Content Writing — The Big 8 of 2022
Skills you can’t do without if you’re serious about content writing in 2022
Digital marketing is one of those industries that have benefited greatly from the pandemic, as many companies were forced to move their line of work partially or exclusively to the digital sphere. Since there are many benefits of doing business online, this trend is most likely to continue thriving in the future, too.
So, where do you, an aspiring writer, fit into this narrative? The answer is content writing, of course.
Content writing could be best described as creating and editing web content ranging from blogs and articles to social media posts, podcast notes and summaries, YouTube videos descriptions and more, mainly for marketing purposes.
If you’re wondering whether you have all it takes to get hands-on with content writing to get those dollar bills rolling your way, here are some essential skills you’ll need to succeed.
1. Superb writing skills
This one comes off as obvious, since the very name content writing implies there will be a lot of, well, writing involved. It’s important you be honest with yourself here, as it’s easy to fall prey to the Dunning-Kruger effect. Therefore, try answering the following questions as frankly as possible.
- Can you compel people to read through your musings or do they seem to be a bit lackluster?
- Can you tell stories?
- Can you be both concise and lengthy in your writing, depending on the subject and the need?
- Do you but scribble from time to time on subjects that interest you and you alone?
- Do you consider yourself to be a genuine wordsmith capable of making magic happen with a swoosh of your pen?
- Can you be versatile with the topics you write about?
- Can you switch between different forms as easily as can get?
You should also keep in mind that underestimating yourself is just as damaging as overestimating. If you love writing, and you also read a lot, chances are you have an excellent basis for making this work. The essential thing here is practice and readiness to commit to learning the ropes. And that’s how we get to skill #2.
2. Willingness to learn
Actually, scratch that, it’s not just mere willingness, you’ll need something more than that. You’ll need to really enjoy learning, to get all giddy about the prospects of gaining knowledge and obtaining new skillsets pretty much all the time.
The digital world is constantly on the move, things are changing in high-speed, new trends are emerging and old ones are dying down before you know it. That means you’ll always have to be on the lookout for innovations in your field and beyond.
If you prefer sticking to routines and completing tasks you are already more than familiar with, this is probably not the best business idea for you.
3. Analytical thinking
You’ll need to go a step further than simply being creative in order to succeed in this sphere. Not only is an original approach imperative, but you also have to adjust your content to the needs, emotions and desires of your target audience.
Being able to both gather and analyze given data is crucial for getting insight into the market and its current trends. Moreover, you’ll need to get a good grasp of the information you have in order to answer relevant questions such as of who your ideal customer is, where they reside on the web, what problem/need they have, how the product you write about improves their lives, etc.
Understanding the practical side of business while managing to transform it into a creative and engaging solution that will win people over is no easy task. There are things that can help you achieve your goals though. Tools such as AnswerThePublic or an inventive use of Quora can certainly come in handy in getting the ideas you need, as well as provide you with inspiration on how to realize those ideas the best way possible.
4. Proclivity for research
Looking for information on the web, or anywhere else for that matter, requires at least basic research skills. You’ll need to know your way around the web, that is to know how and where to find the things you require.
It is much like writing a research paper in many respects — first you need to understand what sources you’ll be using, then you have to find them and be ready to search for an alternative if your primary aims fall through or can’t be reached, and finally make good use of the acquired data in a way that’s comprehensive and makes sense to others as well.
If the thought of endless hours of digging through clusters of data and moving heaven and earth in order to find that special little piece of information you set your heart on horrifies you, this is most definitely not the ideal job for you.
5. Self-motivation
Assuming that you fall under the category of those poor unfortunate souls who need a slave driver cracking a whip above their head in order to work and be productive, scurry off and away right now.
One of the perks of content writing is that it is a job that can be done remotely, and nowadays that’s the case more often than not. That’s why it’s imperative that you’re able to motivate yourself to work no matter where you are at a given moment. Full flexibility can be both a blessing and a curse depending on whether you can push yourself to complete your daily tasks despite there not being a supervisor looming over and judging your every move.
This also means that you can’t sit around waiting for a moment of divine inspiration to be bestowed upon you. When you write for a living, you have to write when there’s a project you must finish, no matter whether you feel like it or not. Always keep in mind that sometimes you’ll have to give your muse a little friendly nudge to get those creative juices flowing, instead of hoping for a miracle.
6. Basic understanding of SEO
Search Engine Optimization is also something you’ll need to get a grasp of in order to write good content. Figuring out how search engines work, what they look for in web content and what raises the chances of your writing to land on the first page of search results is crucial if you’re set on succeeding.
Writing a compelling title, using appropriate keywords, incorporating call-to-action in all the right places, applying relevant and likeable images and/or videos, in addition to taking the time needed to write a rocking description of your post as well as alternative texts for your images are all part of SEO.
As such, they’re something you should always have in mind when creating, because there’s no point in writing even the best piece of content ever to be seen if no one feels like reading it due to lack of appropriate SEO.
7. Strong communication skills
The romanticist notion of a brooding artist, a Byronic hero standing aloof from mere mortals, has long become obsolete, except in soppy rom/coms.
If you are keen on making a lucrative career in content writing you’ll need to be anything but a recluse. Good communication is key to getting the job done, as you’ll have to cooperate with many different people and teams in your line of work, such as SEO specialists, content managers, product managers, heads of operation and many others. Being able to communicate your thoughts and ideas, both in verbal and written form, clearly and easily is something you cannot do without.
On the other hand, the capacity to impart your concepts to others is as important when it comes to the audience you’re trying to reach. If you can’t touch them on a very particular level, if you are incapable of making a genuine connection with them and making them feel like your content is worth their time (and money), then all is for naught.
8. Resourcefulness
Being resourceful basically means that you use all of the aforementioned skills as well as any others you have in the wisest way imaginable, in order to achieve your goals most efficiently. The ability to adapt to new situations and overcome novel obstacles found in your path to success is imperative in a line of work such as content writing, or any else that dabbles in the grey area between creative arts and hard analytics.
Working smarter and not harder is essential with this one, so a little bit of ingenuity will surely go a long way.
So, do you think you have what it takes to take on content writing? What are the skills you find essential for mastering the art of putting writing to marketing use? I’d love to hear from you, so do make yourself comfortable in the comment section!
