How to Write Content for Website in 4 Simple Steps

By: Gaurav Sharma | 2 Comments

Updated On: June 21, 2021

Category: Content Marketing

Word Count: 3123 words | Est. Reading Time: 21 mins

How to write website content is a concern for most content creators and marketers.

And why wouldn’t it be?

Websites are at the heart of digital marketing. Even with many new customer-facing channels opening up, websites remain an important touchpoint for brands. An impressive website speaks volumes about the site owner’s credibility.

And contrary to popular opinion that website design inspires credibility, it’s actually website content that fosters trust. No matter how well a site is designed, if it serves sub-standard content, it’s going to bounce visitors sooner or later.

Great content, on the other hand, keeps visitors hooked and moves them along the sales funnel seamlessly. That’s why it forms the backbone of content marketing.

Moreover, content quality is a key ranking factor for search engines, as mentioned by a senior search strategist at Google.

Good quality content keeps website visitors on-page longer, which is a good sign for search engines. When this happens on a regular basis, search engines push up your rankings, which helps drive more organic traffic. More traffic means more conversion opportunities, and eventually more revenue.

What’s more?

Great content tends to garner a lot of shares on social media platforms, which helps build your brand awareness in a big way.

But to get all of these benefits, you need to first write exemplary website content.

Is there a catch?

Content consumption habits of users keep changing, which impacts web copywriting styles as well. Copywriters need to educate themselves on how to write website content that satisfies searcher intent and abides by latest best practices.

To that end, we’ve broken down the website content writing process into four broad steps that cover everything from SEO to readability. Check them out below.

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Disclaimer: This content contains some affiliate links for which we will earn a commission (at no additional cost to you). This is to ensure that we can keep creating free content for you.

Table of Contents

How to Write Killer Website Content in 4 Simple Steps

Creating content for websites is not an easy task. You have to compete with thousands of websites, deal with ever-changing search engine algorithms, and cater to the needs of a fickle target audience. Still, it’s not impossible.

All you need to do is follow this strategy step by step:

1. Set Goals for Your Website

You must have set some goals when you first decided to start your website . It’s time to revisit them when you start creating your web content.

Only when you know your goals can you create content that helps attain them. Not only that, goal setting facilitates content testing as well. You can test your content objectively only when you know exactly what you aim to achieve with that content.

So, start the content creation process by identifying your website’s goals. Do you aim to increase your sales or attract new customers? Or, do you want to redirect traffic to your brick-and-mortar stores? Define your website’s objectives so that you know what to write and how.

2. Understand Your Audience

Now that you know your goals, it’s time to understand the goals and interests of your audience.

Because your website content should fulfill both goal sets.

While researching your audience, you need to look beyond their age, demographics, and niche. Dig deeper and unearth hidden parameters, including their:

  • Attribution path: Visitors who land on your site after clicking on ads will have different expectations than those who come from search results.
  • Expertise level: If your visitors are technically savvy, you can write sophisticated web copy for them. But the same copy might fail to engage technically-challenged people.
  • Search intent: Your visitors’ search intent (transactional, navigational, or informational) will govern the kind of content you will serve them.
  • Content-consumption habits: Do they like long-form or short-form content? What kind of content do they share on social media? By answering these questions. You can create engaging and share-worthy website content for yourself.

You can use analytics tools like Alexa’s Audience Overlap to identify platforms where your audience is spending most of their online time. It also highlights their topics of interest by comparing their engagement on different kinds of content.

Alexa

You can also conduct surveys or dig into your CRM data to find qualities common in your frequent website visitors.

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3. Analyze Your Competitors’ Content

To create standout website content, you need to keep an eye on your competitors’ content strategies as well.

Because competitive analysis:

  • Gives you a competitive advantage.
  • Reveals industry trends in content writing .
  • Helps benchmark your website performance.
  • Inspires new content ideas.
  • Discover profitable traffic sources.

In short, you understand what kind of website content you’re up against. Armed with that business intelligence, you can create a superior product. Moreover, you can exploit weaknesses in their content to outrank them on search engine results.

To gather competitive insights, you can use analytics tools like SimilarWeb and Semrush .

4. Start Writing Content for Each Page

Now that you’ve done all the legwork, you are in a better position to start creating content for your website.

So how do you get started?

Just follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify Your Key Pages and Their Goals

Though websites differ widely in design and architecture, most of them have these five or six key pages:

  • Products/Services
  • Pricing (Optional)
  • Blog/Resources (Optional)

In addition, you may also have a few landing pages (with a single, well-defined goal). They prompt your website visitors to perform a desired action, such as:

  • Submitting their contact information
  • Purchasing a product/service
  • Clicking-through to another web page

Your task during this stage is to identify your key pages and landing pages and arrange them in a rough framework. Determine the goal of each web page and plan how the webpages will be linked to each other.

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Step 2: Find and Use Target Keywords

Keyword optimization is an integral part of website content writing. It makes your content more discoverable and helps attract traffic organically. In fact, moving up by one spot on the SERPs can improve your CTR by 30.8% . That’s huge, by any standard!

To create crawler-friendly web copy, follow these steps:

To find seed keywords, think from a potential searcher’s perspective.How would they search for a site related to say digital marketing? Either they will type the keyword directly in search engines, or use Google’s auto-suggestions, or pick terms from “Related Searches” at the bottom of the search results page.

Find and Use Target Keywords

Another way to go about it is by comparing your traffic sources. Figure out which topics/content pages are driving maximum organic traffic to your website. Target these keywords and capitalize on the authority you’ve already created.

You can also take inspiration from your competitors’ SEO strategies . Simply pick the keywords they are ranking for and create better content to beat them at their game.

Narrow down your list of keywords by comparing their keyword difficulty and competition.

  • Now, we come to the most important aspect of SEO content writing: keyword placement. Where and how should you place keywords strategically so that they don’t look stuffed but still catch the attention of crawlers?

Page URL Google guidelines

  • Page titles and subheaders. Front-load your titles with keywords and try keyword-enriching one or two H2s as well.
  • Meta descriptions. Introduce keywords as early as possible in your meta descriptions. Avoid boilerplate (repetitive) descriptions for related pages.
  • Meta titles. Instead of using vague titles like “home,” craft descriptive yet concise (under 60 characters) titles. Branding your titles is also essential.
  • Body content. Incorporate main and side keywords into your content as naturally as possible. Look for semantically-similar keywords to bring variety.
  • Image alt tags. Crawlers can’t capture context behind images if not told explicitly through tags. Don’t exceed 125 characters since screen readers can’t read beyond that.

Pro Tip : If your page allows, include an FAQ section in it. FAQs are an opportunity to include long-tail keywords in question format. This way, you can capture voice search queries, which tend to be questions, longer than textual queries.

Additionally, if you pick questions with a high search potential, crawlers can feature your answers in the “People also ask” section of the SERPs as well.

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Step 3: Determine Content Length and Write Readable Content

Should your content be long-form or short? While there’s no cookie cutter answer to that question, HubSpot’s research proves that long-form content (with a median length of 2,529 words ) is the best for lead generation.

However, content length actually depends on page goals, page type, and topic complexity.

If your page is an infographic, you can’t go overboard with content length. Your content should be crisp and to-the-point. Blog posts, on the other hand, should be detailed and insightful so that they offer value to readers.

Whatever be your ideal page length, ensure that the content is high on readability. The best web content is written with humans in mind , not Google algorithms.

To write easy-to-read content, follow these best practices:

  • Break heavy content into digestible chunks by using bulleted lists and paragraphs.
  • Use proper H1s and H2s, and include a ToC in blog posts so that readers can skip to sections that interest them.
  • Catch readers’ attention by highlighting important information.
  • For actionable content, include a powerful call-to-action (CTA) at short intervals.
  • Write in an active voice and conversational tone to connect with readers on a personal level.
  • Stay away from jargon. Internal-link technical terms to informational pages.

One more thing…

Don’t forget the power of visuals in web content. They can help break the monotony, beautify your site, and engage website visitors. Moreover, people can retain and recall visuals better than plain text since the human brain is programmed so.

And here’s the cincher. Images, videos, and infographics are also known to increase conversions.

Need evidence?

53% of online shoppers say that images drive their purchase decisions .

But rich media can make your pages sluggish and slow to load. To keep them from disrupting the UX, you can try our image compression tool .

That said, let’s come to the crux of web content writing: content quality.

While visuals and white space can enhance your content’s presentation (and that matters a lot with click-happy web users), they can’t make up for content that lacks depth. Thin and duplicate content can turn off users, no matter how well it is packaged.

For online writing that delivers value at one glance, here are some things you can do:

Focus on Benefits, not Features 

When promoting products/services, highlight how they will benefit end users. It’s no use listing a million features if you aren’t going to explain how they help simplify users’ lives.

Keep Your Page Goals in Mind

Remember, the page goals we discussed earlier? Bring them back to focus and write content that drives users towards fulfilling them.

Use the Inverted Pyramid Theory

Deliver the most important information first because netizens have short attention spans. For instance, if you manufacture cameras, explain the USPs of your product first. You can always elaborate on lesser important things like how your camera works later.

Write Persuasive Copy

Using consumers as a vantage point, write content that they are looking for. What kind of concerns can they have regarding your products/services? Why should they buy from you? Then, create content that addresses their concerns. To do this, use social proofs (reviews and testimonials), refer to successful case studies, include an FAQ section, etc.

Push Your Limits

There are no hard and fast rules for web content creation. If required, you can stray from grammar rules or write titillating headlines. Even a micro-element like a call-to-action can make a huge difference to your content performance. So, experiment with all your website elements until you find standout content.

Write Action-Oriented Content

The whole exercise of writing web content will be futile, if it doesn’t prompt action from consumers. To avoid that, use plenty of action words like click here, get started, book a demo, etc. Use internal links to guide users towards your conversion goal smoothly. If nothing else, ask users to leave comments or share your content on social media.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

Typos and misspellings are blunders you need to avoid at all cost when writing content for your website.

To avoid them, use online editors like Grammarly to proofread your content. It not only flags wordy sentences and spelling errors, but also scores your content against global benchmarks (in premium package only). Plus, it pinpoints content’s grade level and suggests better word choices, simplifying your editing process to a great degree.

A/B Test Your Content

There’s always scope for improvement in content writing. Test your content rigorously and constantly.

Create iterations of each landing page headline and call-to-action, and test them on real users. Or, you can use a headline analyzer tool like CoSchedule to test your headlines instantly. You’ll be surprised how much difference a single word’s replacement can make to your overall content performance.

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Q1. How do I write content for my website?

A. Here is a four-step strategy to write great content for your website:

  • Identify the goals for your page.
  • Understand your audience’s search intent.
  • Analyze your competitors’ website content.
  • Find target keywords and use them strategically in titles, URLs, and meta descriptions.
  • Write catchy headlines and test them using a headline analyzer tool.
  • Use white space, numbered lists, and paragraphs to break content.
  • Deliver important information first.
  • Incorporate visuals into your content in relevant places.
  • Focus on explaining your product’s benefits to end users.
  • Use compelling CTAs.
  • Test your content rigorously.
  • Proofread again and again.

Q2. How do you write content?

A. Online writing can be simplified by using a step-by-step approach.

  • Identify a content topic with a decent search volume and low competition.
  • Check the best-performing content for your topic to analyze the competition.
  • Conduct keyword research and create keyword-rich content titles and URLs.
  • Write readable and high-quality content, with ample visuals and social proofs.
  • Proofread and test your content.

Q3. What are the basic contents of a website?

A. While website structure can vary widely, most websites contain these key pages:

  • Products/Services/Features
  • Pricing (optional)
  • Resources (optional)

Q4. Which content is best for a website?

A. Great website content has the following qualities:

  • Readable: It is scannable.
  • Keyword-optimized: It is searchable.
  • Unique: It offers new information or a new perspective.
  • Valuable: It delivers value to readers.
  • Authentic: It’s information is conceptually correct.
  • Compelling: It has sufficient social proof.
  • Action Oriented: It prompts readers to perform a desired action.

Q5. How can I write effective content for a website/blog?

A. To write effective content for your website or blog, follow these steps:

Q6. What makes good content?

Q7. How important is website content?

A. Website content is a gamechanger for digital brands. It fosters consumer trust and helps convert random website visitors into loyal customers. Not only that, great content keeps visitors engaged and enhances the UX, which helps improve search engine rankings in a big way. That’s why content quality is an important ranking factor for search engines.

Q8. Why is website content important for SEO?

A. From an SEO perspective, website content plays an important role in boosting your search performance.

One, keyword-rich content boosts on-page SEO, raising overall search rankings.

Two, quality content keeps visitors engaged and reduces bounce. Search engines perceive this as a sign of good UX, which is a key ranking factor.

Three, good content provides interlinking opportunities which helps boost weak content and stretch dwell times.

Q9. What is the most important part of a website?

A. Content is undoubtedly the most important part of a website. Authoritative, useful content has the potential to boost your search engine rankings. At the same time, the importance of content presentation can’t be undermined. Great content, if packaged unattractively, will fail to engage website visitors.

Q10. How do you write attractive content?

A. Attractive content is easy on the eye and easy to digest. To create it, implement these tips:

  • Use proper H1s and H2s.
  • Break chunky text into paragraphs and lists.
  • Use ample white space.
  • Use formatting and typography to catch attention.
  • Intersperse text with visuals.
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Final Thoughts

To sum up, start the content-creation process by goal setting. Try to align your business goals with searcher intent. Next, analyze the content that already exists on the web. Then, proceed with keyword research to figure out what to write about. Last, start writing content, keeping best practices in view.

Once you practice our four-step strategy again and again, you should be a pro in writing website content. Don’t forget to share the challenges you faced, in the comments section.

how to content writing for website

About the Author

how to content writing for website

Gaurav Sharma -

CEO/Founder @ Attrock Gaurav Sharma is the Founder and CEO of Attrock , a results-driven digital marketing company. Grew an agency from 5-figure to 7-figure revenue in just two years | 10X leads | 2.8X conversions | 300K organic monthly traffic | 5K keywords on page 1. He also contributes to top publications like HuffPost, Adweek, Business2Community, TechCrunch, and more.

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Javier Ayele

18 August 2021 12:11

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26 August 2021 12:28

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The 11 Golden Rules of Writing Content for Your Website

  • Website Tips
  • February 6, 2019

Golden Rules for writing content

Capturing readers’ interests with good website content can be really challenging. Most visitors will spend just a few seconds on a web page before deciding what to do next.

Good website writing is the key to beating these odds. Well-written content that’s optimized for the web rises to the top of search results and holds readers’ attention.

Some writing tips apply regardless of whether your text appears on screen, in print, or carved into a pyramid wall. Other tactics are especially relevant for professional writer/author websites and online stores . Follow these 11 principles to make sure your website content gets the attention it deserves.

Learn how to start your website today!

1. know your audience.

It sounds simple, but so many writers put pen to paper—or finger to keyboard—before thinking about who it is they’re trying to reach. Before drafting content, ask yourself these questions: Who is my primary audience? What about a secondary audience who can influence and inform my primary audience? How will they find my site online?

For example, say you’re creating a coaching website or an online portfolio . Your primary audience might be existing clients. However, your secondary audience is much broader and could include other professionals, reporters, or anyone who might need your services in the future. You’ll need to make sure your content is both accessible and interesting to all of these audiences. What kind of questions might these groups ask about a particular topic? Where are they most active online? What kind of information do they need?

Audiences find web content through many different paths—social media sharing, links from other websites, email sharing, and search engines . That last method is especially important when you write for the web. Text could be extremely well-written and informative, but if it’s not optimized for search engines, chances are few people will find it. Think of your audience again: what search terms would they type into Google? If you’re posting a resume online or making a website for your freelance work , what kind of jobs are you looking for? Make sure to include those terms in headlines and sub-headers.

2. Follow the “inverted pyramid” model

Web readers have short attention spans—they’ll decide whether your site has the information they need in seconds. Structure your content like an upside-down pyramid or cone. The most important messages go at the top of the page. Then, gradually drill down to the more specific, supporting information.

For example, say you’re creating a web page about a conference. The most pertinent details—a description of the theme, date, and location—would appear at the top of the page. Supporting details like speakers and their lecture topics would follow. The less important information—such as conference organizers, the history of the conference series or a list of related resources—would appear at the bottom of the page.

Bring your business online with Jimdo.

These two graphs helped guide our own  website makeover  and can help you conceptualize the structure of your site.

The Cone Principle of Organizing Content on a Website

3. Write short, simple sentences

Long sentences are for Charles Dickens—the short attention span of today’s reader demands sentences of 35 words or fewer. So website content that’s accessible and easy to read will naturally reach a wider audience.

Focus on using nouns and verbs. Use adverbs and adjectives sparingly. Don’t use words like “equanimity” or “obfuscate” when words like “calm” or “confuse” will do.

If you’re not sure how to judge your own writing, then it’s useful to check how your texts score with an online readability tool. Most of the popular models are based on the length of words and sentences in a text. Your text’s readability is then scored by a number or an education level. These three tools will scan your text and score its readability:

  • The Readability Test Tool
  • The Readability Calculator
  • Microsoft Word

Can your text be easily understood at a 7th to 9th-grade reading level? Check how it scores on the  Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level  to find out.

4. Stick to active voice

Use active rather than passive verbs, and specify the subject of the sentence. For example, rather than writing “products can be ordered on our website,” say “You can order products on our website.”

Active voice helps create succinct, reader-friendly sentences. It’s also more direct; when you speak directly to the audience (“You can do it”) it’s more engaging than saying “It can be done.” This is important on your website FAQ page as well.

5. Show, don’t tell

Don’t limit your prose to generalities and high-level statements. Specific, real-world examples help readers better understand and visualize your messages. Consider these two descriptions:

This is the best dog toy money can buy.

We made the “Rough Rover” dog toy from durable, 100 percent natural rubber, designed to resist punctures and tears from even the most dedicated of chewers.

Which version gives you a clearer picture of the type of toy you’re buying? Specific details in the second description show readers the dog bone rather than tell them about it.

As an added bonus, more specific, descriptive product information helps your website’s SEO and gives customers the information they need to make those purchases.

We love the product descriptions on Zingerman’s website—they explain in mouthwatering detail why their gourmet foods are the best choice. Here are more tips to writing great product descriptions for your online store .

Example of a detailed product description

6. Nix the jargon

The web is for everyone—not just technical experts. So make sure information is understandable for the educated non-specialist. Spell out acronyms on first reference. Avoid insider language. Explain complex or niche terms. And provide hyperlinks to other articles where readers can get more background information on a particular topic.

Consider this sentence:

The journalist grabbed a SOT from the MOS, drove back to the station and put the story in the can.

Many of these terms are comprehensible only to broadcast journalists. A reader-friendly revision would be:

The journalist interviewed a bystander about the incident, and recorded her statement to include in the story.

This tip is especially important if you work in a technical industry, but want your website to attract non-expert customers. Remember that you need to write for your audience (see point #1) and not for your colleagues. Using accessible language will help you come across as approachable and open—just what you want to convey to future customers.

7. Mix up your word choice

Words are like cookies—we all have our favorites. But when it comes to keeping your visitors interested, variety is key! Word clouds are fun to use and can help you vary your word choice by visualizing which words you use the most. Just copy and paste your text into a free word cloud tool to generate your cloud. The more you use a word, the bigger it will look in your cloud. Have you overused a certain word? Type it into Thesaurus.com to find new synonyms to enhance your text.

Negative words standing out in your cloud? Now you know exactly what to tweak for a more positive tone. Keep an eye out for your website keywords as well: these should appear several times in your text, so it should be easy to recognize them in a word cloud.

Here’s the exception:  keep key terms consistent across your site to avoid confusing your visitors. For example, if you’re a photographer, don’t offer “photoshoots” on one page then call them “photography sessions” on the next.

Make a list of terms that describe your company and group together any words you use to mean the same thing. Pick your top choice and stick to it everywhere on your website. Like this:

Use: invoice .

Use: photoshoot

Not: photography session, photo appointment, shoot

Do you call your customers clients, patients, or users? Do you refer to services, packages, or plans? Once you have this list or glossary, you can use it to review any text before you publish it.

8. Make text scannable

In addition to putting the most important information up top, make sure text is easy to skim. Most web readers will scan the page to find the specific piece of information they’re looking for—if they don’t find it easily,  they’ll move on .

Don’t believe it? Try paying attention the next time you open a webpage you haven’t seen before. Are you reading every word beginning to end? Or is your eye jumping around, looking for the information you want?

  • Instead of text-heavy paragraphs,  use bulleted or numerical lists . Instead of one long page of text, organize content into labeled tabs.
  • Always include “white space.”  This is the empty space that surrounds paragraphs, images, and other elements on your web page. Though it may seem like this is just wasted space, it’s actually a web designer’s best friend. Comfortable amounts of white space around text make it more legible , and more enjoyable to read.

Example of using headings to break up text on the page

  • What Is Climate Change?
  • Drivers of Climate Change
  • Current and Projected Impacts of Climate Change
  • Solutions to Reduce Emissions

These sub-headers not only help readers navigate the page, they’ll help search engines find your content.

9. Incorporate multimedia

Research shows that most the human brain is visual, and people process visual information many times faster than text.

An easy-to-read chart or graph can also do a better job of explaining a complex topic than text alone. If you’re not a graphic designer by trade, there are lots of ways to use visuals on your website and some great services out there to help you make graphics yourself, like Canva and Piktochart.

Images also help break up text, making your page easier to read. We recommend having at least one image on each page of your website. Here are more tips for how to optimize your website images .

10. Layer website content

The great thing about a website is that it’s easy to direct readers from one page to another. Help readers find more great content by hyperlinking certain words or phrases to other relevant resources, especially those on your own website. This will help keep people engaged with your content and moving through your site.

For example, say this sentence appeared on your cooking website: Ratatouille is a low-fat dish that consists of seasonal ingredients like eggplant, squash, and tomatoes. You could hyperlink “low-fat dish” to a page with other blog posts on healthy eating.

Building these internal links within your own site also helps your SEO, but keep in mind that links should always be relevant and helpful. Visually, if you overload your text with links, people won’t know what to click on.  Google recommends  keeping the amount of hyperlinks on a page to a “reasonable number.”

