OK, I grew up in the eighties and so am obliged to reference the hit film about slimed academics… But this post has nothing to do with crossing the streams; and neither am I referring to the blogging platform Ghost – this is about the art of writing for someone else.
We’re all familiar with the idea of “ghostwriters”, without whom no celebrity novel would exist (hmm, maybe I’ve just un-sold this concept). Now, of course, we have ghost blog writers, and I am happy to be part of that spooky-sounding tribe.
Yes, we all know that we need a blog. Search engines need you to have a blog. Your current customers need a blog. Your potential customers need to see a blog to know you exist and that your business is live and current. Social media needs blogs in the same way the rest of us need breakfast. And so it goes on.
There can be a reluctance to hand over blog writing. After all, isn’t it some sort of diary, which is a personal thing? A blog is an informal way of connecting with your audience, and as such, shouldn’t it have a more personal tone than your other web pages?
This is where the ghostblogger comes in. Here’s why they are a good idea.
They always have the time
It’s the writer’s job, so they have to deliver. If you write your own blog, it can easily drop to the end of the To Do list on a busy week. Particularly if you don’t actually like writing…
If you outsource your blog, you can also work with your blogger to create a content calendar, so you know what posts are coming up.
It will read well
No need for false modesty here. A professionally-written blog post will have a sparkle and a flow to it – at the very least, it will be proofread.
Not everyone enjoys writing. Contemporary culture has forced the written word on many people who really would rather never write. That’s fine. Some of us love to (winning smile, winning smile…). You can even outsource your Facebook and Twitter accounts #justsaying…
It can be written in any voice
Don’t worry about losing that personal touch. A good writer can write in a tone of voice that suits your business. A good chat or meeting at the start of the relationship will help to establish a style – and, ssssssh, no one need ever know that it doesn’t come from the owner/CEO/marketing team/figurehead…
You will get the content you need
You will be guaranteed regular, high-quality content, which both the search engines and your customers require. The content will be properly researched and referenced, and will be pitched to speak to the right audience.
So there’s the case for outsourcing your blog to a shadowy figure who will speak to your audience for you. The original Ghostbusters said “no job is too big, no fee is too big”. Don’t worry. Ghostblogger here starts at a mere £30 per blog post.