Just a decade ago, corporate communication was thought of solely in terms of print media; no one gave the web a second thought. However, over the years, the digital revolution has created a need for a website as a tool for corporate communication.
Sebastián Haro, who holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, has always been interested in technology, which explains why the Internet has captivated him ever since its inception.
When he began his undergraduate studies, his question was how to combine both of his passions. His final project, in which he analyzed “Science Journalism and Its Limited Development in Uruguay,” was already a clear indication that he had achieved part of his goal. He would achieve the other part by publishing journalistic articles on science and technology and by overseeing institutional communications for the Uruguayan Chamber of Information Technology (CUTI).
A few years ago, he began his journey into the business world by launching a startup specializing in the writing, editing, and management of website content. In its early days, it received support from the Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (CET) at ORT University and the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII). Currently, his company consists of 13 people, most of whom are remote workers, who write content for Uruguay and the rest of the world.
On June 24, he was one of three winners in the "Emprendedores en la Mira" competition for his startup. The competition recognizes the best startups and business plans in Uruguay each year.
Below, Mr. Haro discusses his company, entrepreneurship, the Internet, and journalism:
- How and when did your web content company get started?
- The company, now known as CW Contenidos, began operations in late 2008 under the name “ContenidoWeb.” At that time, I started putting together a team of collaborators because I already had my first client. Soon after, other clients came on board, and the team continued to grow gradually until it reached its current total of 13 people.
- What kind of support did you receive in creating it?
- I received support from several organizations. In 2008, I submitted the business plan to the Emprender Program’s Ideas Competition and won first prize, which was undoubtedly a major initial validation of the idea, since the jury was made up of highly recognized and respected professionals with extensive experience in evaluating new ventures and their chances of success. I then presented the idea to ORT’s Center for Technological Entrepreneurship, where it was accepted, and I was assigned a mentor to help me develop the first business plan.
As soon as this pre-incubation phase ended, I submitted the project to ANII’s Support Program for Young Innovative Entrepreneurs; the venture was selected, and as a result, we are receiving funding to consolidate the company and drive its growth in these early stages. Today, we’re physically incubating the business at Ingenio, where we have an office and a stable team of three people. From there, we coordinate all the work of the 10 freelancers currently collaborating with CW Contenidos.
- How did you get involved with CET?
- It really was just a coincidence. I knew it existed, but I assumed they only accepted software startups. When I spoke with the CET Coordinator at the time, he told me that the School of Communication and Design was also included, so I decided to submit the project. As far as I know, it was the first proposal from the communication department to be accepted for CET support in the pre-incubator phase.
The CET assigned me a mentor—Diego Mariani, who currently coordinates the Center—and together we began holding weekly meetings to develop a business plan based on a simple summary of ideas I had written down. Once the business plan was ready, the university’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) endorsed my application to the ANII Program, thanks to which I received the funding.
Today, the CIE is the sponsoring institution responsible for overseeing CW Contenidos in the implementation of ANII funds. I must also acknowledge that the CIE is a constant source of news about upcoming opportunities, such as competitions for entrepreneurs and available funding, among others.
- Why did a journalism graduate decide to venture into the business world by starting his own company?
- The main motivation is the desire to do something big, important, challenging, and meaningful. When you start a business, boundaries disappear, and you can go as far as you set your mind to. The idea that “I want to do this, but they won’t let me” becomes a thing of the past. It all depends on you, and that’s fantastic.
- How did you get involved with the “world” of the Internet and its content?
- I’ve always been a huge fan of technology and the internet. At the same time, I’m also passionate about writing. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work in the communications department for several tech companies and organizations, and it was a great experience because it allowed me to combine the two things I love most. Today at CW Contenidos, while our main focus is content writing, we also have a close connection to technology. We expand our knowledge every day and closely follow all the trends and how they’re changing the world and people. We like to think that we’re helping to make the Internet a better place.
- What services do you offer?
- Our core business is website maintenance; that is, we regularly write and publish content on our clients’ websites. This content includes news and articles, information about new products and services, and success stories, among other things. The goal is to ensure that the client’s website is always up to date and projects an excellent corporate image at all times, thereby increasing the chances of attracting customers and business through the Internet.
These services enable many organizations to optimize their time and internal resources, as their teams often lack the capacity to update their corporate websites, meaning the task is frequently put on the back burner. We also offer services for creating initial website content, content translation, and writing SEO articles (using specific keywords that improve the page’s ranking in Google search results).
- What web content issues are of greatest concern to businesses?
- In countries like Uruguay, where internet penetration is relatively high, companies are increasingly concerned with having a good website. And today, we know that good design alone isn’t enough. Content is the most important factor: for image, outreach, search engine ranking, and seizing opportunities. And if anyone has doubts about the benefits of having a corporate website with high-quality, consistently updated content, it’s enough to know that all clients who have signed up for our content update service have seen excellent results—which is why none of them has ever decided to cancel the service.
- Why is it important to keep a website's content up to date and written in proper Spanish?
- There are numerous benefits for our clients: an improved online presence, greater opportunities to attract business and customers, better search engine rankings, increased visibility for the organization’s activities, enhanced customer loyalty, and streamlined workflows for the core team, among others.
- Do you also write texts in other languages?
- CW Contenidos aims to establish itself as the leading provider of website updates in Latin America. Our specialty is the Spanish language. However, we have freelance translators on our team who can address specific client requests, such as when clients want an English version of their website.
- What was the process your company went through to transition from content designed for print to content for the internet?
- My background in journalism was key to starting this business, not only because we always strive to be clear, accurate, and concise when creating content, but also because providing quality content requires contextualizing, verifying, and researching information. We don’t just improve the writing of what clients send us; we also create our own content that clients use, or we research information based on specific details they provide. And personalization is undoubtedly key. That’s why we create a short style guide for each client where we define their exact style and apply it to all the content we create and publish on their website.
- What is your previous work experience?
- My work experience is very diverse, which has given me a broad perspective and a wealth of knowledge that I believe can only be gained through hands-on experience. I served as Communications Director at CUTI; I founded and edited the magazine Uruguay Con Ciencia; I was a technology and economics reporter for the Economía & Mercado supplement of El País; I worked in the marketing and content departments of two software and Internet companies; and I also worked in the press offices of two diplomatic missions. Thanks to my undergraduate thesis on science journalism, I received numerous scholarships to attend international courses and seminars. In addition, I was twice awarded the Arroba Uruguay Prize in technology journalism (2005 and 2006), as well as other prizes and recognitions in literary and journalism competitions.
Interview published in June 2010