What is business ghostwriting?
Defining ghostwriting for a modern business
Ghostwriting is the process of writing under someone else’s name. A ghostwriter is a person who writes under another person’s name, usually for monetary compensation. That definition is well established and understood, but often associated with biographies, literary works and speeches.
However, as a communication strategy, it’s used all the time in the business world but often under different names such as content writing, freelance writing, author-for-hire, writing consultant, speech writer and a whole host of other terms. However, they all mean the same thing. Hiring someone to write your communications content for you. Whether that’s blogs, social media, articles or speeches. It’s no more complicated than that — people just like to wrap up the term with ‘’buzz words’ to make it feel like a new and exciting concept.
Ghostwriting is undertaken in businesses across the world. It allows the author (the business) to focus on what they’re good at (running a business), outsourcing the task of writing to an expert who can write using their expertise and the author’s voice, resulting in a more polished and marketable final product.
Most people have access to powerful computers with word processing software that comes complete with spelling and grammar checking technology that was undreamt of just a generation ago. Given that most people can produce their own written work and easily publish it on the internet, one might have thought that ghostwriters would have become extinct by now, but this isn’t the case.
Having engaging content for your audience is an inexpensive way for businesses, both big and small, to show their authority, to highlight certain products, attracting new customers without the cost of a marketing team or advertising campaign.
In today’s world of constant content creation, every word counts. The quality of your content can mean the difference between a high bounce rate and a high conversion rate. According to Fronetics, writing is one of the most outsourced marketing activities.
The advantages of hiring a ghostwriter
You’re in control. When you hire a ghostwriter for your social media, website content, external articles, are published under your brand’s name. In fact, ghostwriters will usually write in the first person, ensuring your content is written in your voice and will read as if you wrote the piece yourself.
Professional ghostwriters can also help you brainstorm ideas for new content, an especially useful skill when it comes to blogging. Generating regular posts takes time and effort that you may not have. Regularity is particularly important when connecting with your audience and a ghostwriter will alleviate the pressure of creating quality content each week.
Also important is that ghostwriters have a background in your company’s niche, say sustainability. As they will naturally be able to create content that is relevant and engaging to your readers.
I’m a sustainability communications specialist working with businesses, non-profits and entrepreneurs. To find out more about what I can do for you in terms of ghostwriting, please drop me a note; info@alicet-s.com or visit www.alicet-s.com.
