A detailed beauty content writer briefing is the first step toward your desired content. It allows you to introduce your company, define your target group and clarify your expectations of the advertising copy.
The beauty content writer receives all necessary information – this reduces correction loops and increases content quality. With our checklist, you can create a precise and meaningful content briefing.
- Beauty Content writer briefing: What does it mean exactly?
- Target-oriented beauty content writer briefing in 10 simple steps
- Please don’t do it this way: Avoid five common mistakes in a briefing.
Beauty Content Writer Briefing: What Does That Mean Exactly?
If you don’t write texts, it’s worth investing a little time in a beauty content writer briefing. After all, even the best and most experienced content writers can’t read minds. Every project is as unique as the client behind it – and therefore deserves an individual introduction. With a briefing, you ensure that you get top-notch content that emotionally resonates with your clients.
As an assignment guide, it provides the writer of your choice with all the necessary background information to put themselves in your company’s shoes, and better understands your target groups. In addition, the project briefing gives them a sense of your brand’s vision and allows them to integrate key messages into the text. The clearer you, as the client, formulate your expectations, the higher the likelihood of your desired content.
An excellent content writing brief:
- Clarifies for whom, why, and about what is being written.
- It contains all the relevant points that the finished advertising text should cover.
- Specifies urgent requirements such as content format, tone, and deadline.
- Highlights the client’s unique selling points.
- Facilitates collaboration and reduces correction loops.
Target-Oriented Beauty Content Writer Briefing In 10 Simple Steps
A detailed project brief benefits everyone and guarantees a productive workflow. When a content writer sends you a briefing template, they are laying the groundwork for a good working relationship. As a customer, you should therefore take plenty of time to fill out the questionnaire – after all, this is how you significantly influence the text quality.
A text is always as good as a briefing! But what belongs in it? Our checklist is an example of a content writer briefing and covers the essential points. If necessary, the content writer will request additional information from you, depending on the desired content format.
#1. Initial Situation
Here, the focus is on you as the client and your status quo. Tell your content writer what sets your business apart, what products or services you offer, and what sets you apart from the competition. What motivates you? Tell me about the vision you have for your brand!
- Where do you stand with your business today?
- How long has your business been in existence?
- What products/services do you offer?
- Who are your competitors?
- What is your unique selling proposition, and what sets you apart from the market?
- What is your company vision (in 5 or 10 years)?
#2. Background
Why do you commission the text work? It’s best to define one or two goals per text that are most important to you. It would be best if you also considered the different text formats.
A landing page attracts new leads and generates more sales. An email for your newsletter strengthens customer loyalty and your sales. A blog post focuses on answering questions from your target audience and demonstrating your expert knowledge.
- What is the background for the text project?
- What will the promotional texts be used for?
- What business goals do they serve (more inquiries, increase sales, become better known, build trust)?
- Is the text intended to solve a problem of your target group? If yes, which one?
#3. Target Audience
Content writing is not written for search engines but primarily for the reader. Imaginative content that is convincing and reaches your readers is tailored precisely to the needs of the respective target groups. Accordingly, the beauty content writer brief should clarify whom your copy is aimed at.
You can describe typical customers in more detail to the content writer, for example, using a buyer persona (customer avatar). This way, the content producer has a concrete picture in mind when writing and knows whom to address.
- Who are your current customers?
- What do your ideal customers look like?
- What can you help your target audience with?
- What requirements does the intended target group have for advertising copy?
#4. Beauty Content And Message
A vital component of any content brief is the message that a text should convey. How detailed should a particular topic be covered? What must content points be covered, so the ad copy meets your expectations?
The more precise your specifications are, the better the final result will be. There may be blocking terms or content points that the content writer should deliberately omit.
- What is the core message of the text?
- What points should the advertising text cover in terms of content?
- Do you already have sources of information/valuable links for research?
- Are there any linguistic peculiarities that the content writer must take into account?
- What content-related aspects/blocking terms should not be included in the text?
#5. Keywords
A content writer briefing should address the search engine optimization of the content to be created. After all, even the best advertising text is of little use if it cannot be found on the web. Think about how your target group expresses itself and which terms it enters in search engines such as Google and Co.
Let your beauty content writer know if you’ve already defined a keyword (and companion keywords, if applicable)! It can also be helpful to follow your customers’ discussions on social media to get a feel for how they express themselves. Most content writers also offer keyword research as an in-house service and include it in the price of the text.
- What keywords do your customers search for on Google?
- For which keywords do you want to be found online?
- Have you already defined a keyword for the text? If so, which one?
- Should the text contain further accompanying keywords?
