Education & Career Trends: December 28, 2023
Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
- Excerpts are taken from an article published on makeuseof.com.
Content writing combines digital marketing with creative skills to attract an audience for brands. Almost any industry can use content writers to create engaging pieces for current and potential consumers. If you have a writing talent and enjoy researching a variety of topics to provide engaging material, becoming a content writer may be your ideal career path. In this article, we explain the role of a content writer, provide more details about their work and share how you can start a career in this field.
What is a content writer?
Content writers are professionals who create written material to help businesses design and execute digital marketing strategies. Using strong written communication abilities, content writers create articles, marketing copy and other media materials on any topic requested by a client.
Content writers may also specialise in a particular area or industry. Their work typically serves to market a product or increase online traffic to a company’s website using keywords to attract online search engine results. Although content writers come from a variety of backgrounds, they all use strong written communication abilities to engage consumer audiences on behalf of a client.
What does a content writer do?
A content writer composes original writing for commercial use. Content writers may work with other professionals to define a client’s content needs or complete assigned tasks as outlined by a company. They compose topics using keyword strategies for search engine optimisation (SEO) to increase a client’s online presence.
Content writers research a topic to find how other writers approach a similar idea, customising their material based on information from valid resources. They typically create an outline during or after their research, compose the piece, and then edit their work. They also write content using creative expression for items like advertising slogans. A content writer’s work is varied and can include crafting material for any of the following:
- Website content such as landing pages
- Blogs
- Articles
- White papers
- E-books
- Social media posts
- Online advertising material
- Product descriptions
- Public relations materials
- Email marketing
- Video copy
- Podcast scripts
Content writer skills
Here are the key skills content writers use to create written material:
1. Research
Content writers become subject experts by reading and reviewing sources related to a current project throughout the writing process. Strong research skills help writers identify valuable resources for a topic. They also understand how to use precise search terms to find the best information for a piece of writing.
2. Critical thinking
Content writers develop ideas from many sources to create new pieces of information. After analysing and internalising info from a source, they condense and elaborate facts, quotes and thoughts to write their material about a topic. Content writers also analyse the purpose and audience of a piece to determine how they can effectively compose material. Critical thinking skills give writers the ability to comprehend what they read and use that information to inspire a unique piece of writing.
3. Editing
Professional writers are expected to turn in work that’s as free from errors as they can make it. Although some companies may also hire editors to review written material, successful content writers develop effective editing skills to review and revise their work. Editing involves looking at the piece as a whole to evaluate the organisation and flow of a writer’s thoughts. It also means giving a detailed analysis of the use and mechanics of the writer’s language.
4. Grammar
Content writers need a strong understanding of grammar rules and how to apply them to written work. This includes using correct spelling, punctuation and sentence structure to compose a piece. Content writers also use varied word choices to enhance the readability of their work, which means they need a strong grasp of vocabulary in their written language.
5. Typing
Content writers compose most of their ideas through the computer. Aside from taking notes or outlining, most writers type their work directly into a digital document. Learning to type quickly, without pausing to find a letter or character, can improve a writer’s ability to record their thoughts as quickly as they can think.
6. Creativity
Although content writers compose work for nonfiction purposes, creativity is an important skill to develop. Content writers use creativity to approach a topic from a new perspective or select the right descriptive words to make their material more interesting to readers. Being creative also helps writers vary their structure and sentence use to engage their audience. This can be important for marketing material, as content writers are often asked to create words that attract potential customers to a brand.
Content writer work environment
Content writers often work flexible hours and may even set their schedules. It’s also common for content writers to work remotely, either as internal employees of any business that hires writing staff or as independent contractors with various clients. They typically work on a computer using word processing software and spend most of their time sitting in front of a screen. Some content writers work in an office as part of the marketing department or with a dedicated writing team.
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(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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