Workweek: New B2B Media Model Launches – Relevant for Nurse Writers?

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An interesting bit of news hit the wire last week: a new B2B media model and website called Workweek launched. The Austin-based organization says it takes an entirely fresh approach to creating and delivering “influential content” in the business-to-business sphere. Of note, it plans to employ content creators while also giving them “wide latitude for operating independently” (according to a Publishing Insider story).

Workweek founders say they plan to pay above-market salaries to content creators across a wide array of verticals (including healthcare), plus provide 25 days of paid leave, 100% health insurance coverage for the creator, and a slew of other benefits including equity in Workweek.

So what might this mean for nurse writers?

A New Type of Influencer Marketing?

I’m wondering if Workweek – at its core – is simply a new influencer marketing model. In the past, influencers largely have worked independently, building their followings on various social channels and cutting their own deals with sponsors.

Workweek alludes to influencer marketing when it says “people follow people, not institutions.” That certainly says “influencer,” to me.

If all marketing is going to go the way of influencer marketing, it could be wise for nurse writers to build strong personal brands – so they can position themselves not just as content writers but as “influencers.”

Your Writing Website is a Key Component of Your Branding

In my opinion, one of the best ways to build your brand is through a professionally designed website. For many businesses, the website represents the initial impression of the brand that prospective clients receive. If you’re tech-savvy enough, you can build your own professional-looking website, but if you don’t have good design sense (or don’t understand some of the principles behind how people consume content on the web), then hiring a designer is a no-brainer.

A few resources we recommend for getting yourself a beautiful, professional website:

• The BBS Agency. Not only do Vincent and his team possess the design chops to build you a beautiful site, but they perform all the backend wizardry required to ensure your site follows SEO best practices – so it will rise in the search listings over time. Mention RN2writer to receive $100 off!
• Jottful. Another great option for semi-custom websites that look professional and perform beautifully. Mention RN2writer to receive $100 off!
• Bluehost. If you prefer the DIY route, you’ll need hosting for your WordPress-based website. Bluehost has a phenomenal reputation for providing cost-effective, reliable hosting for freelance writers.

Should You Brand Yourself or Your Business?

This question comes up frequently in RN2writer coaching sessions: Should I do business under my own name, or should I choose a business name? At its heart, this is a branding question: Should I make my business the brand, or myself? And usually nurses ask me this question in relation to choosing a domain name.

If, as the Workweek launch suggests, the creator tide is turning toward influencer marketing, then you may want to brand yourself. But don’t worry if you’ve already registered a business name and set up a gorgeous website. You can still brand yourself as an influencer, regardless of the name you do business under.

Honestly, I don’t think it really matters what domain name you choose, as long as it’s easy to remember. Even if your domain name reflects a business (“AceHealthWriting.com”), you can still brand yourself as an expert writer through other elements on your web pages: images, text, etc.

Keep in mind that unless you have a very unusual name, you might not find the corresponding dot-com, anyway. So choosing a business name for your domain makes a lot of sense.

No matter which way you decide to go, you’ll need to find a domain name you love. To do that, we recommend using:

• Namecheap. It’s true this company delivers cheap domain names, but their support is anything but. We’ve always had a great experience with them – and they can provide hosting for WordPress, too! In fact, you can get a free domain name when you buy shared hosting!

Bottom Line: Workweek Might Herald a Changing Content Creation Model…Or, It Might Not

It’s way too early to tell if Workweek will make it as a new B2B media model or not. But this story will be worth following for independent content creators like nurse writers. We can learn a lot by watching how this company’s journey unfolds and whether or not B2B audiences respond to influencer-type creators.

Meanwhile, you can work on your personal or business branding to continually position yourself as an expert in content writing and an influencer within the healthcare content niche.