Content Writing: What Is It + 12 Tips for Writing Great Content
The world of content writing is much bigger than you think.
When you hear content writing, what is the first thing you think of? If we had to guess, it would be blogs. To be fair, you’re not wrong. Blogs are definitely one type of content writing. But there’s so much more than that—and you’ve likely seen or created some yourself. You just didn’t realize it.
Think of all the types of content in the world: videos, infographics, social media posts, books, email newsletters, articles, etc. They all involve content writing. So, what exactly is content writing, and how does it contribute to the world of content marketing?
In This Article:
What Is Content Writing?
Content writing is the process of planning, writing, creating, and publishing online content for digital marketing. It helps your business connect with your audience organically through digital media such as web, social media, email, and more.
The primary goal of a content writer is to inform, educate, or entertain readers. It’s all about providing people with useful and valuable information that ultimately helps them — whether it’s answering a lingering question, explaining concepts in simple terms, or demonstrating how to do a certain task or activity. Think of things like how-to’s, tutorials, what-is, explainers, or FAQs.
It’s an effective way to engage your audience and drive more traffic to your website, social media, and other online channels. People are tired of seeing ads and being sold to all the time. Content writing strays from the sales-focused aspect of digital marketing and places greater emphasis on connecting with people through value-driven content.
Content Writing vs. Copywriting
A common question is: Is content writing the same as copywriting? It’s an absolutely valid question. But the short answer is no. While they’re both related and do similar things, they serve two different purposes.
Copywriting is the art of writing marketing text that drives people to take a specific action. The primary goal is to promote, persuade, or sell a product or service. They’re more of a short-term strategy, encouraging people to take action soon after being exposed to the copy. Examples of copywriting are ads, commercials, product descriptions, landing pages, and website copy.
Content writing is meant to engage and build stronger relationships with audiences. A content writer focuses on providing educational and entertainment value to readers. It's more of a long-term marketing strategy with the intention of developing a deeper and closer relationship with potential customers before selling to them. Examples of content writing are blog posts, social media posts, email newsletters, eBooks, and lead magnets.
There may often be overlaps in terms of roles because they can be similar. However, these are the general differences between the two styles of online marketing writing.
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Benefits of Content Writing
When done right, content writing can increase an organization's online presence and attract quality leads and customers.
Drive more traffic
One of the major benefits of content writing is gaining increased traffic. Having a blog and writing articles can create numerous streams and avenues of traffic for your website. With each blog post, you’re paving a new road for users to get to your website and, at the same time, widening your online real estate. Companies with blogs have been shown to gain 67% more leads than those without.
Plus, blogs and web content are bonus search engine optimization (SEO) opportunities. This is a way to increase organic traffic and save your ad spend on other marketing efforts. With effective keyword and web optimization, you’ll be able to show up more in search engines and even rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Increase brand awareness and loyalty
A content writer can help your business stay connected with target audiences online. Being consistently active on the internet is a good way to help people engage with your product or service better. They may engage with your fun and entertaining posts on social media, which may lead to a more positive impression of your brand. Users may like your products, values, or mission which could help keep your brand on top of mind. That’s usually a strong sign that they’ll likely buy from you in the future.
Build trust and credibility
Producing educational and informative content is also an effective way to establish your credibility as an industry leader. When you make posts that explain concepts in full depth or answer any questions they have about a product or service, people will see you as a legitimate and reliable business, which can lead to greater trust. When trust is established, it may lead to a sale or conversion.
Better conversions
Content writing can be more effective than ads. In comparison to paid search, content marketing can generate 3x more leads per dollar spent. It’s all about how you can be of service to your target audience. Creating good content that’s educational or entertaining will certainly win over more users than if you were strictly promoting and selling all the time. You’re playing the long game, and it often brings more ups than downs.
Strengthen customer relationships
Content is a way to create and maintain a relationship with customers. When you produce valuable and relatable posts, it gives people a reason to come back to your website or Facebook profile. They find your content beneficial and interesting and want to see more of it. Don’t overlook simple interactions as well. Comment sections can end up as lively discussions, which may help you discover more of your customers’ needs and, at the same time, strengthen the relationship between them and your brand.
Types of Content Writing
Content writing can come in many different forms.
Blog writing
Blogs are great for sharing knowledge and driving more web traffic. You can share tips, how-to’s, and educational information on related topics within your industry, which helps strengthen your credibility. Plus, each blog serves as its own webpage. As a result, you create new roads and channels that increase your digital real estate and drive more traffic to your website.
Web content writing
Web content writing is as straightforward as it sounds. It’s any type of writing used for the internet. Blog writing does fall under this umbrella, but there are many more, such as eBooks, guides, social media posts, website copy, product descriptions, lead magnets, and articles.
