Handling Negative Feedback in Web Content Writing
A brief to complete
Starting with a blank slate may give a sense of freedom, but it can sometimes be a serious organizational mistake. In any case, having a baseline allows you, at the very least, to define the criteria that content must meet. Drawing inspiration from existing content on a website can already provide a certain amount of information. But sometimes that’s not enough, because the service provider may be hired specifically to do something different. In this regard, it’s best to let them know in advance so they can respond appropriately to the request. Whatever feedback a client provides—whether positive or negative—helps flesh out the brief. Similarly, the service provider is free to ask any questions they deem necessary.
View the problem as an opportunity
In any case, you often have to resolve the situation. Digging in your heels or arguing over issues that turn out to be mere details never moves a project forward. Personally, I’ve already been on the receiving end of grammatical debates over topics that weren’t very important, when in the end, a different phrasing would have solved the problem in a matter of minutes. That’s the beauty of the French language: there are situations where several spellings are possible depending on the meaning, and all of them are correct. When criticism is offered—and when we voice criticism—it must lead to a solution. For me, that’s when it can be constructive. Indeed, some comments may not lead to any solution, as they’re made solely for the purpose of expressing a negative opinion. It’s the expression of a feeling. In such cases, it’s usually a feeling that’s also poorly expressed. It’s then up to the professional writer to be able to decipher the client’s needs in order to finally find the key to the problem.
Did you know that the term “après-midi” can be used in both the feminine form and the plural?
Turning Vague Criticism into Concrete Criticism
Here are some comments I’ve received in my work that have helped me clarify the request. Listening to feedback is the first step; you then need to be able to ask follow-up questions to confirm the next steps. It’s also a way to protect yourself. By confirming the points that help refine the brief and move the work forward, you’re also demonstrating the effort you’ve put into completing the assignment.
Not immersive enough → Avoid verbs in the conditional and future tenses; use verbs in the second person
Too wordy → Use shorter sentences; limit the number of subordinate clauses
No added value → Don’t just stick to the facts; offer an analysis of what’s being presented (Was the mission properly defined from the start?)
Too mechanical → Add exclamation points (lots of people love exclamation points)
Not high-end enough → Refine the vocabulary (suggest a list of representative terms to the client); emphasize words that convey the idea of service
