Content writing is one of the best ways to tackle some SEO needs for your business and be heard in different ways. It includes things like blog writing, web pages, and more. The content should make a statement but also align with the voice of your business.
But how can you make it stand out? In a world where every business is having writing done, what will set you apart?
Check out these tips to help!
What is Content Writing?
Let’s start by covering the basics. What does content writing encompass? There are a variety of content pieces that can fall into this category. Here are some examples.
- Blog posts
- Newsletters
- Landing pages
- Press releases
- Product review write-ups
- Website content
In most cases, this terminology refers to content for websites. However, that is not always the case. The writing is geared towards reaching your market with the utilization of keywords and SEO practices.
There are different styles and the style of writing you use should be in line with your business.
Now, here are a few tips that might help your writing stand out.
Set the Tone
One of the best things that you can do to make content stand out is to be consistent with your tone. If you want something serious, stick to that capacity. If you want to be laid back, stick to that. If you want humor and laughter, use that in your tone!
When you’re hiring a writer, it’s a good idea to share your tone ideas with them. Of course, you can always do your own writing too. The goal here though is primarily to stay consistent. Choose your tone based on the client base that you are trying to capture.
For example, if your business is a legal firm, you may need to take a professional tone. Although it’s also ok to add a touch of humor or laid-back personality too. You want your tone to be fitting of the industry but you also want people to feel welcome in the space.
Find a happy medium. The great news is that you get to set your own tone. You just want to do so with your customer base in mind.
Keywords & SEO
The use of keywords and an SEO approach are a very important part of the content puzzle. And these things are always changing. While your keywords might be one thing for now, those could change.
Don’t set keywords and then never look at them again. If you have data that you can refer to, you should be. Find out what keywords are leading in your industry and write content that revolves around those.
There are a number of tools out there that you can use to review analytics. We’re guessing you know a little something about looking for keywords and even using keywords. Just try to remember that what might be the best keyword for you right now might not be the best one 6 months or a year from now.
You also should have a variety of keywords to work with. For example, a restoration company might use words like water damage or water damage restoration. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Find keywords that fall in with your business and your services.
Catch Their Eye
Sometimes it’s not just about the content. You want people to notice your content and pay attention to it. But how do you attract them to it? You’ve got to catch their eye!
You can do this in a couple of different ways. The best way is to have a really catchy headline. Something that makes people want to read more. A really great headline will include a keyword and drive the reader to engage in reading more of what you have to say.
The other way that you can catch their eye is to use really great graphics. It’s possible that a reader won’t see your graphic until they open the content unless you are sharing it to social media or connecting it on your website.
You should use both of these strategies to really try to draw the reader in. Use them together and you might get some really great results.
The goal here is just to get the attention of your readers and then make them stick around to see what you have to say.
Keep it Simple
While you want your readers to check out what you’re saying, you also don’t want to waste their time. The best thing that you can do is keep the content simple but engaging. Make them want to know more but remember that their time is valuable.
Making a person read 3,000 words to find an answer you probably could have shared in 1,500 words is not a great approach. Be straightforward and keep things simple. A good rule of thumb would just make the content something that could be scanned and still understood.
There are times you might need a deeper reach but most topics can be approached in this manner. The simple approach is often more valuable and it respects the time of your readers as well. They probably have things to do and need a quick answer or solution.
In keeping it simple, we also recommend that you always end your content with some sort of call to action. You could say something like “click here to get your product”. Or in a blog article or social media post, you can say “comment below your relaxation techniques”. These are just examples. The goal is to get them to pull the plug or to engage at the least.
Take Your Content Writing to the Next Level
Content is very important. This is your way to extend a hand to customers and potential customers. It might just get you more business. Learn how to really stand out and separate yourself from your competitors.
The best thing to do is just be unique. Make your approach attractive but don’t lose sight of what your business stands for in the process.