Writing content can help you increase your bottom line and establish authority for your business, but for that to happen, your content needs to be worth your readers’ time.
Today we’re giving you 7 content writing tips that will help you craft content that actually drives growth. So read on to find out how to write content that brings in leads, boosts your revenue, and establishes you as the go-to for your industry.
7 Not-So-Typical Content Writing Tips
Tip # 1: Be strategic
According to a survey conducted by SEMRush, only 57% of organizations have a documented content marketing strategy in place.
Before putting pen to paper, you need to ask yourself a few strategic questions:
- What do I want my content to achieve?
- Who’s my audience?
- Where does my audience hang out?
- What type of content do they find useful?
- What do I want my audience to do with my content?
- What keywords are ranking for the topic I want to write about?
- What other blogs rank for this topic, and how is their audience reacting to them?
Having a great content strategy is a key factor for your business growth and success, and unfortunately, generic campaigns won’t help you see the results you want.
When you know what you want your content to do for you and what your competitors are doing, you’ll be in a better position to create a strategy that works for you and your business.
Luckily, we’ve put together a content growth formula that works wonders for our clients and can work wonders for you as well.
Tip # 2: Do your research
If you want your content to appeal to your audience, you need to do a fair amount of research to make sure you understand their pain points, the way they speak, and the solutions they’d like to get from you.
Part of your research should include hanging out on the platforms your audience uses. This helps you get a good grip on how they speak, and develop a tone of voice they’ll recognize and trust. You’ll also have a good understanding of the topics that are relevant, useful, or amusing for them right now.
Checking your competitors’ content is also great for research. It will give you an excellent idea of what they’re doing with their content and give you some great pointers to differentiate yourself and your offerings, so you stand out from the competition.
Reading great content by other brands, whether in your industry or not, is another great way to learn what works for successful blogs in terms of structure, headlines, topics, and user interaction.
Tip #3: Create a content calendar
After you’ve set your goal and done your research, you’ll be in a great position to create your own content calendar.
You should plan your content by answering some basic questions:
- How many posts am I putting out there?
- How often am I posting?
- What are my topics, and what order do they follow?
You also need to decide what structure your content will have and where you’ll be posting them: your website, LinkedIn, online communities, or elsewhere
Batch planning and writing your content also helps you stay ahead of the game, freeing time for more research, and planning later down the line.
Tip # 4: Write for results
There are a lot of great writers out there whose content doesn’t perform all that well, and a number of average writers whose content brings in an amazing deal of revenue.
Great content doesn’t need great writers; it needs a great strategy, appropriate research, and an effective content calendar.
Great content doesn’t need to be perfect either. It needs to be useful for your audience, factually correct, engaging, and easy to read.
And the best way to get good at writing engaging content is by writing, even if it’s not perfect at first.
Truth is, Google loves helpful, authentic content, even if it isn’t spot on, and the best way to improve your writing is by writing!
When you’re sharpening your writing skills, always remember to write like you talk. Leave jargon at the door unless it’s 100% necessary, and don’t overcomplicate things — clarity wins over cleverness any day of the week.
Tip # 5: Kill your darlings
As tips for content writing go, this is probably the most important. When you write your first draft, it’s likely to have words you didn’t need, expressions that obscure the overall message, and maybe a couple of unnecessary tangents.
This is what we call fluff, and nobody likes fluffy content because it dilutes the message you’re trying to send.
When you’re done with your draft, give it some time to breathe, and then edit mercilessly.
Every word you write needs to be there for a reason, and you need to be able to justify it.
If you’re using words that bring nothing to the table, get rid of them.
If you’re choosing to be clever over clear, rephrase what you wrote.
If one of your examples is enough to illustrate the point you’re making, get rid of the second example that doesn’t bring anything new to the table.
When editing, it’s all about chopping off as many words as possible without losing the essence of what you’re trying to say.
By being as clear and concise as possible, you’re making it easier for your readers to understand what you’re saying, and to make them stay with you until the end of the blog.
Tip # 6: Internal links work — use them
If you’re writing about multiple issues around a certain topic, chances are you can link different articles you’ve already written to whatever article you’re planning on writing next (and vice versa).
This is a great way of increasing traffic through your site, tying all your content together, and helping readers find relevant information when they need it.
It’s also a good idea to link to relevant blog content from your social media platforms, as it helps them see your brand as a cohesive force that’s giving them exactly what they need.
Your internal links need to be relevant and make sense for your audience and the topic you’re dealing with at the moment. Use links strategically — don’t just throw them at your audience.
Tip # 7: Edit like you mean it
The best medicine to cure a case of the typos is a few rounds of editing.
Before uploading your blog, make sure to review it at least a couple of times to avoid any embarrassing typos or mistakes. It’s also a good idea to run it past your subject matter experts. They’ll catch awkward phrasing and inaccuracies that your content team might have missed.
These last checks help you identify unnecessary words that may have escaped your edits while making sure your tone is consistent and the quality is great.
Reading your blog aloud also helps you check how well your sentences flow. If you find yourself stopping or rereading a section, you can smooth out those sections to create a better reading experience.
You should always put quality before quantity, so spending some time proofreading after editing is essential to make sure all the right words are sitting in all the right places.
Bonus tip: Remember your call to action (CTA)
Since you made it this far, we have a little bonus tip for you: Always include a CTA.
After a reader is finished with your piece, what are their next steps?
Do you want them to click a link to additional information?
Share your content?
Subscribe to your newsletter?
Connect with you on LinkedIn?
Always give your readers the option of doing something to engage further with you after going through your content, and make it easier for them by just giving them one clear action to follow.
Do These Content Writing Tips Really Work?
Absolutely.
Most content writing tips focus on style or word usage.
Google likes high-quality content that’s helpful and easy to read, and apart from helping you rank in Google, it’ll make your readers enjoy and engage with the content you’re putting out there.
When you have a strategy in place that’s 100% tailored to your business, good research, and a content calendar, the writing itself becomes easier.
Editing mercilessly and proofreading thoroughly will put you in a great place to have content that performs and brings you the results you want.
You don’t need to be a Pulitzer Prize winner to write something worth reading.
All you need are a clear plan and the discipline and willingness to improve your writing skills with practice. And if you need some help setting up and implementing a Competitive Content™ strategy, just drop us a line. Let’s chat about how to take your business to the next level!
