Great content answers questions and solves problems your readers didn’t even know they had. More importantly, the best content gets people to trust you, which ultimately leads to more shares, more links, and more sales. However, content writers often face the never-ending struggle of producing enough content while maintaining quality.
Tips for Becoming a Better Content Writer
In this article, we’ll share six practical tips on how to become a better writer and consistently produce high-quality content.
1. Read and Take Note of Different Writing Styles
The best content writers are avid readers because they know reading regularly develops their writing skills. Make it a habit to read something outside of work every day, and diversify your reading material. Aside from blogs, read newspapers, poetry, magazines, encyclopedias, stories, etc. Pay close attention to word choice, structure, and flow. Learn from different writing styles until you find your own voice.
2. Pick the Right Topics
Know the purpose of a particular piece of content and who will read it before you start writing. This will help set the right tone so your content will resonate with your target audience. Brainstorming ideas, finding the right subject, and creating the right title are keys to great content.
Here are some of the things you need to consider when researching ideas:
- Target the right keywords. You need to incorporate the keywords or phrases your target audience uses to search for something. For instance, if you’re writing about olive oil, you can include phrases like ‘types of olive oil’ or ‘olive oil health benefits.’
- Know your audience. Otherwise, you could lose your reader’s attention, trust, and interest before they finish reading the first paragraph.
- Know the competition. Figure out the type of keywords they use, where they get their backlinks, the kind of content they publish, etc., so you can outperform them.
If you’re struggling to find ideas, you can use tools like BuzzSumo or social media and look for interesting topics. Be sure to choose the title of your content carefully. It should be catchy and interesting so your target audience will click on it.
3. Don’t Take Outlining for Granted
Once you’ve chosen the right topic, the next step is to plan your content. You can build a house without a framework. In the same manner, writers should have a solid plan in mind before they write. Outlining makes it easier for you to create a logical flow and get your point across as clearly as possible.
You can create a simple outline by plotting the sections of your content in a particular order and adding a few sentences about the section. But feel free to go into detail if you’re working on a more complex topic.
4. Write Engaging and Interesting Content
Writing engaging and interesting content helps increase brand awareness and expand your online reach. Here are some of the tips you should remember so you can create:
- Write interesting and catchy introductions. Most readers read the first few sentences of a blog post before deciding to read the whole thing. When writing introductions, make sure you communicate why they should read your article and what you’ll be covering in the content.
- Make them think. Leave your readers with questions as you write the conclusion. This doesn’t mean that you publish a post that lacks information, but rather to write questions that make them think and reflect on how they can implement the suggestions you provided.
- Tell a story. People love a good story. It keeps your audience engaged, and it also helps get your point across.
5. Write the Way You Speak
You don’t have to sound like a robot when you’re writing a technical topic, and neither should you try to impress your readers by using a lot of industry jargon and complicated words. Your readers don’t have the time to analyze what your content is about. If they don’t understand what you’ve written, you can’t expect your audience to continue reading. Keep your audience engaged and avoid confusion by writing as if you’re talking to a friend or a colleague.
It’s easier for your audience to understand your content if you write the way you speak. It’s also a great way to communicate and connect with your target market on a personal level. As a result, your readers will trust you, and they’ll be more open to building a positive relationship with you or your brand. Keep in mind that your target market will only do business with brands they trust.
Tools like Grammarly Premium’s Goal feature help you write in a more conversational tone. Select the informal option under the Formality setting. Grammarly will suggest simple words and sentences, as well as synonyms of more complicated words, so it’s easier to understand.
6. Proofread and Edit Your Content
Once you have your first draft, congratulations! The next step is to proofread and edit your content. Read it aloud to make sure you’ve said what you need to say. Fix spelling errors, typos, and other grammar mistakes.
However, it’s best to read your content a few hours after writing it. You’ll be able to read the entire piece as your readers will, so it’ll be easier for you to see faulty logic, poor structure, and boring writing. Here are some of the things you should remember when proofreading your work:
- Fix typos and errors
- Check the logical flow of your writing; make sure the ideas are presented clearly
- Smooth out your content
Don’t hesitate to completely rewrite certain sections when you’re proofreading. Delete sentences and paragraphs that don’t make sense, and add more words and explanations. The proofreading and editing stage will help you become a better writer.
What’s Next?
The process of becoming a better writer doesn’t happen overnight. It involves developing new habits, like reading or outlining, and learning them one at a time for 21 days straight – this is how long a person can develop a habit. It’s essential to stay committed and invest time and effort so you’ll become the best content writer in your niche.
