Being a Content Marketing Writer isn’t easy. Get a head-start with these 10 tips.
Content Marketing is a strategic method boosting website traffic and attracting users to a site by creating informative content that is relevant to the target audience. Its many forms blogs, press releases, newsletters, website content, social media posts and more. Here are some quick tips to get the hang of writing for content marketing.
1. Understand what the client is looking for.
You can be the most brilliant creative writer out there but none of that matters if you can’t deliver what your client needs. Creative writing is different from content marketing writing, you don’t have as much freedom with your vision. You have to portray the client’s vision like it was your own using words that will captivate the target audience’s attention.
2. Research, research, research.
Content marketing is all about providing valuable information to the target market. The main objective is to create fact-filled media that makes your client a reliable source of information that their customers can trust. Research will be your new favorite hobby. Constantly coming up new facts and relevant content is challenging but it helps build a relationship between the client and their target audience.
3. Cite your sources. Always.
The last thing you want it to deal with is a copyright infringement lawsuit. Not only does it make you look bad as a writer, it tarnishes the reputation of your client. Mistakes like that are irrevocable so always, always remember to cite your sources. There are many sites online that generate proper citation formats so there is really no excuse as to why you give credit to the owner of that quote, image or video.
4. Write in a voice your target market identifies with.
Different clients require different styles of writing. As a content marketing writer, you have to be flexible. Prepare to write in different voices to get the attention of the desired target market. You need to come across as relatable and believable.
5. Don’t push the product too hard.
Remember, content marketing is all about valuable information, not blatant selling. One of history’s greatest examples of content marketing is the Michelin Guide developed in 1900. It offered drivers information about auto maintenance, maps, and travel tips. It also included recommendations for hotels and restaurants hence, the creation of the Michelin Stars ratings. The Michelin Guide did not sell Michelin tires on every page but it did make Michelin a well-known and credible brand.
6. Keep it short but informative.
Time is valuable and nowadays people will judge the length of a paragraph before they decide the read it. Make sure you say what needs to be said as briefly as possible. However, never sacrifice clarity for conciseness. Find a way to creatively deliver the message that’s direct to the point.
7. Stay relevant and be in the know.
Content needs to be current and up to date. You have to stay relevant and create content that goes with the flow of the latest trends your target audience is into. Keep up to date with news and jump in on any chance to offer advice or information to your audience. Build a knowledgeable and trustworthy image so that people continue to come back to you as a go-to source for what’s new.
8. Be original. Be memorable.
Showcase what defines your client from their competition. What is it that makes them unique or better? Use that as leverage and create an image or a style of addressing the target audience that can act as an overall theme for your content marketing. It’s also a good idea to read up on the competition to make sure there are no similarities between your approaches.
9. Trigger a response.
Think about how the target market will react to your titles and content. What emotions will they feel? Your content must ignite a reaction that gets the target audience thinking and influences them to make a decision that involved your client’s product or service. It’s all up to your content to make sure that reaction generates awareness that leads to sales.
10. Distribute in the right places.
No matter how excellent your content may be, if it isn’t distributed in the correct media platforms, your target market is hardly ever going to see it. Great content still needs to be advertised to start a following. Know what type of content you’re writing and where to publish it to get the best reach possible. If you’re targeting businesses, press releases and newsletters would be more effective than social media.
There’s a lot more to Content Marketing than it seems. It may look like all you do is type words because you’re a writer but the fact is there is a lot to consider. A good site won’t go very far without proper content marketing writers.
