Content writing combines digital marketing with creative skills to attract an audience for brands. Almost any industry can use content writers to create engaging pieces for current and potential consumers. If you have a talent for writing and enjoy researching a variety of topics to provide engaging material, becoming a content writer may be your ideal career path. In this article, we explain the role of a content writer, provide more details about their work and share how you can start a career in this field.
What is a content writer?
Content writers are professionals who create written material to help businesses design and execute digital marketing strategies. Using strong written communication abilities, content writers create articles, marketing copy and other media materials on any topic requested by a client. Content writers may also specialize in a particular area or industry. Their work typically serves to market a product or increase online traffic to a company’s website using keywords to attract online search engine results. Although content writers come from a variety of backgrounds, they all use strong written communication abilities to engage consumer audiences on behalf of a client.
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What does a content writer do?
A content writer composes original writing for commercial use. Content writers may work with other professionals to define a client’s content needs or complete assigned tasks as outlined by a company. They compose topics using keyword strategies for search engine optimization (SEO) to increase a client’s online presence.
Content writers research a topic to find how other writers approach a similar idea, customizing their material based on information from valid resources. They typically create an outline during or after their research, compose the piece, then edit their work. They also write content using creative expression for items like advertising slogans. A content writer’s work is varied and can include crafting material for any of the following:
- Website content such as landing pages
- Blogs
- Articles
- White papers
- E-books
- Social media posts
- Online advertising material
- Product descriptions
- Public relations materials
- Email marketing
- Video copy
- Podcast scripts
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Content writer salary and job outlook
Content writers make a national average salary of $54,135 per year. Depending on their experience and type of clients, a content writer may have the opportunity to increase their wage by completing work for large campaigns, including national brands, or by serving a high volume of clients. Working for established marketing or copywriting agencies can give you the security of a regular salary with benefits like health care and paid time off. Freelance content writers who secure their own contracts may earn a fluctuating wage dependent on their workload at a given time.
Jobs for writing professionals are expected to see a steady and average growth rate of 9% through the year 2030 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The growth of online advertising and marketing continues to increase the need for content writers who provide copy for any online platform.
How to become a content writer
Follow these steps to pursue a career as a content writer:
1. Read work from other writers
Writing skills develop from exposure to different kinds of literature. Reading from a variety of texts can increase your vocabulary and help you gain other literacy skills that writers use to compose their own work. Being an avid reader allows you to discover how other writers use techniques like sentence fluency and word choice to craft a story or elaborate on their main idea. This can include both fiction and nonfiction writing, as both disciplines use similar techniques to engage readers through their language abilities.
2. Practice writing content
Gain experience by writing your own sample material or taking on unpaid work. Join a writing group to network with other professionals through an online platform or attend in-person meetings. Get feedback from peers to determine your greatest strengths and areas where you can continue to develop your skills. Some content writers come from a fiction background, using their ability to share and creatively explain ideas to compose material on consumer-focused topics.
3. Complete a bachelor’s degree program
Working as a content writer depends on your writing skills more than on your specific educational background. Many professional writers start by pursuing a degree in fields that require creative expression or focus on communication for business and social purposes. Programs under the bachelor of arts discipline often provide courses that promote critical thinking and written communication to express and analyze ideas. Majoring in subjects like English, linguistics or public relations are all ways to build writing skills and increase your language expertise.
4. Learn about SEO
Content writers use SEO techniques to maximize the effectiveness of their material. Search engine optimization involves using keywords linked to popular search terms. These terms reveal what users search for when they visit an online search engine to find information. Most digital content uses SEO as the basis for determining what topics writers should focus on and what information to include in a piece of writing. You can find plenty of online tutorials and articles related to SEO to help you understand the terminology and methods used by content writers.
5. Search for freelance work
Freelance contracts can help you get started as a content writer. Look for websites that host freelance job boards for creative professionals. These sites typically require users to set up a profile with writing samples that show their skill as a writer. As a beginner, you may need to write sample content to give prospective clients an idea of your abilities. You can also check with individual agencies to find contract work. Content writing firms typically hire external writers to complete assignments in addition to their internal writing staff.
6. Join a content agency
Becoming a staff content writer can provide you with a steady income and consistent work from clients assigned by the company. Working for an agency means you won’t have to take the time to search out your own clients. Instead, you can focus on improving your writing and editing abilities by working as part of a team of content specialists. To be considered for an agency, you may have to go through the process of submitting an initial resume and writing samples, then composing one or more sample pieces as directed by the company’s hiring professionals and senior writers.
Content writer skills
Here are the key skills content writers use to create written material:
Research
Content writers become subject experts by reading and reviewing sources related to a current project throughout the writing process. Strong research skills help writers identify valuable resources for a topic. They also understand how to use precise search terms to find the best information for a piece of writing.
Critical thinking
Content writers develop ideas from many sources to create a new piece of information. After analyzing and internalizing info from a source, they condense and elaborate facts, quotes and thoughts to write their own material about a topic. Content writers also analyze the purpose and audience of a piece to determine how they can effectively compose material. Critical thinking skills give writers the ability to comprehend what they read and use that information to inspire a unique piece of writing.
Editing
Professional writers are expected to turn in work that’s as free from errors as they can make it. Although some companies may also hire editors to review written material, successful content writers develop effective editing skills to review and revise their own work. Editing involves looking at the piece as a whole to evaluate the organization and flow of a writer’s thoughts. It also means giving a detailed analysis of the use and mechanics of the writer’s language.
Grammar
Content writers need a strong understanding of grammar rules and how to apply them to written work. This includes using correct spelling, punctuation and sentence structure to compose a piece. Content writers also use varied word choice to enhance the readability of their work, which means they need a strong grasp of vocabulary in their written language.
Typing
Content writers compose most of their ideas through the computer. Aside from taking notes or outlining, most writers type their work directly into a digital document. Learning to type quickly, without pausing to find a letter or character, can improve a writer’s ability to record their thoughts as quickly as they can think.
Creativity
Although content writers compose work for nonfiction purposes, creativity is an important skill to develop. Content writers use creativity to approach a topic from a new perspective or select the right descriptive words to make their material more interesting to readers. Being creative also helps writers vary their structure and sentence use to engage their audience. This can be important for marketing material, as content writers are often asked to create words that attract potential customers to a brand.
Content writer work environment
Content writers often work flexible hours and may even set their own schedules. It’s also common for content writers to work remotely, either as internal employees of any business that hires writing staff or as independent contractors with various clients. They typically work on a computer using word processing software and spend most of their time sitting in front of a screen. Some content writers work in an office as part of the marketing department or with a dedicated writing team.