11. Leave them wanting more

Here’s an example of what a call-to-action button can look like on your website.

Good websites end each page with a strong  call-to-action  (or CTA for short). Is there a person a reader should contact for more information? An interesting video they should watch? How about a related blog post they can read or a report they can download? This strategy helps direct readers to other areas of your website and encourages them to promote your content to their friends and family.

Keep these calls-to-action succinct, and start them with action verbs like “Download,” “Share,” “Join,” “Sign Up,” “Learn More” or “Watch.” And of course, make sure to include a link that actually allows readers to fulfill the action you’re asking them to take.

Writing, in general, is hard work—writing content for your website, even more so. But remember, you don’t need to write perfect texts first time around! Once your content is live, you can do  monthly website checks  to monitor and optimize its performance. With these tips, you’re prepared to create effective content that resonates with even the most flighty and time-pressed of internet readers.

And once your content is written,  read this checklist for designing easy-to-read text  on your site.

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Writing for the Web | 19 Expert Tips for Writing Online

how to content writing for website

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The Ultimate Guide to Writing for the Web

featured image writing for the web

We don’t want you to join them.

We’re here to make sure you soar over the common trip hazards, and set you on the path to creating stunning online content. Beat your competition, dazzle your readers, and breathe new life into your website with our in-depth guide.

We’ll cover the most important rules of writing for the web, and bring you exclusive insights from real experts who rely on producing stellar content for a living. 

Even web writing pros can stumble and lose their readers’ interest. Whether you’re starting a blog, writing copy for your business website, or managing social media accounts, this guide will give you actionable advice for improving engagement and increasing conversions.

Our first, unofficial tip is to keep introductions short – so we’d better move on to the good stuff!

Writing for the web infographic with 19 steps

Our handy infographic shows all 19 steps you need for writing for the web. Feel free to save it, share it, and go back to it whenever you need some helpful writing tips!

If you prefer a good old-fashioned list, here’s each of the steps again:

Top 19 Rules for Writing for the Web

Now you’re fully armed with our 19 simple steps, read on for a full breakdown of each, plus some exclusive bonus tips from the experts!

Further Information

  • Check out our Website Builder Comparison Chart if building a website is your next step – it compares the best builders around!
  • Are you going to use our expert web writing tips to start a blog? You might find our review of the Best Blogging Platforms helpful.
  • Looking for something a little more specific? Our How to Write a Call to Action guide has some expert tips on creating persuasive copy.

If you’d rather watch than read, our video run-through of our top 19 rules for writing for the web is the perfect solution!

how to content writing for website

Before You Start

Tip #1: Research Your Reader

Tip #2: Know Your Enemy

#1. Research Your Reader

Before putting pen to paper – or, rather, fingers to keyboard – you need to get inside the mind of your readers. It’s essential to know your audience so that you can grab their interest and fulfil their needs. Ask yourself: why are people coming to my site? What are they looking for?

Once you have the answers to these questions, there’s only one thing to do: give the readers what they want. 

Readers are fickle, impatient, and flighty creatures – use the wrong language, or give them the wrong information, and they’ll be leaving your site before you can say “please don’t go.” Here are a few tips for keeping the customers satisfied:

  • Create personas – try to make between three and five personas that represent different sections of your audience. You can do this through interviewing real-life readers, using demographic data from your site analytics, and sneaking a peek at your readers’ social profiles.
  • Tailor your writing to your target audience – use the same language as your readers. If you’re writing for an older demographic, don’t use teenage slang words, and if you’re writing for an English or American audience, make sure you’re using the right language and references.
  • Don’t stop asking questions – even once you’re releasing regular content, don’t assume you know what your readers want. Keep checking and researching to make sure your readers are happy.

Advice from the Experts

john pannell

“One of the most essential elements of writing for the web is knowing your audience. Four years ago, we were attracting just over 100 organic visits to our blog per month. In a shift in tactics, we began to write regular, quality, optimised content targeted at the interests of our website visitors, and we now generate 2,500+ organic visits per month.”

#2. Know Your Enemy

Once you know your readers like they’re old friends, it’s time to research your competitors. You need to know two crucial things: who your competitors are, and what they’re doing .

Competitor research is essential for understanding what you need to do in order to get readers to choose your site over anyone else’s.

First, you need to identify your main competitors. Try to list your top ten rivals – if you have no idea, you can find out by Googling your main service, product, or topic, and seeing which other sites pop up the most.

Now you know who you’ve got to beat, settle in for a virtual stake out. Look at what type of content they’re producing – is it videos, blog posts, news stories, or downloads? What’s the level of quality? How frequently are they publishing fresh content?

Once you’ve got a good profile of your competitors, you can ask the most important question: what can I do better? 

Luke Budka , Director at TopLine Comms

“Understand what your prospects are searching for and why they’re searching for it; take a look at the content that appears when you search for what your prospects are searching for; then write better content – in that order!”

More Information

  • Interview with Kentucky Native Plants Project : See how this online resource creates content tailored to its audience and market

Don't Scare Your Reader Away

Tip #3: Use Headings

Tip #4: Hook Your Reader

Tip #5: Keep Language Simple

Tip #6: Tell Readers Where They Are

You might have heard of the comparison of web users with wild animals , and that’s exactly what we’re talking about here. Today’s online readers are hunting for information, but they don’t want to waste tons of energy taking down the web equivalent of a giant buffalo. Just like a lion picking out its prey, they are constantly on the lookout for content they can easily digest.

If a reader isn’t happy with what they see, you can bet they’ll be gone in seconds. Harsh, right? Luckily, there are ways you can send all the right messages so you don’t scare your reader away.

#3. Use Headings

The best way to instantly put a reader at ease is to use headings. This gives a clear indication of your page’s content, without the reader actually having to, well, read any of it.

When’s the last time you read a web page from the beginning to the end, without jumping ahead or scanning sections? We bet it wasn’t any time recently.

Headings make it easy for readers to quickly get the gist of your content and head to the section they most want to read. Think of headings like sign posts, catching you reader’s attention and waving them in the right direction.

Headings also make your page look more inviting. There’s nothing worse than being confronted with a huge block of text when you’re browsing the internet!

#4. Hook Your Reader

How do you grab your reader’s attention and get them to read your article, instead of hitting the back button ? You need to create a hook. 

We all love a bit of drama. Controversy, mystery, surprising facts – they all draw us in with one key effect: we want to know more . If you can start your content with a fact, a question, a controversial comment, or even an anecdote, you stand a good chance of getting your readers’ attention.

writing for the web tip hook your reader

#5. Keep Language Simple

While in school you’re encouraged to expand your mind and reach for the thesaurus at every possible opportunity, writing for the web is a little different. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. 

You should keep your writing simple – around the level you’d expect 12 year olds to easily understand. That’s right, you need to imagine you’re writing for seventh graders!

Using simple language doesn’t mean “dumbing down” your excellent content. In fact, it can actually take more talent to make simple writing sound good. (At least, that’s what we like to think!)

Simple language is more scannable, makes your content more accessible to a wider audience, and helps people understand your message much faster. 

❌ 1: Writing in uncomplicated, comprehensible language is imperative when creating content for an online audience, due to the reading patterns and habits most often portrayed by online readers, which differ massively from the tactics applied when reading other types of published materials.

✔️ 2: Writing in simple, user-friendly language is key when writing for the web. This is because people don’t read online content like they would read a book.

Which example are you more likely to engage with? Especially when you’re on your phone, checking this article in the spare five minutes between meetings at work? Whether you like it or not, “simple” is the universal language of the web.

#6. Tell Readers Where They Are

Something a lot of web writers forget is that your readers might have no idea what your site is about. Unlike books, there’s no beginning, middle, or end, and your content needs to reflect that.

Never assume your reader has been to your homepage or explored your about page – it’s likely they’ve only just stumbled across your site and expect answers straight away.

If you’re writing a series of connected blog posts or related guides, make sure you link to the previous one so your reader can go back and get some context. If you’re reviewing something, make sure to quickly recap what it is first.

You get the idea. We always start out our reviews and comparisons by briefly explaining what a website builder is, how drag-and-drop works, or what hosting is and why you need it, before getting into the meat of the article.

People who know these things already can skip ahead, but including this information makes sure you don’t alienate any readers who were looking for those answers.

writing for the web tip tell readers where they are

Keep Your Reader

Tip #7: Front-load Information

Tip #8: Be Direct

Tip #9: Use a Conversational Tone

Tip #10: Be Active, Not Passive

Tip #11: Keep It Short

Tip #12: Be Generous With Visuals

Once you’ve managed to grab your reader’s attention, you need to keep them on your page. This is easier said than done. On average, people will only read around 20% of the words on a web page . (So, if you’re still reading this article – congratulations!)

Here are some simple tips and tricks for getting the most out of your readers’ limited attention spans.

#7. Front-load Information

Did you hear that the average human attention span is now shorter than that of a goldfish? We’re more distracted than ever before, losing concentration after just over eight seconds. 

digital information research infographic

This is why it’s vital to front-load your information , placing the key takeaways at the beginning of your piece rather than waiting until the conclusion.

This isn’t an Agatha Christie novel where you build suspense and give people the answers right at the very end. Instead, you need to give out the most important information as soon as possible.

You may have noticed that at the start of this article, we outlined what we would be covering and then immediately listed the key takeaways. This assures the reader they will be getting actual answers, removes any feeling of being dragged along, and even acts as a teaser.

For example, if you’re writing a comparison piece, don’t wait until the end to reveal the winner. Think about what you’d want if you were the reader – give answers straight away, then encourage them to keep reading to find out the “why” behind your argument.

By giving a summarized version of your content, you can open up your reader’s curiosity – you’ve proven you know what you’re talking about, and now they want to know more!

#8. Be Direct

When one is writing for an online audience, it can be hard to connect. There are so many voices, how do they get their words to stand out from the crowd?

You might be feeling a little confused right now, because we just stopped using direct address. Direct address is where you actually address the reader as “you.” Don’t get muddled up with the ambiguous “they” or the outdated “one” – save that one for the characters in Downton Abbey.

Use “you” to address your reader, use “we” to speak from the point of view of a company, and use “I” for an individual voice. 

This is more direct, and immediately sets up a relationship between you and your reader.

There are exceptions, such as news reports, but on the whole this is an important rule to stick to. Even banking and legal websites use direct language to appeal to their audiences, and you’ll see it all across the web – those “About Us” pages are all using direct address!

writing for the web tip be direct

#9. Use a Conversational Tone

Question time: do you prefer chatting with your friends, or being lectured by someone using formal, lecturey language? We’re guessing we know the answer, and that’s why we write in a pretty conversational tone of voice.

This doesn’t work for all websites, but if you can use chatty language, we recommend it. Using familiar words, asking questions, throwing in recognized sayings, and inserting some personality can go a long way in engaging your reader.

Think about your favorite brands, websites, and blogs – what sort of tone do they use? Do they make use of everyday language and make their sentences playful? If so, that’s because they’re aiming straight for their target audience and creating a personal reading experience.

And that’s exactly what you need to do. Sometimes, it means bending a few of the rules you learned in high school. This can feel weird at first, but once you get a taste of that freedom, you’ll struggle to go back!

Here are some examples of ways you can make your writing less ‘college paper’ and more ‘catch-up chat’:

  • Break up your sentences: You can chop up your sentences a bit. You know, for emphasis. Like we’re doing now!
  • Start sentences the “wrong” way: Grammar lovers everywhere, look away, because when writing for the web you can start sentences with “and,” “but,”, “so,” and “because.” Go on, we know you want to.
  • Put special sentences on their own line: If you’re making a point, stressing a certain phrase, or want the reader to remember something, put it on its own line. This can also be effective in controlling pace and humor.
  • Be a little bit casual: You can use noises like phew , strikethroughs ( like this) , and even share your own anecdotes to connect with your readers. Be careful of going overboard with these, though – ration them carefully!
  • Let your voice shine through: Your writing should reflect your company or brand, but that doesn’t mean your own unique style can’t add value. Trust us, your readers will appreciate the personal touch!

These techniques will help your writing sound more human, which in turn will help people connect with what you’re saying. Don’t be faceless – let your readers feel like they know you.

Advice from the Expert

Andy Golpys , Co-founder and Creative Director at MadeByShape

“My first and most fundamental tip is to be yourself and represent the personality of your brand. If you’re an informal agency who is direct and concise – go for it. On the other hand, if you’re a very serious, formal company who wear suits everyday then the language on the site has to represent this.”

#10. Be Active, Not Passive

This is a nifty writing trick that may sound technical but is actually easy once you know what to look for.

It’s time we introduced you to active versus passive writing . To be technical about it, when you write in the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action, whereas when you write in the passive voice, the subject receives the action.

That sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is, so let’s use an example instead. Let’s take the famous phrase, “the cat sat on the mat.” This is written in the active voice. If we rewrite it so that it’s passive, it would go: “the mat was sat on by the cat.” Not quite so catchy, is it?

You should always try to write in the active voice. This is because it’s a lot easier for readers to process – it takes less effort for our brains to understand, meaning we’re more likely to read more of it.

The passive voice is much less direct and personal than the active voice, making it more tactful – this makes it useful when emailing a colleague or drafting a complaint.

For example, saying “you didn’t finish the project on time” could lead to some uncomfortable office dramas, whereas “the project was not finished on time” is a lot less accusatory.

Writing in the active voice also helps to keep things clear, concise, and impactful. Passive writing can be vague and wordy, and risks confusing the reader rather than delivering your message clearly.

writing for the web tip be active not passive

#11. Keep It Short

It’s one of the main rules of writing for an online audience: you need to get your point across in as few words as possible . Long sentences may have worked in the hands of Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce, but sadly they’re a big no-no when writing for the web.

And it’s not just sentences, either. Simple words, short sentences, and snappy paragraphs are the golden trio of successful web writing. 

Short sentences and paragraphs help you stay concise, and stop your reader drifting off halfway through your point. It’s all about keeping your reader’s attention and making the most out of every word.

A great way of testing whether your web writing is too wordy is to use a readability tool. These scan your work and pick out words and sentences that are too long.

readability tool readable

We’d recommend Readable , which you can use for free. It’ll tell you which words and sentences are too long, where you’ve used the passive voice, and even whether your tone is more formal or conversational. You also get an overall grade – aim for a B or above.

#12. Be Generous With Visuals

Articles with images get 94% more views than those without. Yep, it’s not just your writing that’s important when you’re creating online content – you need visuals, too. 

Whether it’s photos, videos, infographics, or diagrams, visuals help people process information and grab their attention.

Why are we so drawn to images? Well, our brains are pretty much hard-wired for visual processing, meaning humans find it easier to process images at high speed than text. So, pictures aren’t just there to be pretty – they’re essential for keeping your reader engaged. 

Try to use images that are relevant to both your topic and your target audience. For example, if you know you’re writing for college students, don’t use images of pensioners enjoying their retirement.

You don’t have to spend a lot (or anything at all) on professional images. You can download free, high quality images from sites like Unsplash, or pay for credits from Adobe Stock.

A good way to up the impact of your visuals is to use pictures of people. It’s been found that people pay more attention to images with faces than those without – for example, photos of people on Instagram are 38% more likely to receive likes than faceless pictures!

Faces help to create feelings of empathy in your reader, and can even influence where your reader directs their attention.

Eye-tracking studies have found that we follow the gaze of people in images. So if you’re trying to get your readers to pay attention to a subscribe button, for example, this could be a good tactic to try out!

images superdry example

Don't Leave Anyone Out

Tip #13: Write for Screen Readers

Tip #14: Layer Your Writing for Skimmers and Scanners

Tip #15: Leave Out Jargon

The internet is there for anyone and everyone, no matter their technical ability or experience. When you’re writing for the web, you need to make sure your wonderful words are suitable for everyone to enjoy!

#13. Write for Screen Readers

A screen reader is a program that takes on-screen content (such as text, images, and links,) and puts it into a format that people with visual impairments can easily take in, such as speech or Braille.

It’s important to remember your writing won’t just be looked at by your readers – below are some easy things you can do to make your content more accessible to all types of readers:

  • Structure your headings – screen readers often use headings to navigate pages, so make sure you’re being clear and structured with your page’s layout. A structured system would be H1, then H2, then H3, then back to H2 if needed. Don’t jump around between H1 and H6, for example, as this will be confusing for a screen reader.
  • Be descriptive in your alt text – when you can’t see an image, you’re reliant on descriptive alt text (the image’s description, which will appear when you hover over it) to tell you what the picture is showing. Alt text is important for SEO too, so you should be doing this anyway, but make sure it’s giving users the full picture.
  • Make your links clear – think about whether your links make sense on their own. “Click here” doesn’t give any idea of where the user might end up!
  • Be careful of autoplaying videos – if a screen reader is turning text to speech, and then a video starts autoplaying on your page, it’s going to be confusing and unhelpful for the user. At least provide an option to turn off autoplay.
  • Don’t be vague – be careful and think about if your page will make sense to someone who can’t see it. For example, in forms don’t just say “Tick box to confirm you have read this.” A screen reader may have skipped the form – instead, reiterate what the user is agreeing to, such as: “Registering now will confirm your attendance. Tick box to confirm you have read this.”

writing for the web tip write for screen readers

Why not try navigating your site with a screen reader yourself? This will give you the best idea of how accessible your content is to visually impaired people, and show you where you’re acing it already!

For more information on what you can do to make your site more accessible, read this article: I Used the Web for a Day Using a Screen Reader

#14. Layer Your Writing for Skimmers and Scanners

It’s sad, but true – not everyone is going to settle down with a cup of coffee, put their feet up, and read your piece from beginning to end. Most of your readers will be skimmers or scanners. 

Skimmers and scanners are looking for particular information, as quickly as possible. Skimmers are trying to get an overall feel for what the page is about, and if it’s something they’ll enjoy or find useful. Scanners pay a bit more attention – they have a specific question in mind, and are on the hunt.

‘How dare they treat my writing like that!’ you might be tempted to shout – but don’t. Skimmers and scanners deserve a great reading experience, especially as they make up the majority of your audience.

We’ve outlined a few key things you can do to make your text ‘skimmable’ and scannable. (And we’ve put it in bullet points, for all you skimmers and scanners out there!)

  • Use headings – again, headings are your best friend!
  • Use bold – use it sparingly to highlight key facts or important phrases
  • Use white space – white space surrounds paragraphs and images. It’s important to break up your page and let your text breathe – it lets your reader’s brain breathe, too
  • Use lists and bullet points – they’re easier for readers to digest!
  • Use boxes – you can break important information into boxes to draw the reader’s attention

Don’t feel like all your detailed, in-depth copy is going to waste, however. If nothing else, Google smiles on quality, long-form content, so creating beautiful web writing will help your site rank well.

#15. Leave Out Jargon

Just. Don’t. Use. Jargon.

At least, if you can avoid it!

There’s no way to lose readers faster than making them feel stupid with niche technical terms.

There are times when it’s unavoidable to use jargon, especially if you’re writing about tech, medicine, or business. Here at Website Builder Expert, we write about website builders, hosting, and even coding – we’re no strangers to jargon!!

When you do have to include jargon in your writing, make sure you always explain it clearly for your reader first. The first time you use an acronym or abbreviation (for example, SEO,) give the proper name and explain it so your reader knows what you mean.

Never assume your reader knows what you know. That way, you don’t exclude anyone who may have missed the jargon memo.

(Oh, and SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, just in case anyone was wondering.)

writing for the web tip leave out jargon

Post-Writing Tips

Tip #16: Proofread Properly

Tip #17: Don’t Neglect Your Microcopy

Tip #18: Take Care Over Your Metadata

Tip #19: Say Hello to Social Media

The sad news is that’s all for our tips on writing your actual web copy – but the good news is the fun doesn’t end there: we’ve got four more steps for you to master so you can dazzle your audience. 

You’re so close to becoming a web writing master, so we’ll get straight to it – there’s no time to waste!

#16. Proof-read Properly

Read your writing through. Then read it again. Then take a break, have a coffee, go for a walk, and clear your head. Then read it through again .

writing for the web tip proof-read properly

Proof-reading is a crucial step. If any spelling mistakes or errors sneak through into the final version, it can seriously impact your reader’s trust in what you’re saying. It doesn’t come across as professional or reliable!

We recommend getting at least one other person to read through your work before publishing. It’s good to get a fresh pair of eyes as it’s easy to become blind to any small errors when you’ve been working on a piece for a while.

#17. Don’t Neglect Your Microcopy

Microcopy describes the small bits of copy that help users navigate a website. Error messages and link buttons are both examples of microcopy.

eharmony error page microcopy

Below are our main tips for crafting good microcopy:

  •  Address your reader’s concerns – you’ll see this on subscription forms when companies promise not to spam you or share your data.
  • Be specific – with error messages, don’t just say “form incorrect, please try again.” Instead, be specific, and give an exact suggestion: “Your password is incorrect.”
  • Provide action – microcopy can be the last barrier between your reader and the exit button. Always give them a next step – for example, if they can’t log in to their account, provide a link to recover their details or get help.
  • Keep it short – it’s called microcopy for a reason!
  • Follow through – button labels should match what happens when the user clicks on it. Users shouldn’t receive spam if you’ve promised no spam. Build trust by following through on your promises.

Microcopy is small but mighty. Don’t underestimate its power to impact your user’s decisions – good microcopy can be very persuasive, while bad microcopy can have your readers running for the hills.

hannah whitfield

Hannah Whitfield, Content Manager at Website Builder Expert

“Word for word, your website’s microcopy is its most important content. It helps your users navigate through your site, and builds trust to enable them to take the desired action (or, ‘convert’) with confidence. Take the time to get it right. Look to brands you admire for inspiration, and use tools like Optimizely and Hotjar make sure you’re always testing, learning and improving.”

#18. Take Care Over Your Metadata

Metadata may sound like one of the robots from the Transformers films, but it’s actually just the page information that displays on the search engine results page.

It’s important to pay close attention to your metadata, because it affects how well your site ranks in the search results, and also impacts how many people choose to click through to your website, instead of the results listed above or below!

When you search in Google, you’ll see a meta title and meta description appear. The meta title is the blue heading which you click on to visit the site. The meta description is the little paragraph that appears underneath to tell you a bit about the page.

metadata example

Meta Titles

Your meta title needs to be short and clearly tell the user what to expect from the page they’re about to visit. You should include your keywords in the meta title to help your page rank higher.

