Content writing falls between science and art. The flare for writing must be bolstered by endless hours of research into new technologies and writing practices.
If this content creation process plagues your otherwise stellar marketing performance, then these tips below are for you.
Outsourcing specialised tasks to experts has long been an efficient solution for most businesses. In the case of blogs and website content, professional content writing services provide much-needed expertise to marketers.
Search engines have in recent years prioritised long-form content over short blog articles. Moreover, 70% of internet users ignore or block ads. This means high quality, long-form content takes centre stage in the online marketing game.
You’re probably wondering how to bring your content game up amid all the other tasks and objectives on your plate. The answer to your woes is professional content writers.
What Professional Content Writers Bring to the Table
Content is the second of three factors that Google uses to determine your website’s SEO ranking. Of the three factors, content is the most time consuming and labour-intensive one to do properly.
A professional content writer takes your average content and inconsistent schedule to new levels of productivity and efficiency. Here’s how.
A Consistent Publishing Schedule
Consistency is key in content marketing, but it can also be the bane of your life. More than 60% of marketers find it hard to consistently produce engaging content. A lack of consistency impedes the growth of your site, in terms of ranking, authority and customer loyalty.
This is where a professional content writer comes in. They take the tedious, time-consuming process of creating high-quality content out of your daily equation. You can then focus more resources and creativity on the rest of your marketing goals.
Error-Free Content
Every writer needs an editor. The benefit of hiring a professional writer v.s doing it yourself is that professional writers have honed the skills and tools of self-editing.
Apart from expertly using the various applications and tools out there, professional writers have a writing skills headstart founded on experience.
Hiring professional blog content writers will further strengthen your content and online presence because writers, editors and SEO experts are built into the service.
They Understand What Sells
Two words, search intent. Have you ever clicked on a blog link and almost immediately clicked out because the title was misleading? They probably misconstrued the search intent.
Search intent is what your audience means when they type in a search term. Getting the search intent right is one of the most important skills a professional writer will bring to the table.
Getting the search intent and keywords right in your titles and content also ensures that your audience will actually see your site when they put in their search query.
Professional writers will carry out thorough keyword research. To boot, they will know the best way to organically incorporate keywords in an article.
Basically, they will do the search engine optimization for your site.
More Time for You To Focus on Your Strengths
A 2017 study found that more than 50% of top tier writers spend 40+ hours per week working.
If you’re a full-time content marketer, you have your hands full juggling planning, evaluation and resource allocation. It is simply not feasible for you to spend 30 hours a week creating content. That’s the ballpark estimate of the amount of time needed to stay ahead of content creation goals.
Blogs take time to build. Since audiences are so different, there is no one-size-fits-all for successful content. You have to take the time to write, tweak and test until you find the right mix.
With the help of a professional content writer, you will successfully borrow both time and skills to tackle the website content challenge.
What To Look for in a Professional Content Writer
Now that you’re convinced about the benefits of outsourcing the content writing for your blog, what next? The process of finding the best content writer is fraught with challenges.
The challenges run the whole spectrum, from unscrupulous writers who under quote and under deliver to amateurs passing themselves off as experts.
The simplest solution to this is to hire a content writer through a blog writing service or content management service.
Content writing service providers usually have a rigorous vetting and training process for their writers. They also have editors and other marketing experts on board who ensure the best results.
What are some of the traits you should be looking for in a professional content writer?
They Are Grammar Savants
Good grammar is a given for a professional content writer. They should have a keen eye for punctuation, spelling and syntax.
Beyond passing spellcheck, their work should strike that balance between ease of reading and an incisive, thorough delivery.
Riveting Angles and a Strong Writing Voice
When it comes to content, there is nothing new under the sun. That said, a professional writer can take a topic that is threadbare and refresh it with an insightful approach and a confident writing voice.
Several aspects play into creating a strong brand voice and will keep your readers on your site for longer:
- Core values and mission statement
- Common vocabulary and brand phrases
- Compelling storytelling
- Distinct personality
- Different tones for different contexts
Look for a writer whose content communicates integrity, intelligence and is riveting to read. They will be able to communicate your brand voice coherently.
They Have a Commitment to Constant Growth
Content marketing is a constantly evolving field. Professional content writers are on the cutting edge of these developments.
Some SEO practices that used to be a guaranteed success don’t work anymore.
Furthermore, Google with its monopoly on search is constantly tweaking the algorithms and changing the rules of the game to better target the customer.
Considering that 95% of internet users never make it past the first search engine results page, your content writer must understand SEO.
Expert writers put in the time researching and implementing all the principles of content marketing that help pages rank higher so that you don’t have to.
Originality
Publishing plagiarized content is a watertight way to get your site penalised by search engines. Any content writer who takes pride in their work would never pass off another’s work as their own.
They are aces at paraphrasing and moulding sourced information into entirely new articles that have no duplication.
Writing Experience
Content writing is like fine wine. It’s a skill that improves with time. The professional writer of your choice should be able to produce credentials.
Due to content ownership rights and non-disclosure agreements, many professional writers may be unable to produce a portfolio. A sample or test article is the best way to test the experience and capabilities of a professional writer.
The same rule goes for a professional blogging service. They should be able to showcase the experience of their writers and editors through quality samples or client testimonials.
Versatility as a Writer
A distinct writing voice and flexibility in writing are not mutually exclusive. If anything, a confident writing persona can help the content writer step into your brand personality with ease.
Expert writers can quickly adopt the tone that best suits your brand. They will also implement suggested edits quickly, incorporating them into a specialised style guide for every user persona your brand has.
A professional content writer should be able to research and write on topics unfamiliar to them with relative ease. Fluidity in a writer’s skills will enable them to navigate the ever-changing landscape of content marketing.
The Best Quality Content Investment
High quality, well-targeted content is difficult to produce consistently. One of the best investments you can make in your marketing plan is to hire a professional content writer.
You will have enough time freed up to plan and focus on your core business.
