What Is Content Writing? Plus 12 Tips to Take Your Content to the Next Level

Content material writing can imply many issues.

Crafting social media copy for a small enterprise, drafting press supplies for an insurance coverage model, and posting an essay on AI Ethics to Medium are all types of writing that fall below the content material writing umbrella.

So, what’s the precise definition of content material writing?

Content material writing is creating and enhancing written content material for the web. Meaning weblog posts, articles, social media posts, web site copy, and so on. What unifies all most of these writing is the aim.

Content material is meant to be consumed, and writers create written content material that enriches the connection between a model and its audience.

Learn on for a deep dive into content material writing and a few tricks to deliver your content material writing to the subsequent degree.

Content material creation is a vital element of most companies’ advertising methods — as of 2020, 70% of marketers now actively invest in content marketing.

This implies the position of a content material author is extra in-demand than ever earlier than. Nonetheless, the position varies relying on each business and enterprise wants.

For example, some companies make investments closely in a social media technique, whereas different firms choose creating content material within the format of weblog posts or e-books.

No matter format, a content material author is vital for creating high-quality content material that represents and strengthens a model’s voice whereas attracting, partaking, and delighting the appropriate viewers.

Merely put, content material writers are the storytellers of their model. They convey significant, useful, and insightful messages to encourage and transfer an viewers to take motion — that motion being a ultimate sale.

When carried out proper, content material writing can convert readers into prospects and prospects into paying prospects. So, you have to persistently create useful, partaking content material for your online business‘s backside line. However that’s simpler mentioned than carried out.

To assist take your content material to the subsequent degree, let’s dive into a few of my favourite content material writing suggestions.

12 Content material Writing Suggestions

1. Write distinctive and unique content material, and go above and past what you discover on-line.

Every time I begin a brand new weblog put up like this one, I begin with loads of on-line analysis — however that is not the place it ends.

After Googling related matters, together with “content material writing suggestions,” I start creating a top level view utilizing a number of the info I discover on-line.

Nonetheless, your piece won’t ever rank for those who simply copy-and-paste the identical info that already exists on-line — and, even when it does, when your readers catch on (and they’re going to), they’re going to lose belief in your model as an authority inside the business.

As soon as I end my tough define (together with about 60% of the knowledge I discovered by way of on-line analysis), I fill within the remaining 40% with distinctive, unique insights.

Suppose I find out about a subject personally (as with “content material writing” since I‘m a content material author). In that case, I’ll fill within the define with unique anecdotes, suggestions, or private examples.

Nonetheless, if I do know little or no concerning the subject, that doesn‘t imply I merely use what’s already on-line. As an alternative, I‘ll contact inner HubSpotters who’re specialists on the topic or use different unique inner firm sources.

I’ll additionally conduct exterior outreach by way of my social networks to discover a respected supply keen to offer suggestions, quotes, or unique examples to beef up my piece.

Moreover, I‘ll search for content material relating to the subject throughout a variety of sources — together with YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, Quora, and podcasts — to make sure that when readers come throughout my content material, it’s complete and distinctive.

Why ought to they keep in your web page if they will discover the identical info elsewhere on Google? As a very good content material author, it is your job to take your content material to the subsequent degree.

2. Write a very good hook to seize your reader’s consideration.

Typically, writing a very good hook is simple — significantly if the subject is intriguing or thrilling to you as the author.

However what about extra boring, mundane matters, like Rel=nofollow?

Typically, writing a very good hook requires pulling again and searching on the greater image.

For example, whereas rel=nofollow is not probably the most fascinating subject (for my part), what is fascinating to me is Website positioning and the way Website positioning can straight impression an organization’s capability to succeed in new audiences — plus, how Google has wanted to alter laws in recent times resulting from a rise in illegitimate websites.

This implies after I began writing 3 Reasons Why SEOs Are Upset About Google’s Rel=nofollow Announcement, I used that angle to encourage my hook and painted an image: Myself as a Wikipedia editor, writing about zebras, and getting paid $500 to hyperlink to a faux information web site.

