9 Writing Tips for Better Content (for Non-Writers)
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No matter your job title in the marketing universe, knowing how to write (and write well) is critical.
If you expect to make an impact on any type of audience, good online content is not an option. It’s a necessity.
Particularly, you should start with trusty types of content and hone in on making them work hard to help meet your marketing goals. Blogs, emails, and white papers are go-to’s for any marketing team, so that’s where we’ll start.
This is your guide to writing better content, with a heavy focus on creating good, undeniably readable copy.
How to Write Better Blogs
In content marketing, blogs should be your front line heroes. For this type, focus on hooking the reader, keeping them engaged, and providing usefulness with zero fluff.
1. Start with a Hook
Starting your blog with a solid hook is the #1 way to pique your readers’ interest. Most people at least read the headline and the first paragraph. If you can intrigue them immediately in those places, they’ll be far more likely to keep reading.
For headlines, look for the major benefit or takeaway the reader will receive from reading the content. Distill that into one line.
This example by Roger Maftean does it perfectly:
“Can’t Get That Click? 5 Simple Strategies for CTAs That Convert”
This headline does a few things right:
· It speaks to a user pain point (not getting enough clicks on CTAs — a common marketing conundrum)
· It tells you the benefit of reading the article (you’ll learn simple strategies for more conversions)
· It includes strong verbs, nouns, and adjectives (“click,” “strategies,” “simple,” “convert”)
Each of these elements come together to create a compelling, hook-driven headline — take note.
For introductions, hooking the reader is all about telling them WHY they should care about your topic/article A.S.A.P.
If you give them no reason to care, or you neglect to tell them why the information you’re about to present is…