Your meta title shouldn’t just appeal to Google, though – you also need to persuade users to click on your link. There are a few tactics you can use to make your meta title more appealing and eye-catching than your competitors’, including:

  • Use numbers – using numbers is especially good for guides, for example, “How to Get Your Dream Job in 5 Easy Steps.” It’s a good idea to use odd numbers when you’re trying to catch people’s attention – don’t believe us? Check out this case study on Odd vs Even Number Psychology .
  • Use power words – carefully choose relevant power words to build trust, ignite curiosity, and generally make people want to click on your link. Example words include “amazing,” “exclusive,” “save,” and “top secret.”
  • Include the date – you don’t have to do this, but it’s a good way of showing people your content is current and up to date.

Meta Descriptions

Unlike meta titles, meta descriptions don’t directly affect your rankings in the search results. However, they have a massive impact on whether people want to visit your page , so it still deserves love and lots of attention.

Meta descriptions shouldn’t be too long, but you want to cram lots of persuasiveness and information in there to entice visitors to your site. Be clear what the page is about, hint at what the visitor will find, and try to throw in a call to action as well , such as “start your blog today.”

#19. Say Hello to Social Media

We’ve come to the last step in our guide to writing for the web. Social media is a great place to share your writing with the world, but it’s also a platform that involves its own writing rules and pitfalls.

You shouldn’t try to share across every social platform that you can . Instead, pick the best ones for you and your target audience, and commit to producing some quality content for those channels.

It’s usually pretty obvious how you should write on social media – for example, everyone knows to keep it short on Twitter because it actually caps your character count – but there are a few little tips we think might help you out.

The first is to keep hold of your voice. Whether you’re an individual blogger or writing for a large corporation, your voice needs to be consistent across all your channels. That includes your site’s content, emails, and social media (get the most out of emails by learning how to increase your email open rate ).

The second is to keep your posts relevant. If you’re a legal firm, be careful about sharing cat videos or using abbreviations. Yes, these things are widely accepted on social channels, but aren’t so accepted for serious brands.

The third is to know exactly what you want to get out of your social media posts . Do you want to gain followers? Get people to click through to your website? Encourage existing followers to convert? Having this goal in mind will help focus your posts and keep your sharing relevant.

writing for the web tip say hello to social media

Writing for the Web: Roundup

Congratulations! You are now a fully fledged web writer, ready to create your own quality online content!

We’ve skimmed, scanned, dipped, and dived through the 19 steps you need to follow to beat your competitors and dazzle your readers. Let’s have a quick refresh of those steps.

Top 19 Steps for Writing for the Web

  • Research your reader
  • Know your enemy
  • Use headings
  • Hook your reader
  • Keep language simple
  • Tell readers where they are
  • Front-load information
  • Use a conversational tone
  • Be active, not passive
  • Keep it short
  • Be generous with visuals
  • Write for screen readers
  • Layer your writing for skimmers and scanners
  • Leave out jargon
  • Proof-read properly
  • Don’t neglect your microcopy
  • Take care over your metadata
  • Say hello to social media

From those early days of researching your readers all the way through to sharing your work on social media, you’ve come a long way.

We can’t wait to see what you’ll do with our tips – you’ll even come up with your own expert tips as you start to write your own web content. If you want some more advice, check out our copywriting techniques for actionable advice on writing better headlines, introductions, and more.

Now go forth and write, but come back to let us know how you get on!

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The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Starting Your Website Content

Pamela wilson.

How to write website content, even if you're a beginner

You have a brand-new website. Congratulations!

You may be wondering exactly how to write website content, though.

It’s a big job. Where do you start?

If you’d like tools and tips for how to make your writing faster and easier, scroll to the bottom of this post for a helpful video.

If you’re ready to write your website content, let’s get going!

First, it’s important to understand the difference between static, unchanging website pages like your: 

  • Contact page
  • Commerce-style pages like Store, Products, Services, or Work with Me

And website pages that update frequently like your:

  • Blog or podcast content

As we tackle this topic of how to write your website content, we’re going to focus on getting your static pages created first. We’ll get them done, published, and working for you, and then we’ll work on how to write a blog post and other frequently published content.

First, a reality check, my friend. If you’re feeling slightly terrified at the thought of writing all that website content, I get it.

There are few things more intimidating than looking at a big, blank website that you have fill with content. 

Never fear: This post will cover how to write a content for your website, even if it’s brand-spanking new.

How to write website content when your site is new (and blank!)

The way to tackle this job is to prioritize what you’ll focus on.

Here’s how to write website content, in order of priority:

  • Create a Home page where people can land.
  • Create an About page so visitors know who’s behind the website.
  • Create a Contact page so people have a way to reach you.

Once these three pages are complete, you’ve covered the basics.

Now you can focus on adding pages that take longer to create.

The next website content you’ll focus on writing depends on where you are in your business growth.

If you already have products or services to sell, you could create what I call a Commerce page. This is a page that offers links to your products or services. It can take a variety of forms. It might be:

  • A Store page which displays all of your available products with links to purchase them
  • A Services page which explains the services you provide with links to find out more
  • A Work with Me page which details the kind of clients you help, how you work, and shares a way to take the first step toward working with you

If you don’t have anything ready to offer, no worries! You can skip directly to the next area of focus, your Content section.

By definition, this is the part of your website that will be updated frequently.

The most common content type (and the easiest kind to start with) is a blog.

If you’re wondering how to write a blog post, you have come to the right place! I’m going to cover that in detail in the next section.

What should be included in a blog post?

If you’ve never written a blog post before, the process can feel like a big mystery.

You may know a good blog post when you read one, but you may not be sure how to re-create it yourself.

I’ve written blog posts consistently since 2010. My work has appeared on some of the most high-traffic sites on the web, like Copyblogger , Duct Tape Marketing , Smart Blogger , and Problogger .

And I’ve written two much-loved books on content marketing, Master Content Marketing and Master Content Strategy .

I’ll let you in on a little secret that might surprise you …

For decades, I didn’t think I could write.

I was a graphic designer by trade.

I was naturally drawn to the visual side of marketing and became very good at creating logos, publications, brochures, annual reports, and newsletters.

But I was determined to build an online presence. To do that, I knew I had to figure out this “content marketing thing.”

That meant learning to write, even though I didn’t think I’d ever be good at it.

In order to learn from the masters, I started paying attention to the best blog content on the web. Over time, I began to see a pattern emerge.

I discovered that great blog posts — and effective content marketing — contained the same seven elements, over and over.

You can learn to master these seven essential elements of content marketing and use them in all the content you create for your website.

I’ll use a blog post as an example, but the same seven elements can be used to structure a podcast episode, a video (vlog) piece, and other frequently updated content.

Master these seven elements and you’ll know how to write website content that performs well and helps to grow your online business.

How to write a blog post: The 7 essential elements of effective content marketing

The best blog content contains all seven of the elements below.

Each section needs to be strong so it pulls its own weight and does the job it needs to do in your content.

How to write website content: Headline tips

1. Write a compelling headline

Want your blog to be clicked on and read?

Spend lots and lots of time (way more than you think) working on an engaging headline.

My favorite tools to use when I’m working on headlines are:

  • A plain text document where I can brainstorm 10-25 headline ideas
  • A site that allows me to “grade” and compare my best headline ideas. I like the Sharethrough headline analyzer .
  • Coffee! (Or tea). Seriously — writing headlines is hard work. Caffeinate as needed.

Headline resources:

  • My book Master Content Marketing has a whole chapter on writing headlines and includes 50 fill-in-the-blank formulas to help you create winning headlines. Get Master Content Marketing .
  • Read How to Write Magnetic Headlines on Copyblogger.
  • Register and download Headline Hacks from Smartblogger.

How to write website content: First sentence tips

2. Craft an inviting first sentence

The very first sentence of your blog post is a make-or-break moment.

Keep it short, snappy, and casual. Write it like you’re writing to your best friend.

It needs to be inviting. It should be intriguing.

If it’s not, readers will click away and look elsewhere for their information.

First sentence resources:

  • 10 Ways to Hook Blog Readers With Your Opening Line by my friend Amy Harrison .
  • My book Master Content Marketing has a whole chapter on writing your first sentence. Really! Get Master Content Marketing .

How to write website content: Intro section tips

3. Add an intro section

You may not have noticed that most blog posts have an intro section.

The intro section serves as a transition between your first sentence and your main content.

This is the first place on the page where you’re asking the reader to settle in and commit to reading what you’ve written.

Use it to summarize what they’re about to learn. Give them a preview of why you’ll make it worth their while to consume your content.

Intro section resources:

  • The Ultimate Guide to Writing Blog Post Introductions by Neil Patel
  • Master Content Marketing has a chapter on crafting blog post introductions. Get Master Content Marketing .
  • 7 Ways to Write Better Opening Paragraphs for Your Blog Posts by Barry Feldman on Orbit Media.

How to write website content: Subhead tips

4. Write attention-getting subheads

Subheads are one of the most important ways you can make your online content easier to consume.

They serve as “signposts” that move the reader through your blog content.

(The podcast or video equivalent to subheads is the short introduction to a new section of the information being presented.)

In written content, subheads give people who are skimming through your written content a general idea of what it contains.

Subhead resources:

  • How to Write Subheads that Hook (and Re-hook) Your Readers on Copyblogger
  • The No-Nonsense Guide to Writing Online Headlines and Subheads by Enchanting Marketing
  • My book Master Content Marketing includes a chapter on writing subheads, too. It includes information on how to format subheads and shares a compelling reason to write your headline and subheads before you write the rest of your content. Get Master Content Marketing .

How to write website content: Main copy tips

5. Fill in your main copy

What do I mean by the “main copy?” It’s everything else.

It’s all the writing outside of the sections above and the sections below.

It’s the heart of your content, where you deliver the value you’ve promised.

Main copy resources:

  • The best tip for writing your main copy from my book Master Content Marketing ? Write it fast. When you’re working on the first draft of your content, get your ideas down as fast as possible. Don’t re-read, edit, or polish. Get Master Content Marketing .
  • Day Two: How to Fill in the Details of Your Winning Piece of Content on Problogger

How to write website content: Summary tips

6. Wrap it up with a summary

Here’s another content section you may not have noticed before, but the best content features it.

Toward the end of your content, it’s smart to summarize the topic you covered and move readers to the final content element — the call to action.

Your content summary is a way to look back and say, “Here’s what we covered.”

It’s a last opportunity to reinforce the information you shared so your reader retains it.

Summary resources:

  • How to Summarize an Article on WikiHow
  • Here’s what I share about writing a summary in Master Content Marketing . First, refer back to something mentioned at the beginning. Remind your reader about what they learning. Reinforce how they’ll benefit from having consumed the content. Get Master Content Marketing .

How to write website content:Call to action tips

7. Add a call to action

Content marketing and blogging serve a business purpose.

Creating content helps your website get found on search engines. It attracts prospects to your business and it gives you a way to develop a trust-based relationship with them.

But if you don’t ask your readers to take action, you might as well skip the whole exercise!

Your call to action — placed at the very end of your content — will do this for you.

Call to action resources:

  • Powerful Calls to Action: How to Get Your Reader to Take the Next Step on Copyblogger
  • In Master Content Marketing I say “Your call to action is where business happens.” Your “CTA” doesn’t have to ask for a sale — you can request that people leave a comment or share your content on social media. Either way, make sure your call to action is convincing and direct, like this: Get Master Content Marketing .
  • Call to Action: Five resources to help improve your CTA on MainWP

How to write website content like a pro

I hope that this simple breakdown was helpful. You don’t become a content pro overnight.

Take it day-by-day and build your website content in this order:

First, create the foundational pages that won’t change often

  • Build a Home page that explains who you help and how you help them
  • Create an About page so visitors can learn more about the person or people behind the website
  • Build a Contact page so people can reach out

Have something ready to sell?

Have something to offer? Build a Commerce page next.

Use this page to offer your products or services. You can add to it over time. And if you haven’t developed any offers yet, skip this step and get started with the next one.

Finally, begin publishing regular content

Once you have the basics in place, focus on creating and publishing content on a regular basis. The seven essential elements to include in each piece of content are:

  • A compelling tagline
  • An inviting first sentence
  • An intro section
  • At least three subheads
  • Your main copy
  • A call to action

Now that you know how to write website content, do me a favor? (And yes, this is a call to action!)

Click one of the colorful social sharing buttons here and share this content on your favorite social platform.

Improve your online business writing skills — 5 favorite tools and tips

When I started my online business in 2010 I didn’t consider myself a writer.

I taught myself how to write for an online audience by learning and practicing — writing web copy and blog posts. Lots of blog posts!

Since those early days I’ve written three books and many thousands of words on my own site and sites like Copyblogger. If I can do it, so can you, my friend.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel to get all my latest videos, hot off the digital press! Here’s the list of tools I mention in the above video:

  • 750Words.com
  • Hemingway Editor
  • SendCheckIt Subject Line Tester
  • Sharethrough Headline Grader
  • Writesonic (affiliate link)

Remember, they’re only pixels

You may have always wondered how to write content for a website that’s brand new.

Staring at those blank web pages can feel incredibly daunting. But think of it like this — a blank page is an opportunity to carve out your own little corner of the web.

Remember, pixels are easy and fast to update. Don’t be afraid to create content and hit publish with the website content creation tips here.

NOTE: The illustrations in this post are taken directly from Master Content Marketing and were created by the brilliant D.J. Billings .

  • Content Marketing & Copywriting , Online Business , Website Best Practices

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Pamela Wilson coaches people in midlife to build profitable online businesses

I’m Pamela Wilson

In 2010, at the age of 45, I started this site and grew it into a business that offers freedom, flexibility — and consistent revenue.

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4 thoughts on “the complete beginner’s guide to starting your website content”.

Oh my goodness, such a comprehensive article! Not only are your seven steps so easy to follow, but the extra resources for each provide so much content. I’m away to craft better CTAs. I know all my content needs them, but I always find it hard to find one that packs a punch. Thanks for the read!

Sounds like I need to write an article about how to craft a call to action — thanks for the idea! I appreciate your comment, Storm.

Great read Pamela! There definitely should be consistency in terms of what brands and businesses post on their website. The content they share needs to be aligned with what they’re selling, it’s a great way to generate leads and most importantly to stay relevant in their industry.

Yes! Consistency is key. We need to stay on-theme so we’re sending a clear message about who we help and how. Thanks for the comment!

Comments are closed.

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How to create good Content for Websites

How to create good Content for Websites

“Nobody reads online content” – a widespread claim that (unfortunately) contains some truth. Many website visitors prefer not having to read through lengthy, badly structured texts . But how exactly do these consumer habits affect you and your website content, and how can you improve your texts? We’ll show you 9 top tips for writing better website content.

Quick guide: How to write quality content for the web

Tip 1: determine website and copy purpose, tip 2: get to know your readers, tip 3: answer queries, tip 4: take the space you need, tip 5: focus on what’s necessary and important, tip 6: edit text to be more reader-friendly, tip 7: add images, tip 8: check out the competition, tip 9: optimize content for search engines.

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  • Select the purpose of your website and copy
  • Get to know your audience
  • Answer reader queries
  • Write precisely and in line with your topic of choice
  • Communicate in a clear and simple manner
  • Prepare the text in a reader-friendly way. Put the most important things first and create structure by using headings, short paragraphs, highlights, links, lists, tables, etc.
  • Add pictures, graphics, videos, and other visual elements
  • Compare with and be inspired by the competition
  • Optimize your texts for search engines (SEO)

Before you draft your first text, ask yourself what purpose it has and how it supports the website’s goals. Do you want to convey expert knowledge, explain the features of a product, encourage a purchase, or simply entertain your readers? The type of website you have is also crucial, i.e. whether it’s a blog, store, or corporate platform. The distinction is important because it impacts the length, depth of information, style, and other features of your website copy.

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Find out who you are writing for. How old is your (primary) target group? What media do they use? What are their reading habits ? What topics do they typically engage with? If your readers are young and tend to use Instagram, Snapchat and the like, you’ll write very different web copy than for audiences who regularly read newspapers and magazines and are therefore used to reading long-form content. If you aren’t sure about the target group of your blog , think about the type of content they may want to read and in what form and tone.

To narrow down your online store’s target audience more effectively, you can define buyer personas . Who are your customers and what are their needs? How can you prepare content that advises on products to reach customers?

Understanding your audience also helps shape the tone of your content (formal or informal).

While browsing websites we often ask ourselves many questions. Website owners can take advantage of this by writing sub-headings as questions . Questions tend to be entered in search engines and web copy that answers them efficiently is ranked higher and displayed toward the top of the search results.

To find out which questions your readers may have you can use tools such as answerthepublic.com or enter relevant keywords in Google.

Remember the five Ws: who, what, when, where, why? Try to answer them at the beginning of your copy and structure text accordingly. See tip 6 for more information.

There is a widespread rule that copy for a website should be as short as possible – precisely because web reading behaviors are supposedly such that shorter content is preferred. However, that’s not entirely true. In the end, purpose and topic determine the length . If you write a guide on choosing the best health insurance, you will likely end up with a longer text than if you are promoting a new jeans trend. More important than length when writing website copy is relevance and information that is easy to grasp .

It’s good practice to omit information that is unimportant to the overall message of your text. Sometimes we may think information that pops into our head while writing is relevant, only to find out that when we read it back, it doesn’t directly relate to the topic on-hand. You can note down such information and use it in other texts later on. It makes sense to plan out a long-term content strategy that includes a detailed plan of topics and content .

It’s also good practice to avoid filler words and phrases that simply sound good but don’t add any information. Formulate simple, precise sentences and avoid lengthy and nested ones that are passive.

Using the right structure ensures that even long texts are easy to read. Formulate short sentences and paragraphs and divide them using meaningful subheadings. Use bulleted lists, checklists, and tables and bold important passages or individual words. Use tip and link boxes to highlight cross-references or important tips.

In terms of content, aim to use the principle of the inverted pyramid, in which you work your way from the bigger picture toward the details . It makes sense to have a short introductory paragraph that highlights the topic or summarizes the most important points (the 5 Ws); individual aspects are then dealt with in short paragraphs, and a conclusion follows at the end.

To improve the structure of your article you can add images, graphics, videos, and other visual elements that make it easier for readers to grasp information and context. For example, comparisons and explanation of features are often easier to understand when supported by images. Again, don’t use an image just for the sake of using an image, but always ask yourself what purpose it serves. Sometimes new web design trends provide suggestions to simplify the presentation of your content.

The aim here is not to plagiarize or duplicate content . Both practices would harm your web project. But you can definitely be inspired by checking out the competition. Look at the topics they cover and the length of their texts . Write website content that is a little longer or answers alternative questions.

By the way, there are tools that not only optimize keywords, but also check how your text fares against the competition: length but also type of content are examined here.

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Though your target group should always be people, it’s impossible to avoid search engine optimization when writing website copy these days. Keywords that rank high on Google are based on the search interests of people . In the best-case scenario, you’re able to please both – your readers and search engines.

As part of your content strategy, examine what people search for on Google and what topic-related keywords are out there. These could become a source of new content ideas. If you don’t have access to the Google Keyword Planner, several free keyword tools are available. Their search volumes may not always be exact, but they’ll still provide reliable ideas for keywords. During content planning , determine which text should be optimized for which keyword (and secondary keyword, if applicable) in order to cover a broad range.

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When writing for the web, using plain language allows users to find what they need, understand what they have found, and then use it to meet their needs. It should also be actionable, findable, and shareable.

It’s important to understand how what you are writing fits into the overall content strategy , what the content lifecycle entails, and who is involved in the process. 

Why it Matters

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Identify Your Users’ Top Tasks

People come to your website with a specific task in mind. When developing your site’s content, keep your users’ tasks in mind and write to ensure you are helping them accomplish those tasks.  If your website doesn’t help them complete that task, they’ll leave. Conduct market research, perform a task analysis and other types of user research, and analyze metrics to better understand what users are looking to accomplish.

Knowing your users’ top tasks can help you identify:

  • Content to feature on your homepage or landing pages
  • Page headers and sub headers
  • A logical structure to each page’s content

How to Write User-Friendly Content

It’s important to target your audience when writing for the web . By knowing who you are writing for, you can write at a level that will be meaningful for them. Use the personas you created while designing the site to help you visualize who you are writing for.

  • Use the words your users use.  By using keywords that your users use, you will help them understand the copy and will help optimize it for search engines.
  • Chunk your content.   Chunking makes your content more scannable by breaking it into manageable sections.
  • Front-load the important information . Use the journalism model of the “inverted pyramid.” Start with the content that is most important to your audience, and then provide additional details.
  • Use pronouns . The user is “you.” The organization or government agency is “we.” This creates cleaner sentence structure and more approachable content.
  • Use active voice . “The board proposed the legislation” not “The regulation was proposed by the board.”
  • Use short sentences and paragraphs . The ideal standard is no more than 20 words per sentence, five sentences per paragraph. Use dashes instead of semi-colons or, better yet, break the sentence into two. It is ok to start a sentence with “and,” “but,” or “or” if it makes things clear and brief.
  • Use bullets and numbered lists . Don’t limit yourself to using this for long lists—one sentence and two bullets is easier to read than three sentences.
  • Use clear headlines and subheads . Questions, especially those with pronouns, are particularly effective.
  • Use images, diagrams, or multimedia to visually represent ideas in the content. Videos and images should reinforce the text on your page.
  • Use white space.  Using white space allows you to reduce noise by visually separate information.

It’s also important to create an editorial calendar. You can encourage visitors to return to your site by keeping your content fresh and up-to-date, especially when working with blogs, social media, or dynamic content websites.

Remember that developing web copy in plain language in the federal government is the law. Learn more about the government’s plain language standard and find a checklist   to help you in your projects.

Testing Your Document’s Readability

Use Microsoft Word’s Readability Statistics feature—part of the Spelling & Grammar check—to measure your progress as you write and edit copy. Try to make your reading ease number go up and your grade level go down. You can improve your readability by using active voice and short words, sentences, and paragraphs.

