Interview questions about Content Writer

Content writers typically create content for the Web. This content can include sales copy, e-books, podcasts and text for graphics. Content writers use various Web formatting tools, such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript and content management systems to help create their work. Professional content writers create written content for a living. A professional writer should be competent and skillful, and they should be engaged in writing as their main paid occupation. Content writers produce the content for many different types of websites, including blogs, social networks, e-commerce sites, news aggregators and college websites.

1. What Is The Difference Between A Copywriter And A Web Content Writer?

Many web content writers are also copywriters. However, not all copywriters write web content. Web content writers specialize in writing to the very specific format of the web medium, which is unlike the marketing and copy writing formats for broadcast or print mediums.

2. Please indicate how you went about the process to get such articles done?

It will help to know what techniques the writer has used and what were the various websites referred. Also it will tell whether the articles were thoroughly read through before writing. Getting to write the appropriate content for the subject requires a step by step process.

3. How Does Your Process Work?

Once you complete our online contact form, we forward you the names, resumes, and hourly rates of web writers who match your needs. This usually takes anywhere from one hour to a couple days depending upon the size and sophistication of your project and requirements. You will then have the opportunity to interview or speak with the web content writer(s) of your choosing by phone to discuss your content writing project and their qualifications. Once you choose the writer you wish to work with, we’ll send you a standard sub-contract agreement. As soon as you’ve signed and returned the agreement, you are free to begin your project.

4. What sort of social media tools do you utilize to get help for content writing?

Most of the writers do use the common social media tools to get help with writing. Each writer would have specific flair for topics of their interest. Those writers would have books or magazines related to the topic. There could be some who are tech savvy and depending on the type of articles they would know where to get access to reference subjects.

5. Tell Me How Does SEO Content Writing Help A Website?

Good SEO Copywriting raises the rank of the site in the search engine results as it complies with the algorithms that make it attractive to crawlers.

6. What do you do to research the target audience?

As a content writer, it is important for me to identify the target consumer and understand his/her personality, preferences, and needs. For this purpose, I take assistance from analysts and review the data provided by them. I also often take insights from the Sales/customer-service teams and once in a while interact directly with the customers.

7. What Different Styles, Tones and Voices do you have Experience Writing In?

A key part of building a strong, cohesive brand is establishing a style, tone and voice for all of the content you create. Some good writers can write well in a variety of styles, while others are more limited. It doesn’t matter which you hire, but you want someone who will be able to match the style, tone and voice you’ve decided on for your brand.

8. How will you go about creating a content strategy for a client/brand?

Different agencies/organizations have different ways of approaching their content strategy. For the purpose of a content writing interview, you can narrate the following process which is simple and smart:
• Step 1 – Define the marketing objectives
• Step 2 – Identify audience (their personality, behaviour, demographics etc.)
• Step 3 – Define how the client/brand should be perceived by the audience (Positioning)
• Step 4 – Brainstorm ideas (Creating the topic/subject pool, creating a keyword list, etc.)
• Step 5 – Map a rollout plan

9. Which of Your Writing Samples Is Most Heavily Edited And Which Is Most Lightly Edited?

This will help you get a better idea of the quality of the writer’s raw work. Every writer needs some editing, but you want to find a content marketing writer whose work will need as little editing as possible. The less time and money you spend on editing, the better.

10. What operating programs do you use?

The writer should be computer-literate, and he/she should know the basic operating systems (Windows, Linux, etc.) and programs (MS Office, Open Office, etc.)

11. What Process You Went Through To Create This Piece?

As you look through a prospective writer’s “clips” or writing samples, select one to ask about in detail during the interview. The goal is to get an idea of how they go about getting to the final product.

12. What Is Credible Sources?

Attention to detail is important in all endeavors, including content writing. While blatantly making up facts, figures or sources is an obvious no-no, a content writer should also be aware that not every source is as credible as the next.

13. Do you have any negative trait that may affect our work relationships?

The negative answer will at least put you on the alert. Every person has negative traits, but not everyone is ready to speak about them honestly.

14. Are you a committed person with the strong work ethics?

The writer you want to hire is a dependable and reliable person who follows the deadlines, understands the instructions and communicates any issues clearly and honestly.

15. Tell Me Are You Comfortable With Your Writing Skills?

This is perhaps the most important question, because if their writing skills aren’t exceptional, your content writer might succeed in driving people away from your site, not to it. While reading previous work will give you great insight into their writing level, also ask questions specific to online writing and your industry.

16. Which Style Guide Do You Prefer To go by?

What you’re listening for here is either the Associated Press (AP) Style book or the Chicago Manual of Style. I’d even accept the Yahoo! Style Guide as a runner-up.

17. Once content is published, how do you promote it?

Even though you are a content writer, your employer expects you to contribute to the outreach efforts of the organization in some way. You can contribute to this effort by:
• Sharing the blog/article through social media.
• Asking your co-workers to share the blogs/articles.
• Reaching out to influencers & industry colleagues for their opinion on the blog.