Top 12 Content Writing Tips for Beginners in 2021
Top 12 Content Writing Tips for Beginners in 2021
Are you brooding about taking over content writing as a career? Well, i might say ‘go for it’. For one, it's an in-demand profession. Secondly, becoming a content writer may be a fulfilling career pathway. Imagine a client saying ‘your blog post helped us increase our conversion percentage by 10 percent’ or a reader commenting on your post ‘this was extremely helpful, and that i implemented the ideas straight away’.
The biggest hurdle that the majority people that have an interest in taking over content writing face is — getting started.
How to get started as a content writer?
Everyone composes, except very few unveil their writings. Most of the people are held back by self-doubt. The key's to beat this block and keep putting your computer there. That’s what this two-part guide is all about.
It will assist you understand the basics of content writing in order that you'll kick-start your journey confidently. Part one among the guide will cover everything from the fundamentals of content writing to the way to land your first content writing gig.
1. Take up such a content writing you like
The scope of content writing is immense. There are various kinds of content configurations that you essentially can work in —blog writing, SEO content writing, site content writing, copywriting, web recording scriptwriting, video scriptwriting, academic writing, and more.
On top of that, you'll work as a content writer in any domain you wish — technical content writing, fashion blogging, sports writing, current affairs/journalism content, marketing content, educational content, creative writing, among others.
You can specialise in multiple domains or formats, that’s perfectly fine. But, all comes with its own challenges and nuances. So, within the initial days, it's always better to narrow down your focus. roll in the hay supported your expertise level, bandwidth, and interest areas.
2. Come up with exciting and relevant ideas
Huffington Post alone distributes almost 2000 blog entries for each day. Now, imagine what percentage blog posts get published a day across the planet .
So, regardless of whether you're writing for a client or yourself, you would like to form your content stand out. Otherwise, it'd stray . Here are a couple of tips to assist you with this:
Use a content curation tool to seek out what’s trending in your domain. Then, support your expertise level and bandwidth, come up with a group of topics.
After finalising the subject , inspect existing content round the same, and determine the way to make your post unique. Maybe you'll explore a replacement angle, or use a special tone or content format, or provide more actionable insights, and so on.
Learn to try to do a content gap analysis using SEO tools and determine one-word keywords and long-tail keywords that you simply can target.
Use free headline generators to urge plenty of topic ideas within a brief time.
Tools you'll use
3. Become a Far better researcher
A content writer who doesn’t do enough research, especially during this age of the web , is going to be deemed lazy. There's such a lot of data and knowledge available out there. you'll use them to structure your content pieces better, make it more authoritative, and insightful.
Here are a couple of tips to assist you become a far better researcher:
Before you begin , gain a radical grasp of the context — why are you writing it, who are you writing it for, and what’s your target audience’s preferred tone, format, and expertise level.
Always verify the credibility of the knowledge provided. check out their Domain Authority (use MozBar), determine how popular they're , read the comments, or do a fast Google Search and skim reviews about them.
Narrow down the scope of the research by writing down a search question. It should be clear, focused, and concise. for instance , the question shouldn’t be ‘what are the results of the newest economic reforms’; instead, it should be, ‘what are the results of the new Trade Bill’.
Keep your research organised. There are several online tools out there which will assist you save your notes and screenshots for later and manage your bookmarks and citations.
Learn Google Search hacks; it'll assist you research much faster.
If the subject is just too broad or complex, break it down into smaller pieces, and sequentially do your research instead of doing it all directly.
Tools you'll use
4. Draft better outlines
Making a solid outline can fundamentally reduce your writing time. You'll be ready to stay consistent throughout, your core arguments are going to be intact, and you won’t lose your way halfway through the post.
Few tips to assist you draft effective outlines:
Write down the title and state the central question or concept you're trying to answer/explain.
Write down the audience you've got in mind and therefore the end objective of the post.
Create a hook round the central question to capture the eye of the audience .
Write down how you're getting to lead the conversation to your points/arguments/solutions.
State your thesis statement and separate it into your smaller sub-points.
Go through each sub-point, determine what proportion you already realize them, and what’s left to find out .
Based on that, frame research questions and begin doing the research.