  • Document Checklist for Plain Language on the Web

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How to Start Content Writing (For Beginners)

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on Published: September 26, 2021  - Last updated: December 6, 2021

Categories Writing

Are you ready to make content writing your full-time job? To become a professional writer? If so, there are a few steps that will help you succeed. Whether it’s your first time writing content or you want to take your skills to the next level. This article is an insider guide on how to start content writing and become a successful content writer.

What Is Content Writing

Content writing is a profession that requires certain skills. Not just writing skill!

Content writers must be able to research various topics and perhaps even interview several people on a topic to find out the most important points.

Even before they start outlining, drafting, and writing.

If you’re running your own website, you may also need to learn SEO (search engine optimization), topic research, and on-page optimization. Plus some WordPress skills!

Content writing is a fundamental part of digital marketing, therefore acquiring the skill can help foster a career in marketing.

You don’t learn these things overnight! Becoming a web content writer is hard work, but very rewarding!

Types of Content Writing

There are many different types of content writing, such as:

  • writing content for websites
  • writing content for newspapers and magazines
  • writing content for online marketing
  • writing content for public relations (PR)
  • SEO writing

There are many different subjects that a good content writer could write about.

For example, it could be recipes or travel guides. Or spirituality and philosophy.

Often, though, content writers tend to specialize in areas in which either they have prior experience or ones in which they develop expertise over time.

Writing SEO articles is a special type of content writing because SEO content writers need to know how keywords work so that the articles can be optimized for the search engines.

Examples of Good Content

It’s a good idea to look at excellent examples of website content online first.

For example, you could search Google for successful content writers and then find their work on various websites. That way, you can look at some of the different types of content writing and content marketing, as well as examples of the best content that’s been written.

The Working Time of a Content Writer

Content writers spend their time in different ways.

They may spend time researching a particular topic, interviewing different people to gather information, and then writing the content when they feel they’ve enough information.

Online research plays a huge role.

The content writer can then spend time editing and rewriting the material to make sure it’s as good as it can be.

Creativity and Content Writing

Although content writing is largely about formulating a topic, researching, and creating outlines to structure the content, there’s also a considerable creative component to this work.

While it’s possible to dig into the more technical aspects of content writing, such as research and editing, the content writer must also develop creative ideas and present them clearly and concisely.

A content writer can even be tasked with presenting a new perspective on a topic, showing how it works and how it can be better understood and used.

You also need to be able to write creatively to develop a story or something that’s compelling.

In content writing, you need to be able to look at a topic from a different perspective. The job of a content writer is to put themselves in the reader’s perspective and ask, “What if it were such and such?” This can be a difficult skill to learn, but a content writer must’ve some creative ability to be successful.

Content writing is a profession that depends on putting one’s thoughts and ideas into words in a way that the reader can understand. In this way, content writing can’t only be a lot of fun, but also a good income for those who do it well.

Content Strategy vs Content Writing

Content strategy is the art and craft of planning, organizing and publishing content. Thus, it encompasses both content creation and content marketing.

Content strategies are developed for different purposes. Some content strategies are created to help websites rank better in search engines. This is to attract more customers. Other content strategies aim to attract customers by engaging with them through content. This type of content strategy aims more to involve customers in the content creation process so that they’re engaged with the company.

It’s not limited to websites or social media marketing but is also an important part of advertising.

Content strategy is about understanding what you want your content to achieve and how you can use it to achieve it.

Content writing is part of content strategy.

Effective Content Writing

It’s important to write content in a way that’s effective.

This means that your copy needs to be written in a way that serves the purpose of the content.

For example, if you’re writing an article on your website to help readers in the kitchen, you need to make sure that you focus on teaching them how to make and use things in the kitchen!

When you’re writing about kitchens, you don’t want to write about something that the reader may not have wanted to know about. If you focus, your readers will be more likely to stay on your website to read more articles.

You need to learn to write clearly so that your readers understand what you’re writing about.

You also need to make sure that you use the right writing style for your audience so that they understand what you’re trying to say, and resonate with the content.

If you don’t make your content focused and clear, your audience won’t enjoy reading it and won’t learn anything.

Freelance Writing Niches

As a rule, it’s a good idea to specialize in niches as a freelance content writer. This means that you specialize in areas where you know your stuff or have a lot of experience to share.

By sharing this knowledge, you help others learn more about the things that interest them.

When you have clear niches, it’s usually easy to get more work. People see that you’re an expert in your field and hire you because they assume you know what you’re talking about.

They also find you more easily online, where they can consult your resume, work samples, and other information.

Having niches also makes writing articles much easier and faster!

Remember that certain niches pay more money for content writers than others. For example, writing SEO articles, medical newsletters, or articles for the legal industry, provided you have the necessary qualifications and expertise.

Writing Mindset

It’s a good idea to cultivate a consistent and helpful mindset as a writer.

This is important because it allows you to approach writing assignments with a certain amount of composure.

Writing daily is a helpful way to approach things. This allows the writer to write something every day, even if it’s just a few sentences, and then edit and rewrite it. It helps the writer develop his/her content writing skill.

A good attitude is also important.

No matter what your experience as a writer, it’s important to remember that no one is perfect and that you can always learn.

If you don’t have any experience as a writer, don’t worry. No one knows everything about writing when they start out. Most experienced writers will tell you that they’re still learning something new every day.

If you want to write for a living, you need to realize that writing is a business, and it’s important to approach the work with the right attitude. That doesn’t mean all work and no play!

If you’re working, you’ll probably be sitting at the computer for hours, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.

Learning to write can be an exciting adventure. It’s fun to see your first articles published, whether it’s on a blog or in an online magazine.

Even if you’ve been writing for a while, it’s fun to see your earnings grow. It’s not easy to get money and work. So when you’re successful, you’ve to appreciate it. That’s part of the business of being a writer.

The benefits of writing every day include the following:

  • You can work on a regular schedule, so you can plan your life around your writing.
  • You can write a specific workload every day.
  • You’ll have a regular number of articles with which to build a portfolio.
  • You’ll have a regular number of articles that you can submit to online magazines and other publications. This will help you build a good reputation.

Know What to Write

When you set out to write a text, it’s important that you know what you want to write. In this respect, content writing is very different from writing fiction, for example.

When you’re writing content, you need to know what your message is and how you want to present it.

So before you start writing, you need to do some research and ask yourself some questions.

  • What’s the topic?
  • How will you approach the topic?
  • How will you structure the article?
  • Where will you publish the article?
  • How exactly do you want to be in the article?
  • How will you format the article?

These questions and the decisions you make will help you write high-quality content.

Stick to the Point

You may be tempted to write about something other than the subject of a particular article or content job, but you need to learn to focus on your message and stay on point.

This is a crucial part of being a content writer. You need to find a way to stay focused on the topic you’ve been assigned, and you also need to keep your audience engaged.

You need to keep your content clear and concise. Only talk about what’s relevant to the article!

The best way to do this is to figure out the main topic of the article and use it as a guide throughout the writing process.

  • Focus on the main topic of the article.
  • What do you want to achieve with the article?
  • What’s the main argument of the article?
  • What’s the main reason someone wants to read the article (the “search intent”)?

This is easier if you have a clear topic and audience.

If you know what you want to say and who you’re addressing, you can approach the topic from different angles, but you’ll still be able to get to the heart of your text.

Provide Value

Writing valuable content means that

a) the text is valuable to the audience, and b) it’s useful to the company for whom you are writing (which might be your own).

Content writing is a valuable business, and if you learn how to create valuable content, you’ll be able to make a good income from it.

When you think about what you’re sharing with your audience, make sure you’re giving them the information they can use.

For example, if you’re writing about how to bake the perfect apple pie, make sure you provide information about what ingredients are needed, how to mix them together, how to bake the pie, etc.

You need to make sure that your readers can use the information you give them. You’re not doing anyone a favor by giving them the information they can’t use!

Don’t Choose Random Topics

You might think that a website content writer will sit down and pick a topic out of a hat. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Each topic is chosen with a clear goal in mind.

Whether it’s to get more organic search traffic to a website, with SEO writing to get backlinks that improve SEO rankings, to generate leads for a company’s products or services, to promote a company’s products or services, or to drive traffic to a company’s landing page.

It can also be about increasing leads for a business, establishing a new brand name, making people aware of the brand, or selling a product.

It can also be about getting people to sign up for a mailing list or download a free eBook.

You get the point. Each topic is chosen with a specific goal in mind.

It’s important to be aware of this because it’ll help you write more effectively.

Pay Attention to Keywords

Even if as a writer you get an assignment where the keyword research is already done for you, it’s still important to think about the keywords when writing a content piece.

If you don’t include the keywords in the article, the article isn’t technically optimized for the keyword and someone searching for that keyword may not find the article even if your article is the best answer to their question.

Keywords help you structure your article and focus on the main topic.

For example, if you’re writing an article about how to make a perfect organic smoothie, you will need to know what’re the most important keywords for this article.

Don’t Keyword Stuff

You need to avoid the so-called ‘keyword stuffing’ in your work.

Keyword stuffing is when you don’t focus on the topic of the content piece, but try to pack in as many keywords as possible.

Content writing is all about creating the best content possible. If you try to cram keywords into an article without structuring it thematically, you’re doing yourself (and your client and readers) a disservice.

You should only use keywords when they naturally fit the topic. For example, if you’re writing about organic smoothies, make sure you use words like “organic” and “smoothie.”

Match Search Intent

The best way to meet search intent is to really understand what the person searching for the keyword is trying to find. Think about how and why they searched for the keyword.

In other words:

  • Why are they searching for the keyword?
  • What do they want to accomplish with the information?
  • What’ll they do with the information after they read it?

Your goal as a content creator should be to provide the most comprehensive and helpful answer to the search query.

Get to the Point

As a rule, it’s a good idea to avoid long, wordy introductions.

Get straight to the point.

The same advice applies to paragraphs. Keep them short and to the point.

Because your main goal is to give your audience the information they’re looking for, and you don’t want to tell them over much. Whether they match a buyer persona or are simply looking for information.

Your job is to get right to the heart of the matter.

Write only the words that are necessary to get your message across!

Sometimes it can be a really good idea to tell a story in an article.

However, if you do this, you should make sure that you tell the story in a way that serves the purpose you want to achieve.

For example, if you’re writing about the organic smoothie mentioned above, you could also tell a story about how you learned about the health benefits of smoothies.

Efficient Research

Efficient research is at the heart of any good writing. You need to find a way to research in such a way that you don’t get bogged down in details.

Avoid rabbit holes!

Remember, you only have a limited amount of time to write your content, so you need to be able to research quickly and effectively.

The best way to do this is to use a combination of online and offline tools.

  • Start with free sources like Wikipedia. Find the best sources of information on the topic.
  • Use crowdsourcing websites like Quora to ask experts about the topic.
  • Use Google to refine your search for information.
  • Use tools like Answer the Public to find out what questions people are really asking.
  • Tools like SEMRush can help you find out what keywords people are searching for.

Don’t ignore personal experience and experiments.

Let’s say you’re writing about boomerangs and you want to know how to throw them most effectively and efficiently.

The best way to do your research might be to start throwing boomerangs yourself!

In other words, go out and buy a boomerang and use it for several weeks.

This way you’ll get a good understanding of how the boomerang moves through the air and what’s an effective and what’s an ineffective boomerang throw.

You can develop a much better understanding of what you want to write about, and some fun stories, that will make it much easier to write a quality article.

Avoid Plagiarism

It’s critical to be clear about what plagiarism is.

Plagiarism is when you copy another person’s work and pass it off as your own.

When writing content for clients, you need to make sure that you never plagiarize someone else’s work or ideas.

Back up your work with your own research and opinion.

If you take the example above – the boomerang – you could simply copy and paste the information you find on the Internet about boomerangs into your content.

That would be plagiarism.

It’s important that you build on your research, expand it, and improve it. Never simply copy and paste information from other sources.

Cite your sources properly. Either with direct links in the body text or with a list of sources.

If you use a quote from a book or article, put it in quotation marks.

Understand Fair Use

Fair use means that you use copyrighted material without the author’s permission, but only for a limited and “reasonable” purpose, and that you use only as much of the copyrighted material as is necessary for your purpose, and that you credit the source of the material.

You use a copyrighted work for a limited and “transformative” purpose.

The copyright owner can still sue you if you use content without permission, but if you use it according to the rules of fair use, you aren’t technically in violation of copyright.

Mastering Opening Lines

Opening lines are very important when writing content. Whether it’s the beginning of a text or the beginning of a story, the opening is what draws your audience in.

It’s your way of grabbing the reader’s attention and enticing them to read the whole story.

Opening lines can pique the curiosity and interest of your readers and/or customers.

You make them wonder, “What’s going on here? I want to find out.”

That’s why you should avoid clunky, boring, and tedious opening sentences.

Remember that you want your text to grab the attention of your target audience and captivate them.

For example, if you’re writing a testimonial, you could start with a bold statement like “This product has changed my life”.

You can start with a question or a statistic or fact.

The most important thing is that you grab the reader’s attention. The first words – together with its headline – are the most important part of your article.

You can write captivating content, but if you don’t manage to grab the reader’s attention with the first line, they won’t read to the end of the first paragraph.

Imagine writing an article about how to throw a boomerang.

You could write:

“The best way to throw a boomerang isn’t to throw the boomerang.”

This is a snappy, creative, and interesting opening line. You can use it to grab the reader’s attention and get them excited about the article.

Get Great at Outlining

The more content you write, the better you’ll get at creating an outline quickly.

You’ll reach a point where you’re able to write a full article in a few minutes.

That doesn’t mean you’ll be able to write a great article in a few minutes, but you’ll be able to formulate the outline of an article in a few minutes.

It means that you’ll know all the important points of the article and you’ll be able to write those points down quickly.

The reason why you should write your outline quickly is that you want to make sure that you get to the heart of your ideas and concepts quickly.

In my opinion, there’s nothing better than mind mapping to quickly and easily outline your ideas and concepts and then flesh them out into a full text.

The advantage of a mind map is that you can easily see how all the ideas and concepts relate to each other.

This way you can make sure you cover all the areas and provide the most benefit to your readers.

You should always write the title in the middle of the mind map. Then you should write down the most important points and arrange them around the title.

Once I’ve outlined and restructured the article in the mind map, I export it as markdown and take it into my favorite text editor. With markdown, all the branches and sub-branches of the mind map appear as headings in the text.

Write…a LOT

When you start writing content, guess what? You actually have to write!

A lot of it.

I’d recommend at least a thousand words a day, but that’s only for beginners. If you’re a veteran, I’d recommend at least two thousand words a day.

Part of that’s making a schedule for yourself and committing to putting in the hours.

Personally, I write at least 4,000 words a day. It’s a discipline.

The more you write, the better you get.

It’s not always easy. It’s not always fun.

But it’s necessary.

You’ll get better.

You’ll become faster.

You’ll get better at developing ideas.

You’ll get better at organizing your ideas.

You’ll get better at writing.

You’ll get better at writing complete content.

Over time, your skills will improve.

So don’t give up after one, two, or three posts.

Keep writing.

And keep improving.

Have a Writing Den

Having your own place to write will help you get ready to write. If you get up, go to a specific area, and start writing, it’ll be much more effective than if you write in the same area where you do all your other tasks.

When you get up and go to a specific area, you can concentrate better. It makes you more productive.

It makes you a better professional content writer.

You can create your own space in different ways. You could set up a home office. You could set aside a room in your house for that purpose. You could set up a special room in one part of your house.

The most important thing is that you create a space specifically for writing.

This will help you start writing, get in the writing mood, and get the most done.

Time Management and Tracking

Since I use a Mac, the wonderful Session app is very useful for keeping track of time and remembering to take breaks.

However, there are many ways to track how much time you spend writing and how much time you spend on each article or piece of content.

If you get your time management right, you can become more efficient.

I recommend the Pomodoro Technique, where you work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break.

First, try to write for 25 minutes at a time and then take a break.

Then increase the time you write.

Then extend the break time.

Remember that writing is only part of the job. You usually need to allow time for other tasks as well, such as research, editing, and formatting.

Master a Variety of Writing Styles

If you’re freelancing, it’s helpful to develop different writing styles that fit the tone and style of the publication you’re working for.

This will also help you build an impressive writing portfolio.

For example, if you’re writing a business-related blog post, you’ll need to develop a slightly different writing style than if you’re writing an article for a lifestyle magazine.

Each of these publications has a different target market.

Therefore, the tone of the article will be different, as will the way the article is structured.

Freelance writers who work with a variety of publications and learn to develop a unique writing style for each publication are more valuable to a variety of clients.

In my blog, I use a light, modern, and sometimes humorous tone.

In some of my assignments, I use a formal, academic style.

On some other assignments, I use a playful style.

You shouldn’t use the same writing style for all your projects.

You should make sure you use the style that best suits your audience.

Compelling Content Using the Right Words

As you progress with content writing, you’ll start to acquire knowledge about copywriting.

Although content writing is different than copywriting, it can be helpful to incorporate a little copywriting into your content. This way, you’ll create more compelling writing.

For example, you could use a headline that’s identical to the headline of a direct response ad. Or you could use a call to action that would appear in a direct response ad. Or you could create a list that’s in the style of a direct response ad.

You don’t have to do any of that, but you can.

Don’t try to copy a direct response copywriter. Instead, learn from the best and use some of the techniques to create better content.

Get Good at Editing

The ability to quickly hack into a first draft to see the forest for the trees is really valuable.

In most cases, content is better when it’s a little shorter.

Aim to cut 15 to 20 percent of your first draft.

Remember, you shouldn’t edit the first draft while you’re still in the writing flow.

You should set it aside and come back with fresh eyes.

If you’re looking for a really good first revision solution, I recommend taking a look at Instatext . With the ability to correct an entire text with one click and choose the tone and region, it’s a really cool tool. One of the benefits is that it helps keep tone and style consistent.

At a later stage of editing, I use Grammarly Premium to make fine corrections (although I find that it’s often too tedious to make all the suggested changes – I reserve that for particularly valuable content).

Format Like Your Life Depended on It

If you publish your articles in WordPress (and I recommend using the built-in Gutenberg for this), make sure the article is easy to read for users reading it on a mobile device.

The best way to do this is to reduce the size of the window you’re working in to mimic the proportions of the mobile device in portrait mode.

Be Easy to Read

People don’t want to read difficult content. They want to read great content that they can understand quickly.

If you’re writing for the web, you need to make sure you’re able to write quality content in a way that’s accessible, but at the same time educates, informs, and entertains.

Hemingway App is a great tool to make sure you’re writing in a way that’s easy to understand. There’s a readability score based on Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level.

I like this app because it provides a clear, clean, and quick assessment of a text’s readability.

The tool tells you if you’re using the passive voice, how many words are in each sentence, and how hard the text is to read.

Quotes Away

A great way to spice up your written content is to use relevant quotes.

Make sure you attribute the quote, of course!

Best tools for Content Writing

For a whole article on content writing tools, check out this article I wrote recently.

Finding Work and Money as a Content Writer

Maybe you want to make money writing content as a freelancer.

In that case, I’d advise you to find online publications in your niche, read them, see what they write about, and then approach those publications about publishing content you want to write for them.

Regardless of your level, you can always approach companies in your niche and offer your services.

You might find employment in a content writing company (or set up a content writing business yourself!), Watch out that it is not a content mill, that might wear you down and degrade your skills.

As a freelancer, start small, take on jobs you’re confident you can do, and build a client base.

There are certain marketplaces that have a good reputation, including WriterAccess, ProBlogger, and some of the gigs on Upwork.

The problem with some of these sites is that you can get lost in the crowd, and it can be difficult to get the attention of the companies you’d like to work with.

Still, you can find a freelance writing job on these sites , and they can help you earn an income.

If you can get copywriting jobs, they generally will pay more than content writing.

Have a Portfolio

One of the best ways to build a portfolio and get freelance writing jobs is to set up a blog and write regularly.

You can use your articles as writing samples. If you have a blog, people can see how well you write.

Remember that not all jobs are right for you, and not all clients are either. You have the absolute right to turn down a job if the client is too demanding or if you suspect that payment won’t be made on time or at all.

A quick Google check on potential employers can work wonders!

For your part, act like a professional. Deliver what you promise, build a reputation for quality work, and for quick revisions (within reason). Make sure you follow content guidelines and client instructions to the letter.

Have and Keep Goals

Keep SMART goals in mind when planning which assignments to accept and which to reject. SMART goals mean that the objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.

When writing, it can be easy to get lost in the words and lose sight of the overall context of the business. This is another good reason to measure the time it takes you to write certain types of content.

Your goal should usually be to increase the number of words per hour.

Dictation can be a great way to achieve this, as can an AI writing assistant like Sudowrite (which I’m using to write this article!).

Keep reviewing your goals throughout your freelance writing career.

How do I get started writing content from home?

The best way to start writing content from home is to create and grow a blog and then do freelance work for online publications. You can also approach certain companies and ask if you can offer your services.

How can I start writing content with no experience?

If you don’t have experience, you can start writing content by writing for your own blog and then using that blog for assignments.

What’re the basics of content writing?

The most important thing when writing content is that the content is relevant to the target audience and that it can be found.

What’s SEO Content Writing?

SEO Content Writing is the art and craft of writing content so that it’s seen by search engines and ranks well in search engines.

What’s the format in content writing?

The format in writing content is to make it as readable, accessible, and exciting as possible. If you can do that, you’ll do well in content writing.

What are types of content writing?

Types of content writing include blog posts, web content, articles, reviews, e-books, magazines, white papers, videos, scripts, technical writing, digital content, and presentations.

What are content writing examples?

You can find good content writing examples at major publishers like Mashable, Forbes, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, Inc, Business Insider. Pick a topic that interests you and read through some of the articles. Look at how they’re formatted, how they’re written, and what grabs your attention.

What are good Content Writing courses?

There are a number of good online courses to learn content writing. I’d be crazy not to mention my own: The Content Writing Course on Udemy.

MARKETING INSIGHTS

10 tips for creating awesome website content that drives traffic

  • Dec 4, 2019

When it comes to using a website builder, your content should be your main priority. You don’t have to take our word for it though, you can look at the facts: Over one-third of visitors will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive.

Attractive website content is written with both the readers and SEO in mind. And if you want to capture the attention you rightfully deserve, you’re going to need to put forth some effort. But don’t worry, you’re not in it alone.

