Content Writing¶
Content is any written material that shares information about a business, product, or service. Content writing is self-descriptive and easy to read.
The content writer shares their own opinions and suggestions about the product. A content writer writes content for a company so that it can engage its customers, educate, entertain them.
Skills of a Content Writer¶
A good content writer is said to possess this skills:
Writing Skills¶
A content writer should possess good writing skills with impeccable grammar knowledge. The habit of daily reading and writing can help a writer to increase their vocabulary and writing skills. A person who can accurately explain an idea to the targeted audience with written content can be considered a good content writer.
Communication Skills¶
Being a Content Writer you may not be an expert on all topics. It is necessary to communicate with other experts and get their inputs on various topics. This is where the communication skills come in to picture. And hence an important skill for a writer.
Topic Knowledge¶
To write about a topic, it is essential to understand it first. If you fail to understand a topic, you might end up wrongly explaining an idea. Along with the topic knowledge, it is also necessary to remain updated with the recent trends in writing, so that it is easy to communicate with your readers.
Research Skills¶
To write about any topic, you don’t need to know about it. Before you write anything, you will have to research that topic. This helps you to be accurate and provide clear information. This in turn builds trust with customers as the content written after proper research is more authentic and relevant.
Originality¶
Every writer has a particular tone and style with which they connect with the audience. If the content lacks originality, the audience will notice it as it is not consistent across various web pages. This further leads to distrust and discourages the audience from visiting the site again. Hence, a content writer must avoid plagiarism. Originality in content engages the audience, gives them a fresh perspective, and leads to more traffic to the website.
Common Sense¶
Every profession needs common sense, so does a writer. A writer should be able to think and make good decisions. Since the web is a source of scattered information, a writer should have the ability to differentiate which information needs consideration and thoughts. The writer should be a people person and create content that connects and engages the audience.
Types of content¶
Every content serves a unique purpose and follows a slightly different style. Hence, depending upon the content and platform it has been categorized into two category:
- Classification depending upon purpose and platform
- Classification depending upon longevity and search query
Classification depending upon purpose and platform¶
Depending upon the purpose and platform used for the publication, the contents are divided into following types:
Web Content¶
A web content are published on a website. This content includes audio, videos, recording, podcasts, images, and photots.
Article¶
An article is most of the written literary forms. An article covers plethora of topics from history to current scenarios, fashion, style, customer behavior and many more. The purpose of article is to provide insights about the topic.
Blog¶
A blog is an online content or personal journals published on the website.
SEO Content¶
A SEO content is the implementation of keywords and key-phrases within web content. It helps your web pages rank higher in the search engines.
Business Writing¶
Business writing relates to a business entity but it also relates to a specific and purposeful transaction between the writer and his or her audience.
Social Media Content¶
Social media content are the images, memes, and vidoes you posts on social media.
Press Release¶
A press release content is a written, official statement that is published and delivered by press members for the general public.
Classification depending upon longevity and search query¶
Depending on longevity on web and searching query, content is further classified into two types:
Evergreen Content¶
Evergreen content is always relevant and fresh for readers. This type of content is not time-sensitive. For example, historical facts are evergreen content as people are always eager to know about historical events.
Seasonal Content¶
Seasonal content is searched in a specific season. For example, Christmas cakes and some other recipes are searched for some special occasions only.
Tools for content writing¶
Yes! In content writing authors use many tools to improve their writing quality. High-quality content (in terms of accuracy, clarity, conciseness, uniqueness) impresses the audience and creates long-lasting relationship. Some of such content writing tools which help check grammar, increase readability, help you stay organized are :
Rules for content writing¶
Content Writings’ purpose is to connect, engage, and build trust with the audience. Content writers have a free-will. They can choose any format that best suits the expression, engage and create a connection with the reader. Following are the necessary and effective methods to keep in mind while writing the content.
Tone¶
The tone you choose in your writing has a huge impact on how the audience perceives the information. You should always avoid offending specific gender or religion through your content. The content should be framed in a friendly yet sophisticated manner. It should engage and add value to the reader.
Engagement¶
The topic you choose should create interest in the audience. The tone, the mode of expression, the story, all these you choose should create curiosity in the mind of the audience. The more the content challenges their emotions, the more the reader stays to find the solution through your content (PS: In a good manner. Avoid conflicts). Always try to engage the reader by empathizing with them through your content.
Readability¶
Make sure that the content is readable in terms of fonts you choose, the size of fonts, appropriate use of highlights, and bulleted points are there.
Editing¶
Check your content thoroughly for errors. Errors-free content creates a positive impression in the mind of the reader. So, edit meticulously and avoid spelling mistakes, grammatical mistakes, and words with vague meanings.
Headings¶
Use powerful heading to grab your audience’s attention. You can create a powerful heading by using trigger words, keywords and by creating urgency.
Trigger words encourage readers to take action and grab their attention.
Keywords help in ranking and getting your content on top of the search.
Urgency encourages the audience to take the desired action.
Value Edition¶
Always remember the content you write, should add value to the reader. The reader reads the content to find answers to the questions. Therefore, try to address the issues with their solutions. Provide links to other resources to back up your content.
Goal of content¶
Why in the first place, you are even writing? Unless you are not clear with the goal of writing, you will not be able to provide succinct information. Hence, it is very important that you clear your goal, what you are going to write about. So that, you can frame sentences around it as well as answer the questions generally asked about it.
