When it comes to content writing, many entrepreneurs don’t have what it takes to get the job done. You know you require high-quality content, but you don’t have the writing skills necessary. With that, you may not have time to handle authority-driven research that a marketing writer can perform.
Did you know that the marketing industry has reached a new incredible high and should be worth roughly $412 billion at the end of 2021? It’s something that most content marketing writers focus on because they know the industry is bound to continue providing them with a lot of work and the ability to make money.
Companies everywhere have websites, and those that don’t are sure to get them in no time. Without it, you’re missing a chance to engage with your audience, and that means the competition overtakes you quickly.
If taking a writing course isn’t your style, it might be wise to hire someone to help you. We are the perfect example, as we offer content marketing writing that wows the crowd!
What Makes Good Content Marketing Writers?
Though you might not understand strategic content marketing, a good content marketing writer does. That means they go beyond statistics and keywords and focus on the story. You require a great content writer who can put the pieces together and write content that’s interesting.
In your search to find the best marketers for the job, you need to look at their past work and these features:
Great Content Marketing Writing Skills
Everyone and anyone can write, but those who understand the fundamentals and are passionate create amazing articles. Therefore, the content marketing writer must have a solid foundation of the basics, such as punctuation, grammar, and spelling. Most people don’t think about that after they finish college, but content creation requires it.
Have you ever driven down the street and saw a huge, glaring error in the billboard? It happens more often than you think in the course of things. Most content writers cringe and wonder why that mistake wasn’t caught before it was given to the public.
Poor content marketing writing usually means that the writer didn’t pay attention to details, which hurts your credibility. Great writing, on the other hand, focuses on professionalism that every company needs to display.
Then, you have excellent writing that goes beyond the basics to focus on tone, syntax, and diction. Ultimately, these professionals think of the craft as a puzzle. They’re searching for a perfect phrase or word to explain it all easily.
The Understanding of How Others Interact with the Content
The best content marketing writers understand that people want things fast. Here’s an example: if you had five minutes, do you think you might pick a large book or a short, scannable article?
Ultimately, the good content writer knows that their target audience wants something scannable and on the short side. They understand that people only need long content when they’re deeper into the sales funnel.
Your ideal writer isn’t a wordsmith only; they are a specialist who caters their words in a way that can create amazing web content.
A content marketing writer isn’t only a storyteller. In a sense, they write content that has visuals and uses appropriate cues to tell the reader what’s important. That way, all of the research stands out from the text.
For example, you want:
- Lists
- Images with captions
- In-line quotes
- Headers
- Subheaders
However, the writer must also understand how direct response copywriting impacts everything. The words must inspire action immediately. These can include:
- Compelling calls to action
- Informative and customer-focused content
- Attention-grabbing headings and titles
- Phrases that create urgency
When you use those things, you increase page views, clickthrough rates, newsletter signups, downloads, and more.
Creativity
Creativity here means that the content writer can tie together different elements into a more cohesive story. Sometimes, the parts don’t seem to fit immediately.
When you draw information that seems unrelated into the content, this could be an asset because it introduces the readers to think a different way. With that, your industry or business seems relevant to outside areas.
On top of it all, an interesting angle is crucial to get readers engaged from the beginning. Ultimately, content writers have the skills to do that with words.
However, you don’t always want to think outside the box when writing. Technically, you need these three elements:
- Specific subject matter experience
- Proper grammar and spelling
- Search engine optimization
However, creativity mixes those things together so that they’re interesting. A content marketing writer with creativity uses various principles when they write content, which can include:
- Dialogue
- Quotes
- Different points of view
- Figures of speech
- Analogies and metaphors
- Varying sentence structures
Therefore, when searching for the right person to write for you, choose someone with a mixture of writing options in their portfolio.
Versatility
Most of the time, you want the content marketing writer to create multiple content forms for you, such as white papers, web content, articles, and press releases. Each of these means a different writing style, but they should still be consistent with your brand voice. That way, readers realize that those pieces are an extension of the business.
This means you want content writers who are versatile enough to create those different content forms. Each one has its own specifications, but the articles embody your brand.
It doesn’t hurt to choose a writer with some social media savvy. Every content writer doesn’t craft social media posts, but they should still understand the basics. That way, they can do it when necessary.
Professionalism
Content writing doesn’t mean that the person must be a hermit or turn to nature to get inspiration. With that, they don’t always spend hours in coffee shops guzzling caffeinated beverages. Writers are usually as normal as everyone else, so they interact with clients and coworkers.
That means the writers must be professional. They may have to interact with clients only part-time, and it might not be part of their daily jobs. However, one bad encounter could sour your business relationships.
With that, you require a professional content marketing writer, which is someone who excels at the more technical aspect and strategy. They should write efficiently and quickly while juggling different projects at once and keeping on top of tight deadlines.
