What does it take to be called the best or, at least, a better content writer? Content writing can only be a great profession if you learn to produce quality and exceptional content. And with the growing number of online businesses looking for quality content to drive traffic to their sites, there is every reason to stand out.
Content writing, especially for businesses, requires a mixture of writing and marketing skills. You must be able to connect with your target audience and make them want to read even more. The good thing is that content writing is something you can learn as you grow. Here are some tips to help you become a better content writer.
Read a lot
As a writer, you must be able to learn and grow each day. You must keep updating your knowledge to get new ideas and experiences, and one way to do so is by reading. Reading gives you exposure to different writing styles. Read other people’s content to know how they connect with their readers and how to separate your voice from theirs. Frequent reading helps you expand your knowledge, improve your word choice, and make your writing flow, so make it a habit. To help you achieve this, why not make a dedicated area where you can kick back with a good book and relax? Find a space in your home and kit it out with everything you need for a good reading session. Start by browsing the selection of bean bag chairs from Fombag so that you can read in ultimate comfort. They come in various sizes, so you will be able to find the perfect bean bag for you. Then, start to think about the ideal form of lighting and whether you need a side table to place drinks or food while you read.
Be a researcher
You don’t just write anything from your head and call yourself a great writer, No. You must do thorough research on the topic you are writing about to get a better understanding. Your content must be factual with accurate data and statistics backed up with an authority link. Again, it is the only way to get new ideas.
One tip is to always be in research mode even when you are not writing. These days, research has been made easier, all thanks to the ever-growing technology. There are a lot of reliable sources of credible information online. Your content won’t sell out if it’s shallow and has incorrect facts.
Practice
Writing is something that requires regular practice. They always say ‘practice makes perfect’. This may seem overwhelming for you, but it’s worth the effort – so try to instill a writing habit in you at least every day. It will help you improve your writing style and also to get your voice.
Again when you write every day, it means you are doing research on the topics you are writing about – something that expands your knowledge and exposes you to new ideas and experiences. It will even help you boost your writing speed so that you can be able to meet your client’s deadlines.
Utilize online tools
There’s no shame in making use of the various online tools available for content writers and editors. Grammarly can take a lot of the stress and hassle out of writing by instantly pointing out any typos that you make and correcting any minor grammar errors – they happen to the best of us. It’s an especially great tool to use if you have clients from different parts of the world since you can set Grammarly to check your work based on American, British, Canadian, and Australian English so that you don’t have to keep up with all the small yet often important differences.
Develop a conversational writing style
Don’t get weighed down with writing academically – unless you’re actually an academic writer. If the content that you produce is aimed at regular people like yourself, practice writing in a way that sounds more like you’re talking to the reader. Even a professional target audience is more likely to engage with written content that flows easily like a regular conversation. Start your sentences with conjunctions like ‘and’ or ‘but’ just like you would when speaking, and use contractions like ‘I’m’ and ‘you’re’ instead of ‘I am’ or ‘you are’ to give your writing a friendlier and more casual tone.
Invest in the right gear
Content writing can be physically exhausting if you do a lot of it – so watch out for burnout and make sure that you have a comfortable workspace. A supportive chair and desk are always better for your back than working on the couch, and you should invest in a laptop or PC that’s easy to type on. Be aware of the risk of repetitive strain injury when you do a lot of typing – good wrist support for your keyboard is a key investment to make in yourself and your career. Since writing involves looking at a laptop or computer screen for lengthy periods, take steps to avoid eye strain. Wear glasses for working if you need them and make an effort to look away from your screen every half an hour or so. Looking after your health will keep your energy up and help you focus.
Proofread your work
After crafting a long blog post, you may feel tired and tempted to submit the work even before proofreading it – not knowing a simple grammatical or spelling error could change the meaning of a whole sentence. However, a good content writer should always check and recheck his or her work before submitting it or publishing it to a website.
Read through the whole piece – every paragraph, every sentence. Make sure you’ve punctuated your work well. Remove any spelling and grammar mistakes you come across. Make sure your piece is factually correct. Make sure your paragraphs are short and readable. Above all, make sure the content is of high quality. Run your work through writing tools to remove any plagiarism.