We’ve compiled the following 10 tips on writing website content that will help you boost your traffic and conversion rates:

Get to know your audience

Provide value

Optimize your content

Sprinkle in website links

Keep it short and simple

Apply the inverted pyramid method

Avoid using jargon

Vary your word choices

Use calls-to-action

Make it visually pleasing

01. Get to know your audience

Having an understanding of who you’re speaking to is something that you might’ve addressed back when you decided to start a business. Establishing how you will voice your offerings when you’re writing for the web takes that effort one step further. These words are meant to sell something, whether that’s an idea, product, or service. And in order to do that, you’ll have to talk your audience’s language.

Consider your target market: What do they look like? Where are they from? What is their age range? What are their common interests? Etc. Write the answers to these questions down so that as you go through the proceeding tips and perfect your website content, you can keep this community at the front of your mind.

02. Provide value

It’s not enough to be a great writer who transcribes elegant text. You need to be able to provide value through your chosen words and copywriting. And now that you know who your audience is, you’ll want to speak directly to them and their interests. Ask yourself, “Would my targeted visitors care about this sentence?” for each and every line you write. Restructure your words to align with their desires, to fix their problems, and to spark their curiosity.

You should also consider the current Internet trends of content from relevant and popular blogs. Use these publications as inspiration for your own work - whether that’s your homepage text or your written blog posts. Find a way to do it better than them. In turn, you’ll become a natural salesman.

03. Optimize your content

A great website full of targeted, valuable content is cool and all, but it’s unfortunately not going to get you noticed. Why? It’s apparent that you’ve worked so hard? What could you have possibly forgotten?

Enter: Search Engine Optimization, or SEO as the cool kids like to call it. SEO is the process of using several techniques to get your website ranking higher in specific keyword search results on search engines. These SEO tools will support you in your mission to befriend Google and the likes.

You’ll want to focus the grunt of your efforts on keywords. First, figure out what your keywords are, and then make them your soulmate. In other words, do keyword research to discover the popular terms associated with the theme of your website, such as “fashion boutique” or “artisan pies.” Then, like you would with your soulmate, drop their name into sentences whenever possible. Even mention them in the places where it might seem like no one is listening, such as your website’s description, your blog posts’ meta data, and the alt text of your images. Although your visitors haven’t directly noticed these sly moves, the search engines did, and they are the ones that evaluate your website’s value and relevance.

How to use SEO for website content

04. Sprinkle in website links

While we’re on the topic of SEO, you’ll want to also understand the power of linking. Linking to outside traffic sources (external linking) will help these search engines validate the credibility of your web content. It will also help you make friends with other site owners on the web, and improve the chances that they will want to link back to you.

Don’t just link to anyone though. You’ll want to first of all link to credible sources. Secondly, you’ll want to link to them only when it amplifies the strength of your content marketing strategy. For example, linking to stated facts and statistics, which will go far in legitimizing your content.

Through another process known as internal linking (or linking to your own pages), you’ll also experience great benefits. You can simplify your content and encourage readers to navigate the depths of your site by referencing blog posts and different site pages from one to the other. This will allow you to avoid saying too much in one area, which you’ll see in the next section can unfortunately deter favorable engagement rates.

05. Keep it short and simple

You’ve probably browsed at least one personal blog in your life with an ‘About’ page that’s a lengthy personalized summary. You might even mistake it for a short novel. Unless that was your BFF’s page, you undoubtedly skimmed it in a few seconds or disregarded it completely.

Let’s be frank. We all do love to write about ourselves and our businesses. We are proud and have so much to say about everything we stand focopyr and all that we’ve accomplished. Yet, many of us tend to go on rants, which can be put an end to our high traffic hopes. No one wants that. So work on your content writing and make sure it is direct and straightforward to heighten the chances that it will get read all the way through.

Know that you don’t have to say everything here. In fact, in blog articles alone, 75% of readers prefer that posts are under 1,000 words . And likewise, you should keep things tempting by leaving your readers always wanting more.

06. Apply the inverted pyramid method

The inverted pyramid starts with the most important pieces of information, and then slowly declines in the order of priority - just in case your readers are lazy scrollers. So, begin by ranking your content to understand how to apply this method to your own work.

When you formulate your structure, still take into account organization and logic. Think of a story: Your title, your intro, and so forth. If done correctly, you’ll reap the rewards. This method is known to grab attention fast and keep it.

07. Avoid using jargon

Jargon is the inside jokes between you and the other parties in your industry. It’s specific to you, but meaningless to most website visitors. Assume that the people who land on your site have never heard of your brand before or anything slightly related to it. Speak to them with words that are simple and easy to understand. This will enlarge the size of the potential audience that will read your content. With this in mind, writing evergreen content with topics that maintain consistent interest and search volume over time is a great way to ensure your material is relevant and appropriate for years to come.

08. Vary your word choices

This tip is as straightforward as your content should be. Readers don’t want to hear the same thing said over and over again. So except for your consistent use of keywords throughout your website content, change up your wording choices. For example, you don’t always have to say “buy,” you can sometimes say “purchase,” or “shop.”

To make sure you didn’t favor one word more than the rest, it’s best to have a friend or colleague go over your almost final content and look out for repetition. Also download one of our favorite Chrome Extensions , Power Thesaurus , so that you always have your alternative word choices available on hand.

09. Use calls-to-action

This step ensures that your content is effective. In fact, it’s so powerful that it’s the mission your words are driven behind. A CTA is the action item of what you want readers to do after you get them on your site, or the shiny button that you’ll want them to click on.

For instance, if your mission is to get readers to your newsletter, the microcopy on your CTA could read “Subscribe to our mailing list.” If it’s to get them to buy something, your CTA could be “Shop our store.”

As you can see in these examples, the CTA is very straightforward. You’ll want to use language of this sort, while potentially also evoking emotions through your own flare. Don’t stray aware from your brand’s personality though. It’s important to stay authentic throughout.

10. Make it visually pleasing

The clock is always ticking, and time is of the essence. Why does that matter for your web content, though? Well, given 15 minutes, a popular Adobe study found that 66% of people would prefer to consume content that’s beautifully designed versus simple and plain.

Grab attention with intriguing design. Beginning with your words, break them up into paragraphs, bulleted and numbered lists, and add in white space to allow it to breathe. Then consider your overall site’s layout. Always be on the lookout for trends, and browse your favorite websites to understand what’s working these days, from oversized fonts to split up screens and more. Understand what kind of images users respond to - infographics , for example, is also important here.

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What is Content Writing? (Beginners Guide)

Content writing is an excellent career opportunity with plenty of opportunities to be creative, work with new people, and earn a good salary.

Alex Chris

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What Is Content Writing?

Content writing is the process of planning, writing, and publishing web content to satisfy the needs of a specific audience. The aim is to share valuable information to earn customer trust, improve engagement, and establish credibility in your niche.

What Does a Content Writer Do?

A content writer creates written material for websites, blogs, and other digital media. They engage and inform audiences through well-researched and compelling content.

The fundamental role of a content writer starts with understanding the target audience of the company they’re writing for. The best content writers know how to adjust their tone of voice and marketing efforts to suit the expectations of their target audience.

Some of the tasks a content writer may be responsible for include:

Keyword research: While some companies have separate SEO experts responsible for keyword research, good content writers should have the skills to perform keyword research and identify terms and phrases to use in the content.

Content strategy: Content writers can work solo or with content marketing specialists and assist in developing an end-to-end content strategy. This could involve determining what kind of content to create for each channel.

Content writing: Perhaps the most important role of a content writer is actually creating content. Content writers create everything from blog posts to web pages on behalf of a client.

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Proofreading and editing: Some content writers do all of their proofreading and editing themselves.

Publishing: Content writers will usually be able to upload their content to various platforms. This could mean adding posts to a WordPress site and scheduling them.

How To Become a Content Writer

The key to successfully starting a job in content writing is developing your skills and gaining as much experience as possible. Here are some steps for beginners to start with content writing with no experience:

  • Enroll in a course
  • Practice your writing skills
  • Develop complementary skills
  • Find your niche
  • Build your experience

1. Enroll in a course

While you don’t need a specific content writing degree to get into this industry, a content marketing certification or a digital marketing certification can be useful.

Enrolling in an online course is an excellent way to develop some of the necessary skills you’ll need to impress and attract potential clients. You can even get a copywriting certificate to add to your resume.

When looking for suitable courses, focus on the aspects of content writing you’re most interested in. For instance, if you want to get involved with content writing from an SEO perspective, look at courses covering digital marketing , SEO Courses , and writing.

You may decide to take a selection of different courses to build out the appropriate skillset.

2. Practice your writing skills

Many people aspire to be writers, particularly when they have a creative mind and a talent for language. However, only a handful of hobbyists turn their skills into a profession.

The only way to actively pursue your career in content writing is to begin practicing. It takes many hours to become the kind of writer a professional team or business would want to hire.

Begin by writing blogs for your own website, where you can advertise your skill, collect testimonials, and build a portfolio over time.

You can also get involved with online writing forums and groups to gain inspiration. You could even volunteer your writing services to publications you like. This will help to build your skills while getting your name out there.

Our Content Marketing Course will teach you everything you need to know about content writing.

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3. Develop complementary skills

Writing is the most important talent you’ll need to become a professional content writer.

However, there are other skills that can come in handy and improve your chances of getting the attention of potential clients. For instance, you’ll need fantastic communication skills to interact with clients and companies you work with.

Learning how to convey your ideas effectively to a wide audience will be essential as a content writer.

You’ll also need good research skills. Ensure you know how to track down credible sources of information when developing your career as a content writer.

Other complementary skills may include:

  • SEO : Most companies want their content writers to have some basic search engine optimization .
  • Problem-solving : Problem-solving skills will help you to come up with unique ways of using content to address the needs of your clients.
  • Adaptability : The ability to adapt, constantly grow, and develop new skills is essential to a content writer. The tools you use to convert customers for your audience will likely change over time, so be ready to evolve frequently in your career.

4. Find your niche

While some content writers and copywriters will work on a broad range of topics across a wide variety of companies and industries, a general approach can make it difficult to stand out.

You may find you can reach a wider audience and spend more time on work you actually enjoy with a niche.

Focusing on a specific area of specialization could mean you work best for companies in the healthcare or technology industry. The more you focus on this space, the more you develop your reputation and attract potential future clients.

Alternatively, your niche could involve looking at a specific aspect of content writing. You might be particularly good at writing engaging blog posts, creating social media content, or producing whitepapers for technical companies.

5. Build your experience

Finally, the most important thing that matters to people planning on hiring a content writer is usually experience. Your future employers want to see evidence you have skills in your space.

The best way to begin building experience as a content writer is to create a portfolio of work you can share with your employers. These are basically examples of your content in the form of ad mock-ups, blog posts, and social media campaign ideas.

Once you have your portfolio and you’re posting regularly on your own website blog, look for opportunities to branch out and gain more experience.

Contributing to reputable sites, even if you don’t get paid for it, will help to demonstrate your writing skills. You can also consider offering clients a discount price in exchange for a review when you finish their project.

Content Writing Tips

Follow these tips to become better a content writing.

1. Write content for all the stages of the marketing funnel

Content marketers use content to direct prospects through the different stages of the digital marketing sales funnel . Each stage of the customer journey requires a different approach to content.

Digital Marketing Funnel

For example, during the awareness stage ( top of the funnel ), your content would aim to inform and attract customers.

During the consideration stage, you highlight the benefits of your products or services against competitors.

At the bottom of the funnel, you write content to convince customers to purchase a product or perform a desired action.

2. Always do your research

Research is vital for content for a variety of reasons. First, you need to conduct research to determine who you’re writing for.

The best content writers cultivate a specific voice to speak to a certain audience. The more you understand your customer, the more you can connect with that person on an emotional level – generating conversions.

It’s also important to research any information you will be writing about. Factual, credible information is key in content production, even if your writing is primarily for entertainment purposes.

Studies show if a brand generates fake content about products or services, around 59% of customers will stop buying from this company immediately.

To make your content as compelling as possible, research:

  • Your subject matter: Learn as much as possible about the topic and use references to reputable sources to give your work credibility.
  • Customers: Know your audience. Building buyer personas and understanding how customers respond to different content at various stages in the consumer journey will improve conversions on a significant scale.
  • Competitors: Understanding what your competitors produce in terms of content will give you some valuable inspiration. It also helps when you’re trying to make your content unique from what’s already available on the market.

3. Master the critical components of content

Every piece of content is constructed with a series of different elements. For written content, specific components are more important to capturing and converting customers than others. For instance, you’ll need:

Head-turning headlines: Headlines determine whether your audience will bother reading the rest of the article, eBook, or any other content you produce.

If your headline isn’t engaging, readers will just hit the back button. Engaging headlines are thought-provoking and interesting.

How to Write Great Headlines

Try techniques like using numbers to demonstrate authority, such as “98% of marketers say…” or asking questions: “Do you know these email marketing tricks?”

A compelling hook: You only have a matter of seconds to keep readers engaged after they’ve read your headline. The first sentence or two is crucial in keeping your audience’s attention. Make sure you get this first section right.

Stay clear and focused: Don’t confuse your audience with a hundred different ideas in one piece of content. Focus on a specific topic and concentrate on giving your customers plenty of actionable advice to walk away with.

Remember, use a tone of voice specific to your target audience and the persona you’re writing for. This will help to make your content more compelling to the right people.

4. Edit and optimize everything you write

Finally, great content takes work. Most content writers don’t publish the first version of the piece they write. Taking the time to read through the content is crucial.

Remember, any grammatical error or unusual sentence can confuse your audience and send them running in the opposite direction.

Often, it’s helpful to have a separate proofreader on hand when creating content because they can examine your work objectively and spot things you’ve missed. Other ways to enhance your work include:

Checking for content SEO : Have you used keywords naturally and organically throughout the post? Are there internal links for page connections on your site and external links for credibility? Have you optimized your H1 tag , meta tags, headlines, and title tags?

Content SEO

Examining readability: Is your content divided into logical segments? Have you got subheadings to guide your reader, short paragraphs, and plenty of bullet points? Keep everything as clean as possible to improve readability.

Looking at relevancy: Is every part of your content as relevant as it should be? Can you remove anything that isn’t useful to your audience?

Content Writing Examples

The most common forms of content a content writer may be asked to create are:

Blogging: Blogs are a central part of building a strong content strategy . They can convey ideas about products and your brand while highlighting your thought leadership. Blogs can also be useful for SEO purposes, building organic traffic , and raising brand awareness.

Email: Writing content for emails can help to convert customers, as well as generate better engagement for your business. Email marketing also helps to build loyalty and strengthen your opportunities for repeat purchases.

Social media: Social channels require content writers to communicate various ideas and campaigns as effectively as possible.

Product content: Selling products and services requires a unique set of writing skills. You’ll have to balance sales copy with storytelling and SEO strategies.

Brand journalism: PR news releases, customer and brand stories, and internal communications can all require the support and guidance of a content writer.

Whitepapers and eBooks: Content writers can help to produce highly technical and professional content that requires a focus on a specific subject. This helps to strengthen the authority of the brand.

Video scripts: If scripts are required to create videos or even podcasts for a company’s branding purposes, a content writer can assist with this.

Content Types

How Much Do Content Writers Get Paid?

The average salary for a content writer (1-4 years of experience) is around $52,000 per year in the US. Experienced content writers (10-19 years of experience) may earn around $60,000 annually.

Content Writer Annual Salary

Indeed.com says content writers earn around $20.76 per hour. Your exact earnings will depend on your area of specialization and the kind of companies you work with regularly.

Should You Become a Content Writer?

Content writing can be a highly engaging and satisfying job role for many people. It’s an exciting career with plenty of opportunities to be creative, work with new people, and develop your skills. However, it also requires significant dedication and hard work.

If you have a way with words and you know how to produce content that speaks to people, a content writing position could be ideal for you.

Alex Chris

Alex Chris is a digital marketing consultant, author, and instructor. He has more than 18 years of practical experience with SEO and digital marketing. Alex holds an MSc Degree in eCommerce and has consulted with Fortune 500 companies in different industries. He blogs regularly about SEO and Digital marketing, and his work has been referenced by leading marketing websites. Connect with Alex on Twitter and LinkedIn .

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November 25, 2023 at 8:21 pm

I learned a lot more about Content writing in this short article than I have learned about it in the past four years after completing my Digital Marketing Certificate course in 2019. The article is rich, lucid, and engaging to the last sentence. Wonderful work and honest help to people who need to get started on content writing as a career.

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Writing for the Web: A Beginner’s Guide

Hands typing on a laptop with title overlay

Strong web writing skills are a key component of successful digital marketing strategy and effective search engine optimization (SEO). Though writing for the web encompasses a wide variety of different content, crafting the right kind of content is especially important for blog and website platforms. Writing for the web has its own set of best practices and style guidelines, especially because readers interact with web content differently than traditional text. For example, only around 16 percent of site visitors read web content in full . And according to the Nielsen Norman Group, about 80 percent of site visitors scan web content rather than reading it word by word.

How to Write for the Web

Add to these statistics the fact that most only scroll to the halfway point on a webpage , and brands have their work cut out for them in terms of connecting with the reader through content marketing. Why spend the time and resources to craft high-quality content if no one is reading it? This is the challenge facing marketers today. The good news is that there are ways to effectively reach modern readers — and hold their attention. It all starts with keeping copy concise, scannable and objective. The following are some of the key features of successful web writing.

Inverted Pyramid Structure

Arguably the most important element of writing for the web is presenting information in a way that makes sense for the reader. Inverted pyramid structure, long used by journalists because it gets to the point quickly, puts the primary information first. Supporting information comes after, and the least important elements are at the end of the text. “Journalists have long adhered to the inverse approach : start the article by telling the reader the conclusion … readers can stop at any time and will still get the most important parts of the article,” the Nielsen Norman Group says. This means that writers should leave “deep content” for the relatively small number of readers who make it to the end of a piece, Moz says. This approach allows writers to prioritize information, and readers to choose how much detail they need on the topic: “Very interested readers will scroll, and these few motivated souls will reach the foundation of the pyramid and get the full story,” the Nielsen Norman Group explains.

Inverted pyramid shape indicating where primary, secondary and deep content should live on a webpage.

Scannable Content

In addition to presenting the most important information first, web content should be easy to scan. Users rarely read to the end of content, so it is important to format text in a way that allows them to find the information they are looking for quickly and easily. Elements like headers, bold and highlighted text, bulleted lists, graphics, captions and more accomplish this. Enchanting Marketing offers the following (helpfully, bulleted) list of questions to evaluate whether your content is scannable to readers :

  • Does your headline communicate what you’re about?
  • Does your image caption communicate a message?
  • Do your sub headlines summarize your key points?
  • Do easy-to-scan bullet points reduce wordiness?

In general, “Your web visitor is hunting for information or products. Ensure he can understand your most important information by just glancing at your web page,” the same post says.

Concise Text

Because readers are looking to find information as quickly as possible, writing concise text is another key component of successful web writing. Users don’t stay on a page for very long. This is why marketers measure “bounce rate,” or the percentage of visitors who navigate away from content. To hold reader interest as well as maximize time on site, be as concise as possible. According to Buffer, the ideal length for a blog post is seven minutes , or 1,600 words. And for posts that incorporate many photos or other graphic elements, the average word count should be closer to 1,000. Though research varies from site to site , this gives content creators a good idea of what to aim for. Once again, Enchanting Marketing has provided a helpful checklist for keeping content short and sweet:

  • Use short paragraphs
  • Use short sentences
  • Skip unnecessary words
  • Avoid jargon
  • Avoid the passive [voice]
  • Avoid needless repetition
  • Use the word “you”

Aside from actually writing less content, a good way to keep readers’ attention is to break up text into short paragraphs that can be easily scanned and digested. This works in tandem with concise text to ensure the user views as much content as possible.

Objective Language

Users want content to be easy to understand, and another way to accomplish this is by writing in a conversational, informal tone. Ensuring that your tone is objective makes information easier to process. Avoid overly promotional messaging because it makes users question the credibility of the content itself : “questioning the credibility of promotional statements seems to distract users from processing the meaning,” the Nielsen Norman Group says. This is also why Enchanting Marketing warns against using “clever phrasing.” Web writing should be as simple and easy to follow as possible. “Web visitors quickly glance at your web page before guessing whether they’re in the right place or not,” Enchanting Marketing says. “They just want to make a quick decision.”

One way to make your content more readable without sacrificing valuable information is to incorporate hypotext. According to Dejan Marketing, hypotext is “a way of revealing content on-demand. It acts like a traditional link, but it doesn’t interrupt user experience by sending readers to another page. Once clicked, the extra information is injected into a desired spot in the page. Another click hides it away.” By showing the most important parts of the content, readers can create their own experience. The same article provides several benefits of hypotext:

  • Supports easy scanning and better content overview by removing visual clutter
  • Encourages content consumption through low word count
  • On-demand information retrieval enables interactivity and personalization
  • Users stay on the page they’re reading, which minimizes interruption

From a content strategy perspective, hypotext also allows the writer to include more detailed information as an option while remaining concise.

As effective web writing becomes more and more important to overall marketing strategy, the volume of content being created is increasing at an unprecedented rate, according to Dejan Marketing. From blog posts to advertorials, opinion pieces and lists, the web is home to a wide variety of content competing for user attention. But if marketers can incorporate the best practices covered here, they stand to benefit from the world of opportunity that content marketing presents.

Creating optimized, high-quality content is one of the foundations of modern marketing strategy. If you are interested in topics like these that are relevant to the marketing industry, consider Concordia University, St. Paul’s online marketing degree program.

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Content Writing Tips for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide

James Parsons

Everyone has to start somewhere. With content writing, the place to start is with writing. While many content writers go to school for English or Marketing, or even a Writing-specific degree, it's certainly not necessary. There are plenty of successful content writers out there who have never had a day of writing-focused education, and many whose first language isn't English besides.

It's possible to be a successful content writer without training and certification, but it requires one thing: experience.

I consider myself a fairly proficient content writer, though I don't know that I'm among the best of the best. I'm knowledgable enough to distill some tips for you, though, and I can help you become a better content writer. Here are my tips!