(Now you‘re , aren’t you?)

My artistic writing background helps on this case, and I am keen to wager your ardour for writing may also show you how to create thrilling hooks.

The introduction and hook are sometimes your greatest alternative to make use of your writing expertise to encourage, transfer, shock, and delight your readers. Make the most of that house by pondering: What would make me and my mates need to maintain studying?

3. Website positioning-optimize your content material for serps.

Your writing will be beautiful, however nobody will ever learn it if it is not Website positioning-optimized.

As a content material author, you have to change into aware of SEO when it comes to writing.

An Website positioning-savvy author will help you guarantee your content material ranks on whichever platforms you publish, together with YouTube, Google, and even social websites like Instagram.

Plus, you need to use Website positioning to make sure you‘re writing about the preferred matters associated to your services or products and protecting the appropriate sub-topics once you’re writing a few given subject.

For example, “content material writing suggestions” is a key phrase phrase I discovered when conducting key phrase analysis on the subject of “content material writing” as a complete.

It isn’t essentially a sub-topic I’d’ve thought-about protecting on this weblog put up had I not carried out the analysis to acknowledge HubSpot readers are looking for out that info.

Studying key Website positioning techniques will show you how to change into a author extra attuned to your readers’ challenges and make sure you create content material that extra precisely solutions these challenges.

4. Take into account how one can appeal to an viewers throughout all kinds of platforms.

Whereas Website positioning is vital for making certain your content material ranks on serps like Google, it is not the one alternative for distribution.

To achieve a wider viewers, studying learn how to write content material that performs properly on numerous platforms akin to Instagram, LinkedIn, or e-mail is useful.

Plus, you is perhaps a content material author whose sole job is to put in writing newsletter content or social media copy, relying on your online business wants.

To make sure your content material reaches and evokes audiences no matter their most popular platform, you have to persistently eat content material by way of e-mail and social media to select up writing suggestions particular to these sources.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements to interrupt up the textual content.

Attempt incorporating movies, pictures, graphs, or different multimedia content material to interrupt up the textual content and make it simpler in your readers to eat — primarily if it is long-form content material, like pillar pages or whitepapers.

Take into account, as an example, the weblog put up I wrote: “How to Develop a Content Strategy: A Start-to-Finish Guide.”

That weblog put up is lengthy, with over 3,000 phrases. To interrupt it up, I embedded movies and different multimedia components (like blockquotes) to maintain the reader engaged all through.

That is additionally a superb alternative to extend visitors to your organization’s advertising supplies.

For example, you probably have a brand new firm podcast, attempt embedding episodes in related weblog posts to drive listeners to the podcast whereas offering extra worth in your readers — a win-win.

6. Segue into acceptable and related calls-to-action.

As a content material author, your job is not simply to create good content material (that‘s what novelists are for). It’s additionally to finally convert these readers, listeners, or viewers into prospects and prospects.

As such, you have to learn to appropriately embody related CTAs all through your content material, significantly if these CTAs will help your readers be taught extra concerning the subject at hand.

Take into account, as an example, the related CTAs embedded within the physique textual content of HubSpot’s YouTube video, “How to Understand Facebook Video Insights (Guide)“:

These in-text CTAs direct YouTube viewers to discover different HubSpot choices, together with HubSpot Academy social media programs.

The CTAs aren’t jarring or off-putting — as a substitute, the content material author did a very good job making certain the CTAs had been related and actually invaluable for the viewer.

When creating your content material, you have to persistently direct your viewers to numerous enterprise choices to transform these viewers into prospects and shoppers.

7. Edit, edit, edit.

Every time I end a primary draft of a weblog put up, I take a couple of hours off after which return to it on the finish of the day. With a recent perspective, I can edit for minor grammatical errors or repair structural points.

Good content material writing is not possible with out good content material enhancing.

We‘re all human and can proceed to make errors in our writing. That’s okay, so long as you bear in mind to return and edit for these errors later.

Moreover, minor grammatical errors can finally make or break a reader‘s belief in your model. Suppose they discover you’ve forgotten durations or misspelled phrases.

