There is a growing need for writers in today’s tech-savvy society. Perhaps you have always wanted to be a writer or run a business but are confused about what a “content writer” actually does.
If that’s you, read on.
What is a content writer?
A “content writer” is a person who makes it their business to create interesting and informative articles for websites. To effectively communicate with a website’s target audience, writers must produce material that is both educational and engaging. A content writer’s primary goal is to improve a website’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO); hence the text they produce often includes strategic keyword usage.
When looking online for a product or service, people often use “keywords,” which are specialized words or phrases linked to their business. By focusing on these, writers can boost the number of visitors who come across their articles after googling relevant terms.
The need for content writers has increased with the popularity of content marketing. According to CMI, high-quality content is responsible for a whopping 78% success rate for content marketers over the last year. Not only that, but 47% of marketers are now using third-party content.
The essence of content is information, and it can take several forms on the internet:
- Blog posts
- Web pages
- Social media posts
- Video/audio scripts
- White papers
- Press releases
- Sales Pages
- News Articles
- Emails marketing
- Books and eBooks
Writers specialize in the written word; a skilled content writer can write all or most of these formats. A writer’s ability to produce high-quality material depends on his in-depth familiarity with the target audience’s intent for that content.
According to Time, the average reader spends only 8 seconds on a piece of content, so it’s important to grab their attention fast.
Audiences, including current/potential customers, stakeholders, employees, and investors, should all be considered while creating content. Unless it speaks to your audience, your content will fall on deaf ears – no matter how well-written, well-researched, or creatively written.
What skills does a content writer need?
Writers for websites and blogs need to be well-rounded and capable of tackling a wide variety of topics. These skills may seem difficult to master at first, but with time and effort, anyone can become proficient in them and move up the career ladder. The following are the bare minimum skills a content writer needs to excel in the field:
- The ability to do fast and effective research
- Excellent command of English grammar and style
- The ability to write efficiently and reliably under pressure
- The ability to write in different tones, on a slew of topics, and within various structures/contexts.
Other valuable assets include coming up with ideas on the spot and having a deep understanding of your niche. So, having natural writing talent is important, but it is not enough to make it as a content writer. Ingenuity, expertise, and the ability to multitask are just as significant.
What roles will a content writer take on?
Researchers
Every content writer will need to conduct their own research, regardless of the client or the topic. As a writer, you are required to conduct in-depth research on topics of which you have little to no prior knowledge to produce material that is credible, up-to-date, and consistent with the brand’s established voice and tone. Creating engaging content requires good research.
Designers
While working on a piece for a client, a content writer’s primary role is to make sure it looks good on-screen. He has to make sure the material does not look like a boring block of text by strategically placing subheadings, bullet points, and other writing techniques. They should be familiar enough with HTML to format text, insert links, and highlight key phrases or passages.
SEO Experts
In order to target keywords effectively, a skilled content writer will have a solid grasp of SEO best practices. They know the value of catchy headlines, strategic keyword placement, and appropriate keyword density to increase the chances of ranking higher on search engines.
Editors
Sometimes a content writer is given scant instructions or inadequate existing copy to work from. So, he will have to sift through many rough drafts before getting to the good stuff. This is a necessary but oftentimes annoying part of being a content writer.
In this article, New Media Services, a global content marketing firm, promotes employing both a content writer and a content developer. Professional writers know what it’s like to be underutilized at a company that doesn’t have a dedicated content developer. Having a content developer allows a content writer to focus on the tasks at hand and produce their best work – instead of being spread too thin.
Freelance job boards are more generic digital platforms in which content writers can create a profile and apply for projects directly listed by a client. This latter can be either a person or business, and content writing is only one of many services they require. They may also require graphic design, video editing, and a host of other specialized work that can be done remotely.
Having your own website and promoting it is a better way to increase your job opportunities. Breaking into the freelance writing industry can be challenging because most freelance job sites are already dominated by well-established, seasoned professionals.
A competent writer needs to be more than just another contractor. They help a business succeed online and produce tangible outcomes that can be showcased in a portfolio as evidence of their ability to produce top-notch content that not only reaches a large audience but also speaks to their needs.
