What Is Content Writing?

These days, more content than ever is available on the internet, with over seven million new blog posts published daily. Just about every business with an online presence publishes some form of content – much of it written by content writers. But what is content writing, and how is it different from other forms of writing?

In this post, we’ll discuss content writing in its various forms and why it’s important to the success of countless businesses. We’ll cover:

1. What content writing is
2. What a content writer does
3. Why content writing matters
4. The difference between copywriting and content writing
5. How you can become a content writer

Keep reading to learn more about content writing and how Knowadays can help you launch your freelance writing career.

What Is Content Writing?

Content writing is creating written material for online platforms such as websites, blogs, and social media. The primary goal of content writing is to provide engaging, informative marketing content to a business’s target audience, to foster brand awareness and build a relationship with their customer base.

The type of content that writers produce spans a wide range, including articles, blog posts, product descriptions, social media posts, ebooks, and more. To produce effective and marketable content, content writers need to work closely with business clients to understand their specific marketing goals and how to appeal to their target audience.

What Does a Content Writer Do?

To run a successful freelance business, content writers must work closely with business clients to identify their specific marketing goals and how to appeal to their target audience. A successful content writer will:

• Be familiar with basic SEO strategy and techniques, such as keyword usage
• Adhere to the brand voice, tone, and style guidelines of a business
• Know how to write for various digital platforms, including social media
• Be willing to collaborate with other professionals, such as marketing or research teams, when necessary
• Proofread and edit their writing

As you can see, content writers need to be proficient in a variety of areas; it takes more than just solid writing skills to be a good content writer!

Why Does Content Writing Matter?

Content writing plays a significant role in a company’s success and often serves as the “storefront” for an online business. High-quality content helps businesses:

• Build trust and credibility with their audience
• Improve website traffic
• Build brand recognition
• Increase sales

Content writers also help ensure that a business’s specific brand voice and desired tone is applied consistently throughout their content.

Copywriting vs. Content Writing

Many people use the terms copywriting and content writing interchangeably, but they are actually two distinct services. The main goal of copywriting is to persuade readers to take a specific action (a call to action) that is beneficial for a business, such as making a purchase, clicking a link, or signing up for a mailing list. Content writing aims to inform, educate, and engage readers.

While copywriting often uses a persuasive or salesy tone, content writing is more informative and conversational. It focuses on delivering valuable information or solving a reader’s problem rather than placing a strong emphasis on selling.

Types of Content Writers

There’s no limit when it comes to topics or subjects that content writers can specialize in. Here are some of the most common areas content writers focus on:

• Blogs
• Social media
• Business reports
• Press releases
• Emails/newsletters
• Technical writing
• Content marketing/SEO
• Website landing pages

While some content writers choose to specialize in a specific niche, others take a more generalized approach and write on a variety of topics.

How to Become a Content Writer

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a content writer, start by evaluating your current skillset and filling in any gaps, such as taking a class or continuing professional development. Some of the top skills you’ll need are:

• Organization
• Time management
• Excellent writing skills
• Strong spelling and grammar
• Basic computer skills
• Research ability

Once you’ve taken the steps to develop these skills, start building a portfolio of writing samples to show potential clients. If you don’t have any professional work, create your own blog or contribute guest posts to the websites of nonprofits or other organizations to gain writing samples. Offering freelance writing services on online marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork is another way to get experience and add to your body of work.

If you’re brand new to the field, you can network by joining writing communities, attending workshops, and engaging with other content writers (online and in person) to learn from experienced professionals. You may even find a freelance mentor through networking, which can be invaluable if you’re just starting out.

Knowadays Courses

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a freelance content writer, check out our Becoming A Freelance Writer course. It will teach you everything you need to know to launch your freelance writing business, including how to find clients. Claim your free trial today to become a trained professional in a career you love!