Not all content writers are made equal so are content writer skill set differs. This list of eight vital principles will help you understand what to look for in a great online writer.
What distinguishes a strong content writer today?
Everyone wants to know the answer to this question, so they can either become one or employ the greatest in the business.
It’s been shown that outstanding site content produces excellent results, and everyone wants a piece of the pie.
However, not all content authors are made equal (a short tour of a few sites will show that).
So, the secret is to become (or discover) a writer with the necessary talents to increase your internet profile.
In all honesty, finding a competent writer is not that difficult.
In today’s content-crazed society, it’s unusual for someone not to have toyed with the written word, whether for personal or professional reasons.
The trick is to find someone more than simply a writer; someone who understands the basic differences between writing for the web and can apply them to your brand.
Here are the eight essential Content Writer Skill Set that any current content writer should possess.
8 Essential Content Writer Skill Set
1. Know Key Writing Practices
This sounds so apparent that it nearly goes without saying, but it is so crucial that I will say it nonetheless.
You must understand and excel in copywriting. There are so many authors out there creating material that yours must be of the highest quality to stand out.
That entails more than simply avoiding comma splices and long sentences. It means that your content’s cadence and flow appeal to your intended audience.
One approach is to use Jon Morrow’s tactics, which divide a blog introduction into small, digestible, compelling phrases to entice readers.
In a nutshell, it’s knowing how to copywrite effectively and using it within the context of online authoring best practices.
2. Tell a captivating story.
We’ve all met an excellent storyteller—and possibly a lousy one as well.
What divides them? What makes one person’s story captivating and another’s sleep-inducing?
Pacing, comedy, timing, and, of course, the topic matter are all important considerations. Whatever the secret formula, a great writer must employ it in their content.
One underutilized strategy is to simply become personal. Write as if you were a genuine person speaking to real people.
Writing on the web can often remove the human factor from content, but it’s important to keep reminding yourself that you’re writing for people.
A compelling story begs to be read. Audience engagement and comprehension will be significantly higher if the story captivates rather than bores them.
Great writers should practice reading their work out loud. It will give you an excellent idea of how it would transfer into a spoken-word story, as well as a better sense of tempo.
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3. Be social media savvy.
Marketers might sometimes over-categorize themselves.
“Oh, she’s the social media expert; I’m the SEO guru.” Or, as one may say, “I just write the blog copy, he takes care of the promotion.”
But here’s the thing: marketing is a holistic undertaking that works best when all elements are working together.
As a content writer, you must be aware of what is going on in the social media landscape. Not simply to stay current (which is necessary), but also to better understand your target and prepare for the promotion phase.
Social media provides you with access to a diverse range of old, new, and prospective customers.
Sharing your posts and watching how they acquire traction among the various factions will provide invaluable information for your future work.
Social media can provide a valuable view of the population you want to reach, as well as a platform for sharing what you write. Don’t disregard it, even if it’s not your area of expertise.
4. Can Weave Wit Into Their Content
The best blogs generally have a little of a keen wit, don’t they? (I suppose that is why you are here.)
Humor is an effective strategy for authors to engage their audience and make necessary content amusing.
Long, dense pieces of written information are fantastic, but they can be exhausting to read in-depth if they aren’t completely interesting.
That’s where it comes in—a touch of humor here, a clever allusion there, and maybe even a pertinent gif to spice things up.
The point is, if you want to increase the impact of your writing, make it amusing. You don’t need to be a professional comic. Simply write something that makes you smirk when you read it.
5. Knows That Well-Researched Means Well-Received
If you want to be a writer, you must also be able to conduct research.
The best web writing being created right now is not fluff. Instead, it’s well-researched, rich, and extensive content that serves as a valuable tool for informing its intended audience.
Many people still believe that number equals quality.
In some ways, that is correct. Publishing more regularly will benefit your blog. However, if the content isn’t exceptionally well-researched or in-depth, its influence will be severely limited.
Writing is only the fun part; there is a lot of preparation before that, and every content writer worth their salt is eager to get their hands dirty.
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6. Know the Basics of Good SEO
Yes, modern-day SEO specialists are plentiful, and it appears that every second content marketing blog post helps to further demystify the topic.
While keyword-focused SEO has never been less beneficial, it remains a crucial tool for today’s content writers.
Knowing how to choose the ideal keywords, use suitable headers and subheadings, correctly tag images, and write killer meta descriptions will all help your posts rank higher on search engines such as Google.
The issue arises when people become overly focused on the SEO parts of a piece and overlook the fact that it must also be well-written.
Content writers must have a solid understanding of SEO so that they may implement best practices in their work without sacrificing genuine quality.
7. Understand the target audience.
Whom are you writing for?
Please do not mention “everyone.”
I hate to tell you this, but not everyone cares.
Knowing who you’re writing for and why is an essential component of excellent web writing.
It is important to understand your target audience’s demographics. IT specialists are unlikely to comprehend your Kardashian references any more than Magic the Gathering players would understand football analogies.
As previously said, social media can provide useful insight into your target audience’s interests and the kind of material that will appeal to them.
Using an analytics platform (such as the near-ubiquitous Google Analytics) can provide you with a thorough understanding of the demographics of individuals who interact with your business online, allowing you to fine-tune your focused approach.
8. Stay Updated
While I’m writing this, I wouldn’t be surprised if a dozen new best practices for web writing were published.
As the amount of information available online increases in fits and starts, the change it brings can be frustrating for the already overburdened marketer and content creator.
Not all of the information is useful, but a lot of it is. As a content writer, you must continually remain current on trends, upgrades, and changes in procedures.
It’s great to be aware of changes in the content world, but you’ll also need to implement what you’ve learned.
Some authors, like any other professional, resist change. “I’ve been doing it for years, so I think I know what I’m about,” is an all-too-common mindset.
The best content writers (and any professional) will always embrace positive changes as they arise. Practice helps you figure out what is and isn’t valuable.
Conclusion
The point is that today’s content writer is asked to do a lot. First and foremost, you must write with exceptional clarity, word choice, and punctuation.
But there’s much more to it than that. As a content writer, you must be proficient in a variety of skills.
From on-page SEO to social media awareness, today’s web writers should take advantage of the enormous array of tools available to them.
Nobody said it was simple; are you up for the challenge?