FTW: Onboarding Freelancers and Contractors for Content Production

Learn the importance of quality content production and hiring the right team members

“Start by knowing what you want and who you are, build credibility around it and deliver it online in a compelling way.” Krista Neher, Entrepreneur, Author and Speaker

Table of Contents

1. Keep the “Why” in Mind

2. Hire Content Production Team Members

3. Speak the Language of Freelancers and Contractors

Content production is more than posting pictures and videos on social media or digital platforms. It is implementing a marketing strategy that will enhance brand awareness, visibility, and audience engagement. Creating and executing a content plan can help keep production teams organized and focused on the primary goal of the brand and business.  

Keep the “Why” in Mind

Effective content marketing is always keeping the “why” in mind. The “why” is the vision, mission, values, pillars, and goals connected to the brand and business. Every piece of content should link to the endeavor - regardless of whether it’s created or curated content. Many viral moments occur when authenticity is infused in the content to share the brand story and its ideals.

Hire Content Production Team Members

Oftentimes in the beginning stages of brand and business development, small business owners have lean teams or a team of one. While producing high-quality content may involve investing in different tools, systems, platforms, and equipment, it is possible to create quality content that connects with your audience without an initial large financial investment. 

Producing high-quality content begins with being clear on the message you want to convey and share with your audience. Once again, it’s keeping the “why” in mind. 

What do you want the audience to know about your brand and business?

How do you want to tell the story? 

Is the brand story authentic to the business?

Establishing a content production team can support brainstorming content ideas, production, and delivery to connect with the audience and also increase the bottom line. It may take trial and error to eventually land with the right team members who understand the tone of the brand and convey the mission and unique value proposition clearly, effectively and efficiently. Realistically, the content production team could be you, the small business owner, brainstorming, outlining, drafting, editing, reviewing, producing, and disseminating all the content during the infancy stage of your business. And that’s okay. Truthfully, when you have experience fulfilling the responsibilities of the photographer, videographer, copywriter, editor, proofreader, project or program manager, website, and graphic designer, you know how to convey what you need when onboarding your content production team members.

Speak the Language of Freelancers and Contractors

When recruiting and onboarding team members, especially freelancers and contractors, it’s important to understand how to communicate effectively. The nature of temporarily filled positions is that those hired may support multiple projects with different companies. Therefore, it can’t be assumed that every freelancer and contractor understands the culture and demands of your brand.

Ensure you have an onboarding package to help hired freelancers and contractors understand your business. Include your mission and vision statements, values, expectations, responsibilities, onboarding materials, contracts, agreements, and any information to help them successfully fulfill the role and have a great working relationship with you.

Here are 7 questions to consider to help craft your onboarding materials for freelancers and contractors:

1. What are the brainstorming, editing, reviewing, and publishing processes you want freelancers and contractors to use for your business when capturing, creating and curating content for your brand?
   
   
2. What systems do they need access to for uploading, editing, reviewing, and publishing content?
   
   
3. Will your content be scheduled in advance? If yes, how far in advance?
   
   
4. How often do you want to communicate with onboarded content production team members? Throughout the day? Submit progress notes at night? Provide status reports in the morning?
   
   
5. How do you want team members to communicate with you, the business owner? Via email? Via text? Via project management platform? Via voice note?
   
   
6. How do you want to receive your deliverables? Do you want them emailed? Do you want content uploaded to a content management system with specific file names?
   
   
7. What are the expectations as a team member for your company?

The language when working with freelancers, contractors, and part or full-time team members is to be clear. Remove ambiguity and share your vision, mission, and goals for the projects they are hired for. Do not assume everyone understands the culture of your business. Therefore, create guides or helpful materials to assist with the onboarding process. 

Wrap Up 

Content production is more than just posting on digital platforms. It is making sure that you are expressing your purpose throughout all the pieces of content to increase brand awareness, visibility, and audience engagement. Ensure that you as the business owner are clear on the message you want to convey throughout your marketing plan and strategy. When possible, begin building your content production team to offload marketing tasks. Create a system and package to ensure you have an onboarding process for freelancers and contractors to have a smooth transition into your company. When done right, these temporary hires could eventually be life-long team members and the right fit for your business.

Tool Spotlight

7 Questions to Consider When Onboarding Freelancers and Contractors

Remember to stay in your marketing bag and expand your brand.