In that case, they could decide that your content material is not as authoritative and clear as different content material on the internet and search for future info elsewhere.

8. Jam-pack worth into each sentence.

Once I labored with an editor a couple of years in the past, she persistently instructed me: “In case your sentence is not telling the reader something new, delete it.”

This was a tricky capsule to swallow. That meant I wanted to delete a few of my most transferring sentences. Nevertheless it‘s a good level: In content material creation, you have to transfer rapidly onto your subsequent level, otherwise you’ll lose your reader totally.

Most of your readers are busy individuals with loads of distractions, together with different companies’ social posts, weblog articles, or YouTube movies. Make it straightforward for them by making your level — after which transferring on.

9. Mess around with fascinating angles.

Good content material writers persistently take a look at out new, shocking angles to maintain readers engaged and coming again for extra.

Take into account, as an example, how typically “shopper product” has been written about. When you‘ve ever researched the subject, I’m keen to wager that you’ve got already seen numerous angles as completely different content material writers attempt to make an outdated subject really feel new once more.

However, have you ever ever seen shopper merchandise in comparison with water earlier than?

Articles like “Be Like Water — A Guiding Principle for Consumer Product” do a superb job of discovering new angles to drag readers’ in, even when these readers have seen loads of shopper product-related content material earlier than.

The extra distinctive and shocking your angles are, the extra probably you might be to seize new audiences.

10. Incorporate unique quotes from thought leaders or colleagues to color a well-rounded argument.

Irrespective of how good my writing is, my readers nonetheless do not essentially need to hear my recommendation on protecting your mental health while working from home.

That’s why I did not attempt to deal with the subject myself — as a substitute, I discovered a psychologist to offer well-researched, useful tricks to take my piece to the subsequent degree.

Even for those who‘re an knowledgeable, think about the way you would possibly present different opinions to create a extra well-rounded argument.

When you’re writing a weblog put up like “Video vs. Podcast: Which Is Higher For Your Enterprise?” — see if you may get quotes from podcasters and video producers (or your inner colleagues who really feel passionate concerning the topic).

Professional quotes or unique insights will impress readers and present them that what they’re discovering in your web site they received’t discover elsewhere on the internet. And that is highly effective.

11. Inform the reader why what you are writing about issues to them and their day by day lives.

To illustrate you are creating an book: “A Complete Information to Excel.”

Not precisely what excited you most once you majored in English, was it?

Think about how your readers really feel: Certain, they could obtain your book in the event that they want the knowledge to excel (ha, ha) of their jobs, however they will not essentially be excited about it.

Take into account, nonetheless, how vital Excel is for particular capabilities.

Excel will help an organization’s monetary division analyze year-over-year efficiency to find out how a lot budgeting a advertising staff will obtain within the upcoming 12 months.

That finances contributes to vital development and the enterprise’s capability to succeed in and convert new prospects. With out it, the advertising staff received’t have the ability to enhance model consciousness as successfully as they’d like — and the enterprise will endure.

While you acknowledge that Excel will be tied to an individual‘s job safety, it abruptly turns into rather more fascinating, doesn’t it?

Content material writing is about extra than simply creating fairly sentences.

It is also about telling readers why a subject ought to matter and the way your content material will help them enhance in sure areas of their lives — work, household, well being, or journey. Now, that is purposeful.

12. Floor your recommendation with examples.

As I‘ve coated these content material writing suggestions, I’ve tried to incorporate a couple of related examples (i.e., my Rel=nofollow weblog put up).

Examples will help floor your recommendation and drive a message residence — and so they can even assist reveal how readers can apply your recommendation to their lives.

When writing about loftier, much less tangible matters, you have to present your readers what you imply reasonably than simply telling them.

However what higher option to reveal the significance of examples than to…present you some examples? (Nice segue, huh?)

Let’s dive into some examples of highly effective content material writing subsequent.

Examples of Content material Writing

1. “Wikipedia’s Value In The Age Of Generative AI” – Selena Deckelmann

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Why It Works

Staying on prime of present traits is important for content material writers seeking to seize readers’ consideration.

