By Carla Young Harrington
I love writers (disclosure statement: I am one). Kudos to the companies and non-profits that are employing the talents of writers. By creating content for websites. social media, publications, digital newsletters, news releases, product brochures and other marketing channels, writers are helping companies connect with their customers.
That said, the job descriptions organizations sometimes post for “a writer” are simply too demanding for a single person to accomplish effectively.
One recent “writer” job listing noted the following responsibilities:
Write and edit marketing materials including: eBooks, white papers, case studies, collateral, presentations, articles, and blogs; write content across a variety of writing styles and tones, both formal and informal; write content in accordance with various style guides including AP and Chicago; identify thought leadership campaigns and generate compelling content that supports specific demand generation efforts; collaborate with technical and creative teams to ensure production of materials and content is effectively created and delivered to the market through the appropriate channels; assist with the development and communication of the content roadmap and editorial calendar for the company; enhance the company’s content styles and ensure the message is consistent and optimized for consumption across the right channels – online, email, social media, video, print and in-person; measure and track content being consumed and use those insights to enhance future content road-map decisions.
What these companies really need is a creative team of writers with different styles and a broad range of expertise. A team that can combine the talents of marketing communications strategists, media relations experts, graphic designers, videographers, social media planners, Web managers and other experts as needed to achieve the organization’s goals.
If your company is considering hiring a writer or another communications specialist, but really needs something more, explore your creative options.
Public relations and marketing communications firms can provide all the talents you need for the price of a single salary – and often much less.