Most content marketing writers have multiple clients, so it’s best to put in a request as soon as possible. That way, it gives the content writer plenty of time to craft the piece and get it sent back to you. This also requires them to understand time management and have a system in place.
Ability to Learn Quickly
If you can find a content marketing writer with tons of experience in your industry, then congratulations because you’re the lucky one.
Most writers tend to have bachelor’s degrees in communications or journalism. Others have a lot of experience writing content but in a different niche than yours. These aren’t bad things, necessarily.
Bringing on a writer with other perspectives might ensure that you bring something new to the table. The veteran writer may be stuck using outdated web practices.
Regardless, you need someone who can learn quickly, especially if yours is a technical industry. That way, you get the content strategy going and someone to keep up with your pace.
You know that you need a content marketing writer, but now you have to decide whether to choose freelance writers, build an in-house team with other writers, or hire an agency.
Freelance writing has a romantic appeal for the writers and employers. This group is expected to be higher than traditional employees, so you might think that a freelance writer is the best choice.
While we can’t say if it is or not, these people often have a specific niche to write in. They are great content hackers who can get in there and get going, but they may not focus on your strategy.
Usually, they have tons of clients and might not fit in with your marketing team well. If the goal is to become a thought leader and focus on targeted content creation, such as eBooks and landing pages, a freelancer or generalist copywriter might not be best.
Hiring a writer in-house can be a good idea, but there are many costs associated with them. Content marketing writers with five years of experience typically earn $72,000 per year. This amount doesn’t factor in benefits or taxes, either.
Therefore, your best bet might be to work with a content marketing agency. They have freelancers on staff, but they use your strategy to get things done. With them, you can outsource the full team so that writers are working with the strategists.
Types of Content to Craft
Your content marketing writer may have to take on various content writing jobs. They can include:
Case Studies or Profiles
Case studies are a favorite for content marketing writers, and there are plenty of these jobs to go around. Typically, case studies are profile pieces that showcase one customer of a business and how they benefited from being a client.
Often, you put the case study on your website, which helps with content marketing. Just make sure that the content marketing writer you choose knows how to format and craft these pieces.
How-to Articles
How-to articles are a great addition to your website and help with content marketing. However, you must be aware that to craft such articles, you need to be an authority figure in the market.
Generally, these posts focus on saving money, but they can extend to so many other areas, such as tips on just about anything, investments, getting a loan, and so much more.
Ultimately, how-to posts should be a huge part of your content marketing efforts. That way, you can give people the information they need and position your brand as the top choice.
Trend Stories
A brand’s content strategy is similar to a publication’s content strategy. They are both publications with readers who must be entertained and educated. That can include many different types of content, such as trend stories, profiles, and more.
Your content marketing writer must understand that they may need to write trend stories to help you stay on top.
Blog Posts
The bulk of what a writer does is write blog posts. Large and small companies need to fill their blogs with engaging written content. They can be on just about any topic that relates to your field. With that, the content marketing writer is responsible for focusing on keyword research, density, search intent, and all the rest.
We often ask you what the purpose of the content is so that we make sure we follow your vision for each piece. This also helps you stay in control of the content and ensures that you are satisfied with the results.
Newsletters
You may not realize that a weekly newsletter is a huge part of content marketing. Many companies write their own, and they are huge lead magnets for a business. For example, someone is drawn to your website through a blog or another piece, and they engage with and want to learn more about the topic.
Part of your content strategy should focus on writing newsletters each week and sending them to the list of subscribers. When you use an enticing eBook or the promise of similar blogs, these people want to join automatically, and it’s less work for you.
Regardless of how large or small your company is, you must focus on content strategy and direction. You have someone else handle the content marketing and creation.
Usually, you’re a strategist instead of a content marketing writer. Therefore, you use the writer to be your content hacker and shoot the information out there to everyone.
White Papers
In the past, white papers were a form of corporate writing, but now they overlap with everything. With that, they aren’t boring pieces of copy that you write. They are readable and tell a story.
Typically, white papers are reports that educate clients on trend forecasts, innovative technologies, and solutions to specific problems.
Though they do sound boring, it’s up to the content marketing writer to write them in a compelling way. They may not earn you money directly, but they do show the audience that you care, offer various solutions, and talk about your abilities.
Social Media Posts
Social media marketing is a crucial form of content writing, and some people just don’t have the skills for it.
The content marketing industry focuses more on social media now than it did in the past. This is because you’re missing huge opportunities to engage with your readers if you’re not using Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
Update Your Content Marketing Strategy with Us
Who typically hires content marketing writers? Everyone does anymore. Marketers are trained and should be able to write anything. This includes:
- Social media copy
- Infographic copy
- Ad copy
- Product descriptions
- An online course
The goal is to find high-level writers who are excellent at creating online written content. In a sense, you need someone to be a content hacker and understand how marketing makes a difference.
When that’s the case, you need our services, as we understand marketing and can be the expert communicator between you and the writers. Call today or learn more about us!
