How do you navigate vague content editing requests from clients?

As a content marketer, you know how important it is to deliver high-quality content that meets your clients' expectations and goals. But sometimes, you may encounter vague or unclear content editing requests from clients that leave you confused, frustrated, or unsure how to proceed. How do you navigate these situations and ensure that you and your clients are on the same page? Here are some tips to help you handle vague content editing requests from clients and improve your content editing skills.

1 Ask for clarification

The first and most obvious step is to ask your clients for clarification. Don't be afraid to ask questions, request examples, or seek feedback on specific aspects of your content. This will help you understand what your clients want, why they want it, and how you can deliver it. Asking for clarification also shows that you care about your clients' needs and that you are willing to learn and improve.

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Kaustav Bhattacharya

IIM Ahmedabad | IIM Lucknow | MICA | University of Delhi | Story teller... Corporate Communications, Public Relations, Content Marketing, Association Partnerships and CSR @ Dun & Bradstreet
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One suggestion that I give to everyone when someone shares a vague brief is - Do not think that you’re making your client happy by asking less questions. Ultimately the product that you create will be of sub par value because you did not have complete understanding of what you’re client wanted. Therefore, ask as many questions as possible. No client will mind clarifying what they meant but they will mind if you go back with a half baked product. Communication is the key.

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Richa Tiwari (Content Marketing and Personal Branding )

Founder at Richa Content Services| Helping Founders & Coaches Build Businesses with Strategic LinkedIn Content|Coach for Aspiring Content Writers |LinkedIn Top Voice | Content Creator
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Navigating vague content editing requests from clients can be challenging, but with a few strategies, I can effectively handle the situation. Firstly, when faced with unclear instructions, I make sure to ask for clarification from the client. By using phrases like "Can you provide more details on what you want to achieve with this content?" or "Could you please specify the target audience for this piece?", I can gather essential information to proceed.

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2 Use a content editing checklist

A content editing checklist is a handy tool that can help you ensure that your content meets the basic standards of quality, accuracy, readability, and relevance. A content editing checklist can include items such as grammar, spelling, punctuation, tone, voice, style, format, structure, coherence, clarity, consistency, and SEO. You can use a content editing checklist to review your own work before sending it to your clients, or to address any vague content editing requests from your clients. For example, if your client asks you to "make the content more engaging", you can use the checklist to see if you can improve the content's hook, headline, subheadings, transitions, examples, calls to action, and so on.

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Richa Tiwari (Content Marketing and Personal Branding )

Founder at Richa Content Services| Helping Founders & Coaches Build Businesses with Strategic LinkedIn Content|Coach for Aspiring Content Writers |LinkedIn Top Voice | Content Creator
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To ensure a systematic approach, I use a content editing checklist that helps me organize the editing process. This checklist, customized to each project, allows me to address grammar, structure, tone, and other important aspects while editing content.

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3 Communicate your process and expectations

Another way to navigate vague content editing requests from clients is to communicate your process and expectations clearly and proactively. This means that you should inform your clients about how you work, how you approach content editing, how many revisions you offer, how long it takes you to complete the edits, and what kind of feedback you need from them. By communicating your process and expectations, you can avoid misunderstandings, set boundaries, and establish trust with your clients.

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Richa Tiwari (Content Marketing and Personal Branding )

Founder at Richa Content Services| Helping Founders & Coaches Build Businesses with Strategic LinkedIn Content|Coach for Aspiring Content Writers |LinkedIn Top Voice | Content Creator
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To set clear expectations, I communicate my editing process to the client. I let them know about the stages involved, the estimated timeline, and the level of communication they can expect from me during the editing process. By doing so, I create a sense of transparency and build trust.

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Adam Sherman

Founder | Digital Marketing Consultant
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The framework that helps to clarify things is: 1. Learn 2. Think 3. Feel 4. Do What type of experience do you want your audience to have? Ask yourself these questions to better understand what you want to convey. 1. What do you want them to learn? 2. What do you want them to think? 3. What do you want them to feel? 4. What do you want them to do? It’s a thoughtful exercise that will likely and positively redirect the conversation.

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4 Use data and best practices

Sometimes, vague content editing requests from clients may stem from their lack of knowledge or experience in content marketing. In such cases, you can use data and best practices to support your content decisions and explain why they work. For example, if your client asks you to "make the content more concise", you can use data from studies or tools that show how shorter content performs better in terms of readability, engagement, or conversion. Or, if your client asks you to "add more keywords", you can use best practices from SEO guides or experts that show how to use keywords strategically and naturally.

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Richa Tiwari (Content Marketing and Personal Branding )

Founder at Richa Content Services| Helping Founders & Coaches Build Businesses with Strategic LinkedIn Content|Coach for Aspiring Content Writers |LinkedIn Top Voice | Content Creator
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Incorporating data and best practices into my editing decisions helps me provide evidence-backed suggestions. Whether it's using data to support certain language choices or referring to industry best practices, this approach adds credibility to my editing recommendations.

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5 Seek feedback from others

Finally, if you are still unsure how to handle vague content editing requests from clients, you can seek feedback from others. This can be from your peers, mentors, or colleagues who have more experience or expertise in content marketing. You can ask them to review your content and give you constructive criticism, suggestions, or tips on how to improve it. You can also learn from their examples, processes, or techniques on how to deal with vague content editing requests from clients.

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Richa Tiwari (Content Marketing and Personal Branding )

Founder at Richa Content Services| Helping Founders & Coaches Build Businesses with Strategic LinkedIn Content|Coach for Aspiring Content Writers |LinkedIn Top Voice | Content Creator
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I also seek feedback from colleagues or other trusted individuals to ensure the quality and effectiveness of my edits. Having a fresh set of eyes on the content can often lead to valuable insights and improvements.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you navigate vague content editing requests from clients?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Ask for clarification

2 Use a content editing checklist

3 Communicate your process and expectations

4 Use data and best practices

5 Seek feedback from others

6 Here’s what else to consider

Content Marketing

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How do you navigate vague content editing requests from clients?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Ask for clarification

2 Use a content editing checklist

3 Communicate your process and expectations

4 Use data and best practices

5 Seek feedback from others

6 Here’s what else to consider

Content Marketing

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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