From a recent and thrilling perspective, Deckelmann, Chief Product and Expertise Officer on the Wikimedia Basis, touches on one in all as we speak’s hottest matters, generative AI.

Can individuals use AI to generate new Wikipedia articles? Would they be any good?

Deckelmann makes use of these points as a springboard to ship her perspective on AI ethics and Wikipedia’s worth in a altering digital panorama.

2. “The Player Series Players: Haim Discusses Their Fender Love” – Fender

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What We Like

Fender’s weblog put up entertains and fosters an emotional reference to the viewers. The content material serves a advertising goal whereas providing leisure worth to the reader.

Fender’s profile on the band is a enjoyable learn for followers of the band and the model alike. It additionally options an embedded video that helps the content material (and affords an Website positioning bump, too).

3. “The 5 Best Morning Routine Ideas Of Highly-Productive People” – Trello

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Why It Works

Everybody appears to like ice baths and optimized morning routines as of late. Trello’s article is an entertaining and topical piece of content material that aligns with the model’s story.

It affords invaluable content material for readers and options actionable examples with social proof.

Trello’s article by no means discusses or promotes its product. But, it nonetheless strengthens the advertising muscle. Useful content material like this helps to drive Website positioning and reinforces model loyalty.

4. “Retailers, No Need to Spend a Fortune on Voice AI to See Results” – SoundHound

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What We Like

SoundHound’s weblog put up focuses on a selected section of their prospects: retailers. Nice content material writers craft each bit with a goal and viewers in thoughts. This put up exemplifies that.

Additionally they make use of statistics and particular examples to drive residence the worth that their product delivers:

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Use statistics and examples in your content material writing that reveal the worth of your product every time doable.

5. “Holy Basil: Our Antioxidant Friend” – Parallel Well being

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Why It Works

Parallel Health is a startup that creates customized skincare options based mostly in your private pores and skin microbiome. The above weblog put up focuses on the advantages of an antioxidant-rich pure ingredient of their merchandise.

This put up speaks to skincare connoisseurs with a penchant for science, which precisely describes their audience.

The put up makes readers be ok with utilizing their product, which is all the time the way you need to make your prospects assume.

Generative AI in Content material Writing

Generative AI is right here, and it is not going anyplace anytime quickly. Utilizing instruments like ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and our free AI Content Assistant, content material writers can generate weblog posts, titles, captions, and different content material concepts simply by asking.

Nonetheless, this does not imply generative AI does the content material writing for you. Generative AI is greatest used as a device to help you along in the writing process. You’ll nonetheless must personalize the AI’s output and align it along with your voice and wishes.

Listed below are some suggestions for successfully implementing Gen AI in your content material writing technique.

1. Give context.

When prompting your generative AI of selection, give it the context of what your content material will likely be about, your targets, and who your audience is. Be as clear and descriptive as doable when prompting your AI.

2. Be particular

Inform the AI about particular key phrases you need to hit, the size of your put up, and another structural info related to the kind of content material you need to create. Would you like a bulleted record of factors versus entire paragraphs? The extra detailed directions you can provide, the higher.

3. Workshop your prompts.

In case your AI didn’t output what you sought on the primary attempt, reiterate, rewrite, and modify your prompts to get the very best outcomes. You possibly can ask your gen AI to evaluation and broaden on particular segments till you might be proud of the outcomes.

4. Use AI to summarize.

Let’s say you might be researching an upcoming put up, which requires you to learn many different articles for inspiration and fact-finding. You should utilize generative AI to summarize a prolonged passage.

Copy and paste your supply textual content and ask the AI to summarize the enter as a bulleted record.

Identical to that, you’ve saved time and have entry to key takeaways and factors that may inform your content material writing course of.

5. Be you.

Generative AI is thrilling and handy however isn’t a substitute for human content material writing. Bear in mind, AI is educated on present content material, however solely people can create one thing out of nothing.

Use AI for inspiration and jumpstart your writing course of, however don’t copy and paste the output verbatim, or your content material will find yourself generic and missing your private contact.