When you use a freelance copywriter for any outsourced content creation, especially for the first time, it’s understandable you may be a bit wary of their abilities. After all, they’ll be a complete stranger to your business. They won’t work there and may know precious little about your industry or sector. So, how does it work? What’s the content generation process to make sure they can deliver the goods for you? These four steps will show you.
The outsourced content creation process
Just as every copywriting project will differ, every copywriter will have nuances for the creation of content at every stage. Every piece of client content I’ve written for web or print ticks all the right boxes for the client on final approval. Generally speaking, these are the typical four steps to content generation I use to deliver what you need from start to finish.
1. The initial consultation
Every piece of successful outsourced content creation begins with a complete understanding of your needs and goals. So, after you’ve contacted me about potentially working with you on a copywriting project, I’ll set up an initial consultation. The ‘call’ (sometimes called a ‘discovery call’) can be over the phone, via Zoom or Teams, or even face-to-face, but it’s where I dig into the specifics of what you need. Some typical questions I’d ask would be:
? What’s the main purpose of the copy – what’s it for, and what do you want it to do?
❓ Who’s your target audience – do you have any specific demographics?
? What tone and style should the copy have – informal, conversational, formal, professional?
❓ Are there any specific SEO keywords or phrases – do these need to be included?
In truth, this first step is essential as it lays the foundation for the whole project. By understanding your vision and what you want to achieve, I can change my approach to deliver copy that meets those needs.
2. The research stage
With all that info in the bag, I’ll have a much better understanding of your project as a whole. That means I can move on to the research stage. This is my favourite part of any content generation process. It gives me the chance to dive right into your world and consume as much background information as possible. This part includes research into:
🔎 Your business – taking a deep dive into your products, services, and people.
🔍 Industry/sector – understanding the industry, your competitors, and current trends.
🔎 Audience – identifying your target customer’s pain points, preferences, and behaviours.
🔍 Existing content – to make sure your new content is accurate, relevant, and helpful.
Research is the backbone of effective outsourced content creation – and it helps me massively. So, whenever I have conversations with any client, I always say, “Never be afraid to flood my inbox and send me as much stuff as you can.” Even talking to you in general conversation can mean I pick up on something you might not even think is relevant.
There’s no such thing as having too much supporting information. It gives me the context and business insight I need to create content that suits your audience and gets the results you want.
3. The copywriting stage
With all the previous info combined, I’ll have a good plan for what to include and how the content should look. At this point, I’ll begin the copywriting process. This is where things get interesting…
This stage is where our ongoing conversations and research pay off. I’ll pull together a first draft of a chosen page from your project (for a website copywriting project, for example, that might be the Home page). When writing, I’ll make sure your copy has:
✅ Clarity and conciseness – that means copy that’s clear, natural, and easy to read.
☑️ The correct information – The right copy in the right place, talking about the right thing.
✅ Your tone and style – adapting the copy to suit your brand and your target customer.
☑️ SEO keywords – adding keywords throughout (without keyword stuffing) so your content ranks well in SERPs.
Whatever copywriting services you need, whether for a website, a brochure, or a blog, the focus is always on creating informative, helpful, engaging, and persuasive content that works for you and meets Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines for building trust and authority.
Proofreading and copyediting
While writing is the first stage, the second stage of the copywriting process is refining, proofreading, and copyediting the copy. No copywriter’s first draft of anything will be correct straight out of the traps. This process is all about seeing if the content flows correctly, checking sentence structure, and possibly moving some things around.
And it will almost certainly include deleting a few things too. Trimming the fat and cutting out jargon, weasel words, and unnecessary fluff that doesn’t add anything to the piece.
When – and only when – this is done, I’ll share this completed first draft with you in your preferred format. This will usually be a Word doc and you can read, review, comment, and make changes if you need to.
4. Feedback and revisions
This final stage of feedback and revisions is a collaborative effort. As the client, you can review the content and suggest changes or additions. Based on your feedback, I’ll make the necessary revisions to ensure the copy meets your needs.
As part of my job, I’ll also point out if any of your changes might not be suitable or required and tell you why. After all, I want your copy to be as good as it can be – hence this collaborative effort to make it so.
After making all the agreed changes based on your feedback and our discussions, I’ll create a ‘V2’ document, which should be your approved version ready for final delivery.
In general, you’ll always get two sets of revisions from me included per page. But having a two-revision ‘limit’ per page ensures we get a set of fully considered thoughts and comments from you and your team in one go. Therefore, we can amend issues on the first or second attempt, making for a faster process and avoiding confusion with page version control.
Outsourced content creation from your 4-step freelance copywriter
Outsourced content creation can be confusing or unnerving for any business. But partnering with a professional freelance copywriter like me means you’re in safe hands. From your initial consultation to the final delivery of your copy, each step in the content generation process means your project is smooth, delivers what you need, and hits the spot for your target audience.
So, when you’re looking for a copywriter who offers this level of value while consistently writing high-quality copy that drives results and helps you achieve your business goals, why not get me involved in your next project?
Call me on 07429 128 849, email me at write@dropcapcopy.com, or message me on my Contact page and find out how I can help your business.
