Originally published June 30, 2021 , updated on September 2, 2024
We’ve given you many reasons why you need content writers. We’ve told you why distributing pieces of information is good for your business or eCommerce platform. Hopefully, we’ve convinced you that content marketing should be an essential part of your marketing strategy.
Now that you’re sold on the idea, the next step is to do some creative copywriting or onboard creative content writing services to help you. But do you know what good copy looks like? Will you be able to write the article yourself? And if someone submits a piece to you, will you be able to tell if it’s good or not?
What makes great content? This is the question that every writer has asked. How can you best produce creative content, and what are the key ingredients of a good piece of content? We can answer all these questions for you.
Creating Content Writing is Like Following a Recipe
There are several elements to consider when you’re trying to create good content. If you’re trying to make a cake or any other dish, you can’t just throw all the ingredients together and hope it sticks. You need to follow the recipe step-by-step. The same can be said for writing a good article, blog or story. You can’t just throw words on a page and hope for the best. There are certain elements that all high-quality copy needs. Here are the must-have ingredients to bake the best copy possible.
A Good Headline to Hook People
A well-thought-out, clear headline will immediately get people’s attention. Keep in mind that when you’re writing for your business or service, the headlines don’t need to be overly catchy. Catchy headlines work well in the news, but not so much online. It needs to be clear and enticing, or people won’t click on it. Write an engaging headline that will draw people in and tell them what the story is about.
A Strong Intro
In almost any life scenario, that first introduction is critical. If you’re meeting someone for the first time (or even the second or third time) and your immediate impression is that they are dull or you won’t gel with them, you immediately look for a way out of the conversation. The same can be said about online writing. If the first impression of a piece is bland, complicated or not what you’re looking for, people will leave your site.
Unique and Creative Content Writing
Try as far as possible to make your blog, article, video or story something that can’t be found anywhere else. While it’s likely that you will have the same or similar topics as businesses in your field, try to offer more viewpoints or at least one or two more different opinions or thoughts. That way, you’re giving a little bit more than your competitors while also providing your audience with unique content. If you’re struggling to develop ideas on how to do this, you could always reach out to a professional web content writing service for assistance.
Relevant and Professional Content Writing
Ensure that your piece is relevant to your business. If you are writing random stories that in no way relate to your product or service, it’s going to look incredibly odd to your audience. It will also confuse them about the services you offer. For example, if you are a company that creates QR codes for other companies, you can write about the changing digital landscape and how QR codes play into this. Keep your writing industry-specific and professional but avoid jargon. Keep the tone friendly but professional.
A Clear Story
Imagine reading a book and a chapter or two in, you’re completely lost, and you have no idea what the story is about. Or imagine watching a movie and not being able to follow the plot. You’re probably not going to stick around until the end. Similarly, your copy needs to be clear and logical to hold the reader’s interest. Ensure that your audience knows what they are getting into and what they are reading about. They will stop reading if it gets too confusing.
Your Own Voice
Write all the pieces in the voice and persona of your businesses or organisation. If your persona is playful and friendly, write in that tone. Also, if you are more serious and formal, then your content needs to come across that way, especially if that’s the persona of your audience as well. If your audience comes across a piece by you that’s written in the wrong tone, they will not read it as it will be at odds with what they expect. It will also create confusion about your brand image.
Make an Emotional Connection
Nothing grabs an audience quite like an emotional connection. If you can include emotional connections in your copy, then definitely do so. People relate to topics that appeal to their human side. Try to angle your creative content writing in a way that helps them with things such as personal or career growth, business growth, goal setting or even humour. All of these play into the emotional side of everyone and are excellent ways to engage your audience.
Stick to Your Story – Don’t Veer off-Topic
This is highly important – do not go off topic. People are reading your content for a specific reason. If they realise that you’ve gone off on a completely unrelated tangent, they will not continue reading. Use interesting anecdotes and statistics to validate your piece, but make these relevant and correctly sourced and cited. Don’t just use it because you have a funny or interesting story to tell. Recipe bloggers and writers are great at tying anecdotes to their recipes. Many of them will kick off with a story that ties into the recipe that they are sharing. Remember, your reader’s time is valuable and too much fluff can be hugely confusing and frustrating.
Optimise for Search
If you are producing content for online use, be sure to check that your writing is optimised for search. Research your topic and see what people are searching for around this. Then use the top keywords in your copy. For example, if you are writing a story about ways to live a greener lifestyle, you might want to Google that exact phrase. Check the search results and what keywords come up in their headlines and descriptions. Then use these in your writing, too. If you struggle with SEO, how Google Search works and how to implement this in your writing, you can use some of the best web content writing services. These services and agencies have people dedicated to turning your piece into search gold.
Help from Content Writing Solutions and Agencies
Unless you are actually in the business of content writing, the chances are that you won’t know where to start with producing anything. And that’s ok. Your business and business growth are where you need to focus your attention. To create great website copy, you can simply hire a professional writing service who can assist you. This not only frees up your time and resources but also ensures that you have top-quality, professional content going out on a regular basis.
And there you have it – ten ways to help you on your way to producing professional, engaging and creative content writing.