Here are 6 content writing tips for beginners to get you started!
You’ve decided to try your hand at content marketing after hearing that it’s the best way to promote your business on the Internet. Even if you are an experienced writer in other mediums, you will notice that content writing guidelines are slightly different because you are writing for both Google and your audience. When you are new to content writing, it can be intimidating, so we have some content writing tips for beginners to help you get started.
1) Write a compelling headline
Your content’s headline serves three functions. To help Google assign a high search rank, it must capture the attention of readers, provide an accurate summary of the information, and adhere to search guidelines.
Headlines should include your focus keyword, be between 55 and 70 characters long, and have a word count of 6 to 7 words. Headlines with a list, a “How to” guide, or a question tend to rank the highest. The free headline analysis tool from CoSchedule will assist you in learning how to format headlines for the best search ranking.
2) Make your content easy to read
Your material should be formatted such that readers and Google can skim and understand it easily. Online, reading long pages of text can be tough, especially on small smartphone devices. Rather than wading through a long essay, online readers scan content to locate points that they are interested in.
To make your writing easier to read, cut it up into small paragraphs of one or two sentences instead of three or four phrases. To make it easier for readers to identify the concepts that interest them, use bolded subheadings to divide your text into subjects or ideas.
Because they are simple to read, numbered lists and tales with bullet points are popular formats. Organizing your information in this manner also aids Google in indexing it, resulting in a higher search ranking.
3) Focus on the topic, not keyword stuffing
With a few key differences, the basic rules of content writing are similar to the writing requirements you learnt in school. Keywords are necessary, but you should focus on providing well-written, high-quality content that conveys the topic clearly.
Stuffing keywords into your material will result in a penalty. Instead, use only three to four times a primary keyword and no more than twice a secondary keyword.
4) Improve your Vocabulary and Grammar
To be honest, faultless grammar isn’t necessary.
However, you must know enough so that you are not continually making mistakes and need someone to correct you. If you want to make a living as a content writer, you can’t have a lot of grammatical mistakes in your article.
You’ll also need a large enough vocabulary so that you’re employing terms that make sense rather than just seeming smart.
5) Proof your content
Proofreading your material may seem like an afterthought with these beginner content writing recommendations, but the internet is littered with blogs and other content that are filled with grammar and spelling errors. Poorly proofed content can really harm your company’s image because it represents your business online and may be a customer’s first interaction with your brand.
While using a word processing application to check for spelling and grammar issues is beneficial, it can also lead to homonym blunders. Allow another person to proofread your work for the best results. If this isn’t possible, Grammarly is a free programme that can help you discover common mistakes.
6) Practice, practice, practice!
Writing content is similar to any other talent in that the more you practise it, the easier it becomes. On the internet, you may find free programmes that will analyse your content and provide you advice on how to improve your content writing skills.