Read, Read, Read

You aren't alone. You aren't writing in a vacuum. Every writer, and indeed virtually every creator of any kind of content, will tell you that the number one thing they do to keep themselves going is consuming media. Authors read. Video producers watch movies, TV, web videos, and streams. Illustrators take the time to consume art.

Copyblogger Post

It's important to read with a critical eye, but also to read for pleasure. Read because you're interested in the topic, and read with an eye for the intricacies of writing. What perspective does the writer use? What tone have they adopted? How long are their sentences, their paragraphs, their sections, and their posts? How natural is their language? You can learn a lot just from reading.

Here are some key reasons why reading other content is essential for writing your blog posts:

  • Inspiration: Reading other blog posts can inspire you by providing new ideas or perspectives on a subject; this can spark your creativity and help you think about how to approach your blog in a unique and engaging way. Inspiration doesn't have to originate from the content you read; I've thought of specific questions and topics after reading something that has nothing to do with the article I'm reading, and I wrote a blog post about it!
  • Knowledge and expertise: Reading content from other sources helps you stay informed about your niche or industry. This knowledge can be invaluable in developing well-researched and credible blog posts. It also helps you better understand and address your target audience's needs and concerns. Trust me; writing confidently about a topic is challenging when you don't have much expertise. Reading content by other experts can speed up this process.
  • Identify trends: By reading content from various sources, you can identify emerging trends and topics gaining traction in your niche; this enables you to write timely and relevant blog posts that cater to your audience's interests.
  • Improve writing skills: Reading high-quality content exposes you to various writing styles, techniques, and structures; this can help you improve your writing by adopting effective strategies, refining your voice, and learning new ways to communicate your ideas.
  • Understand audience preferences: By analyzing the types of content popular among your target audience, you can tailor your blog posts to meet their preferences; this can help increase engagement, readership, and overall satisfaction with your content.
  • Learn from successful bloggers: Observing the practices of successful bloggers can help you identify what works and what doesn't; this can help you avoid common pitfalls .

Reading also gives you useful insights you can use in your own writing later. You accumulate facts, which you can pull out and use as citations later. You learn clever wordplay, new words you can use to spice up your own writing, and terminology common amongst professionals in your industry. You gain insight. So: read!

Know What You Want to Write

Depending on why you want to write, you may already have a goal in mind. I generally see people in a few categories.

  • The people who want to start a blog because it's a way to make money, but have no guidance or goal in mind.
  • The people who have a passion for a topic, and want to start a blog to turn that passion into something more.
  • The people who have the ability or talent for writing (and have been told as much through their schooling years) and figure they might as well make a career out of it.

The first group is difficult because they have to spend time developing a niche, a topic, an interest that interests them. Choosing what to make a site about is very difficult, and it's even more difficult when you have to learn every aspect of the craft along the way.

Keyword Research Tool

The second group is people who already know their stuff and just might need help putting their thoughts into writing. This is the kind of group most of my article here is aimed at, but everyone can get some use out of it.

The third group doesn't generally need help with the technical aspects of writing, but transitioning from the stuffy world of academic writing to the free-flowing world of content writing can be a shift that not everyone is equipped to deal with.

In any case, you need to know in a broad sense what you want to write about for your site, and in a narrow sense what you want to write about for a given article. I often start with some keyword research to develop a topic idea , write a killer title for that topic , and then create my outline for the article based on those search phrases and that topic.

It's worked well enough for me so far - writing articles that match real searches and catering to those searches is a great roadmap to getting your articles found.

Write, Write, Write

Believe it or not, I didn't start out writing great content. I spent years writing some pretty mediocre content , and I only stood out because a lot of the people also writing content in the same arena were so, so much worse. Like, you'd be surprised just how bad some of the people out there writing content are. Go to Textbroker and spend a few bucks on some 3-star articles and you'll see what I mean. Content mills are generally a wasteland.

Writing a Blog Post in Microsoft Word

Part of successful content writing is just practice . The more time you spend writing, the more familiar you'll be with the process. The more details you'll be able to stick in your mind as you write. The better you'll be able to formulate posts as you go along. A post that might have taken me two or three hours to write a few years ago, I could write better in less time today.

Writing a lot and writing consistently is often cited as a key factor for blogging success. I'm not sure it's 100% necessary from a marketing standpoint, but I can tell you that it's extremely beneficial from a technical standpoint.

They say that practice makes perfect, and while there's no such thing as perfect, practice is always important.

Keep Tone, Voice, and Perspective Consistent

One thing I often see novice writers struggling with is perspective, tense, tone, voice , and all of those other subtle technical elements of grammar that come naturally with practice.

The Explainer

Here are some examples:

  • Shifting between "I", "We", and "The Company" as self-referential signifiers. Know who you're representing when you write. If I write something for a client, I'll use a different voice than when I write something for myself.
  • Shifting between the personal and the impersonal, as in going from "we recommend X" to "X is generally recommended." There's a time for different levels of formality; know which one you want to use.
  • Referencing industry terms incorrectly. I see this a lot with freelancers who have to write for multiple industries; using terminology incorrectly makes people who know what they're talking about recognizing that you don't.

It doesn't really matter which perspective, which tone, which voice you use. What matters is that you keep it consistent throughout any piece you write.

Care About Keywords

A huge part of successful content writing online is caring about keywords . Keyword research is the core of every good blog post, most paid advertising, and a whole lot else besides. That's just how powerful Google is these days.

Content Writing Tips

I'm not going to go extremely deep into keyword research here. It's a very detailed topic, and there are a lot of great guides out there already written to help people of all skill levels get started.

Suffice it to say that, in my mind and in my experience, keyword research is an essential part of good content writing. Knowing how Google interacts with keywords, how to use keywords appropriately, and how to write around awkward keywords is essential.

Don't Care Too Much About Keywords

Look, I know what I just said, and I know what I'm saying now.

The fact is, keywords are a lot less important than they were five or ten years ago. Back then, you needed to figure out exact, specific keywords and write posts with specific levels of keyword density to make sure your content thrived. Pick the wrong keyword and your content never shows up for high volume web searches . Use the keyword too little and Google doesn't think the post is relevant. Use it too often and you get dinged for keyword stuffing. It's a fine line to walk.

We create blog content that converts - not just for ourselves, but for our clients, too.

We pick blog topics like hedge funds pick stocks. Then, we create articles that are 10x better to earn the top spot.

Content marketing has two ingredients - content and marketing. We've earned our black belts in both.

At least, it was. Then Google introduced a bunch of machine learning and semantic indexing features to their index. These days, Google will show you search results that don't even include a phrase you used when searching but are still relevant. They understand things like synonyms, variations on keywords, and so on.

Seranking Organic Keywords

That's why these days, I don't worry too much about specific keyword usage - at least, not within the context of my articles . I use keyword research to guide the topics I choose to write about, and I might sprinkle in a specific keyword here and there when I find a way to work it in, but I'm not going to double over backward to include specific long-tail keywords in every post I write. Over-optimizing your posts like that can have the opposite effect:

"The idea is basically to try and level the playing ground a little bit. All of those people who have sort of been doing, for lack of a better word, 'over-optimization' or 'overly' doing their SEO, compared to the people who are just making great content and trying to make a fantastic site, we want to sort of make that playing field a little bit more level."

Heck, here's an example. This blog post uses "start content writing online" as its primary keyword. You can tell this because they use the phrase a couple of times throughout the piece when it's awkward to type the whole thing. You can also tell it because it's in a different font than the rest of their content, though I'm not sure that's intentional. Just… don't be that awkward and obvious about it, right?

When In Doubt, Add More Formatting

One key insight that most content writers have at some point is that web readers don't actually read the content. You might notice this behavior in yourself, or you might have it pointed out to you by a marketer, but it's pretty true. People who see posts on social media, half the time they don't even click through, they just read the title and the snippet and make assumptions based on that.

Blog Post Formatting

For people who click through and see content, they still skim . They read the first paragraph or two, then they skip through it looking for value. It's up to you as a content writer to provide that value. You just have to know how to do it.

The easiest way, beyond making sure your writing is, you know, valuable, is to add formatting.

Add subheadings as much as possible. This helps break up your content into digestible chunks. Add formatting like bold and italics to emphasize certain points. Add gaps in between paragraphs and sentences to emphasize points. Add bulleted or numbered lists to build up, well, lists.

Formatting enhances the user's ability to skim and extract value from content. Even if there are better resources out there, if yours is the most readable, it's the most useful.

Strive to One-Up the Competition

A lot of content writers, when they first get started, find it very hard to figure out their place in the world. They come up with an idea, then they see that there are 10,000,000 Google search results for that idea already and that the top five results are all that idea done better than they would do. It's easy to get discouraged looking for that one unique piece of content.

I'm here to tell you that you don't need to be unique to be valuable. This article you're reading right now? Dozens of other people have written other articles on the same topic, some of the same points, and some with other tips and hints as well:

Other Similar Articles

Here's what you do. You find something that already exists, and you do it better.

There are three main ways you can out-do existing content .

  • Take content that is broad but shallow, and add depth to it. This involves more research, more data sources, and more critical thinking to find conclusions the data leads you to.
  • Take content that is narrow but deep, and add breadth to it. A deep dive into one subject in one industry is narrow, but it's an opportunity to tie another related subject or another industry into it.
  • Take content that is old and make it up to date . A lot of old content these days is kept up to date by the initial author, but if it's left abandoned, you can try to supersede it by writing the same basic content with newer information.

Keep in mind that when I say "do what they do" and "you don't have to be unique", I absolutely do NOT mean you can just copy their content. You still have to write unique and original content, but you can cover the same topics and similar points.

Don't Be Afraid of Tools

I've known a lot of writers over the years who pride themselves on their precise knowledge of technical grammar, and who end up focusing more on their grammatical accuracy than on the quality of their content.

To me, this is hilarious. You're priding yourself on a skill that is easily replaced by a free online tool.

With the rising popularity of AI tools like ChatGPT , there are tons of content and blog writers that can help generate outlines, blog topics, and provide inspiration for your own writing.

Correctness in Grammarly

Don't be afraid to use the tools you have at your disposal. Use a spelling and grammar check. Crank up the settings in MS Word. Use keyword research and topic ideation tools.

Here are some of my favorite tools:

  • Ahrefs. I wrote a good breakdown of Ahrefs and similar tools .
  • Grammarly. Proofreading and grammar checking is super important. If you run a WordPress site, you can even embed Grammarly into your site automatically.
  • Clearscope . Clearscope can help you find opportunities to improve your content. I use it to help me discover things that I may have missed, as well as easy opportunities to include relevant keywords. I wrote a guide comparing Clearscope and Marketmuse here .
  • WordPress plugins. There are a lot out there; here are some of my favorites , as well as a seperate guide for PageSpeed plugin recommendations .

There are tons of tools out there to help you be a better content writer, and there's absolutely no shame in using them.

Finish With a Proofread

When you finish any given piece of writing, go through it with a fine-toothed comb looking for errors . I know I just told you that tools can do a lot of that for you, and that's true. I make a lot of typos and minor grammatical errors as I type, and you know what? I have a few different autocorrect rules in place to fix them for me. Until you develop your own library or process, make sure you're proofreading everything.

Now and then an error will slip through. That's fine. If you notice it, fix it. If someone else notices it, fix it. If no one notices it, it's not really going to do you any harm. Even still, it's important to get a proofread in on your content before you finalize it and publish it.

Develop a Style

Over time, as you write, you can develop a style . That style will develop naturally, as you find your voice. You find the way you like to express your ideas. The way you like to use lists and formatting. The perspective you use to cover various topics and make analogies. Your style is built up over the years and it comes about from experience.

Your style will also change over time. After you've been writing content for a year or two, if you go back and look at the early content you've written, it will read like something written by someone else entirely. Don't worry; an evolving style is perfectly fine. Developing a style that's unique to you is the important part.

Keep at it. Content writing is a long-term investment, and it's a skill that never stops improving. The more you keep going, the better you'll become.

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James Parsons is the founder and CEO of Content Powered, a premier content marketing agency that leverages nearly two decades of his experience in content marketing to drive business growth. Renowned for founding and scaling multi-million dollar eCommerce businesses through strategic content marketing, James has become a trusted voice in the industry, sharing his insights in Search Engine Watch, Search Engine Journal, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc, and other leading publications. His background encompasses key roles across various agencies, contributing to the content strategies of major brands like eBay and Expedia. James's expertise spans SEO, conversion rate optimization, and effective content strategies, making him a pivotal figure in the industry.

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August 12, 2020 at 9:38 am

Hi James, this was super helpful! I've read a lot of guides besides yours and yours is the only one that left me with some takeaways that I can actually use. I didn't realize how important (and also un-important!) keywords were, and your Grammarly screenshot inspired me to try it out. I'll also be way more mindful of who has already written about a subject before I start writing, that's something I haven't really done before, at least, not in a detailed way. Thanks again!

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August 12, 2020 at 11:20 pm

Hey Faeeza, thank you for the very kind words!

This post was aimed at beginners, if you're interested in reading more, we have a handful of other posts you might find useful/interesting in our "Blogging" category: https://www.contentpowered.com/blog/category/blogging/

Topic ideation and competition research are easily the two biggest overlooked things when it comes to beginners and blogging - master those two things and you'll be far ahead of the curve!

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August 30, 2020 at 8:16 am

I have been using the inverted pyramid approach to my writing style as it’s more easier to write long form content with this tactic and I can easily formulate my subheadings.

August 30, 2020 at 5:33 pm

Hi Sonny, thanks for sharing with us! It's good to know what's working for others. I think the fundamentals of the inverted pyramid are sound, if the bulk of your content is legitimately useful and actionable information, then your content is already off to a good start.

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October 05, 2020 at 8:32 am

Hi James, This helped me a great deal, just wanted to say thank you. You really know your stuff with blogging. I'll be reading your other articles too.

October 05, 2020 at 7:59 pm

Thanks for stopping by Nur and for the kind words!

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January 08, 2021 at 12:04 am

Hi James Your post helped me a lot. Thank you for this amazing work. God bless you more.

January 08, 2021 at 9:08 pm

Hey Adila, you're very kind, thanks for that! Very happy it helped you.

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March 07, 2021 at 9:45 pm

Hey,James. This is my first time going through an actual content writing beginner tips article, as I am thinking to start writing online. Thanks for giving me some valuable pointers which I will keep in mind when I find my interest. No, I will no be doing this,initially, for money (but money is required to sustain, right?) but to search where my interest lies. Baby steps!! Wish you good luck 🤞, from India.

March 12, 2021 at 12:44 pm

Hey Ipsa - thanks for hopping on live chat with me, and I'm very happy this helped you out!

Revenue certainly helps. Being able to hire people to help you grow your blog will amplify your results, and it's hard to do that without any cashflow.

That's what's so great about blogging - you can bootstrap it at first until you're up and running. If you can give your readers enough value, customers will usually follow. It's a great way to draw people into your orbit.

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March 09, 2021 at 7:36 am

This is never an easy job! Besides putting in the actual work, you need to have passion, patience, and time otherwise you’ll give up. I remember back in the day that I was on the verge of dropping my blog completely, and I did pause for a bit. A few months later my traffic was skyrocketing, all organic traffic to my blog posts. That has made me a believer ever since. It just takes a while to start working, but once it does it goes HARD.

March 12, 2021 at 1:00 pm

Hey Matt, thanks for your comment!

This sounds similar to my story - my first blog was over 10 years ago for a free flash game site. It had ads on it and was making a few hundred bucks a week, so I started reinvesting that into the content. I probably did a dozen or so blog posts, waited a month, then gave up.

A year or so later, they were the highest traffic pages on my site and were generating the lion's share of my AdSense revenue. I sold the site shortly after, but I think that's what made me a believer in blogging as well. It does require a good deal of patience and putting love into your content, not rushing it or skimping out. Man, Google's algorithm has really changed a lot since then, as has WordPress.

What brings you here today, just brushing up on the basics? 🙂

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May 19, 2021 at 3:32 am

This is a great post. I appreciate your skills. Thanks for sharing.

May 19, 2021 at 11:35 am

Thanks Frisco! I appreciate it, glad it helped you.

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May 24, 2021 at 10:38 am

Hi James! Your article is superb. I love it. It helped me a lot.

May 24, 2021 at 1:28 pm

Hey Fatima, really appreciate it! I'm happy it helped you 🙂

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November 28, 2021 at 2:58 am

Hi james, thank you so much. The article has really helped me alot

November 29, 2021 at 1:58 pm

Love to hear it! Thanks, Brenda!

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June 04, 2021 at 9:16 am

Hi James, i just started learning how to write articles. But it is not an easy task. Your article is good and gave some nice information.

June 04, 2021 at 2:34 pm

Hey Pankaj!

I really appreciate that, thanks for taking the time to say that. It makes writing these worth it.

Keep it up, if there's anything I can do to help point you in the right direction, please let me know!

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June 06, 2021 at 5:18 am

Thank you so much! You've actually encouraged me to give content writing a try. This is really helpful.

June 07, 2021 at 10:32 am

Hey Ginnie! That was my goal, so I'm very happy to hear that. Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

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July 07, 2021 at 7:58 am

Hi James, Thank you so much. It very helpful. I am very interested in content writing but the area that I have passion in is what I can't figure out, I think will give a try. Thanks

July 08, 2021 at 2:12 pm

Thanks Peter! Good luck 🙂

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July 12, 2021 at 8:19 am

Hey Mr James, Nice article especially for beginners like me... Hope to hear more from you.

July 12, 2021 at 4:29 pm

Hey Ezekiel, thanks for the kind words and for stopping by! I hope it convinced you to start a blog of your own 🙂

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July 29, 2021 at 7:04 am

Awesome post, simple and informative. I liked this line,

“Keep Tone, Voice, and Perspective Consistent”.

Super important to succeed in this, if articles are boring to read it's hard for anyone to be fulfilled.

But it was nice to read this. Thanks for writing this useful content.

July 31, 2021 at 4:33 pm

Thanks for the comment, Mohammad!

I couldn't agree more. Thank you for your words of encouragement.

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January 30, 2022 at 6:48 pm

Super effective, practical, and easy to apply / follow article.

I love your simple yet powerful writing style. It seems you are taking a live class!

I recommended your link to at least 15 people. They are all so grateful! I, too, am fascinated.

You are a trustworthy, excellent content writer and mentor. Thanks from the heart.

January 31, 2022 at 2:02 pm

Thanks Ahmed!

Wow, that means a lot. Thank you for your heartfelt comment on my post, and I'm so happy it's helping to make a positive difference.

This is why I do what I do 🙂

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March 13, 2022 at 10:29 am

Thanks, James. Your post was helpful and detailed. It helped to clear a lot of concepts for me.

March 15, 2022 at 6:39 pm

You're welcome, Suhail!

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March 28, 2022 at 10:15 am

I'm really impressed and happy with these tips! You are a great mentor!

March 31, 2022 at 8:23 pm

Thanks Oluwasola! That's very kind of you to say.

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April 07, 2022 at 7:55 am

waoh, this is very informative, guess I've found what I've been waiting for to become a content writer. Thanks a million James Parsons.

April 07, 2022 at 3:00 pm

Thanks, Ruth! Love to hear it.

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August 25, 2022 at 6:34 am

Thanks, James. I'm just about to start content writing and your article was the first I have read. It really feels like I'm in it already, and I hope the tips grabbed would do me much help in my pursuit. Please, if you have more articles for a total beginner like me, I would appreciate it. Thanks many times🙏

September 01, 2022 at 2:08 pm

Thanks Olivia, love to hear it!

Here's are a couple of articles that I recommend next:

https://www.contentpowered.com/blog/blog-optimization-tips-seo/ https://www.contentpowered.com/blog/tips-beat-competitors-seo/

This is a great one too; small changes to your user experience are reflected across all of your pages and will help your site perform better overall: https://www.contentpowered.com/blog/improve-user-experience-website/

Feel free to reach out any time if you need pointing in the right direction 🙂

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March 11, 2023 at 9:18 am

Amazing blog article!

March 11, 2023 at 12:13 pm

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April 26, 2023 at 10:10 pm

Hey James, I retired from my job a couple of years back. Did try my hand at a couple of things. But always wondered what do I do with some exclusive work experience I gained during my employment. Then it struck me that I should start writing a blog and discuss various aspect of the commodity I worked on during my job. I saw many YouTube videos on how to write blogs and also read many online articles available on the net, as mentioned by you. Honestly, found your article to be very crisp and clear. I will surely follow your guidelines and start reading/researching/writing earnestly.

Thank you very much James.

April 29, 2023 at 11:47 pm

Absolutely. It's incredible what reach blog articles have on the internet, even on subjects that you wouldn't think would get much traction. In some cases, ESPECIALLY on subjects you think wouldn't get much traction.

My best advice is focus on having a great website and try to create content that is 10x better than anybody else. Do that, stick with it for years, and you'll be rewarded!

The reason most people's blogs fail is because they think they are creating great quality content, but aren't. Or, they don't stick with it long enough. Knowing that will help you succeed.

It's hard work, but it's rewarding and well worth it.

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April 26, 2023 at 11:54 pm

Hey James! Thanks for the Guide. Which is better for blogs in your opinion?

April 29, 2023 at 11:45 pm

I'm a sucker for WordPress.

It doesn't get much better than WordPress for internal/external link management, optimization, SEO, custom development, automation, etc.

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April 27, 2023 at 10:19 pm

Nice Article

April 29, 2023 at 11:43 pm

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Web Content Writing 101: How To Write Better

how to content writing for website

  • What is Content? 

Helpfulness

Query relevance, optimization, copy-pasting, copywriting, repackaging, make a target audience portrait, set web content writing goals, study your competitors, decide on content format, web content writing ideas, related posts.

A website without good content is a blank page. However, content doesn’t just exist to fill the website – it serves as a functional tool. Your content can be educational, informational, or promotional – the main thing is what kind of goal you set. Creating content for a website is a precise job.

how to content writing for website

Writing content for the web is a complex process that requires a lot of preparation. You should set a goal, allocate time/budget, and provide your web page writing performer with comprehensive information. 

If the performer is you, you might wonder how to get better at writing. Your imagination and expertise play a crucial role, but you can get decent results even without them. Let’s take a look at web writing best practices and tips for writing better.