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SEO content writing
SEO writing is a specific type of content writing that focuses on ranking high on search engines. It will involve more technical optimization strategies such as keyword research, on-page SEO, backlinks, search intent, header tags, alt text, and metadata. It’s meant to help your content and website be more discoverable and appear higher in a search engine.
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Social media writing
Social media allows businesses and brands to quickly engage and connect with users. You can use it to share fun and educational photos, videos, and text posts that may resonate with your target audience. Content writing can play a role in the entire content creation process — from crafting engaging social copy to even visual imagery.
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Email writing
Emails let brands cut through the digital noise and reach their audience directly. It’s a valuable marketing strategy that can increase sales and conversions. In email newsletters, you can use it to personally connect with people and share any new updates to your business. It can also be a way to direct your audience to your blog or Instagram. Emails can help your business stay on top of mind.
Business writing
Business writing is a type of content writing mainly used for professional purposes. Examples include press releases, business proposals, advertisements, memos, emails, formal letters, and white papers. The goal is to effectively communicate information in the workplace in a clear and concise manner.
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Technical writing
Technical writing is a type of content writing that explains complex and abstract information in a more presentable way. It’s often described as “simplifying the complex.” The purpose of technical writing is to provide detailed guides and instructions. Examples of technical writing are instruction manuals, business proposals, reports, product specifications, installation guides, case studies, etc.
Ghostwriting
Ghostwriting is also called white label content writing. It’s when you hire a third party to create content for you. It’s very helpful for businesses and brands who want to make new and original content but don’t necessarily have the time or capability to do so. Ghostwriting can be for all types of content — blogs, social media posts, books, emails, etc.
12 Tips for Better Content Writing
As a content writer, you’re aiming for readability and comprehension. You want the reader to quickly find what they’re looking for. So, it’s all about how to better construct your content to make it easier to read and understand. Here are tips you can try to craft more compelling and engaging content.
Short, simple sentences
Feel free to stray away from long sentences. Short sentences can do the job just as well. Writing in the active voice is a good way to achieve this. Active voice is more direct and clear of fluff. Making your point as succinctly as possible helps for easier comprehension and quickens the reading pace, both of which will improve the overall reader experience.
Chunk up your paragraphs
In content writing, it’s not necessary to write essay-length paragraphs. Most times, they can be intimidating to read. The solution? Break them up into smaller, consumable chunks. If you’re making multiple points, it’s better to let each idea have its own paragraph. It makes the information easily digestible.
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Begin with an outline
Think of an outline as a content writing playbook. You’re laying out what topic and subtopics you’ll cover and how to arrange them. For example, say you’re writing about birds. The introductory paragraph could explain what a bird is. The next paragraph can talk about the evolution of birds over time. Another section could talk about the different types of birds. An outline gives you guidance and direction when throughout the writing process.
Write like how you talk
What’s neat about content writing is that, unlike academic writing, it’s more lenient and informal. There's no need to use big, SAT-like words in your writing. They can actually turn people off. Remember, you’re writing for quick comprehension. So, it’s best to write in a conversational tone, as if you’re talking with a friend. Use casual lingo, add some humor, and show your personality. It makes readers feel like they’re reading from a real person.
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Read it out loud
Our writing usually sounds better in our heads, so we may not see anything wrong with it. But, a reader may read it differently. So, to help with that, it’s a good idea to do a read through out loud. You’ll be able to hear whether the sentences flow smoothly or if there’s repetition.
Read, read, read
Reading is a basic element for a content writer. It can greatly improve your writing skills. When reading books and blogs, you’re opening yourself up to all kinds of writing styles and structures. You may read a book that gets you turning from page to page, and you wonder how they made it so intriguing. Continue to read every day. It’s good for your mind and your writing skills.
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Make it visual
You can achieve visual imagery through your writing or through using visual media. As a content writer, you want readers to be able to see and visualize your point. It’s like painting a picture with your words. You can use metaphors, descriptive adjectives, and anecdotes as your tools to help you make your ideas clear.
There are also media such as photos, videos, and infographics you can add to your content. They can be complementary aids that help present your ideas in a neat and organized way. It gives readers another way of comprehending your ideas. Visuals through media or writing allow people to make stronger connections with your point. So if you want to help make your content writing memorable, be sure to show more and tell less.
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Write eye-catching headlines
Before readers can even get to the meat and potatoes, you've got to grab their attention with an engaging and compelling headline. They act as a teaser that gets people wanting to learn more. This is important because if you don't get them here, then you won't get them at all, no matter how interesting your piece is. Be sure to write an eye-catching heading that makes them stop dead in their tracks and read what your article is all about.
Use headers
Headers are titles, like the ones on this page, that tell you what topic a particular section will cover. For example, “Tips for Better Content Writing” is a header that will have content exploring how to improve your writing. It’s a way to organize your thoughts and ideas neatly. Plus, it lets readers (and search engines) know what information will be covered in a certain part of the content.
