[mteam]

Quick question for all you designers, do you write the content for the site or does the customer provide ?

[terydinho]

It totally depends on each client and on your skills as a writer. Obviously, don't write for a site if you are rubbish at copywriting and if you know very little about the subject area.

I usually ask the client to provide me with copy for the site, and if they can't, then I charge them for copywriting, which I farm out to one of several writers I know.

Each client and project you take on is unique though

[chtyrone]

Yup, mostly they know a whole lot more about what they do than you do, so make them write out the stuff.
Now you might have to rewrite bits to include "key phrases".
It's a combined process, especially if they want decent search results.

Those key phrases are the difficult bit.
What's a prospective customer going to type into a search engine to find your client's services?
It may take quite a time to sort that list out.

[wizely]

Personally I wouldn't go letting designers or clients write their copy!
Designers will hack copy to pieces and make it anorexic to fit their pretty designs (or replace it all with shiny pictures), clients will talk about themselves far too much and SEO cowboys will stuff it up the Wahhabi with spammy keywords!

[Kryptic]

Client sends draft copy of content.
I do keyword analysis
I send back 2nd draft with keywords included.
I wait for client's approval and final copy of content.

Useless making a pretty website that nobody finds!

[mteam]

Thanks

when getting a copywriter to do it, do they have a list of info you need to get off the client ?

sorry if its a daft question

[Allstar]

I like to encourage them to write it, usually with a little push they'll find someone like a secretary, office person or PR trainee that will do it. Usually end up having an email conversation with them as I edit, and I have exactly once gotten a date out of it...

• If they do it and you have no conscience then its a load of your shoulders.
  
• If they do it and you care then editing is a minor burden you can charge for.
  
• If you do it you can charge a lot BUT you waste time doing something less fun than designing.

[wizely]

mteam, on 25 January 2010 - 04:15 PM, said:

Thanks

when getting a copywriter to do it, do they have a list of info you need to get off the client ?

sorry if its a daft question

Not the daftest question you'll find on here I assure you!
But, yes, the copywriter should tailor some form of 'questionnaire' to get the right kind of information off the client.

Clients cn of course write their own copy - they can of course design their own websites in a WYSIWYG editor... for all the benefits web designers say there is in using a pro is the same for copywriting (only more important! ).

[mrchristoph]

wizely, on 27 January 2010 - 10:46 PM, said:

Not the daftest question you'll find on here I assure you!
But, yes, the copywriter should tailor some form of 'questionnaire' to get the right kind of information off the client.

Clients cn of course write their own copy - they can of course design their own websites in a WYSIWYG editor... for all the benefits web designers say there is in using a pro is the same for copywriting (only more important! ).

Cheeky! Get back where you belong: http://forums.freela...ywriting-forum/

[wizely]

mrchristoph, on 27 January 2010 - 11:00 PM, said:

Cheeky! Get back where you belong: http://forums.freela...ywriting-forum/

Good point... thread moved! (Love being a mod!).

[notbanksy]

Allstar, on 27 January 2010 - 10:21 PM, said:

If you do it you can charge a lot BUT you waste time doing something less fun than designing.

I'm not playing devil's adocate here, but writing is design if you look at it a certain way. What I mean is, the copy must be part of your web design, and requires as much (if not more) attention to detail as the graphics to make your site the best it can be.

How many times have you seen a very pretty website with the most godawful drivel on it? And what do you mean it's not fun?!

I would say it's more difficult in some ways, but more rewarding when you get it right, after all, it's what the visitors to your site are going to pay the most attention to.

[a.g.r.c]

terydinho, on 25 January 2010 - 11:24 AM, said:

It totally depends on each client and on your skills as a writer. Obviously, don't write for a site if you are rubbish at copywriting and if you know very little about the subject area.

I usually ask the client to provide me with copy for the site, and if they can't, then I charge them for copywriting, which I farm out to one of several writers I know.

Each client and project you take on is unique though

That's a perfectly rational reply. If the customer values their own message so much, accept content from them and suggest keyword placement and it may be an idea to have an seo guy or copy writer or w.e look over it. Or if the message is not an issue, have someone communicate the brand through graphical rep and a-like

[fergsi]

Kryptic, on 25 January 2010 - 02:21 PM, said:

Client sends draft copy of content.
I do keyword analysis
I send back 2nd draft with keywords included.
I wait for client's approval and final copy of content.

Useless making a pretty website that nobody finds!

Absolutely useless making a handsome website nobody finds!!!

[Lev]

Where is our dear Wizely?

[jerry91]

they usually have their content but most of the time it needs tweeking,

[Mahesh10]

We are writing the content provide by the customer.In addition to that we are also adding some thing related to that new to make it attractive.Its the work of the content writer to make the content more qualitative.

[weboutsourcinggateway]

mteam, on 25 January 2010 - 04:15 PM, said:

Thanks

when getting a copywriter to do it, do they have a list of info you need to get off the client ?

sorry if its a daft question

you should give all the information needed to your copywriter or else the copywriter will be clueless of what he/she is writing all about.

[gay design]

Content writing is different from designing so you have to be very specific with the content/copy writer's quality output against the design. It is usually the owner of the website who provides the content due to the fact that the owner knows what's best for his product/services. I seldom know designer's with good quality copy/content writing skills but if you may encounter one, good for you. Personally I wouldn't let designers or clients write one for my site.