Writing Services
Writing Services: Brief Summary
Writing services is a field of work in which professional writers, or content creators, produce written content for their clients, according to the order made or specification given. This may include the creation of online content, such as articles, news items, blog posts, product descriptions, web page content, press releases and reviews, but also includes things like essay or assignment writing, presentation writing and research work.
As a result, the customers who seek out writing services are varied and may include business leaders, website owners, content marketers, students and private individuals. Typically, an individual or business providing writing services will be able to assist with all of the different stages of content creation, from the initial plan, through to research, writing the content, editing the content, optimising content for search engines, and publication.
Writing Services: Detailed Summary
Although the history of businesses offering writing services can be traced back many decades, the modern interpretation, which is often linked with online content, emerged during the late 1990s and increased in popularity after the turn of the millennium. Demand for written content has grown as concepts like content marketing, search engine optimisation, blogging, social networking and social selling have become more popular.
Writing services are provided by professional writers or content creators and these professionals may work on a freelance basis, or for a content marketing company. Freelance workers may choose to promote their own services, or provide services as part of an established content marketplace, which serves to put clients and professional writers in contact. This can make it significantly easier for freelance writers to find work.
For clients and customers, there are pros and cons to each of the aforementioned categories. Freelance authors tend to be the most affordable solution, but the quality of their writing can vary drastically. With that said, freelance authors that operate as part of a content marketplace can be slightly more expensive, but the writers will often be of a higher standard, and extra support and protections are provided by marketplace operators.
Typically, those seeking content services will need to have a basic plan or strategy in place, so that they can make it clear what they want from the assignment. With that being said, it is possible to outsource a significant amount of the planning process to content creators as well. For the best results, the writer should be provided a clear idea of the purpose, the target audience, the style or tone required and the channel where the text will be published or shared.
If there are requirements related to the use of specific keywords for SEO purposes, these will need to be explained to the author before they begin work. They will then write the content, based on the instructions they have received. In some cases, the content will then be sent to a dedicated editor, who will review its overall readability and check it for spelling and grammatical errors, although some content writers do this themselves.
Typically, once the content is received by the client, they will then have the chance to provide feedback and request any changes, if necessary. The service provider may or may not be actively involved in the process of actually publishing the content. While some writing services can be integrated with content management systems, and while some content writers will be provided with permissions to publish pieces directly, this is not always the case.
Although there are no strict qualifications required to offer writing services, writers operating as part of a content marketplace will typically need to pass entry language tests, and provide writing samples. Meanwhile, those operating on a freelance basis will need to be able to demonstrate their own writing abilities or expertise and provide samples. Many content writers have degrees related to English, journalism, research or digital marketing.
Types of Written Content
As the concept of writing services has grown over the past few decades, the range of different services on offer has also increased. Today, there are many different types of content that can fall under the writing services umbrella, and each of these different content types requires a slightly different approach, skill set and format. Some of the most common written content types are explained in greater detail below:
Articles – Articles may be based on news, or any chosen topic, and are usually intended to provide the reader with information. Many articles will feature high-quality research, which is why service providers tend to charge more than for other content types, and articles can help to establish a business or individual as an expert in their field.
Blog Posts – A blog post tends to be slightly less formal than an article, and blog posts are also often significantly shorter. They tend to be more opinion-based, with less in-depth research and there is often a greater SEO component, as the blog itself forms part of the client’s website.
Press Releases – Unlike articles and blogs, press releases follow an established format and are written to be distributed to newswires. The general purpose behind a press release is to provide useful information, which can be used by members of the press to write about the topic, which could be a new product, an upcoming event, etc.
Product Descriptions – As the name suggests, product descriptions are descriptions of products and tend to be featured on product pages of online stores. Like other pieces of digital content, they can be optimised for search engine visibility. The real purpose is to not only describe a product, but also to persuade readers to buy it.
Landing Pages – Landing pages are individual web pages that are designed to be landed on when people use a search engine. Technically, any page that a user can land on is considered a landing page. The content featured on a landing page should capture the attention of its audience and feature a call to action.
Essays and Assignments – Finally, some authors may also provide services for essay or assignment writing, usually geared towards students. The ethics behind this practice are questionable and most academic institutions will disqualify students who hand in essays written through these services. However, students may still request an essay or assignment, so that they can see an example of a well-written piece and learn from it.
Conclusion
Writing services is a business area focused on creating written content for clients, according to their needs. It can include online and offline content creation, with examples ranging from articles, blog posts and product descriptions, through to assignments, essays and research papers. Many of those offering writing services have expertise associated with language, journalism, research or marketing.
Clients can seek writing services from individual freelance writers, agencies or content marketplaces and there are pros and cons associated with each. Outsourcing writing to a professional can help a business to expand or improve its content marketing strategy, resulting in better quality content, which can be optimised for SEO purposes.