Katie Lingo: Running all the Way

We talked to Katie Thompson, founder of Katie Lingo, about content writing services and this is what she said about it.

First of all, how are you and your family doing in these COVID-19 times? 

Katie Thompson: We are doing as fine as we can be – my husband is furloughed but he’s become a co-director with me so he’s helping out and doing some remote work for his main job. It’s just us and the cat so we are very fortunate.

Tell us about you, your career, and how you founded Katie Lingo.

Katie Thompson: I have always been interested in writing and have a background in journalism. I did a linguistics degree, then a distance learning course with the National Council for the Training of Journalists. I worked in agencies and realized I wanted to branch out into content marketing by myself. I set up Katie Lingo in 2016 and since then have also trained with the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Beyond work, I’m learning guitar, I love music, and I’m also a keen marathon runner. Last year I ran my fifth, which was the first-ever virtual London Marathon. It was much easier running it close to home!

How does Katie Lingo innovate? 

Katie Thompson: We’re looking a lot more now into the value of data and how it can enhance content. On the surface it doesn’t seem like the two would be connected, but when you drill down into engagement figures and other metrics, it really makes a difference. My husband is trained in data analytics, so he does the numbers and I do the words!

How the coronavirus pandemic affects your business and how are you coping?

Katie Thompson: At first, everybody panicked and pulled their marketing spend. Then the tide started to turn: people had more time to invest in their own marketing, and now, with a New Year, people are more optimistic. I’m very fortunate to say that the business has actually grown.

Did you have to make difficult choices and what are the lessons learned?

Katie Thompson: I lost a very significant travel client so that was upsetting. I learned to be more proactive – not only to replace this client but to build the business in general. I became better at practicing what I preached – producing consistent, valuable content.

What specific tools, software, and management skills are you using to navigate this crisis?

Katie Thompson: We are using a lot more data analytics tools such as Tableau to measure our performance. We’ve also discovered Harpoon, which is a one-stop-shop for client and project management.

Who are your competitors? And how do you plan to stay in the game?

Katie Thompson: I don’t like to call them competitors – rather, collaborators. The simple truth is that there are too many freelance copywriters out there to name. We’re all part of a huge community and we have each other’s backs. I’m not sure you could say that for every industry.

Your final thoughts?

Katie Thompson: The pandemic has been a kick in the ribs for us all, but we’re so deep into it now that we’ve had time to look at ourselves. Some days we will feel motivated and others we won’t want to move. That’s fine – I think it’s best to try to develop long-term habits, like creating consistent content – and being kind to yourself on the bad days.

Your website?

www.katielingo.co.uk.