Use Workflowy to form outlines; it's a strong tool that helps you cohesively organise your research and thoughts.
To learn more about the art of outlining, you'll inspect this fantastic post by Daria Muntianu.
5. Practice distraction-free writing
Writing and editing should never be done together. Instead, resist the urge to edit, let the momentum carry you forward, and make sure you put down all of your thoughts.
Few tips to assist you become a faster writer:
Start writing the primary thing within the morning when your mind is fresh and awake.
Don’t return to edit the formatting, typos, or grammar mistakes.
Keep a notepad handy, if something is distracting you, just jot it down and affect it later.
Use a text editor that's cross-platform compatible, features a distraction-free interface, supports voice typing, has version control and cloud storage, and allows you to edit offline.
Employ the Pomodoro technique, write for 45 minutes, and take an opportunity for a subsequent quarter-hour .
If you hit a roadblock and don't have the skills to proceed, skip the section for later or search for inspiration in another place.
If you can’t stop editing simultaneously, cover your laptop screen with a cloth while you're typing.
Invest during a good headphone with noise-cancellation, and hear ambient noises or music while working.
Keep your workspace and your computer de-cluttered.
Pause all notifications on your desktop and mobile to make sure you block all distractions.
Tools you'll use
Text editors – Google Docs, MS Word, FocusWriter, Typora, the foremost Dangerous Writing App
Notification blockers – OFFTime, StayFocusd, AppBlock
Ambient noise generators – Noisli, Coffitivity
6. Edit meticulously
To be a successful content writer, you've got to be a ruthless editor, especially if you're freelancing. An inadequately designed draft that has spelling and sentence structure mix-ups could end your odds of holding the customer.
It is said that effective content writers invest 75 percent of their time on altering, editing, and preparing. confirm you thoroughly proofread before you submit the draft. it'll significantly reduce the rear and forths, and you'll advance to subsequent projects quickly.
Editing could also be a less glamorous skill, but it's certainly worthwhile.
Here’s how you develop your editing skills:
Read the document aloud. this is often an excellent thanks to spot errors, incorrect or inappropriate word choices, and awkward sentences,
Start reading the text from the top . this may assist you locate errors and also, logical and tonal inconsistencies.
Use online tools which will assist you spot spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, inappropriate usages, tonal inaccuracies, and long drawn sentences.
Edit out words that cause you to sound unsure or unconfident— could, seem, may— wherever appropriate.
Create a checklist for editing in order that you don’t need to do everything directly . as an example , start with lowering long sentences, then spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, and eventually , tonal inaccuracies.
For more editing tips, inspect this exhaustive post by Alexis Grant.
Tools you'll use
Editing – Grammarly, HemingwayApp, ClicheFinder
Other helpful tools – PowerThesaurus, Plagiarism Software, Unsuck-it
Headline analyser – CoSchedule, Sharethrough
7. Make your posts public
Even if you're writing for yourself, always to publish your posts, i.e. make it publicly accessible. Not only will it help improve your writing and your confidence, but it'll also assist you build a solid portfolio and gain visibility.
Few tips to stay in mind while self-publishing:
Evaluate different free blogging platforms out there. Then, select the one that's user-friendly and has relevance to your audience .
Make sure you optimise the post title, the URL slug, and therefore the meta description of the post.
Convey the post across your social media channels — LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Add the connection of the article to your online portfolio and your LinkedIn profile.
When you are starting, never compare your work with someone else’s. Never set your benchmarks that prime . Instead, aim to enhance from your last article/copy.
Note: It's natural to feel that your post isn’t anywhere near nearly as good as other articles on an equivalent topic. But, this is often one rabbit burrow you don’t want to travel down. It can destroy your self-confidence and lead you to obsess over every line that you simply ever write. Keep in mind, it takes effort to create stream, lucidity, and consistency. So, stay strong, twiddling my thumbs , and keep putting your content out there.
Tools you'll use
Self-publishing platform – Medium, Tumblr, Wattpad
Social media management – Buffer, Later, SMHack
Stock images – Unsplash, Pexels, Burst
8. Showcase yourself better
It is always better to start out applying to content writing gigs after you've got a couple of content pieces under your belt. This way, you'll be ready to showcase yourself better and convey to potential clients or recruiters that you simply can actually do the work , and roll in the hay well.
