March 25, 2024
Papers lying on a table, crumpled, crossed out and with elements circled in red.
Table of contents hide
1 Proofreading is part of the web editor’s job
2 The web editor's texts must correspond perfectly to you
3 My tips for working best with a web editor
Being afraid of offending comes from a good intention and malaysia whatsapp asking for corrections can make you feel like your freelance web writer will think that you are telling them nothing more or less than "you suck" .
But think again! Knowing how to say what is right and what is wrong is essential when working with a service provider . I will explain why and give you tips on how to easily express what you want.
Need a web editor?
Proofreading is part of the web editor's job
This is also included in the price.
Perhaps when signing the quote, you read "2 round trips included" (beyond that, there will be an additional charge) or, as I often do, the writer may work in an agile manner by having you first validate the plan and ideas before starting to write the content.
Corrections are an integral part of the SEO web editor's work. He is aware of this. And remember that even if he puts his heart into his work and gives the best of himself, web writing remains his job. It is not him, strictly speaking, that you are questioning.
Because even if you write the best briefing in the world , you may have some things to correct, especially if your industry is very specific and the writer's research is difficult. He may get some numbers wrong or not use the right vocabulary for a particular term.
It's not about rewriting the entire web page or blog post, just adding additional elements to make the writer's work more in line with what you want .
The web editor's texts must correspond perfectly to you
Like when you put on a pair of pants or a dress. You like the cut, the color, the patterns, but there are two or three adjustments to be made to the waist or length so that the garment fits perfectly. You're not going to say "too bad, I'll wear it like that even if I look like a sack!"
It's the same with the editor's text!
Whether it's your website pages, a sales page, an article or a newsletter, the text must echo your values, your goals and your desires. You must be able tolook in the mirrorsay: “That’s perfect, I could have written this editorial content myself!”
It should resonate , as if the text came from you, as if the web editor had perfectly transcribed what you want to share with your prospects and customers without you really knowing how to express it.
For my part, if your corrections do not seem relevant to your communication, I will let you know, but know that you will always have the last word.
Read also: When to call on a web editor?
My advice for working best with a web editor
Asking for corrections is not necessarily easy. So to avoid going through this, several things are essential.
Know your target, your objectives, your offer perfectly...
You need to be clear about your persona, your communication objectives, your branding, your marketing strategy, your offer and your prices before even thinking about hiring a web editor .
If it's not clear to you, it won't be clear to your service provider and you'll never be satisfied with their work, no matter how many corrections you ask them to make.
The writer may be able to help you define your persona and your strategy if you ask him (and if he has in-depth knowledge of marketing. This is then an additional service), otherwise call on a specialist to help you.
Brief your web editor correctly
The web editor's brief is essential.
If you don't give any information to your service provider, he won't be able to provide you with work that matches what you want (he's not a fortune teller ^^). Of course, if you don't provide a briefing, he'll ask you questions.
Answer it and don't see it as a waste of time, on the contrary it will save you a lot of time.
Working hand in hand
Communicate regularly, work hand in hand with your web editor and answer his questions quickly if he has any.
Send a single email with all your comments
If, despite everything, there are corrections to be made to the text, send him a single email with all your comments : this will save him considerable time and will prevent certain corrections from getting lost along the way.
You can also add comments to texts in Word files or Google Docs. Do not make corrections yourself directly in the body of the text. Again, the editor may waste a lot of time finding the corrections and may miss some.
I insist on writing: many of my clients absolutely want to make corrections to me over the phone, but it's the best way to forget things and waste time on top of that.
Trust!
Trust your writer when it comes to SEO, keyword selection, and word count for your articles/pages. After all, if you chose him, it’s also because he’s a good writer, right?
