A Beginner’s Guide On What is Content Writing?

Do you consider writing as one of your career options? Then freelance content writing is one good option to explore! As a beginner, you might want to know in detail about it. Content writing is a broad spectrum. Beginners who wish to know all about what is content writing, have come to the right page! First, let’s begin with understanding “what is content writing?”

What is Content Writing?

To put it in a simple language content writing means writing “content” for web users. The world is becoming more and more internet-dependent. The demand for writing web content too is high! That’s where content writers come into the picture.

Web content generally is for digital marketing. It speeds up the process of digital marketing.

Content writing covers a lot of areas and so, there are many different types of content.

What Are The Types Of Content That Fall In The Category Of Content Writing?

After knowing what is content writing, it is important to know what type of content comes under it.

• Blog posts
• Articles
• Scripts for podcasts, infographics, or videos
• Content for a company’s website
• Press releases
• Writing for advertisements
• Writing ebooks, brochures, product manuals
• Product descriptions and reviews
• Social media posts
• Emails
• Reports, case studies
• Newsletters
• Banners for the business, for a brand campaign, etc

The list goes on! There are different kinds of content writers for each kind of content that goes up the internet. The kinds of content are innumerable. There are the main categories and then subcategories to it. Few of them are

• Artificial intelligence
• Software, Hardware- computer related
• Information Technology
• Academia
• Financial, Insurance Services
• Fashion
• Lifestyle
• Healthcare
• Medicine
• Product reviews
• Entertainment
• Fitness
• Marketing, etc

It is a long list! The more services have occupied the digital space, the more is the demand for content writers. The content writers contribute immensely to a company or business. Content writers help companies shape their profiles online. Such writers design suitable content to monetize their services to a higher level.

Why Is Freelance Content Writing Becoming So Popular?

The world was gradually adapting the concept of digital marketing. The lockdowns made the process a bit faster.

As of 2021, user and business relations are different than what was before the pandemic. The interactions have become more competitive digitally. So, the demand for content creators and marketers is higher than ever before.

• There is an increase in such job positions. So if beginners get an idea of what is content writing they can decide to pursue it as a career option. Part-time or even full-time!
• The first thing you get to learn as a newbie content writer is to be a strategic writer. More than 70% of companies hire such people to frame their content.
• Content writing proves as an effective marketing strategy also. So, it is in demand more than the traditional marketing approaches. The response from the audience has tripled! So, brands also invest in them based on such facts.
• Work from home is the new mantra during the pandemic. Freelance content writing offers you that same opportunity. The advantage is that you can work from home or anywhere. You can negotiate with clients and grab projects of your interest. You can freelance in any field you wish once you become a content writer.
• After gaining a good amount of flair, you can also start your very own content writing business. That will help the budding content writers to grow along with your business.

What Is Content Writing In General To Do With A Business Or A Company’s Profit?

Are you thinking about how can your writing work help the organization you work for? What does your writing mean to a company or a business? A beginner is certain to have such doubts.

• The blog you write can give a lead to the company you work for. Not only blog, any kind of content writing that uses marketing for a company’s services or products.
• Your writings will not only serve other companies but even your website. If you wish to have a website of your own!
• Did you know that the way you write content can help you get good ranking’s on Google’s search engine page? Yes! That is true. If you write the right way, you can improve your page’s ranking on Google. With that, the landing page results of your website can go high.
• For you to get the best results on the search engine, there is a common term you need to know. As a beginner in content writing, it is a must-know term. The term is SEO. SEO stands for ‘’Search Engine Optimization”.
• Using the trending and right keywords remains the main aspect of SEO. There are online tools that guide you to find keywords suitable to the content you write.
• The keywords that are popular in web search volume help you achieve SEO in your content writing. This way, you can help your or the client’s website get the desirable web traffic.
• You can as a content writer also create “brand campaigns” with the help of leads of the companies. The campaigns are for a company’s products or services. Such campaigns promote the brand. They make their target audience aware of the new products in the market.
• How will you direct the audience to get the awaiting response from them? Your content can lead a user to perform the most desirable action in the marketing world. That is “Call To Action”. In short, CTA.

The content you frame must include links or buttons that lead them to buy a product or service. Or, convince them to take CTA for a company’s profit. Be it marketing or advertising campaign. Your content attains success that way!

Not all content writers are certainly content marketers. Still, it becomes important for a content writer to understand the marketing goals of a company. That can make you a successful content writer.