Keywords¶
Keywords are the words/phrases that people type into search engines to find what they are looking for.
There are three types of keywords in content writing.
- Short tail keywords are the search word of three words or less than three words. There is high competition for ranking in short-tail keywords.
- Long-tail keywords are search queries of more than three words. There is a medium-low competition of ranking in long-tail keywords.
- LSI keywords are useful for boosting your rankings for one main keyword.
For easy ranking, you should focus on long-tail keywords.
Target Audience¶
While writing content, you should be very clear for whom you are writing. Right..! You won’t tell how to buy apples to a person who is looking for channels to sell his apples. Similarly, content writing is selling your content to an appropriate audience. That being said, you should identify your target audience to be relevant and useful to them.
Interactivity¶
Provide pictures, infographics, and backlinks to create credibility over the content. Try to use facts and figures in your writing to have a greater impact. Using visual content attracts readers looking for quick information. Backlinks help the reader to further add knowledge and value.
Content-Length¶
Don’t write too much or too little. Be very clear with the purpose of writing the content. Keeping the length of the content too short will not add value to the reader and too much will lose the attention. Therefore, keeping the goal of content clear helps you write the crisp and required information in a better way. The general rule of thumb for the content length you can follow is, from a minimum of 300 to a maximum of 2000 words per page, depending on the topic complexity and objectives you want to achieve.
AIDA Model for Content Writing¶
In the internet world of information overload, every business is competing with its rival business to stand out in its products and services offered. How do you think the company stays on par with its competitor when the services and products are almost the same?
Out of many other companies’ sales techniques, the AIDA model is the one that is the oldest method yet the most effective. Why? Because this model guides the customer through a purchase decision.
You must be thinking, but what is AIDA? And, how it can persuade the customer to buy the product?
Yes, you got it right! AIDA reflects persuasion and action. Let’s unfurl the answer down below:
AIDA is a marketing tool for any type of content. The main goal of the content is getting your message effectively across to the reader and enticing them to take action while remaining concise. The acronym in AIDA stands for :
A - Attention
I - Interest
D - Desire
A - Action
The overall content is divided into four sections. Each section then addresses one part at a time.
Attention: In the first section of the content, you try to grab the attention of the reader. This includes the heading part. The heading should entice the reader why one should read the content, anyway. The heading should create curiosity in the reader’s mind.
Interest: This section of content stimulates interest in the product, shares its features and benefits of it, addresses how the product can solve its problems.
Desire: This section of content builds the reader’s desire to ease the problem by outlining the benefits of your product, service, or cause. It should address the solution to the problem.
Action: This action calls for action. It moves the reader to in a call to action with clear instructions about what they should do, by creating urgency of missing upon an opportunity. Such as buying a product now or giving a gift before it is too late.
Search Engine Optimization(SEO) for Content Writing¶
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO helps to rank on top result pages for specific search queries in search engines. The techniques and tactics are used for ranking in search engines for getting organic, free traffic, and sales. You can create on-page and off-page SEO.
On-page SEO helps to improve in writing high-quality content and to get a better user experience. It also helps in improving site loading speed and optimizing images, links, URLs, headings, and subheadings.
Off-page SEO helps in getting popularity through social media marketing.
Content Marketing¶
Content marketing is a part of digital marketing that helps to promote content. Content marketing includes all types of text content, infographics, and videos. Readers are made aware of the brand through content marketing.
Content marketing promotes the brand, engages the readers and gets traffic to the website, generates leads and sales.
Understanding your audience and selling to them¶
True! Right.. before you buy, the first thing you think of is its usefulness. How the product will serve the purpose you expect it to?
Similarly, in content marketing, you should understand the buyers’ expectations. Why they will consider your product amongst others which are available in the market? How your product stands out for them?
To answer such questions, you need to jot down a few things about your buyers. They are:
Identifying the Target Audience¶
The ideal audience of content writing is the one to whom you offer your product or services. By identifying the target audience you can save resources, lead to higher conversions and sales, and create loyal followers. You can identify your target audience by following two simple steps by categorizing them on the basis of demographics & psychographics.
a) Based on Demographics¶
Identify your target audience with some features. For example, you want to write a blog about tips on women’s health. The first question that should pop in your head is which age group I should cater to in my blog? Whether women going to offices needs more consideration in your content or housewives? The more questions you ask, the more will be your content relatable to the targeted audience.
Similarly, in the demographic category, you should try to include gender, location, occupation, income, education, marital status, children, etc.
b) Based on Psychographics¶
Identify target audience by their personality, value, lifestyle, attitude, hobbies, interest, and behavior.
After categorizing the target audience based on demographics and psychographics, create a buyer persona.
Creating the Buyer Persona¶
Creating a buyer persona means you create an imaginary representation of your target audience. It clarifies points of consideration needed in the content. It helps you write content that caters to their choices and pain points.
Thus, you offer what your audience wants in a way they expect it to, which will eventually lead to sales conversion, loyal customers, and mouth publicity.
Copywriting¶
The purpose of copywriting is to pitch for a brand and generate sales, or to persuade the reader to take a certain action, or act in a certain way. Copywriting uses interactive tone and focuses on call to action. Copywriting should create interest in the reader. In order to reach audiences on large scale the content should be easy to comprehend and devoid of industrial jargons.
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