What is Content? 

Writing web content is the process of filling site pages with information. This can include blog articles, product cards, page texts, photos, video reviews – everything that carries a semantic load. Obviously, a site without content is non-existent. Writing for the web is a way to convey important information and get feedback. But there is more to it. 

Content influences behavioral factors. The more interesting and useful it is, the more time users spend on your site, improving performance numbers. If you correctly write for websites, as well as link and direct visitors to your other pages, they can spend hours roaming your site. This also gives you a boost with search engines.

Writing for web is also about text relevance. Search engines prefer sites with high-quality content and promote them to the top positions. Ranking depends on well-thought-out headings and meta tags, text uniqueness, and literacy, proper formatting, as well as text optimization by LSI and synonyms. And, of course, the content should correspond to the search query.

Some might think that web content writing is a purely informational activity that does not sell. Content directly affects conversion. First of all, any text can be written to induce a visitor to perform a target action: order a product or service, subscribe to a newsletter, or participate in a contest. Secondly, any text can be saturated with selling tricks: adding links to commercial pages and social networks or creating order forms and lead magnets.

What is Quality Content?

how to content writing for website

How do you know if your content is good enough for search engine algorithms and end users? Let’s take a look at content marketing writing key points.

What makes good content good? No impeccable literacy, cool images, or fancy formatting can replace content helpfulness. Before writing website content, ask yourself – how do I want a visitor to think, feel, or act? This is your cornerstone. If your main goal is to inform visitors – make the topic as comprehensive as possible. If it’s to teach something – make it clear and easy.

Your texts should always be unique. It’s a basic rule of writing. Otherwise, you risk hurting your reputation and losing search-ranking positions. You can check your text for uniqueness using dedicated plagiarism checkers. As a rule, 80-90% uniqueness is more than enough.

Imagine a visitor googling how to brew tea properly. They enter your site and read about the history of tea and see some neat images, but not how to brew tea. Your content doesn’t answer their specific question, so in terms of how to write content, this would be an issue. Most likely, the visitor won’t trust your site anymore.

Some might think that SEO articles imply spammy texts filled to the brim with crooked keywords. This is a pretty outdated approach: modern texts have to be optimized to reach the top results and bring in traffic. Optimized content marketing writing includes:

  • elaborate headings and subheadings H1 – H6;
  • meta tags Title, Description, Alt;
  • keywords, LSI, synonyms;
  • clear, understandable structure;
  • correct formatting.

The main danger of content writing for websites is that the texts might be adapted without proper fact-checking. The basic writing rule implies checking all the facts, theses, and sources so as not to mislead your visitors.

How to get better at writing? Improve your literacy. Content with grammar mistakes will not inspire confidence. It’s just bad form, so it’s worth finding a good proofreader or editor with proofreading skills.

The abundance of complex terms, grandiloquent style, and multi-tiered sentences make it difficult to read the text. Whatever your target audience is, keep in mind: the more digestible the text is, the more likely the visitor will make it to the end and perform the targeted action. This tip for writing is especially relevant due to the modern habit of consuming content at rapid-fire speed. 

Types of Writing for the Web

how to content writing for website

The Internet is home to billions of articles, and this number just keeps growing. Where do they come from? Well, most of them are copies of each other since the original content is a pricey pleasure. However, humanity got creative in borrowing and adapting content. Want to know the top copywriting tips and tricks? Here are the main types of writing for the web.

In this case, you don’t even have to know how to write an article. Copy-pasting is straightforward borrowing content from other sites or platforms. This concerns both texts and images. Many site owners don’t even realize that copy-pasting is a direct violation of copyright and can lead to a damaged reputation or even a lawsuit.

This is formally a unique text, but you don’t create content for the website from scratch. Rewriting is about taking relevant articles from search results and modifying them to avoid plagiarism. Such texts don’t offer anything new – they are all derivative, and so they don’t have much value to potential visitors. However, they are good SEO tools in terms of the price-quality ratio.

How does copywriting differ from rewriting? A copywriter adds their own thoughts, experience, or expertise to content. Copywriting best practices imply that an expert writes your content without looking at competitors. This expert has to master the topic and any possible nuances. They will never copy a potential mistake from the top search results like rewriters might do.

However, experts might not know how to do copywriting. The best-case scenario would be to find an expert with writing skills. Or you can get a rough outline from them and present it to your web content writing performer. That said, both options are way more expensive than the previously mentioned ones.

How to create great content out of nothing? Let’s say you have an excellent customer review in video format. You can then transcribe the recording to get a text review. You can also create pictures based on the review to make the content more visually appealing. Basically, you are only limited by your imagination. You can experiment with different types and formats to make several pieces of high-quality content from a single source.

Website Content Creation Performers

how to content writing for website

Unlike robots, we humans can’t manage all our tasks simultaneously. Sometimes, hiring an extra workforce is necessary to not lose momentum. Outsourcing web content writing is one of the greatest accelerators of any business. Sure, you risk getting a bad output from a random performer. But when you do find a good one, it lets your budget breathe a little easier. Let’s talk about the most popular options for content creation for website.

You can write web content yourself or delegate it to your staffers. This option is good because you or your employees are likely to know your stuff, which means you’ll avoid mistakes and inaccuracies.

But there is a drawback – this process is quite time-consuming. Creating content for a website implies complete dedication. In the case of making images or videos, it’s also about extra costs.

Besides, you might lack expertise in a particular topic. In this case, hiring a writer and editor or contacting an agency is preferable.

Usually, freelancers can save you a few bucks. But keep in mind that not all freelancers are equally good, or they might be in a position where they have to write web content for several projects at a time. This entails a lack of total dedication to any single project. 

Before sending TOR to a freelancer, make sure to discuss the main points of web content writing. You should give the freelancer some core information that they might need. Provide them with the necessary details about your business, products, target audience, and competitors. It ensures that the content hits your goals and reaches your target audience.

This is the safest way to go. Agencies are sure to know how to write website content and have enough experience to solve any potential tasks. A full package can include a team of professionals: text writer, SEO manager, designer, and content manager. Thus, the end result will be rich and optimized high-quality content. Naturally, such agencies work strictly on a contract basis and make sure to provide you with regular updates. 

Tips for SEO Content Writing

how to content writing for website

Worry less about how to start writing and more about how to create great content. Website content is more than just the basics of copywriting – it’s also infographics and visual accompaniment that solve specific tasks and appeal to a certain audience. Therefore, creating website content is a multi-layered process.

Selling everything to everyone is a strategy back from the Middle Ages. Nowadays, a successful business implies understanding who you sell to and why they should go with you. Consumer behavior is determined by many criteria, including:

  • Social status;
  • Marital status;
  • Children or lack thereof;
  • Field of activity;
  • Cultural nuances;

Create a portrait of your target audience or its subgroups if needed. This copywriting tip is all about accurately segmenting your target audience so your web content writing hits the right goal.

For example, if your target audience is PC gamers, you will promote your PC hardware as the best gaming solution. But what if your target audience is comprised of professional editors or designers? In that case, you should promote the same hardware as professional tools for improving workflow.

How to write better? Establish your site’s purpose. It will determine not only structure and functionality but also what kind of content it should contain. If you run a web store, your primary content is product cards and articles related to these products. For a small enterprise with few services, a landing page with a consultation order form will be enough. Also, each site page has its own mission. For example, your home page should answer questions that might arise after a first-time visit:

  • What does the company deal with?
  • How long has the company been in the business?
  • Where can I check the goods?
  • Why should I trust this company?
  • How does this company differ from the rest?
  • How can I buy the goods?
  • What do other customers think about this company?

The main web content writing goals:

  • Creating a virtual company business card. It means all the necessary information about your company that end users should know. Make sure to add feedback options.
  • Growing, retaining, and keeping the audience engaged with your representatives. Blogs, news, online chats, or chatbots might solve this task.
  • Expanding the client base. You place a lead magnet that visitors get for subscribing to an email newsletter. 
  • Increasing your reputation. A blog with high-quality feature articles doesn’t just capture attention but boosts your reputation. 
  • Optimizing the search engine. Visitors that came from search results are already interested in your offers. To make this happen, consider including keywords in your content so that your site is higher in SERP.

Also, you can make a dedicated content branch for SEO purposes. For good rankings, your content should always be updated and expanded to match web writing best practices.

You can find your main competitors via search engine result pages. Simply put, you google your niche and analyze rival offers. First of all, take into account sites whose owners pay for contextual advertising. You can also leverage dedicated analyzing tools and services like Serpstat.

Check competitors to note copywriting best practices and unique features that competitors have to offer. This data will help you learn how to write better, increase your content output, and keep your content up-to-date overall. This also lets you avoid mistakes that your competitors made. After all, not everyone knows how to make good content.

Your content format affects your site’s functionality. This means your IT staffers should know in advance whether you want to add charts and graphics, GIF tips, or video materials in addition to the text.

How to create good content? Infographics make complex data like statistics simple. Information that’s enriched with infographics is easier to remember. Short videos are good for a brief introduction to a product or person. Video reviews are usually better perceived than text ones.

Content types matter as well. Web content writing can be educational, entertainment, informational, or commercial. A diversified content presentation can untap your entire campaign’s potential. Of all the countless articles out there, you want yours to be as attractive as possible.

People can get bored with the same content format. Here are some web content writing ideas on how to make your content diversified.

  • Article-question – “How do you choose the best graphics card”
  • Test – “Do you properly use your graphics card”
  • Article-review – “There are two main graphics card manufacturers. Let’s find out which one’s the best”
  • Article-personal experience – “I’ve bought the most expensive graphics card and regret it”
  • Article-answer – “The best budget graphics card”
  • Announcement-gift – “The latest graphics card is in stock! First-time buyers get 10% off and free delivery”
  • Life hack – “How to overclock your graphics card with no struggles”
  • Case – “We were told to overclock 100 graphics cards within a day. This is how we did it”
  • Check-list – “Check if your graphics card works as intended”
  • Top – “Top 3 graphics cards for 1440p gaming”
  • Guide – “10 steps on how to overclock your graphics card properly”
  • Contest – “Photos of the most creative PC builds from our buyers. The best one gets a free 2TB SSD”
  • Video – “Unboxing the latest graphics card”
  • Interview – “Graphics card manufacturer’s representative speaks about business expansion for our region”
  • Photo report – “This is how we upgraded our test benches to ensure your ready-made PCs work as intended”

Creating website content is a multi-vectored task that requires a complex approach. To know how to write for websites, you should first ask yourself, “Who and why will consume my content?” Clear functionality is crucial for any high-quality content.

Content marketing writing is the embodiment of your digital image. Thus, it must meet all the requirements listed above. Otherwise, your content will get lost among a billion other articles.

Web writing best practices include various types of content formats and goals. Your target audience, long-term planning, and budget will guide you to help you achieve the best result.

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Table of contents

  • Made with Copyfolio
  • Content Writing

24 Content Writing Samples Examples & How to Create Yours

Author's profile picture

Can you show us some samples of your writing? If that’s something you keep hearing but cannot say a confident yes to, you’re at the right place. We’ll show you 24 examples of how others write and present their content writing samples and answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

So the next time a potential client wants to see your samples or HR requests them for your job application, you won’t have to worry about it anymore. You can just send your writing portfolio over with all of your best projects included.

Create your site now

Looking for a quick and easy way to build your portfolio? Try Copyfolio and create a stunning website that’ll look good on every device. It’s free, no credit card required.

Read until the end, because we added free content writing sample templates for you!

Content writing sample examples

1. Kevin Anderson

Kevin created a page for his writing samples that's both visually appealing and informative. It shares details of the project while also allowing you to actually read the piece.

Kevin created a page for his writing samples that's both visually appealing and informative. It shares details of the project while also allowing you to actually read the piece. He built his content writing portfolio using Copyfolio .

2. Shanice Perriatt

A case study showcasing content written for social media, by Shanice Periatt

Shanice displays her social media content samples with screenshots and mockups.

3. Astor George

The content writing samples of Astor George, showcased on his writer website

Astor used Copyfolio's "Charcoal" color palette to let the images shine, and added CTA buttons under each sample's description for better conversions.

4. Allana Schwaab

A content writing case study, featuring a short summary of the project and she also included large images of the final piece. Allana featured these writing samples on her portfolio website

Allana did two things to present her content work for Hilton Supply Management: she wrote a short summary of the project and she also included large images of the final piece. Allana featured these writing samples on her portfolio website, built with Copyfolio .

5. Margaret Reeb

Margaret's case study, featuing with a short explanation of their background and the process, then introducing and links out to each of them.

Margaret created a case study page for all her meditation-themed blog posts. She starts with a short explanation of their background and her process, then introduces and links out to each of them.

6. Sera Ozkivanc

Sera's content writing sample about her project for Loggle, showcasing pieces of writing in browser mockups

Sera created neat visuals of browsers and mockups to illustrate her writing samples on her project page about her work for Loggle. She created it using Copyfolio .

7. Hazel McLaughlin

Writing samples that Hazel did for the Governor of Alabama.

Writing samples that Hazel did for the Governor of Alabama. She featured them on her portfolio website made with Copyfolio , including all important details as text next to images showing the content.

8. Julie Yuen

A screenrecording scrolling through Julie Yuen's content writing portfolio, clicking on one of the project thumbnails, which opens a PDF writing sample on a new tab.

9. Halle Snavely

Halle's content writing samples featuring multiple formats, including blog posts and cheat sheets.

Similar to Shanice, Halle features multiple samples on one page, including screenshots and summaries, linking out to the full pieces. She created her content sample page using Copyfolio and the "Letterpress" template .

10. Robin Catalano

A magazine piece sample Robert wrote, with a little bit about the project background.

A magazine piece sample Robert wrote, with a little bit about the project background.

11. Tania Lewys-Lloyd

Blog samples by Tania, with a link to the blog and some background information.

Blog samples by Tania, with a link to the blog and some background information.

12. Caitlin Wright

Caitlin follows the summary and a screenshot with a button linking to the piece published online.

Caitlin follows the summary and a screenshot with a button linking to the piece published online.

13. Nidhi Pathak

Nidhi chose to add her content sample as a PDF with its preview and short summary.

Nidhi chose to add her content sample as a PDF with its preview and short summary.

14. Kelsey Ray

Kelsey's content writing portfolio, featuring multiple samples categorized by industry —and included a case study for more information.

Kelsey listed multiple samples categorized by industry —and included a case study for more information.

content writing case study on Kelsey Ray's writing portfolio page

She also wrote about the objectives and gave some additional information about the projects.

15. Angela Rodgers

case studies for content writing samples, displaying the finished results as screenshots.

Angela wrote short case studies for each of her samples, and displayed the finished results as screenshots.

16. Hannah Smith

Hannah's writing sample in the form of an excerpt —you can view the full blog post by clicking through

Hannah included the excerpts of her content writing samples on her site as blog posts, with a link to the full article.

17. Leah Presser

Writing samples showcased as PDFs, with their own page, including a short summary and a call to action button

Leah also added her writing samples as PDFs —each on their own page, with a short summary included.

18. Paul Maplesden

Paul added a screenshot with a title and short description to display his samples in his portfolio, followed by links to more of his blog posts.

Paul added a screenshot with a title and short description to display his samples in his portfolio, followed by links to more of his blog posts.

19. Marijana Kay

Marijana writes a comprehensive case study when adding her writing samples, giving you a good idea on how the content she writes performs.

Marijana writes a comprehensive case study when adding her writing samples, giving you a good idea on how the content she writes performs.

20. Laura Howarth from left field.

Marijana writes a comprehensive case study when adding her writing samples, giving you a good idea on how the content she writes performs.

21. Yvonne Reilly

content writing samples in the writing portfolio of yvonne reilly

Similarly, Yvonne also added each project as a card, linking out to the pieces on different websites.

22. 3rd.Life

Content writing sample displayed on the 3rd.life website

The content writing samples on the 3rd Life website pop up in lightbox windows, so you can take a better look and read the whole piece.

23. Julie Gabriel from Copywriter.world

Julie displays her writing samples with different CTAs depending on the format: some are linking to the published piece, while some offer a PDF download.

Julie displays her writing samples with different CTAs depending on the format: some are linking to the published piece, while some offer a PDF download.

24. Shoaib Marfatiya

Shoaib's content writing samples

Why do you need to have content writing samples?

Okay, yes, these are great… But why do we need to have the content writing samples again? Isn’t it enough to just list all the previous clients and work experiences?

Not really.

Even if you worked with some big brands, it doesn’t mean that your next client or employer will like your writing style. Or that they’ll think you can adjust your tone of writing to their brand’s.

Getting to see multiple samples of your work in your writing portfolio , even if they’re not very long, will help them decide if you’re going to be a good fit or not. It’s kind of like trying an exotic new dish. You like how it sounds, but you’d still want to try it first before you can say that you actually do like it.

And that’s all the more true with clients working in complex industries. When it comes to highly technical topics, people like to see that you not only thoroughly understand it but can explain it in an interesting, easy-to-understand way.

What kind of jobs do you need content writing samples for?

First of all, you’ll need them if you’re a freelance writer, offering copywriting, or content writing services. Your prospective clients will want to check out your writing style before they hire you, that’s for sure.

But if you’re applying for an in-house or agency position that involves content writing, you will also be asked for it. It can be called a copywriter, content writer, SEO writer/specialist, or even a digital marketing position. So make sure you check the job description carefully and get your samples ready before you hit apply.

This portfolio took 30 minutes in Copyfolio. Build yours in a flash.

Types of writing pieces to include in your content writing samples

Now that you’re pretty sure you indeed need to collect your content writing samples, the next step is to decide what type of writing pieces you want to collect. If you’re an experienced writer, this will be a given.

But if you’re just getting started, choosing certain types of writing for your samples could help guide your projects later on. Because logically, for example, if you have a lot of podcast script samples, you’ll feel like a great candidate for the podcast writing gig. Just as a client would happily hire a writer to write for their blog if the said writer has loads of amazingly written article samples.

Blog posts and articles

One of the most common and popular types of content to write nowadays are blog posts and articles. As content marketing is becoming more well-known amongst companies, the need for writers who can write highly converting content is on the rise as well. So you’ll find that most content writers have blog posts or articles as samples in their writing portfolios.

Long-form webpage copy

Another type of written content all businesses need is copy for their website. With everyone trying to get their pages to rank on Google, if you can write SEO-optimized content for websites, you can get yourself ahead of the competition. Knowing at least the basics of SEO is a valuable skill for writers, so if you have it, don’t be afraid to show it off.

Content for social media

Do we even need to get into why businesses need to have an active social media presence? We all know that by now. But what many people often don’t think about is that writing content for social media is not something that just about anyone can do.

Yes, many social media platforms focus on the visuals - but without outstanding copy to go with it, even the best visuals will fail to convert. You need to know how to reflect on the consumers’ pain points and how to lead them to take the action you want them to take with the right CTAs.

So if you know the popular social media platforms and their requirements like the back of your hand –and can write content for them that will convert… Consider social media specific getting content writing samples and creating a social media portfolio .

Scripts for podcasts or videos

Blogs and websites have been around for ages, but it was in the last couple of years that the popularity of podcasts took off. So much so that now many podcasts are looking for writers to help out with their scripts, especially when they are starting a video podcast series . Since scripts for those need to be more versatile and well-thought-out. And the same goes for video content too.

It’s an exciting new genre, but also one that requires lots of time and effort. Podcasts tend to be quite long –and in most cases, you’ll have to do some research to be able to write a whole podcast script on a topic.

But if that’s something you’re interested in, add podcast or video script pieces to your writing samples to establish yourself as a promising candidate for these types of projects.

If you don’t mind ghostwriting (meaning that your name won’t be displayed as the author), writing eBooks for businesses that sell them is a great way to earn money as a writer. Similarly to podcasts, they’re lengthy and require lots of research –but the compensation usually matches the effort.

So if you’ve written eBooks –or want to get into writing them–, then samples or case studies to show your expertise will come in handy for your writing portfolio website .

Create your site now

How long should your content writing samples be?

The length of your samples will depend on a few things. Let’s start with the easiest.

If you’re adding a piece that was a previous project, the length is what it is. Although, for your portfolio, you can choose whether you want to showcase and publish the whole thing, or just an excerpt of it.

And that’s the second factor. Whether it’s a finished project or you’re just writing it now for your portfolio, you can always include just an excerpt of it. If it’s good enough that it shows your writing style, and your expertise in that specific type of writing, your sample doesn’t have to be thousands of words long.

Of course, if reading the whole piece is needed to assess your skills, write and publish it all. But showcasing only an excerpt can make reading it less overwhelming for the viewer. And as we all know, HR managers and potential clients often don’t have much time to review each content writing and copywriting portfolio . So making it easier for them by keeping the reading material shorter is a great idea.

How to format your content writing samples – a guide for freelancers and in-house content writers

This is another “it depends” kind of situation. Why?

Because if you’re applying for an in-house or agency position, the writing sample requirements might be very specific. They might ask you to send a certain number of samples that have specified length and format too. Or might even ask you to write something replying to a prompt or topic they gave you.

But if there are no such requirements, or you’re just putting your content writing portfolio together, you have more freedom in choosing the format. Our recommendation? A portfolio website , with each sample a separate project page.

Having your personal website with all of your content writing samples on there won’t only make you feel instantly more professional, but will also make it super easy for anyone to review your samples.

When each of your writing samples has its own project page, you have space to not only showcase the finished product but to also talk about how it came to be. Oftentimes the background information such as

  • what the initial brief or your task description was,
  • how you researched the topic and went around writing it up, and
  • the impact it made, the conversions it drove,

...are just as important – and this format will enable you to write about all that.

Free content writing sample presentation template s

To make it even easier for you, we put together two free content writing sample templates. These templates will show you the ideal structure that a content writing sample project page should have.

If you follow one of these templates, your projects will be easier to review, will give insights into and background information on the project, and will convert better.

content writing sample template for showing previous writing projects in an online writing portfolio

Create content writing sample pages based on this template easily with the help of prompts and guiding questions, and the super-fast page builder in Copyfolio — get started for free today, it's free, no credit card required!

This first template is for previous projects that are already published. Start out with your project title and follow up with a screenshot. It doesn’t have to show the whole piece, just that it exists and it’s out there.