Examples Of Some Roles Of a Content Writer:

A Blogger

Efficient blogging can bring a lot of views to a website. Bloggers when writing weekly can improve website traffic. When anyone opens a company’s website for the first time, they go through the content on the website. Quite natural! Blogs are parts of such content that will help them to know your company better.

The audience finds a connection with the company if the blogs answer their queries. Blogs are one good way of giving the audience fruitful information. So blogs that are conversing with them are the best ones!

A Copywriter

Persuasion is the prime goal for them! Copywriting is a vast field. Any service that involves advertising and marketing would need it.

Catchy and concise slogans to a short sentence can make a big difference in selling a product. It makes the audience look forward to buying the products or services. That is one of the major marketing goals. A convincing content!

An Email content writer

Do you receive emails and newsletters from shopping or insurance sites? That’s a part of email marketing.

Many people think emails might not have a major influence in the online world. Well, it is wrong! Hubspot claims that 86% of email subscribers wait for email updates and newsletters from the ones that deal with their business.

The newsletters and emails they write need an eye-catching subject line and headline. It needs to be interesting. That would compel the subscribers to open the mail. Also, it should guide them to click on “CTA”.

The writer announces the company’s new offers, engages with them, and keeps in touch with subscribers. Through email campaigns, they create new subscribers. Communication is the key to email marketing!

There are many kinds of writing, which can interest you. You can start with the basics, which is blogging, and explore other kinds as per interest. In a content writing career, you get to widen your scope of work as you progress. Isn’t that something great?

Finally, to kill your curiosity on how to be a content writer, here’s your answer.

How To Be A Content Writer?

You now know what is content writing. You also know the types, the role of writers in this sector and kind of clients. Let’s now see what it takes to be a content writer.

• The basic skill that anyone requires in content writing is a command of the language. Also, the basic command over grammar. International communication and marketing prefer the English language for most of its business deals. So, you need a good flow in it. Content writing jobs are available for every language. It can be in Hindi, French, or Spanish, any! You need to have a good flow in the language you want to set your writing career.
• You need to attend a course to shape up your skills. There is so much material and courses available online. You can choose any course, that offers you quality content to learn and master. You can also attend workshops for the same.
• Some learn by registering for freelance jobs to online sites with no experience. It seldom works for everyone. A fresher has an advantage, but a course makes you skilled fresher. It prepares you for meeting the deadlines through their internship programs.
• Content writing can have three broad stages when divided. (i) Planning and outlining the structure of content. (ii) Writing the content. (iii) Editing and proofreading the content

• For being a skilled fresher, you need patience. Nobody becomes a content writer in a day. Remember the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day?” It would come with time and patience.

You need to understand some basic things like

1. Keywords are Important. Look for online keyword tools like Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, Ubersuggest, etc.
2. Understand the outline of the content. Research online.
3. Address the questions that the content could answer
4. Frame the headlines using online tools like Coschedule Headline Analyzer, Isitwp, etc
5. Write and practice more to write
6. Insert images wherever required. You can use it from your gallery (if any relevance) or online sites like Canva, Freepik, etc. The images or video content makes your content reader-friendly.
7. Edit your content using online tools like Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, etc.
8. Bring out your style of writing. Plagiarism doesn’t serve any good. Have a check on it using online tools like Duplichecker, Paperrater, etc.
9. Read and explore different kinds of web content to know what’s new.

You might be noticing one specific thing about content writing basics. That is, you need to embrace the online world for optimizing your content. In short, don’t shy away to use online tools in any stage of writing and editing. It helps you in strategizing your content.

• Prefer writing SEO content. It is one of the best ways to achieve a good search engine ranking. For that, using online tools is a must!
• To get more depth and understanding on how to write, you can go for guest blogging. Several online sites offer you to write. It is a great way to get backlinks on your website. Also, a great way to build your portfolio as a content writer, especially in the initial stages.
• Branch out on social media. Share your work on other social media platforms like Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter, etc. It is a great way to get traffic to your website.
• Start freelancing on online platforms like Quitely, Contently, Pressfolios, etc.

Once you get enough backlinks or write enough blogs on your website, you can go to such platforms for working as a freelance content writer.

Conclusion

Content writing lets you explore many kinds of writing. It only gets better and new every day! Content is evolving and so is the style of writing. You get to keep an open mindset. Also, you get to know what’s new in the digital space. Every content you write will teach you a little something. You might have got a general idea of  “what is content writing” to “how to be a content writer”.  All you need to do is get into it and explore the world of content writing.