Internet Marketing Digital_marketing_for_dummies | Page 115

ask questions until you’re satisfied that their efforts will generate a post that is publishable
on your blog.
Last, discuss timeframes and deadlines. Depending on the type of post, expect the writer to
take between one and three weeks to develop the first draft. If you’ve never worked with
someone before, ask her to write the first 25 percent and send it to you or your editor for
review. This preview will allow you to make adjustments and work with the writer before
she completes the post.
Be sure to respect the writers’ time as they’ve respected yours and set expectations on
turnaround time. How long will they have to wait until you send back edits or questions?
How long before they know their post is approved? When will you communicate their
publish date to them? With guidelines, timing, and expectations set, you ensure that your
content creating process can go off without a hitch.
Editing the first draft
After a contributor has submitted a first draft (on time, you hope!), you approach the draft
for a technical edit. This is the edit you perform to ensure that this piece of content is
publishable in its current state, or can be brought up to standard without an overhaul of the
content.
First, compare the final post to the headline and outline the writer submitted earlier in the
process. Does it deliver on the promise in the working title? Does it stay true to the
outline? Point out any areas of concern you have. Pay particular attention to areas that
deviate from the stated promise in the working title or that the writer omitted from the
expected outline.
Next, run down your guidelines to verify that the post meets your publishing criteria. Is the
tone right for your blog? Does it deliver the types of content your audience expects from
your blog? Do images meet the standard and specifications set by your guidelines? Does
your writer have the necessary permissions secured to use images in the content?
After you established that the post does or does not meet your guidelines, go through the
meat of the post to see what edits you need to make. What does the writer need to expand
on? What should he remove? What can he clarify for the audience?
Decide whether the post needs to go back to the writer for further revisions and edits, or if
you will publish as is or with minor edits from you or your editorial team. If you return
the post to the writer, communicate a follow-up deadline in order to reach your publishing
date. Your notes should clarify exactly what you’re hoping for in the revisions, and what
edits need to be made.
Copyediting the post
After you have a publishable post (one that fulfills the promise and meets your standards),
you should perform a thorough copy edit. Edit the post to meet your language style (do