There’s an old saying among journalists that your degree and college matter little; it’s your on-the-job training that jumpstarts your career.
What differentiates English majors from journalists is the lessons learned in the field — at a commissioners’ meeting, a crime scene, or a ballfield — will keep good writers asking questions.
Today, journalists are moving away from traditional news and into alternative writing to the benefit of corporations, government agencies and marketing departments. When you hire a writer who is a brand journalist for your company’s content creation, you add many supported benefits.
1. Brand Journalists Understand Storytelling
Storytelling is the core of what journalists and professional writers do. They know that every good story — whether it’s for a product, a service, or about a person — has a beginning, middle and end.
The key to writing a good story is to find a way to connect with readers. Journalists understand the value of a punchy first paragraph. They know the facts are crucial to building credibility for users. They will not oversell a product or be preachy. Instead, they’ll find a way to make people want to read all the way to the end and identify with what has been written.
2. Brand Journalists Can Hit Deadlines and Word Counts
Anyone who has had to produce a relatively clean 600-word story after a contentious city hall meeting in about 30 minutes to meet a newspaper deadline will handily be able to produce a piece with a lengthier deadline (4-5 days).
The word count mantra — “Don’t send in 1,000 words when the word count was 750” — is a staple of the journalism business. Infinity is not an option for word counts.
Skilled brand journalists will deliver crisp, clean copy on time consistently. They also won’t require much babysitting. With a clear picture of what is needed, they’ll get the job done.
3. Brand Journalists Can Write Beyond SEO
As storytellers, journalists know how to embolden content with the key phrases that will make Google bots take notice without sounding like the story has been stuffed with magic words. Brand journalists can create content that your audience will easily find and access.
They can write SEO-friendly and catchy headlines and edit a story while understanding the value of reaching readers with limited words on social media.
4. Brand Journalists are Fearless, Committed, and Empathetic
A seasoned former reporter has always had to ask hard questions of important people for big stories. They’ve likely been yelled at in public for seemingly being too aggressive and are trained to keep their composure despite being the object of scorn.
They have also learned compassion and empathy when interviewing family members or friends for an obituary. Asking sensitive and personal questions while maintaining respect drives to the empathetic core of journalists.
5. Brand Journalists are Famously Impatient and Direct
Brand journalists don’t hesitate to ask more questions, and they love the challenges of finding answers to those questions. This is the perfect quality for stories that can create a well-rounded vision of your brand.
You’ll find that these professional writers won’t hesitate to create their own research, sleuthing on the internet or making a quick phone call to more company sources to find the answers.
6. Brand Journalists are Objective
Journalists are trained that the story isn’t finished until both sides have had a chance to weigh in. The good ones dig hard for facts from diverse sources. That objectivity ensures that content goes beyond a blatant sales pitch.
When you hire a brand journalist, you’ll find their writing can sell a story with facts and prose that keeps users engaged.
7. Brand Journalists Conduct Effective SME Interviews
It can be intimidating to interview a CEO or an important politician looking for good information. Asking more profound questions beyond the five Ws is what journalists do daily.
Good brand journalists also know how to build rapport with their subjects, gaining trust that makes them want to share their stories in a detailed way. They also know how to build relationships with sources over time. That provides access and insight for a deeper understanding of their subject. All of this leads to a better story.
8. Brand Journalists are Obsessed with Accuracy
There are tales about professors failing students in their journalism class if a name in a story is misspelled. The stories are true. There is also a famous line from the City News Bureau of Chicago that reads: “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.”
Any good journalist has agonized over a misspelled name that appeared in print or on a TV graphic. They know to check and double-check before turning in a piece and won’t create text that feels fake just to reach a word count.
9. Brand Journalists are Quick Studies
The best professional writers are good reporters. Give a journalist an assignment about a topic they are unfamiliar with, and they’ll find a way to get as much information about it as efficiently as possible.
These freelance writers continue to read insatiably and have been trained to spot an errant fact. They aren’t shy about reaching out to sources for one more piece of information to create a compelling read.
10. Brand Journalists are Ethical
Most journalists worked for organizations that required them to sign ethics statements that required integrity in all situations. This could range from avoiding plagiarism to not taking gifts from sources.
Integrity is the backbone of the free exchange of information.
Discover How Journalists Can Help Your Company
Good content will bring readers to your website and convert them into customers. Brand journalists know the value of a high ranking on Google and have the ego to make sure your company reaches its goals.
PowerPublish’s team of professional writers, brand journalists and managed editors can start your company on the path to success with your content needs. We will match your industry and interests with exceptional expert writers. When you outsource your brand publishing, you discover content that delivers results and drives revenue.