise then you can still get content using a research approach by an external copywriter.
Do you create your own content? Do you have any tips or tricks to get things done when writing content?