It’s always nice to begin with a blueprint—a roadmap for a cross-country trip, a recipe for a homemade dinner, or even an outline for a piece of content. And not without reason. Content outlines can be essential in copywriting, allowing for strategic alignment, perspective, and pivots before drafting begins.
But the comforts of an itinerary, a cookbook, or a content outline aren’t without their drawbacks. Needless delays, extended back-and-forths, and creative rigidity can all be the costs of inserting outlines where they don’t belong.
So, should you outline? The short (and slightly annoying) answer is: it depends. Recognizing when you need an outline is an exercise in interpreting signals—and it calls for some practice. Learn how to make the most of this process, without wasting time or sacrificing strategy.
Identify the time to pause and regroup
Some people swear by outlines. Others say they stifle creativity. Both camps have a point; there are times when outlines add unnecessary approvals and delays. But there are others when they provide crucial clarity and actually prevent obstacles down the road.
Here are three scenarios when it’s worthwhile to hit the pause button and develop a plan for a piece.
- Topic complexity: New capabilities, regulatory changes, or other intricate or topical subjects call for nuanced content that unpacks their complexity. For example, the arrival of a new piece of legislation or tariff relevant to your business may trigger a response blog or e-book showing how your company will adapt to the change. Internal subject matter experts or thought leaders from across the business may need to get involved, sharing insights on the topic and offering quotes on the way forward. In this case, an outline can be essential for verifying key nuances before drafting.
- Strategic uncertainty: A product launch, a rebrand, a push to reach new consumers or markets and other strategically sensitive initiatives bring up questions about positioning. Developing an outline before drafting these pieces gives you an opportunity to finetune strategy and ensure the final piece accomplishes your big-picture goals.
- Stakeholder weigh-in: When a big group of stakeholders wants to weigh in on a piece—from the content marketing team to the C-Suite to sales and legal experts—developing an outline is crucial for avoiding hiccups and delays down the road. An outline ensures that all parties are aligned on the main structure, important points, and overall flow of the content before it’s fully developed. With a roadmap that incorporates stakeholder feedback, you can avoid extensive revisions and ensure the final piece meets everyone’s expectations.
Trust the process—and don’t get bogged down in detail
Now that you know whether or not you need an outline, what should it look like? A solid outline provides organization, a strategic direction, and a call to action. You don’t need full sentences. You don’t need transitions. You just need a concise overview, key points, and a logical order.
Simple, right?
The truth is, spelling out your content’s high-level, strategic direction in an outline can take more time and thought than you might think. It is the piece’s essential argument, the foundation of every sentence and proof point, and it will dictate how you achieve the content’s overarching purpose. But if the situation calls for it, the time spent curating an outline won’t go to waste. It will make drafting the full piece faster and easier, and it will cut down on strategic nit-picks when it comes time to review.
However, if you must prioritize, each outline should dedicate special attention to the introduction. It sets the stage for the entire piece and makes the most sweeping statements about your aims. With an outline that lays out the introduction’s flow, you lay the groundwork for on-mission copy from start to finish.
Plug into a content system that adapts to every situation
Ultimately, the best copywriting approach is the one that combines a productive, smooth process with clear, forward-looking strategy. And MarketSmiths’ unified content workflow does just that.
This reliable system brings together pre-vetted writers and an extensive process of quality control designed to embed strategy into every step. By outsourcing content creation to this cohesive process, businesses can rise to the demands of an ever-changing market with confidence, equipped with high-level outlines; adaptable, timely campaigns; and a dedicated team to support dynamic needs.
Ready to tap into an optimized content process? Contact MarketSmiths to get started.
