How to Improve Your Content Writing Skills

SEO (short for Search Engine Optimization) is one of the hottest topics when it comes to your web presence ...  and it's part of the "secret" to rank within search engines so people can find you. No matter where you look, all SEO tutorials will tell you the same thing: you need awesome content to rank high in the eyes of Google.

So how do you create this "awesome content?" To start, you need to focus on the writing within your website. Well written text is more likely to be read and shared on social media (win-win!).

If the idea of content writing gives you pause, not to fear! We’ve got some tips to help you improve your content writing skills. And if you really don't like the idea of writing your own content, that's what we're here for! 

Answer these Questions

Who is your audience?

Identifying your audience is one of the most important steps in content writing. First, you’ll need to recognize the demographic interested in your topic. Then, you’ll need to figure out the preferred way that this audience absorbs information. Knowing who you’re writing for helps you establish tone, vocabulary, and sentence structure. Once you have these building blocks, you’re set up to create some really solid content. 

What question are you trying to answer?

Now that you know your audience, you have to identify the questions they have about your product. Recognizing the questions your audience has and establishing the solutions is a definite way to attract more traffic to your site. The more clear and concise you are, the better the user experience. Google targets web pages with user experience in mind, so by producing clear answers to relevant questions, you’ll be an asset to both the web user, and Google.

What keywords are your audience searching for?

Pinpointing the search keywords within your audience’s question may take some practice, but it’s worth thinking about. A good place to start is to consider what makes your company unique. Think about your business’s mission, services, and core values to set your keywords apart from other pages on the web. Think about the words your audience would use when posing their question(s) to Google. Paying attention to these keywords can promote higher rankings, and can also assist in clarifying your content.

Next, use these tips to start creating awesome content:

Structure your writing

In the same way you wouldn’t want someone to lecture you for an hour straight, online users don’t want to have to digest one large block of text. Structuring your content writing into smaller, more concise pieces creates a more visual appeal on your website, and increases the chances that your website visitor will read your content from start to finish.   

Read

In order to find inspiration and learn more about good writing practices, it’s important to read! Peruse some of your favorite blogs and take notes on all the different ways they structure their writing. Paying attention to how they break up their content to how they structure their sentences will help create an example for your own content writing. 

Practice makes Perfect

Even if content writing isn’t your strength, it’s important to practice. Original and relevant content is one of the major pillars of SEO, and without good SEO practice, your webpage is likely to be overlooked. Create some sample posts on your own, and once you feel you’ve come up with something great, put it out for the world to see. Google is always indexing new information, so it’s not too late to take your content writing skills to the next level.