Here’s a 6-step plan that you simply can follow to make sure you set about it within the right manner:
a. Create a web writing portfolio
Use online portfolio builders for an equivalent . Having a totally fleshed-out content writing portfolio can significantly improve your chances of getting hired/selected for the gig. It builds credibility, establishes trust, and provides them a glimpse of your capabilities.
b. Optimise your professional profiles
People will review your profiles on platforms like LinkedIn and before the choice process starts. So, have a professional looking display picture, fill out all the required details (summary, experience, contact details), add links to your work, add recommendations, and so on.
c. find out how to write down project proposals
If you're getting to become a contract content writer, you'll need to write these documents. Ideally, a project proposal should provide an overview of the issues you've identified and therefore the proposed solutions, an idea of action, a timeline, your budget requirements, and far more.
d. Gain work experience
Reach bent local businesses and NGOs, determine if they need content writing requirements. Work with them for free of charge , but reciprocally , invite referrals and testimonials.
e. Contribute guest posts
No matter which domain you're in, there are tons of online publications which accept guest posts. All you've got to do is look for your area + “write for us”. Guest posts will assist you build credibility and gain visibility.
f. Start applying to content writing jobs
Firstly, check in to varied online job boards like Monster, Naukri, Angellist, Internshala, and freelance platforms like TapChief. Then, look for relevant content writing jobs or projects, and begin applying for them.
9. Be kind and delicate to yourself
As a content writer, you'll need to meet deadlines, ensure your tone and voice matches clients’ audience , write helpful and unique content, and impress your clients too. Moreover, you'll have your own standards to satisfy . thanks to this, it's very easy to feel pressured.
Pressure is good; it keeps you focused. But, when it becomes an excessive amount of , it shackles your creativity and productivity. you begin overthinking and overanalyzing. Often, you'll find yourself being too hard on yourself and questioning your own abilities. It reduces your effectiveness.
So, be gentle with yourself. As an example , if you're facing a writer’s block and unable to urge into the flow, you would like to simply accept it first. Every good content writer goes through such patches. Take a step back, analyse your psychological state , determine what triggered it, and what you'll neutralize the meantime. Cursing yourself will do no good.
Content writing may be a creative task and not a mechanical one. So, rather than putting yourself under more pressure, be kind and understanding, and work towards your answer to it.
10. Seek help from content writing pros
You can share your final draft together with your friends and family, but is that enough? Not really.
Although they'll be kind enough to read through and provide you with their opinion, it might be biased and sometimes uninformed.
This is not an excellent idea once you are learning on the job . Your manager will without a doubt discover a greater number of missteps or blunders than every one of them set up. And you'll find yourself getting an earful.
So, get help from the pros. There are many online and offline support groups for content writers where you'll get informed feedback on your work. You'll likewise utilize networks like Twitter, LinkedIn and Reddit to collaborate with experienced content writers. confirm you determine a rapport before you seek help.
Also, you'll check in on TapChief. We enable you to succeed in bent experienced content writers and editors and obtain them to mentor you.
11. Become a far better reader
All the simplest content writers out there are voracious readers. The more you read, the more you're presented to excellent writing.
Soon, without realising it yourself, you'll start internalising the weather of the text, and you’ll slowly end up implementing them in your writing.
More importantly, it'll assist you learn and understand different angles during which you'll approach a subject , the way to frame your story, the way to maintain your flow, the way to develop new ideas, then far more.
12. Pickup allied skills
As a content writer, if you recognize image editing, SEO, content marketing, and social media marketing, you'll boost your employability. It means you'll be ready to handle content end-to-end and not just the writing part.
Companies are going to be ready to reduce the quantity of your time , effort, or money invested. Moreover, social, design and SEO are the three teams you'll need to collaborate with. So, having a basic understanding of those areas will assist you collaborate more meaningfully.
Here are the items that you simply should be learning:
SEO — study keyword optimisation, image optimisation, and internal linking.
Social media marketing and content marketing — Learn more on content distribution websites, social copywriting, social media content consumption trends.
Design — Master tools like Canva, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, among others.
