In today’s world where content is key, learning how to write great content has become a continuous quest for many people. You already know that impressive content makes you stand out in the sea of writing we experience daily.
Whichever type of content you write, one common goal everyone strives to attain is getting their content to become near perfect, if we follow the rule that nothing truly is perfect. Whatever the case, you should go above average, which means writing excellent content that ticks all the boxes.
If you’re looking for answers on writing great content, luck just found you because this article will equip you with all the knowledge you need to craft that powerful content. To carry everyone along, let’s define what content writing is and continue down to the benefits.
What is content writing?
Content writing is the process of beginning and finishing text-based content with the intention of giving out valuable information. Content writing can also be in the form of articles, blog posts, web content, social media posts, etc.
Many pieces come together to become a whole and birth a great content and combining these things will surely get yours far from where you last saw it. Let us delve into the business of the day and know what makes up a great content.
How to write great content as a writer
Do a research
Your first step to writing great content begins by thoroughly researching what’s on your mind. Say you are a freelance writer and a client gives you a topic to write about; doing research should also be your first step.
It does not matter how well-versed you are in the field; new information pops up daily, and you must stay updated by researching that topic. Take time and brainstorm your topic and how the content will flow.
If you’re writing for your blog rather than for a client, ask yourself if this topic resonates with what your audience is searching for. Analyze your topic and watch what others in your niche are doing.
You know that your content comes out tops if you handle the preparatory phase well, and an excellent preparatory phase begins from your research mechanism. Read about some well-guided tips on how to do good content research here. Doing this part well will help you transition smoothly into the next phase.
Write a catchy headline
Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and ask yourself if you would read the article with that headline. Did it speak to you as a reader? Is it something you can search for?
If you answered yes to these questions, you’re good. But it no or in doubt, you still have a lot to do on it. Something I found out about readers is that, even before they look at the body of your content, they read the headline first.
Your headline will determine if someone on the internet will stop and check out your information. So, make your headline interesting and punchy, and ensure it carries part of the information you want to share in your content.
Craft an irresistible hook
Picture a relay race, the way a runner hands the baton to the next person. That is what your headline had done here. It caught your reader’s attention and needs to pass the baton of interest to your hook if that reader must continue and finish your article.
Meanwhile, your topic determines the type of hook you will use on your readers. Then, your hook decides if readers will move on after reading your headline or stick around, and it takes a few seconds to do all that.Â
If your hook game is not strong enough, your well-thought-out headline will only do a little.
Engage your audience
The first thing that can help you engage your readers is understanding how they behave and how they would love to be addressed. There are different kinds of audiences, and they all resonate with different topics, so understand your audience correctly.
It is for your gain if you know how to engage your audience. This part is not as cumbersome as you think; just be strategic about it.
Another secret to successfully engaging your audience is to write in clear and simple grammar. Well, except you have a community that loves throwing big words around for fun or intellectual purposes.
Write to offer value
People come online to find answers, learn, or be entertained. Whichever category your topic falls under, make it a duty to deliver. Let your audience find all they seek with your content and leave, fulfilled.
How do you do this? Learn how to write for your audience. Imagine looking for the same solution as your audience. Will your article satisfy you and give you clarity on the topic at hand? This is how to know if you’re offering value.
Therefore, lay it all bare with points or listicles and break them down for proper understanding. Google is not your audience; real humans are, so focus on them.
Let your topic be targeting and specific
Another essential rule of writing great content revolves around your ability to remain focused on your topic. Write with a target and avoid trying to be everywhere with irrelevant information. You won’t be able to offer value when trying to do too much.
For example, I am writing on how to write great content for your audience; I can’t start telling you how to make money online in this same post. While it is an exciting topic, and everyone wants to know the easier method of making money online, it is irrelevant here.
Structure it in a way that will be understandable enough for your readers. Pay attention to your subtopics and ensure smooth flow.
Write in your unique voice
Stay consistent with the voice you first drew your audience in. As a brand, this is called your brand’s voice. Keep writing in such a manner because that’s where the connection starts and ends.
Your brand voice also includes your community standards, the languages you use for your audience, and what you don’t do. Your staff should also watch and learn your brand voice to relate with your readers the same way.
Edit your content
Invest in tools that will help you achieve error-free content. Your readers will not find your content interesting enough to digest, even if it’s making sense but filled with annoying errors.
How to write compelling content begins with thorough research and ends with Eagle-eye editing. Reread your content to yourself loudly, leave it for a while, and come back to reread it again.
That way, you’ll be looking at it with a fresh eye and catch all the tiny errors you missed before.
Set your content to be discovered by the right people
This is for those using online platforms to showcase their content. After following the content writing tips in this article to write great content, I’m sure you want others to see it and learn from it.
Optimize your content and position it to be visible to potential readers according to the platform you post on and the search engine rules.
Have a clear Call To Action CTA
You must have thought about what you need your readers to do after reading your content. Humans are known to take instructions and act on them. Else, they will read from you and be on their way.
If you plan to grow your email lists, have your readers on the comment section, ask them to buy your products, or even sign up for a class, this is where and when to tell them.
Refrain from giving a confusing CTA. Let it be clear, precise, and easy to do. Trust me, the majority of your audience will take action immediately.
Now that you have the guidelines for crafting great content, you need to know the benefits so it can motivate you.
Benefits of writing great content
Some benefits come with writing excellent content. Let us briefly look at some of them before I conclude.
Trust
Ever gone on a particular page to search for a topic and believed what you read there? That’s trust. Giving out authentic, current, and valuable information makes your audience depend on you for solutions or information. It helps to solidify your brand and keep your name in the minds of your readers.
Great content is a breeding space for trust and loyalty from your audience. To get to this level, you must work for it by always going extra to meet audience information needs.
More sales
Another benefit of writing great content is that it takes a little effort to sell to your audience once they’ve earned your trust. Your content also has the power to attract new customers and sell off your products.
Boosts SEO
Writing great content requires you to optimize for search engines. Now, search engines crawl every time, seeking great content to rank. All you need to do to be on the good side of search engines is to provide great and consumable content.
Conclusion
Now you know it! All you need to learn how to write great content has been placed in your hands. Writing content can be fun if you have loyal readers who continuously read from you.
I’d be glad to help if you need more clarification on any part of this article. So drop your questions in the comment and I’d be glad to answer.Â