People often simply link to the blogs and websites where their writing was published, but they forget one thing. It’s not guaranteed to stay there forever, unchanged. It happens that a company goes out of business, unpublishes some blog posts, or decides to change things in the copy you originally wrote. See how just linking to it becomes problematic?

But by providing a screenshot you can prove that it’s a real project that was published online.

Following the screenshot, write a few sentences about the project background. What was the task you were given? The brief or prompt you got? Who was the client you wrote for? Then, if you can, go into the creative process too.

In the end, show the final result. You can add large-enough images containing the content you wrote so that people can read it there - or even type it out. Additionally, you can link out to the live version of it online.

To maximize your conversions, always end with a clear CTA and your contact information. For example: “If you liked my writing and would like to work with me, email me at [email protected]

content writing sample template for beginner writers with no experience

This template is for you if you’re writing samples just to go in your portfolio. Because if you do that, you won’t be able to start out with a screenshot of your writing published online. You can still add a photo to make the whole page less overwhelming and easier on the eyes.

Next to the image, write a few sentences about its background and your process. Even if it’s a project you made up, you can still write about why you chose that topic and format, and how you got around to working on it.

For the final result, feel free to just type it out, or attach a screenshot of the document you wrote it in.

Collect your samples and add them to your portfolio with Copyfolio

The easiest way to create an online writing portfolio where you can add your content writing samples is using a website builder like Copyfolio.

Copyfolio was designed specifically for writers and will not only let you create a stunning website with just a few clicks but will help you with prompts and questions to write your case studies.

Just choose a template, write the copy, add your projects and you’re ready to go! Start building your professional writer website with Copyfolio, sign up today!

build your responsive writer website with copyfolio

Dorka Kardos-Latif

Digital marketer & portfolio expert, the face behind all content on Copyfolio 👋

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Find Keyword Ideas in Seconds

Boost SEO results with powerful keyword research

SEO Content: Complete Beginner’s Guide

Brian Dean

Written by Brian Dean

SEO Content: Complete Beginner’s Guide

This is a complete guide to creating SEO content .

In fact, the techniques I’m about to show you helped me rank #1 in Google for competitive keywords like “ SEO campaign ”:

Google SERP – SEO campaign

And “ on page seo ”:

Google SERP – On page SEO

So if you want to learn how to write content for SEO , you’ll love today’s guide.

Let’s get started.

What Is SEO Content?

SEO content is online content designed to rank in search engines (like Google). Also, content written for SEO is typically optimized around a specific keyword.

And when it comes to search engine optimization, make no mistake:

Content is KEY.

In fact, HubSpot reports that businesses that regularly publish blog posts get 350% more traffic than those that don’t publish content on a regular basis.

Blog monthly traffic

Google has even come out and said that content is a SUPER important part of succeeding with SEO. Specifically, they confirmed that “content” is one of Google’s top 3 ranking factors .

Search Engine Watch

And I can speak from firsthand experience that content marketing can help you get LOTS of organic traffic.

In fact, I regularly publish content on my blog that’s specifically designed to rank in Google.

Backlinko – Content collage

And this SEO-focused content strategy is one of the main reasons that my site gets 449,058 search engine visitors every month.

Backlinko – Users – September 2021

With that, here’s exactly how to create content for SEO.

How to Write SEO Content

Step #1: choose a topic.

Your first step is to come up with a topic for your content.

Specifically, you want to cover a topic that your target customer cares about.

Here are 3 quick ways to come up with awesome content ideas:

  • Reddit: Head over to active subreddits where your target audience tends to hang out. And look for topics that tend to come up again and again. These can be GREAT topics to cover in a blog post or video.
  • Competitor Blogs: Look at popular blog posts, videos and infographics from your competitors’ blogs. What do they have in common? What can you emulate (or improve)?

Basketball buyer persona

For example, my target audience is made up of people that do marketing full-time.

A while back I noticed this discussion on the SEO subreddit.

Reddit – SEO – Backlinks question

So I decided to create a post that answered that specific question:

Backlinko – High quality backlinks

Step #2: Find a Keyword

Now it’s time to find a keyword for your content.

To be clear:

Keyword research is a HUGE topic. So I can’t cover everything there is to know about finding keywords here.

But I can give you a handful of quick keyword research techniques that are working great right now.

First, use Google Suggest to find long tail keywords .

Google suggest – "paleo diet"

What’s cool about this technique that is you get to see keywords that people are searching for right now. Which means these terms aren’t super competitive (yet).

Second, use Ubersuggest .

This free keyword research tool helps you come up with new keyword ideas. It also lets you know how many people search for that keyword in Google every month.

Ubersuggest

Finally, type a few different words and phrases into AnswerThePublic .

Unlike most other keyword tools, AnswerThePublic focuses 100% on questions. So if you want to create content optimized around question keywords (like: “Why is content marketing important?”), this tool is a goldmine.

AnswerThePublic – Paleo questions

And if you want to see a lot of these strategies in action, I recommend checking out this short video.

Go ahead, I’ll wait 🙂

Then, move on to step #3…

Step #3: Write Comprehensive Content

Here’s the dirty little secret about SEO content:

If you want your content to rank in Google it needs to be AWESOME.

In other words:

“Quality content” isn’t enough. Your content needs to be the best result for a given search… or it’s not gonna rank. In fact, amazing content is the key to SEO success.

How do you do that?

Write comprehensive content.

In other words: publish content that gives someone searching for a keyword everything they need.

For example, few years ago I published this complete guide to mobile optimization .

Backlinko – Mobile SEO guide

Now I could have written something like: “5 Mobile SEO Tips”.

But I knew that comprehensive content had a MUCH better chance of ranking #1 in Google than a short post.

And I was right!

A few months later, my guide hit the #1 spot for my target keyword:

Google Search – "mobile seo"

As you might expect, comprehensive content tends to be MUCH longer than your average 400-word blog post.

In fact, our Google ranking signals study found that the top 10 results for most keywords tended to be 1,447 words in length on average:

Average content word count of the top 10 results is evenly distributed

Why does long content rank better?

  • Longer content helps give Google more information about the topic of that webpage. This makes them more confident that your page is a relevant result for that keyword.
  • As I mentioned earlier, long-form articles can cover A LOT more than a 300-word blog post on the same topic. This means long articles answer searchers’ queries better than short content.
  • Long content tends to attract more links and social shares than shallow content.

For example, the mobile SEO guide I mentioned earlier is 4,330 words.

Was that piece of content easy to write? Heck no!

The first draft alone took over 20 hours.

That said, writing long-form content can be a competitive advantage for you.

Your competition is probably too lazy to write in-depth pieces. This means that you’ll instantly separate yourself from the pack when you start publishing insanely-thorough stuff.

With that, let’s move on to our next step in the SEO content writing process.

Step #4: Optimize for Users

Now that you’ve written a piece of content, it’s time to optimize it for users.

Specifically, you want to make your content SUPER easy to consume.

Because the fact is this:

If your content isn’t easy to read and understand, it WON’T rank.

(Even if your on-page SEO is PERFECT.)

That’s because Google now uses “User Experience Signals” (in addition to traditional ranking signals, like backlinks ) to figure out which results deserve to rank #1 in the SERPs.

So if people LOVE your content, it’s going to get a rankings boost.

Pogo stick effect – Up

With that, here are some SEO copywriting tips that you can use to make sure your content satisfies users and search engines.

First, make the first few sentences of your content REALLY short.

Research shows that people prefer to read short sentences. Readers also don’t like wide blocks of text that spread from one end of the screen to the other.

That’s why you want to make the first few sentences of every article and landing page on your site super, super short.

Also, crunch those first 5-10 sentences between huge margins so that people’s eyes don’t have to dart back and forth as far.

I follow this rule for every post:

Landing page guide – Intro

Second, I recommend adding lots of multimedia to your content.

In other words: use video, audio, diagrams, charts, interactive media, quizzes, games and infographics.

When you have quality multimedia in your content, you satisfy a larger chunk of the people that come to your site Google.

People that like videos will sit back and watch your YouTube video.

People that like to read will skim your blog post.

And audio junkies will put on their headphones and listen to your podcast.

In fact, a Google Quality Guidelines document told reviewers to consider pages with “supplementary content” (in the form of calculators, downloads and diagrams) higher quality than text-only pages.

Google on supplementary content

In short, using multimedia is worth the extra effort.

Last up, use H tag subheadings to break up your content.

This is especially important for long-form content.

A good rule of thumb that I follow is to include at least one subheader for every 200 words of content.

For example, you can see that I use lots of subheadings in all of my posts:

Backlinko – Subheadings

Which makes them easy to read (and skim).

Step #5: Keyword-Optimize Your Content

This step is all about making your content SEO-friendly.

And this video walks you through the entire step-by-step process:

Now that you’ve watched the video, here’s an example of how I optimized one of my blog posts: “ How to Create an Effective SEO Strategy ”.

Backlinko – SEO strategy

First, I made sure to include my main keyword in the first 100 words of my page.

SEO Strategy Keyword In Post

This is known as “Keyword Prominence”.

Why is this important?

The higher up on the page a keyword first appears, the more Google considers that page about that keyword.

This makes sense if you think about it:

If you’re writing an article about a topic, why wouldn’t you mention a word related to that topic (in other words, a keyword) right off the bat?

Second, I added internal links to other content on my website.

Internal links in post

Last, I embedded a long tail keyword in my title tag.

My target keyword for that page was “SEO Strategy”. That keyword gets 2.4k searches per month (and has a CPC of $15).

Ahrefs – SEO Strategy

As you may expect, it’s going to be a while before I’m going to rank for a tough keyword like that.

That’s why I ALSO optimized my page around the long tail term: “SEO Strategy 2021”.

That way, I was able to quickly rank for the less-competitive keyword:

Google SERP – SEO strategy 2021

And as I build links to my page, I’ll eventually crack the top 10 for my main keyword.

Step #6: Share on Social Media

It’s time to promote your content on social media.

How you promote depends a lot on your niche.

For example:

If you run a cooking blog, you’ll want to focus on Pinterest or Instagram.

But if you’re in the digital marketing space, a platform like Twitter makes more sense.

In my case, I like to share my post on Twitter the day it goes live:

SEO copywriting – Relaunch tweet

I also use a boosted Facebook post to get my content in front of more people.

Facebook post – Boost

Step #7: Build Links

There’s no doubt about it:

Link building is HUGE.

In fact, a 2019 search engine ranking factors study found that links are still “ incredibly important ” for ranking highly in Google.

Search Engine Land – Chart

The question is:

HOW do you get people to link to your content?

Your first step is to check out this video:

In this video you’ll learn about the strategies I’m currently using to build backlinks to my site.

And here’s an example of how I used one of the strategies from the video ( Broken Link Building ) to get bloggers to link to my content.

A while back I published a huge list of 190+ SEO tools .

Backlinko – SEO Tools

Then, I found dead links on websites in the blogging, SEO and social media space.

Dead links

I emailed each of these bloggers to give them a heads up about their dead links. I also sent them my new blog post.

Brian's outreach – Broken links

As you can see, it worked like a charm 🙂

Broken links outreach reply

Step #8: Analyze Your Results

Your last step is to see how your content performed.

To do that, I recommend tracking your page’s search engine rankings:

SEMrush – Position tracking

And Organic traffic (using Google Analytics ):

Analytics – Organic traffic

You can also look at “Impressions” in the Search Console :

Search Console impressions

One thing to keep in mind is that SEO can take time.

Even if you follow these steps EXACTLY, it can still take 2-3 months for SEO to “kick in”. So don’t expect a brand new piece of fresh content to rank in Google the next day.

For example, I published this SEO case study some time ago.

Backlinko – Skyscraper Technique 2.0 post

Even though my content was optimized for users and SEO, it took about 60 days for that page to hit the first page of Google.

I hope you got a ton of value out of my SEO content guide.

Now I’d like to hear what you have to say.

What’s the #1 tip from today’s post that you want to try first?

Are you going to test out long-form content?

Or maybe you’re ready to try Broken Link Building.

Let me know in the comments section below.

Thank you so much for such valuable and ACTIONABLE information! I feel like an SEO expert now! Seriously, I appreciate your hard work-this is so helpful. I’m going to be starting a blog related to SEO and will definitely be linking your site and content.

Hi Robin, you’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed this post. If you want to become an SEO expert, I also recommend reading this guide: https://backlinko.com/seo-expert

Hey Brian, love the guide as always but I have a question. How does content length impact service pages? It is easier to write long form, informative content when writing about a subject such as ‘link building strategies’ or something similar on a blog. But what about service pages on websites. What length does that have to be? Also, have you got any tips on making service pages more easy to read, user friendly and ultimately rank better? Lots of great tips here for blog content. But what about ranking your higher intent pages? Let me know. Thanks Paul.

Hi Paul, good question. In that case it’s more about matching your service page to that person’s search intent: https://backlinko.com/hub/seo/search-intent

Hi Brian, Thanks for the guide and all the other great content. How can an ecommerce store use these tactics for SEO? I mean how many pages of content would it need and how can we get links to stores? Most advice out their seems geared to niche and blogs sites

Hi Reece, I recommend reading this guide: http://backlinko.com/ecommerce-seo

first of all thanks for the great effort you put into that work. I increased my trust flow and my domain authority better than all my competitors for a webdesign agency in my area (Munich Germany) but i still don´t get any results. The competition is high what can i do to increase my rank.

I’m currently in Asia (Ho Chi Minh,Vietnam), and as a whole, most of the SEO work being done here is still heavily towards Black Hat Methods. What advice would you give to re-educate the masses (marketers) here?

White hat methods are effective anywhere around the world and I want to show people a way to build value long term with their brands.

I am completely new to SEO and I find your content extremely refreshing in how easy it is to digest and understand even if you are not a “techy”. Thank you for that.

As I am slowly consuming your entire SEO videos series I was wandering how do you apply your does your advice about eliminating “zombie pages” and duplicate information from your website? The reason I am asking is because I watched a fair amount of your videos, and although I find every bit of it valuable there does seem to be a considerable repetition in content (even though the titles and focus may change). For example, even this very page we are on seem to be an older version of your brilliant “New Google SEO Guide” ( https://backlinko.com/google-seo-guide ). But why have them both? isn’t that something you advise to refrain from doing?

Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

Good question, Sivan. ‘Duplicate information” doesn’t mean zero overlap. For example, a site about fitness is likely to mention the facts that deadlifts are great in articles about strength, improving posture, building back muscles etc. And that’s perfectly OK. As long as you’re not just regurgitating the same stuff over and over again, you’re good.

Thanks for the fantastic article! It’s so in-depth and well-structured.

I would also add that good SEO content should also be unique and grammatically correct. There is no doubt we all know the best grammar checker out there so I won’t even bother dropping a link to it 🙂

Well, it’s interesting to hear about keyword density. Yes, it’s an old-fashioned way to create content and has proven itself to be wrong, but we all agree that the number of keywords we use should stay within some limits? What I mean is some writers tend to overuse keywords when you give them a list. In headers, inside of the text, etc. So it’s still important to keep in mind keyword density when you review/publish new article, righT?

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how to content writing for website

Creating effective technical documentation

Author avatar

Effective feature documentation is important in enhancing a user's experience with the feature. Good documentation is like a piece of the puzzle that makes everything click — the key for encouraging feature adoption.

To support you in creating effective technical documentation, this article provides an overview of the core principles of technical writing. It also highlights the best practices for creating clear and accessible documentation. Applying these technical writing principles helps us maintain the high quality of content on MDN. Whether you're documenting your own project or product or contributing to technical content in various settings, you can improve the quality of your work by following these best practices.

Adopt clarity, conciseness, and consistency

These three Cs form the core principles of technical writing. They can take you a long way in producing quality documentation.

For achieving clarity in your writing, apply the following guidelines:

  • Use simple words and clear language. Keep in mind the audience, especially if it includes non-native English speakers.
  • Be clear about who needs to perform the action. Writing in active voice is not strictly required. However, you should use it when you want to be clear about who needs to perform the action. For example, clarify whether a function is triggered by an event or if the user needs to explicitly call the function.
  • Clearly introduce and explain new terms. This helps to lay the foundation for concepts that are covered later in the documentation.
Tip : Replace "it", "this", and "these" with proper nouns if they can refer to more than one thing in the given context.
  • Aim for one idea per sentence to improve readability.
  • Stick to one main idea per paragraph. Each sentence in a paragraph should logically connect to the one before it. Imagine if each sentence in a paragraph was a link in a chain. If you pick up the first link, the other links in the chain should follow, forming a continuous sequence. This is how the sentences should connect to each other, ensuring a seamless flow of a single idea.

Conciseness

Keep sentences short. This automatically increases the readability and clarity of your document. It also helps in quick comprehension. Long sentences can be more challenging to understand quickly due to their complex structures.

Tip : Based on common readability standards, aim for 15-20 words per sentence.

For additional insights on sentence length and readability strategies, see Simple sentences (on https://readabilityguidelines.co.uk ) and Popular readability formulas , including the Flesch-Kincaid index, on Wikipedia.

Consistency

Use the same terminology throughout your documentation to ensure a seamless reader experience. For example, if you start referring to "user agents" as browsers, stick with that term consistently. This avoids confusion that can arise from using words interchangeably, even when they share the same meaning.

Additionally, maintain consistent word casing and follow a uniform formatting style throughout your documentation. These practices not only enhance readability but also contribute to a professional presentation of your documentation.

Organize your content for maximum impact

Apply the same principles for organizing your content as you would for organizing your code: spend some time setting a clear goal and thinking about the desired structure for your documentation. Ensure that each subsection contributes to this goal incrementally.

Start with an introduction

In the introduction, first describe the feature you're documenting. Next, set the context by explaining why learning about the feature would be beneficial to the readers. This can include describing real-life scenarios where the feature can be useful. The more relevance you add to the topic, the easier it will be for readers to understand and engage with the content.

Progress logically

The following questions can help you ensure that your content is progressing logically:

  • Is your document structured to guide readers from foundational concepts to more advanced ones? Are there sections to introduce the " what " to establish a base before delving into the " why " and " how "? Consider whether the document structure mirrors the natural learning path for the topic. Aligning the document's structure with the natural progression of learning helps readers build their knowledge step-by-step and also enhances the overall learning experience.
  • Are there sufficient how-to guides or examples following the conceptual sections?
  • Consider the flow of the content. Is it following a logical sequence — from one sentence to the next, from one paragraph to the next, and from one section to the next? Does each section logically build on the information presented previously, avoiding abrupt jumps or gaps in the content?

Additionally, as you work on the draft, always ask yourself:

  • What reader questions am I addressing with this sentence?
  • Can I add a simplistic or real-life use case to explain this concept?

Include examples

Imagine sitting next to someone as you explain the concepts to them. Preempt their questions and address them in your writing. Use this approach to add as many relevant examples as possible.

When adding examples, don't restrict yourself to only code; include non-code scenarios to demonstrate a feature's utility. This helps readers understand the concepts better and also caters to different learning styles. Consider providing real-world scenarios or use cases to illustrate how the feature or concept applies in practical situations.

Optimize the document structure and length

Evaluate your documentation's structure to ensure it maintains a logical and balanced hierarchy.

  • Ensure that each section and subsection has a clear purpose and sufficient content.
  • Look for instances where a main section contains only one subsection (orphan), such as a single H3 section under an H2 section. This indicates that you need to reorganize your content or make some additions.
  • Check if there are lower-level headings such as H4 . Too many subsections can be overwhelming for readers, making it difficult for them to grasp the information. In such cases, consider presenting the content as a bulleted list instead to help readers retain the key points more effectively. This approach helps to simplify the hierarchy and also contributes to easier navigation.
  • While there should be sufficient content for each section, pay attention to the overall length. If any section becomes too extensive, it can be overwhelming for readers. Split large sections into multiple logical subsections or restructure the content into new sections and subsections. Grouping content into digestible pieces helps maintain focus and improve navigation for readers.

Proofread your writing

One aspect that cannot be stressed enough is the importance of self-reviewing and proofreading what you've written. Whether you're creating a large document or a short paragraph, this step is crucial.

Taking the time to fully review your work will help you identify sections that don't flow well or can be improved for clarity. During self-review, aim to spot and remove redundancy (repetition of ideas without adding value) and repetitiveness (overuse of words or phrases). These refinements will ensure your documentation is clear and coherent and conveys your ideas as intended.

Proofread and then take a break before you review again. Only then submit your work. While spell checkers can flag spelling errors, they might not flag incorrect use of words, such as an unintended use of "he" instead of "the". It's best to take a break and return with fresh eyes to catch any errors you might have missed. Pay close attention to identify inconsistencies in tone, style, tense, or formatting and make the necessary adjustments.

Additional tips

To improve the clarity and accessibility of your documentation, also keep the following guidelines and tips in mind. To go in-depth into any of the topics, feel free to consult our Writing style guide .

  • Bulleted vs numbered lists : Lists, in general, make documentation easier to scan. Use bulleted lists when there is no specific order of the items. Use numbered lists when the steps need to be followed in the specific order. Always include a lead-sentence before beginning a list to provide context.
  • Commas : Use a comma after an introductory clause to improve readability and to clarify the sentence structure. Use a comma to separate items in a list to ensure clarity.
  • Alt text : Always provide an alternative text for the images you add to content. This makes your documentation accessible to people using screen readers. In addition to images, ensure that video and audio files have accompanying descriptive texts.
  • Descriptive link text : Make sure each link text is clear even out of context and clearly indicates where the link leads. Descriptive link texts also help people using screen readers understand the destination of links. For example, use "Read our writing style guide to learn more" instead of "Click here to learn more".
  • Inclusive language : Make your documentation welcoming to everyone. Strive to use words that respect and acknowledge the diversity of your audience.

That's it for this article. I hope you found these tips helpful as a quick refresher on technical writing best practices. Remember that learning how to create effective and easy-to-use documentation is an ongoing process. It starts with understanding your audience and the goals of your documentation. By applying these technical writing principles and tips, you'll certainly be able to enhance the clarity and overall quality of your documentation.

Let me know if you learned something new or if there's any idea that resonated with you. I'd also like to hear if there are any best practices you use in your technical documentation workflow. Share with us on Mastodon or Discord .

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