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What Is Content Writing? Learn the Basic Fundamentals of Content Writing

The global revenue for content marketing is forecasted to grow to 137.2 billion USD by 2026. That’s a testament to the importance of content writing today. But what is content writing, exactly?

How does it help businesses? What are the components of content writing? It’s essential to know the answers to these questions if you want to make the most out of your content writing efforts.

In this article, we’ll discuss what content writing is, the basics of effective content writing, and some tips to help you get started.

What Is Content Writing?

Content writing, quite simply, means writing content for the web. It’s a broad term that can be used to describe many different types of writing, including:

  • Blog posts
  • Articles
  • Product descriptions
  • Website copy
  • Social media content
  • E-books

Content writing differs from other types of writing in a few key ways. First, it’s typically more concise than other types of writing.

It’s written for a specific audience and purpose and is published online. The primary purpose of writing content for your business is to attract and engage your target audience.

But effective content does more than that. The best content educates, entertains, and inspires your audience while helping you achieve your business goals.

Importance of Content Writing

In today’s world, where 97% of companies have a content marketing strategy, it’s more important than ever to incorporate content writing in your business expansion or growth strategy. But how exactly does content help?

First and foremost, it creates brand awareness. In fact, brand awareness is the leading reason businesses use content marketing. By creating blog posts, infographics, eBooks, and other forms of content, you can show potential customers that you exist and are an authority in your industry.

Additionally, content is imperative for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Good content helps your website rank higher in search engine results pages, increasing website traffic.

More website traffic means more leads and conversions for your business. At the same time, content writing for email marketing helps you nurture your leads and keep your customers engaged.

Content writing provides an ROI in more ways than one, which is why it should be an integral part of your marketing strategy. At Writtie, we fulfil all your content writing needs, from SEO and email marketing to blogs and web content. In doing so, we help you get more traffic to your website and, ultimately, more customers or clients. 

Types of Content Writing For Your Business

Depending on the type of online business, the content you will need to write will vary. Here are the types of content writing commonly used by businesses.

Educational Content

One way to make your business stand out is to show your audience you’re an authority on the subject. Creating content that educates your target market showcases your knowledge and helps build trust with potential customers.

When writing educational content:

  • Include keyword-rich titles and descriptions to help improve your search engine optimization.
  • Use short, concise sentences and easy-to-understand language.
  • Break down complex topics into manageable sections.
  • Use lists, graphics, and videos to further explain the concepts you’re discussing.

Some examples of educational content include eBooks, guides, how-to articles, and tutorials.

Product Descriptions

You’ll need to write compelling product descriptions to sell products online. Your product descriptions should give potential customers all the information they need to know about a product before making a purchase.

For instance, if you sell clothing, your product descriptions should include the fabric content, care instructions, sizing information, and other relevant details.

In addition, your product descriptions should also be keyword-rich to help improve your chances of ranking in search engine results.

Blog Posts

A blog is a great way to connect with your audience and share interesting, relevant information. When writing blog posts, it’s essential to:

  • Write a catchy headline that accurately describes the focus of the article.
  • Include images, infographics, and videos to break up the text and make your posts more visually appealing.
  • Optimise your blog posts for search engines by including relevant keywords and phrases.
  • Share your blog posts on social media to help increase traffic.

Press Releases

If your business has newsworthy events or announcements, you can share this information with the public by writing a press release. A press release will give journalists all the information they need to write a story about your business.

Suppose you’re opening a new store. In that case, you could write a press release to announce the grand opening and include information such as the event date, time, and location.

Email Marketing Content

82% of marketers still use email marketing because it’s a powerful way to stay in touch with your audience and promote your products or services. The copy for an email is:

  • Concise
  • To the point
  • Focuses on the reader and not the sender
  • Includes a CTA, preferably at the top

You can email your customers or subscribers to promote new products, share discounts or coupons, or simply stay in touch.

Website Copy

Every business needs a website, and every website needs well-written content. Website copy includes:

  • Landing page 
  • About us page
  • Service pages
  • Blog
  • Team introduction
  • CTAs

The copy on your website should be keyword-rich. That would help you rank higher in search results and drive more traffic to your site.

It should also be well-written and free of errors. Proofread your website copy before publishing it.

Social Media Posts

Social media has gained immense popularity as a communication medium in recent years. You can use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to connect with your customers, get their feedback, and sell your products or services.

The content you write for each social media channel will differ based on what’s the norm there. For instance, Twitter has a character limit, so your posts will be shorter than what you might write on Facebook.

In general, your social media posts should be actionable and engaging. It will help attract customers and potential leads.

Tips to Ace Content Writing

Google’s recent algorithm changes have made one thing clear. Search engines don’t only rank content by keywords anymore. Instead, they also evaluate the quality of your writing.

Thus, if you want your content to rank well, you need to ensure that it’s not only keyword-rich but also well-written. Here are a few tips to help you write content that will please both search engines and readers:

Research the Topic Thoroughly

Doing your research is critical to writing quality content. If you don’t know enough about your topic, you won’t be able to write a detailed and accurate article.

