Introduction
When you first encounter web content writing, one of the first questions that will come to mind is whether you are doing it correctly and how to improve it to make it more effective. Here are 12 content writing tips and tricks that can change the content writing game. These tips will not only answer the question of how to improve your writing style, but they will also possibly guide you in making a career out of writing content.
1. Recognising and employing keywords:
When writing online content, keywords are extremely important. Content writing keywords are specific words that define your topic and help people find what they're looking for. For example, you could have searched for "how to improve content writing" while looking for this article. Even though this is not a single word, it can be used as a keyword.
Keywords serve the purpose of making the article more accessible, but overusing them has the opposite effect. When keywords are stuffed into an article, it becomes boring and redundant rather than enjoyable to read, and its quality suffers significantly. And the reader loses interest too.
2. You should write clearly and concisely:
To ensure the high quality of the content you write, convey your message as simply and in as few words as possible. Avoid long paragraphs and complex sentences because when people search for answers, they want the answer right in front of them without having to read much.
Do not cram unnecessary words into the article to make it longer. To make it easier for people to read, write in short sentences with simple vocabulary.
3. Use headings and bullet points whenever possible:
People who read online tend to skim through the content, looking for a few keywords to determine whether it is useful to them or not.
Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make it easier for people to scan through your article and divide it into several easy-to-read and skim-through sections.
The bullet points also help clarify your writing by organizing items in a list and providing quick information (which is easily retained).
4. When citing other sources, always use hyperlinks:
When citing or referencing another website, include a link to that website. Hyperlinks to other sources not only increase the credibility of your article, but they also help it rise to the top of search engines results pages, such as Google and Bing
Furthermore, when you cite other sources, they are more likely to mention you in their articles, which increases traffic to your website.
5. Use active rather than passive voice:
When using active voice, the subject performs the work; when using passive voice, the work is performed on someone or something. "He picked up the bag," for example, is an active voice, whereas "the bag was picked up by him" is a passive voice.
The use of active voice keeps sentences short and easy to understand and establishes a stronger connection with the work being done. This engages the reader and reduces the likelihood of grammatical errors.
6. Imagery usage:
When writing long articles (more than 2500 words), remember to include images between the text. These images not only ensure content division but also assist readers in visualizing what is being discussed.
Make certain that the images are visually appealing and free of royalty. Here are some websites where you can find royalty-free images: -
i) Free version of Canva
ii) Pixabay
7. Make use of an inverted pyramid system:
The inverted pyramid system is a method of communicating your message in order of priority. The most important points are listed first, followed by the less important ones. This is significant because most online users are lazy and do not read much.
This method allows you to deliver your message to even the most sluggish readers easily, and they can benefit from your article without putting in much effort. This makes your article user-friendly, and people are prone to recommend it to others.
8. Allow for whitespace:
The whitespaces, or blank spaces between lines of text, are extremely important. Writing with whitespaces makes the text visually appealing, and people enjoy reading your article. These whitespaces draw attention and make it easier for readers to pick up where they left off.
The whitespaces appear more refined; they add emphasis and stimulate the imagination. If you want to be the best content writer, you must incorporate this into your writing.
9. Spend time deciding on titles:
Spend enough time deciding on a title to ensure high-quality content writing. The most important aspect of content writing is the title. The title gives readers their first impression, and it is the title that determines whether or not they will read the article.
A good title should include keywords, describe the content, be concise, and catch the reader's attention.
10. Invest time in researching the subject:
Before writing the article, do some research on the subject and take notes as ideas come to you.
Begin by researching what to write, then shortlist a few points and conduct additional research. Begin writing only after you have a thorough understanding of the subject and have brainstormed.
11. Avoid deviating from the main goal:
Write different points while writing the article, making sure to stay within the topic's boundaries and not writing about unnecessary or irrelevant points. Unnecessary details should also be avoided.
12. Proofread:
When you've finished writing the article, make sure to proofread it. Proofreading should be completed in three steps: -
i) Eliminate superfluous, irrelevant details and simplify complex sentences
ii) —correct any grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
iii) Proofread the article one more time.
Conclusion
Content writing is a growing industry that offers students and part-time workers excellent opportunities to earn money quickly. If you want to improve your content writing skills, follow this content writing guide containing the best content writing strategies, and you'll be one of the best content writers in no time.