#6. Call-To-Action (CTA)
You don’t just want to send attractive advertising messages with your content. You also want to prompt the reader to take a specific action, the so-called call-to-action. What should your target group do after reading the advertising text? This could be contacting you, subscribing to your newsletter, or downloading your e-book. Decide on a maximum of one call-to-action per text.
- What specific call to action should the text conclude with?
#7. Reader Approach And Text Style
Of course, you must clarify in a beauty content writer briefing which tone of voice you want for the article. What wording fits your corporate identity? What mood should the text create? The answer to these questions strongly depends on your target group.
Are there any examples that exactly match the tone you have in mind? Feel free to send along exemplary text samples for your next project. These can be texts from your website and your competitor’s content.
- What tone of voice is characteristic of your corporate communication?
- What text style do you want (relaxed, serious, emotional, informative, entertaining)?
- What atmosphere should the text create in the reader?
- Do any particular writing styles (e.g., a product name) need to be considered?
- What terms/brands/products do you want to distance yourself from?
- Do you address your readers as you or you?
#8. Text Format And Word Count
As a client, you have the choice between different types of text. Depending on the medium, different rules apply to the wording, which is why the definition of the format also belongs in the briefing. For example, a post for social media is usually casual and short, while the text for a landing page is more severe and extensive.
Which content format suits your project? The beauty content writer will happily give you recommendations, drawing on his accumulated professional experience.
- What type of text is needed (blog post, newsletter, product post, ad, landing page, category text, PR message, slogan, social media post)?
- What should the text size be (approximate number of words or pages)?
- What is the maximum length of the text?
#9. Scope Of Services
Remember to specify the desired scope of services in the beauty content writer brief. It is best to find out which services are included in the text price, as this varies from content writer to content writer.
Usually, topic research and keyword analysis are included in the price. Extra services such as meta-data, selecting suitable image material for your beauty content, or input into the content management system are usually associated with an additional charge.
- What services should the content writer provide (topic research, writing, keyword research, proofreading loop)?
- Do you want to receive the text as a Word document/PDF, or should it be entered into the CMS?
- Do you need extras like metadata, images, infographics, etc.?
- Does the content writer need to include collaborations (e.g., with a graphic designer or external agency)?
#10. Deadline
Of course, you want the text for your project to be ready on time. That’s why you should set a binding deadline during your briefing. Be as specific as possible and specify a day of the week and a time for submission. Remember to allow extra time for reading and a possible proofreading loop.
Also, please coordinate with the beauty content writer on their time availability. It’s common for in-demand content writer to be booked up in advance. If you are in a hurry with content creation, you can ask specifically what is possible. In any case, make sure that you are clear about the deadline, either personally on the phone or by e-mail.
- When do you need the text (day of the week and time)?
- Should a correction loop be agreed upon?
Not Like This: Avoiding 5 Common Mistakes In A Beauty Content Writer Briefing
Now you have a template for a beauty content writer briefing that covers all the critical points for content creation. However, more than a comprehensive questionnaire is needed to guarantee top-notch content.
A content brief has its pitfalls that need to be navigated – especially if you, as the client, need to become more familiar with the writing process.
#1. Too Little Input
Only fill out a briefing template on the fly, but take enough time. If necessary, have another person look over it and add to the information. The more input you give the content writer, the more effective your copy will be.
#2. Inaccurate Or Outdated Information
Make sure the information about your company is accurate and up-to-date. Complete background information about your brand makes content production easier and ensures better copy with fewer proofreading loops.
#3. Don’t Clarify Uncertainties
There may be questions you need help answering. You may still need to have a concrete idea of who your target audiences are. Or you may need clarification on what tone of voice fits your business. Many professionals also need help deciding on a content format.
The rule is: Be honest and inform your beauty content writer about the ambiguities. After all, consulting services are part of a good content writer portfolio, and they will work with you to find solutions.
#4. Not Being Present As A Contact Person
A content writer briefing provides the basis for your desired content but does not exclude queries on the part of the writer. Even an experienced content writer in your industry will have many questions about you and your business because they want to understand you and your target audiences down to the smallest detail.
If something remains unclear, he will approach you. Make it clear that you are always available for questions and provide an e-mail address or telephone number for this purpose.
#5. Lack Of Feedback
Do you already have a finished advertising text that disappoints your expectations? Then you should formulate your feedback for the first correction loop as precisely as possible, what bothers you and what changes you would like to see.
This is the only way the beauty content writer will know which points to revise and what needs to be done differently. After all, you, as the client, want to be able to identify with your content.
With a careful content writer briefing, you, as the client, can ensure the quality of your texts. Have your advertising copy written by experts in your industry: We’ll send you a ready-made briefing sheet that you only need to fill out. Introduce yourself and your company vision – we look forward to an exciting collaboration with you!