Take the time to learn everything you can about your topic before you start writing. Google is not your only friend when it comes to research. Here are some other avenues to search for information:

  • YouTube Videos
  • Industry-Related Blogs
  • Online Forums
  • Books

When doing your research, you should focus on the purpose of your article. For instance, if you’re writing about the impact of sustainable practices on the environment, your research should focus on that specific topic.

Don’t detract from your topic by explaining or listing sustainable practices for the most part of your article. Your content should be the answer to the heading. Here are some other things to keep in mind when researching:

  • Don’t use outdated information.
  • Make sure your sources are credible.
  • Try not to cite sources more than five years old.
  • When writing about a sensitive topic, it’s best to use recent data.

Create a Hook in the Introduction

Most people leave a web page after reading only the first few sentences. If you want to keep readers engaged, you must ensure your introduction is interesting and attention-grabbing.

You can achieve this by starting with a rhetorical question, an interesting statistic, or a story. For instance, if you’re writing about the benefits of meditation, you could start with a story about how it helped you overcome stress.

The goal is to get readers hooked so they’ll want to read the rest of your article. The 15 Second Rule is an excellent way to approach content writing. According to this rule, if you cannot capture your audience’s attention in the first 15 seconds, they will likely leave.

Use Simple Language

You might be tempted to use big words and complicated sentence structures to sound smart. But this will only make your content difficult to read.

Instead, use simple language that’s easy to understand. An average Internet user has a reading grade level of 8 on the Flesch Kincaid Scale. So, you should aim to keep your writing at or below an 8th-grade level.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to dumb down your content. It just means that you should avoid using unnecessarily complicated words and structures.

Develop a Writing Style for Your Business

Today’s business landscape is fiercely competitive. So, it’s essential to have a unique voice that readers can relate to.

It will help you stand out from the crowd and build a loyal following. Take some time to develop a writing style for your business. It will make all your content instantly recognizable and give it a more personal feel.

Here are some tips:

  • Curate a writing style according to your business type and voice. For instance, an apparel business will have a different tone than a law firm. While the former can use casual and fun language, the latter should focus on being authoritative and professional.
  • Be consistent with your style across all platforms, including social media, website content, and email marketing.
  • Don’t try to imitate someone else’s style. Be original and authentic.
  • Use a style that relates to your audience. If your audience is mainly older individuals, slang should be a no-no. Meanwhile, if your target readers are millennials, using slang could actually help you connect with them.

Optimise Your Content

No one wants to read a continuous block of text. It’s best to break up your content with headings, subheadings, and bullet points.

Not only will this make your content more scannable and readable, but it will also help search engines index your article more effectively. Here’s how to accomplish this:

  • White Space: It refers to the space between paragraphs and other elements on a page. Too little white space will make your content look cluttered and difficult to read.
  • Length of Paragraphs: Keep your paragraphs short—no more than 3-4 sentences.
  • Length of Sentences: Keep your sentences short and to the point. Aim for an average length of 15-20 words.
  • Subheadings: Breaking up your content with subheadings. Discuss different topics under each subheading.
  • Bullet Points: They’re a great way to list information without boring readers.

You can also add images, infographics, and videos to your content to make it more engaging. Just make sure that they’re relevant and add value to your article.

Use Relevant Keywords for SEO

Keywords are the words and phrases people use to search for information on the Internet. You must use relevant keywords in your content to make it easy for people to find. Here are some tips:

  • Do your Research: Use keyword research tools like Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Google Trends to find the right keywords for your business.
  • Use Long-Tail Keywords: They’re more specific and have a lower search volume than short-tail keywords. But they’re also easier to rank for and usually have a higher conversion rate.
  • Include Keywords in Your Headings and Subheadings: Doing so will help search engines understand what your article is about.

You should also try to use the keyword in or close to the introduction. If you add images to your content, use keywords in alt tags and file names.

Make sure to sprinkle keywords throughout your content, but don’t overdo it. If you stuff keywords into your article, it will adversely affect your SEO.

Edit and Proofread Your Content

No matter how well-written your content is, it won’t be effective if it’s full of spelling and grammatical errors. So, edit and proofread your article before you hit the publish button.

If you’re not confident in your editing skills, you can always hire a professional editor or proofreader to do the job. Or, you can use a tool like Grammarly to check for errors.

Conclusion

Content writing is undeniably one of the most important aspects of online marketing today. Search engines have become much more sophisticated and now value high-quality, well-written content more than ever.

Content writing helps boost SEO, build credibility and authority, and increase conversions and sales. It also helps promote social media sharing, which can increase your brand’s exposure. 

If you’re looking for a one-stop for all your content writing needs, Writtie is the best pick. From digital advertising to email marketing, we help you create SEO content for every channel to boost your brand’s conversions and sales.