What Exactly Is Content Writing? Plus, three tips for write content

When you search LinkedIn for “content writers,” you’re going to come across a wide spectrum of professions.

Some content writers, for example, compose social media pieces for small businesses, while others write press materials for insurance companies.

Some content writers also create long-form editorial articles for fancy publications, whilst others produce scripts for their own branded content, such as a podcast or video.

So, what exactly is going on here… Are some of them telling the truth?

They are, in fact, all telling the truth. Information writing may take many shapes, but it always boils down to providing content for digital formats — and, in our case, for marketing.

Here, we’ll look at what content writing is (hint, hint… I’m doing it right now) and how to take your own material to the next level. In addition, we’ll look at instances of exceptional, high-quality content writing.

But first, what exactly is content writing?

What exactly is content writing?

The process of creating, editing, and releasing digital material is known as content authoring.

Blog articles, video or podcast scripts, ebooks or whitepapers, press releases, product category descriptions, landing page or social media material… and more can be included.

Defined, content writers are the brand’s storytellers. They offer important, useful, and insightful ideas in order to motivate and urge an audience to take action, which is usually a final sale.

Content generation is currently an essential component of most organizations’ marketing strategies; in fact, by 2020, 70% of marketers will have actively invested in content marketing.

This means that the position of a content writer is in higher demand than ever before. However, the job changes are based on the sector and the demands of the organization.

Some organizations, for example, may spend extensively on a social media strategy, but others opt to generate content in the form of blog articles or e-books.

Read about AI content generators.

A content writer is essential for developing high-quality material that expresses and reinforces a brand’s voice while attracting, engaging, and delighting the right audience, regardless of media.

When done well, content writing may turn readers into prospects, and prospects into paying customers. So it’s unquestionably crucial for your company’s financial line that you can constantly provide useful, engaging content.

However, this is easier said than done. Let’s look at some of my favorite content writing strategies to help you take your material to the next level (these have personally helped me, as well).

Content Writing Tips

1. Create fresh and original material that goes above and beyond what you find online.

When I start a new blog piece, like this one, I do a lot of web research — but that’s not the end of it.

I start drafting an outline utilizing some of the material I discover online after Googling relevant keywords, such as “content writing techniques.”

However, if you just copy-and-paste content that already exists online, your post will never rank — and even if it does, when your readers find on (and they will), they will lose faith in your brand as an industry authority.

Once I’ve completed my basic sketch (which will include around 60% of the material I discovered from web research), I’ll fill in the remaining 40% with fresh, original thoughts. If I am personally knowledgeable about a topic (as I am about “content writing” because I am a content writer myself), I will fill in the plan with fresh tales, advice, or personal examples.

However, just because I don’t know much about the subject at hand doesn’t mean I only use what’s already available online. Instead, I’ll seek out internal HubSpotters who are subject matter experts or use other original within-company resources, or I’ll perform external outreach through my social networks to identify a respected source ready to contribute suggestions, quotations, or unique examples to supplement my content.

Related: 5 Popular AI Writing Tools You Must Know

In addition, I’ll search for information on the topic from a variety of sites, including YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, Quora, and podcasts, to ensure that when people come across my work, it’s both thorough and original.

Why should people stay on your page if they can access the same information elsewhere on Google? It is your responsibility as a skilled content writer to always elevate your material to the next level.

2. Create a strong hook to pique your reader’s interest.

It might be simple to create a decent hook at times, especially if the topic is interesting or thrilling to you as the writer.

But what about more commonplace subjects, such as rel=nofollow?

In certain circumstances, crafting a solid hook necessitates taking a step back and looking at the larger picture. For example, while rel=nofollow isn’t the most intriguing issue (in my view), what is SEO, and how SEO can directly affect a company’s capacity to reach new audiences — as well as how Google has had to tighten restrictions in recent years owing to an increase in bogus sites.

That is why, when I began writing 3 Reasons Why SEOs Are Upset About Google’s Rel=nofollow Announcement, I utilized that angle as my hook and constructed a picture: I’m a Wikipedia editor who writes about zebras and gets paid $500 to link to a bogus news website.

(Are you starting to become intrigued yet?)

My expertise in Creative Writing comes in handy here, and I’m sure your own love of writing will help you come up with fascinating hooks as well.

The introduction and hook are frequently your finest opportunities to use your writing abilities to genuinely inspire, move, surprise, and thrill your readers from the start. Make use of that space by considering what would entice me and my friends to continue reading.

3. Make your content search engine friendly.

Your work might be wonderful, but if it isn’t SEO-optimized, no one will read it.

When it comes to writing, it is vital that you get familiar with SEO as a content writer.

Being an SEO-savvy writer may help you guarantee that your material ranks on whichever platform you’re publishing on, whether it’s YouTube, Google, or even social media sites like Instagram.

Furthermore, you may utilize SEO to guarantee that you are writing about the most popular themes connected to your products or services, as well as addressing the appropriate sub-topics while writing about a specific issue.

For example, “content writing tips” is a keyword phrase I discovered while conducting keyword research on the overall topic of “content writing” — it’s not necessarily a sub-topic I would’ve considered covering in this blog post if I hadn’t done the research to recognize HubSpot readers are looking for that information.

Finally, knowing essential SEO methods can help you become a writer who is more aware of your readers’ problems and develop content that more correctly addresses those problems.