Promoting yourself during a pandemic

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the best when it comes to self-promotion. The introvert in me hates shining a spotlight on myself and I fear negative attention. Basically, that entrepreneurial spirit does not come naturally to me. I trust in others to prop me up, remind me that I’m capable and am deserving of recognition. And while I hear it – it’s still a tough thing for me.

So, the middle of a pandemic is both the best time and the worst time for me to pursue a real freelance business.  It’s the best time because I have the time. I do not have a full-time job and days of the week and hours in the day don’t mean what they used to. I can organize my day however I want to, and I love that.

Why do I feel it’s the worst time to start a freelance writing business? Well, times are hard. Many businesses are suffering financially, so it feels wrong to ask people to hire me. I need to get over that and here’s why.

Just as I have to get over my fear of self-promotion, businesses need to rethink how they promote and market in the middle of a pandemic. Sure, you can put out some posts on social media letting people know that you’re reopening and explaining the new safety precautions you’re taking to comply with government regulations, but there is more you can do.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is the whole package. Content is photos, blogs, articles, videos, blurbs and ads. The marketing aspect is how it’s shared, who it’s for, when it’s posted and what its purpose is. It’s an all-encompassing media plan.

While short-form content is great and easily digestible, don’t discount the power of longer written pieces. Blogs are a great example of effective content for businesses.

Blogs are…

• Informative and educational
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) friendly
• Sharable

Blog topics can be directly or indirectly related to your business. If you’re a restaurant, you could have blogs about how to support local eateries during Covid, or food and wine pairings or top 5 menu items to try this summer. The SEO part is important because the blog format allows for the strategic use of keywords. An experienced writer will know how to use keywords effectively without compromising the quality of the writing or over-optimizing. It can flow well, inform readers and be captured by search engines. Blogs are also great because they can be shared in a variety of ways. They can be shared on your social media accounts and be packaged up into newsletters you send out to subscribers.

To get back to the point of this blog: Why hiring a blog writer or content creator during a pandemic is worth it. It’s an investment in your recovery. You need to be reaching your audience, but you might not have time to do this yourself right now. In fact, you might not be the best person for this job. You can learn more about that in my previous blog.

Help Me Help You

I’m learning to be brave when it comes to self-promotion, so here’s my pitch. I am a qualified writer with 10+ years of experience writing promotional content. I started my career working at a local magazine, where we wrote articles about local businesses and people. I continued my career writing about small and medium sized businesses for the digital space. I know the value of this work.

I also believe in local businesses who work hard and make communities better places. I want you to succeed. I want you to make it out of this pandemic, just as I want this for myself. I don’t believe that anyone is self-made. We succeed when we help others and accept the help of others. So, let me help you.

Do you have a blog that you fail to update? Let me write it for you. If you don’t currently have a blog on your website, let me help you start one. Contact me today to get started. I’m local to Burlington, Ontario, but can accept clients in the GTHA and beyond!