Table of Contents
Before we drive into what is content writing, let’s see what is meant by the term “Content”?
Content is any subject matter. It can be words, videos, pictures, infographics, podcasts, audio files, anything which is useful to the ned user. Content Writing is not something new. It has been for years down the line.
Back in the earlier days, the content was limited to written form. Since there were limited forms of communication unlike today in 2021. It was an era of print media such as brochures, books, newspapers, and to some extent advertising which were in the form of hoardings, banners, etc. The content of which was in writing format.
Therefore in today’s context content is a form of matter or material which useful to the end-user. It can be informative, entertaining, selling something, high on value, or infotainment. Even a video or podcast script has to be written.
Writing is omnipresent. It is the vessel which is providing shape to the content.
Thus the answer to the question – what is content writing is it is a process of thinking, researching, creating, writing, editing, and publishing content on the internet but not limited to web use.
Content writing is important as writing is a means of communicating ideas, solutions, information, selling products or services to the user.
It is the easiest and fastest means of communication. Today’s videos and podcasts are consumed more, but video script and podcast scriptwriters are in demand.
Reading as a mode of consuming content is never going to fade, not even as a trend.
Thus, content writing is essential to all walks of the business.
So let’s dive deeper to know more about content writing.
What is Content Writing?
Content Writing is a way of communicating to users or target audiences by means of written content on the internet. It can be articles, blogs, email newsletters, white papers, etc.
It is a form of marketing via written content.
It is a major source of presenting and consuming information.
Examples of content writing:
Some examples of content writing are stated below. This is not an exhaustive list.
Blog posts
Video Scripts
Podcasts Scripts
Email Newsletters
Social Media posts
White Papers
Web Page copy
Keynote Speeches
Brouchers
Why Content Writing is important?
Content writing is important for business. It helps brands content with customers. The audience connects with brands via good, quality, and engaging content. It is not just concerned with products or services.
Customers are smart. They stand for good brand value and voice. The mission and vision statement of the business, it’s core ethics, and morals are looked up to.
It is near too impossible for the CEO to personally tell the mission of the brand to every potential customer.
The importance of content writing is listed below:
Connects to a large audience:
Yes, blogs or even any content for that matter reaches a wide range of audiences. It is easier to consume content, thanks to good internet facilities in India.
Hence, publishing high-quality content will connect to a large audience.
Helps in SEO:
When SEO-optimized content is posted, it attracts search engines. Writing SEO-optimized content boosts the ranking as it will help in getting visibility and good traffic to websites.
Google gives preference to quality blogs. Hiring an agency or a content writer, which provides SEO content writing services will be of immense help.
Content marketing has changed drastically. In this age, of intense digital marketing and SEO, it is important to provide users a great experience via written content.
Develops Brand Image and Voice:
In the sea of brands and content being pushed out every day, it is imperative to have a distinct brand image and voice.
Standing out in the crowd is the new formula. It can be achieved via good content writing.
Creating a good content strategy is always advisable. Just randomly pushing out content on the website may do more harm than good.
Keeping in mind the end goal of the business, content creation has to be a well-informed strategy of the business.
Customers now understand the name of the company via its’ visual branding, logo, type of writing, and voice of writing.
That is the reason, blogs are important for businesses.
Importance of Research in Content Writing
Research is underrated. Research is important to create content about what the user is looking out for.
Every user is looking out for solutions on the internet.
It is necessary to create content around the solutions. It will help the customer in solving the problem and the business in getting traffic and conversions.
Getting conversions is the destination, getting traffic is the journey.
Research is important for many reasons. To know the latest trends on various social media platforms, to know how to drive traffic from different mediums to market content effectively, to stay relevant, to gain authority via content.
Spending time on research is highly advisable. If this is done right, half the journey is completed.
Is Content Writing difficult?
Content Writing is not at all hard. It is not easy also.
Well, if you have a definite goal, you can reverse engineer and work towards those goals.
If you want to sell, you need to create and write content around that. Nurturing the audience with value-based content is important. Just coming up with products and sale offers will not help.
The customer works on KLT (Know, Like, and Trust) factor.
When providing content, make sure it is made keeping in mind the benefits of the users. Content. It was to be user-made.
It takes time to build a KLT factor, so please be patient and nurture the audience.
Make your product known to the customers via demonstrating the use cases and the benefits.
Use the formula of ‘show don’t tell’.
Pitching products right from the beginning is a big NO.
While forming a strategy, hiring a content strategist, content writer who provides brilliant content writing services is necessary.
Content writer has to have a good knack for writing. Knowing how, when, where to write is important.
Content writer has to be emphatic, have passion for writing, have good research skills, good interpersonal skills, write grammar error-free content and non-plagiarized content.
Good content is informative and persuasive.
It makes the reader take action.
How to write good content?
Steps to writing a good piece of content:
- Know what your audience is searching for and write on that topic.
- Understand the end goal of the blog. Whether it is to educate, inform, convert, drive traffic.
- Consider Keywords for SEO. It will help in better visibility in SERP. It’s advisable to hire a professional SEO content writing service provider.
- Research well in advance about the topic and come up with a rough outline. It will save ample time and help you stick to the topic and track your thoughts.
- Headlines must hook the attention, pique curiosity, and compel a click. Take your time to get the headline right. Having different versions of headlines can help you better the headline game.
- Start your introduction with a quote, an experience, or statistics. The goal is to get the reader to read beyond the headline.
- Subheadings are just like the headline. Keep them crisp, use shorter sentences and paragraphs. Keep it conversational, have a healthy flow of thoughts, make it interesting so that each sentence connects to the next.
- Have a good Conclusion by summarizing/highlighting or reiterating the main takeaways of the blog. Make the reader feel like they have read a damn good piece of content.
- Noteworthy points while writing:
- Index paragraphs
- Use bullets points
- Avoid a wall of text, keep white space
- Add content suitable images
- Add Keywords naturally, don’t overdo
- Make it easy to consume
- Have CTA
- Keep writing tools off while writing
- Proofreading and editing are as important as writing. Time to wear the editor’s hat. Read your blog out loudly and strike off whatever seems unwanted and unnatural. Keep away extra words and sentences which break the flow of thoughts, mean the same or end up confusing the reader.
- Check grammar and readability by using Grammarly and Hemmingway Editor
- Use BOLD, ITALICS to highlight the important aspects
- Give due credits to the original creator (if inspired by a content creator)
- Make use of internal and external links
- Put yourself into the reader’s shoes.
Read Why Blogs are Important for Businesses?
Conclusion:
Thus, Content Writing is a process of marketing your services via written content or any other form of content whose base is writing.
Writing content for businesses is a strategic process. It requires a thorough thought process, strategy, research, and a good content writer.
Hiring a content writer is always recommended so that businesses can focus on the decision-making and business part.
In the new age of digital marketing, mushrooming of new business, new blogs being published every day on the internet, it is important to make your content stand out and speak for itself and the business.
Content writing is as important as any other aspect of the business.
As rightly said by Sanjay Shenoy, Writing is thinking.
You might have random thoughts, but writing them strategically is a difficult process.
As you are writing for an audience. You expect the audience to trust you, buy products or services from you, you want the audience to take an action; for that your good content and writing skills hold the key.