The need for profound and original information is an age-old craving for human beings. Whether it may be about the new films signed by a movie star or updates about the latest gadgets released by a famous tech giant, people love to read and to know. In this digital era, data written in any corner of the world can be seen on our mobile screens. But who is making it possible? The answer is Content Writer who is making it possible through Content Writing.
What is Content Writing
A content writer provides information that is true in its original sense, in a catchy and friendly manner. In this article, we will address the fundamental question of ‘What the content writing?’ and provide a few tips for writing good content.
What is Content Writing?
Content Writing is a process that involves providing full information about some topic in the form of text or video. The areas of content writing include articles, blogs, emails, podcasts, live videos, PPT presentations, etc. The content that is provided varies according to the target audience.
For example, while explaining a new mobile application, the content may differ for a general audience and a software developer. Content can be formal or informal, text or video, descriptive or comprehensive.
10 Best Tips for Content Writing
There are many things one has to keep in mind while writing content. Here are 10 proven tips that can help in making quality content:
1. Select the Target Audience and Format
The way we speak depends on whom we talk to. Creating a target audience and giving information based on their level of knowledge is important. Speaking in terms of the audience can make them involved in your content. One has to select a specified format to engage with their audience.
For instance, writing informal mail to the higher authorities may get you into trouble. The selection of the format depends on how one wants to present the content.
Some of the formats are:
- Blogs
- Emails
- Podcasts
- Video Scripts
- Educational Articles (SOP, Project Records, etc.)
- PPTs & Infographics
- Brand Journalism
- Product Content etc.
2. Do Homework
An extra edge can be taken when we provide additional information on the topics we are writing about. Research on the topics that are involved. Collect and save the information that is not available on the internet. Many of the topics we talk about have sub-topics that are majorly involved.
Do extra work by gathering about these sub-topics also. This will also create a full-length understanding of what we are writing, thereby improving the quality of content. Work across different forms of platforms- such as Quora, Reddit, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. This can help in grinding the content into crisp and clear.
3. Create an Outline
Once you’re finished with your research work, create an outline based on your research. Knowing where to start and how to end is great practice in presentations. Well, it applies to content writing too! An engaging introduction followed by the main topic can be a good start. Keeping the word count in mind, one has to frame the content with each topic included. Make sure to use sub-topics while writing lengthy content. A para, in the end, summarizing all the content that has been provided is a must!
4. Headlines and Sub-Topics are a Necessity!
Long paragraphs can make a negative impression on the reader. One has to divide the large topic into sub-topics with a follow-on from the previous topic. Headlines of the topics should be eye-catching. Search for headlines that are short & crisp and that can highlight the whole story that is going to be read. Don’t make too many sub-topics in a single sub-topic.
If necessary, make another sub-topic and explain it. If needed, give headlines to the images and graphs. The audience can be engaged by using bullet points, bold and italic texts, and colored words. Build your content such that the user does not have to use much of his energy to analyze the content that is written.
5. Font, Size, and Alignment.
Font and size play a key role in the interface and user experience. Choose fonts that are legible and appropriate to the type of content. Font size should not be too small or big but should be legible to read. It should aid with different types of gadgets used.
Some free fonts from the internet –
- Roboto
- Open Sans
- Lato
- Inconsolata ( for Coding look)
- Indie Flower ( handwriting font)
- Helvetica ( traditional print font of Mac & Unix )
Alignment is for easy scanning of content. Use appropriate alignment for long and short texts, headlines, numbers, and images. Balance the extra spaces.
6. Use Keywords
Google Trends, a website that analyzes the trends of internet search engines, says that it is necessary to involve specific keywords to make a content search-worthy. Include the words that are frequently searched. Quotations such as “What is, How to When is, etc.” can be placed wherever necessary.
7. SEO-Savvy
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a process of optimizing content so that it can appear on the initial pages of the search engine. It can be achieved by incorporating keywords, quotations, and frequently-searched topics. Research says that the first link that appears on the internet gets clicked by more than 25% of the users and less than 5% move on to the second page when searching for a topic.
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Hence, it is important to be on the top of the page to receive more audience. Using keywords ( also called latent indexing), creating better headlines, writing in an easy and readable language with an appropriate tone, and adding images and links wherever necessary are some of the tactics one can follow for SEO-savvy content.
8. Give Examples
Proving that the data provided is authentic with examples and survey results can help in gaining the trust of the reader. For example, in this article, we have provided numbers and research results to explain the importance of various inputs. This will raise the bar of content written and make the audience retain your content for various other content.
Also, quoting various websites and other content writers can help in improving the SEO and engagement of the audience.
9. Include Visual Aids and Links
Researchers say that one can grasp any information 65% better when provided in imagery format. Adding visual aids can nourish the content. Use graphs/pie charts when speaking about the change in trends. Include images when you find they can aid the content. Adding links for the data & numbers and contents that are related not only improves authenticity but also aids in SEO.
10. Avoid Grammar Mistakes!
Good content is always perfect in terms of language usage. Make sentences that are easy to read. Use the appropriate tenses while writing content. End the sentence with a full stop and don’t make long sentences. Always start a sentence with a capital letter. Check for grammar mistakes and correct them accordingly.
Many websites are available online to check for grammar and they also suggest corrections. Rectify every possible error in sentence formation and grammar.
Conclusion
Content that is written well can explain many complex things simply and engagingly. Good content is always appreciated. It will increase the audience and retain the existing readers. It also improves search rankings, thereby placing the website on the top pages of the search engine.
Content Writing is an emerging market in the digital world.
Many companies regardless of their scale are looking for people who can write about their products and market them. People are looking for authentic content with a good user experience. As an individual, content writing can boost your skills in several ways. If you’re someone who got great writing skills or looking for a platform that can help you to improve your writing skill, your search ends here. Make use of your writing skill by contributing articles on Write – neveropen. You can even choose a topic from the pick section and write about it. For more info, check out this article on How to choose a topic for writing at neveropen?
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FAQs on Content Writing
Q1. What are the skills required for content writing?
Ans: These are a few skills required for content writing:
- Proper research skills
- Ace in grammar and vocabulary
- Creative writing
- SEO and content strategy
- Time Management
Q2. What is SEO copywriting?
Ans: It is a process of pairing SEO practices with content writing, where the writer includes keywords in order to drive traffic to the particular website they are writing for.
Q3. Which are the major types of content writing?
Ans: These are the major types of content writing:
- Blogging
- Creative writing
- Web Content
- Ad and sales copy
- Journalism
- Social media
Q4. What are the 4 pillars of content writing?
Ans: However, there are many things on which content writing depends, but the major 4 pillars are:
- Engagement
- Originality
- Relevance
- Creativity