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Anticipate readers' questions
A good content writer strives to deliver as much value as possible. One way to do that is to anticipate questions readers may have as they read your blog or content. Aim to answer any questions that they may or may not ask.
Keyword Research
Before writing, you want to research the most popular keywords. Choose one with a decent volume and aim to optimize your content around that keyword. It’s an SEO essential that can help you with ranking in search engines. However, don’t overdo it. You don’t want to sacrifice readability for rankings. You’re writing for people, not search engines.
Include a Call-To-Action
Don’t forget to give readers the next step. Always include a call-to-action that lets people know what to do next. The CTA can send them to a related article, product, or landing page. You have them on your site. Try to entice them to stay and visit other pages.
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Tools for Better Content Writing
A simple pen and Word document is enough to do the job. But, if you want to elevate and enhance your content writing process, there are many tools that can help you. We divided the tools into two categories: content research and content production.
Content research
These tools will help you before you start writing. You want to spend your time talking about the right topics — the ones that people are commonly searching for.
Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is an online keyword research tool from digital marketing leader, Neil Patel. It’s an amazing tool that gives you data such as long-tail keywords, search volume, keyword difficulty, content ideas, and SEO opportunities.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is another great tool that provides data of your website’s performance. You can track how much traffic your pages are getting, where the source of traffic is coming from, and which keywords you’re ranking for.
Semrush
Semrush is also a solid tool for keyword research. You not only find the right target keywords, but you also find opportunities to improve your on-page SEO and link building strategy.
Content production
These tools will help you as a content writer when it comes to creating the content. They will make the production process easier.
Google Docs
Google Docs is always a must-have for a content writer. It’s the most basic tool you need when writing your content. You can organize them cleanly and even add media. Plus, most of the content you see online likely used Google Docs as their writing tool.
PFC Keyword Density Tool
The PFC Keyword Density Tool will help to make sure you’re not overstuffing your content with keywords. You can write your content inside the tool and you’ll see how often your target keyword shows up. As a rule of thumb, aim for 3% density.
Grammarly
Grammarly is an amazing tool that keeps track of our grammar and spelling mistakes. In addition, it can suggest areas that can be shortened to maintain conciseness and clarity. That way, you’ll be free of errors and avoid getting mocked by the grammar police.
Canva
Canva is our go-to when it comes to graphic design, photos, videos, and infographics. You can create visual content with their wide library of icons, templates, artwork, music, and more. Plus, you can add your logos, fonts, and colors to ensure your posts match your brand.
Constant Contact
Constant Contact is email service software that streamlines your email marketing process. You can create and send personalized emails to all your subscribers. Plus, they have tools for landing pages and social media.
Content Writing and AI: Pros and Cons
It would be remiss if we didn’t address the artificial elephant in the room. Artificial intelligence has certainly grown in popularity and become more utilized in many fields and industries—especially content writing. If anything, written content seems to be the most affected by AI's capabilities. Its upsides are strong enough to concern any content writer. But, it’s not without its downsides.
Pros
There’s no denying that AI can help us with generating content instantly. The tools are extremely simple to use. You input something for AI to make and they’ll craft it in seconds. It’s good for those who need content right away but don’t have the time or budget to hire a content writer.
Not only can it write content fast, it can write it well. AI can generate writing with proper grammar and spelling, avoiding any typos or errors. Plus, they can craft fully structured blog posts with headers included.
Cons
However, here’s why AI won’t be able to replace real human writers. The biggest downside is that it’s not written by a human. The content they generate is often direct and straightforward, lacking any emotion or personality. It’s missing the human voice, and it comes off as robotic.
The other thing about AI is that everyone else can use it, which means there’s a higher chance of similar or duplicate content. We’ve experimented with Chat GPT and Microsoft’s Copilot to generate a blog post. They essentially churned out the same content, only they’re structured and re-worded differently. So, beware of completely depending on AI for content. There’s a good chance it already exists somewhere on the internet.
We’re not saying AI is bad. It can be highly useful in many cases, such as helping us create a first draft for blogs. But you shouldn’t solely rely on it. Instead, it should serve as an assistant tool to spark inspiration and new ideas. You use AI-generated content as a complementary asset to your original writing. It makes for a more unique and interesting body of work.
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The Heart of Content Marketing
Coming up with the right words to say and saying it in the clearest yet creative way possible is the true art of content writing. It can elevate your content marketing strategy to new heights, increasing online engagement, brand awareness, and conversions.
At People First Content, content writing is our specialty. Our team of professional writers can deliver engaging, optimized, and human-written content that your target audience will appreciate. Let’s get you on your way to great content! Connect with us today.
