Before delving into writing our content-piece we’ll take some time to look through the inspiration articles attached to the article-topic in our backlog, we’ll also search the web for similar content pieces with informative material that will allow us not only to give out reliable information but also enable us to tell a good story and tell it well.
After having a well-rounded understanding of our content-piece we’ll start forming the structure of the article. Optimally that would include the topic of every paragraph included in the article, most times though it’ll only include the main titles, subtitles, and bullet-points we’ll want to touch as part of our content-piece.
Some arts just can’t be taught, this is where all of our infrastructural work mixed with your special brand-of-talent will come into play in creating a grand content-piece of your own making.
Here’s a segment from John Milne’s & David B. Scott’s essay on The Evolving B2B Publishing Business Model to captivate your inspiration
Too many, it would seem, are quick to claim that “writing is writing.” A solid background in B2B editorial will enable one to write compelling ad copy with headlines that will drive sales through the roof. But is it that simple? The skills required to research and write news stories and editorial features are very different from those required to craft compelling and actionable ad copy. Case in point: no Journalism programs include classes in the latter. Regardless, the two schools of the discipline must coexist and respect each other - especially within the small parameters of the B2B community. Effective copy for display B2B advertising will convey an intimate understanding of the market and buyer (reader) needs. It can draw on emotion; be humorous; use facts to assert authority - but in all cases, it is intended to provoke a commercial reaction. While some might argue that this definition is simplistic, for the purposes of this paper it provides a reasonable summary of this one school of the writing craft. This is one of the many reasons why every effort has to be made to incorporate members of the editorial team in the development of sponsor content. Whether it be a news story, a profile, or a feature, B2B editorial content is intended to impart industry-specific material that is unavailable in the popular media in an informed manner that ultimately “helps the reader do its job better.” Achieving this goal requires a firm working grasp of journalistic principles and skills; immersion in the field served; research know-how; and the ability to keep the reader engaged - over years. These two schools of thought “merge” when it comes to Content Marketing/Native Advertising/Custom Publishing. Which one prevails or is more important? It is almost impossible to say for in these instances the one can’t “exist” without the other. The sponsor insists on the authority that comes from the experienced writer with an in-depth knowledge of the field acquired only through years of service. However, the sponsor may also insist on the inclusion of brand attributes or at the very least a reflection of them. For some, striking a balance is difficult. The decision rests with the publisher who should be encouraging editorial staff to acknowledge the current business realities. This does not mean forsaking journalistic integrity. It means building teams who are capable of meeting both reader needs and the needs of advertisers who must engage the audiences that are composed of their customers.`
Do make sure to adhere to your brand identity and copy-guidelines, aim for the estimated word-count, keep an eye on your CTA and tell a good story well.
After finishing your first draft, have yourself a 15-minute break from the text, and then start reading through it several times, each time focusing on a different aspect of the text.
In today’s day-and-age typos have a rather straightforward solution with auto-correct on every word processor. Though they still won’t fix mistakes such as they’re vs. their, its vs. it’s, etc.
Grammar, on the other hand, could be a challenging aspect of the text, so make sure to practice the following:
In order to verify your current draft is in line with your brand guidelines, I’d suggest the following:
Using the same exact phrasing multiple times throughout your article could seem tedious to your readers and could possibly damage your user-engagement, conversion, and ultimate goal. So make sure to mix-it-up, within reason, using the thesaurus of your choosing.