20 Enticing Ways To Improve Your Content Writing Skills

Table of Contents

• Introduction  
• Content Writing Skills That Writers Need Today
• 5 Courses you can Take to Improve your Content Writing Skills 
• Conclusion
• Key takeaways
• FAQs

Acquiring good writing skills in today’s ever-evolving content marketing world is of greater importance than ever. Effective content writing skills are as important for a writer as fuel is to a vehicle. Without having good content writing skills, writers cannot steer ahead. While these skills are not very difficult to learn, they need patience, practice, and determination. Only then will you be an effective and always-in-demand writer. Let’s look at some tips to improve content writing skills that will give you an edge over other writers.

Content Writing Skills that Writers Need Today

If you ace the skills required for content writing, you can surely enjoy the many perks associated with it. Not only can you choose the topics you want to write about, but you can also choose where you want to work from. So here is a list of five skills you need to dominate if you want to carve a great career in content writing:

1. Strong research and brainstorming skills

Good research adds credibility to your writings and provides great value to your copy. Therefore, apart from a well-written piece, your content needs good research, correct information, and facts.

Writing materials can be gathered online by studying digital journals, whitepapers, visiting government websites, and other reliable sources. If you are simply looking up resources on Google, you have to be very careful about authenticity.

2. Ability to adapt

Adaptability is one of the skills that every writer must imbibe as they constantly need to change their style and tone of writing. To meet the requirements of different projects, the writers need to learn and unlearn several aspects of writing.

For instance, the tone of a blog article for engineering equipment will be a lot different from a blog post on the latest fashion trend. Similarly, a landing page article will be in stark contrast to a white paper. Therefore, the more styles and tones you learn quickly and adapt to, the more skillful you will become as a content writer.

3. Better understanding of SEO trends

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a top skill required for content writing, and this craft must be mastered. A good content writer always focuses on staying on top of SEO trends. To present a most effective piece, you must know how to write meta titles, descriptions, keywords, insert images, external links, and so on.

4. Keep up with the brand value

To write a compelling piece, you must write as per the brands’ voice. Spend some time knowing the brand better. Once you understand the brands’ design, value, and strategy, it will become easier to deliver better quality content. For instance, providing images and backlinks is of great value if you are writing content for social media. On the other hand, if you create content for an educational portal, supporting it with FAQs is a plus. So if you know the brand well before writing, you can create impactful content.

5. Stay updated, stay in demand

To be relevant as an excellent content writer, you have to stay updated with the latest trends; otherwise, your writing opportunities will become limited. If you keep educating yourself on the latest updates in search engines, social media trends, or algorithms, you will be able to write better and original content pieces. This will, in turn, please your customers or the brands you write for.

Furthermore, to stay in demand, maintain an active profile on social media. While you may make valuable contacts, you can also gain some higher-paying writing jobs. Many brands are also on the lookout for more reach, so if you agree to share their content with your network, that will be an incentive to have you on their side.

20 Interesting Tips to Improve Your Content Writing Skills

Are you still wondering how to improve content writing skills? Then you must know that learning and practicing is your key to success. If you want to become a better writer, here are 20 tips for you to start improving your content writing skills right away:

1. Brush up your basic skills

One of the most important tips to improve content writing skills is to brush up on the basic principles of writing. Even if you are well-versed with grammar and language, you should take some time to revise the basics now and then. Other than that, you can keep books like ‘Wren & Martin’ or ‘The Elements of Style’ by your side to seek help from time to time.

2. Write regularly, if possible write every day

If you are wondering how to improve content writing skills, then this tip is for you. The best way to polish the skills of a content writer is to practice writing every day. You can write and share social media posts, blog articles, or simple comments or feedback on articles written by others.

3. Read as much as you can

Keen readers make the best writers. Reading, therefore, is one of the primary skills required for effective content writing. While reading, do not limit yourself to blogs or books; expand your horizon and take a diversified approach. Pick up challenging materials you would not want to read and analyze the article’s word choices, sentence structure, and flow.

4. Stay focused

Content writing needs a lot of focus which can be hard to find after writing assignments back to back for a long period. Therefore, it is important to retain the focus and avoid distractions when it’s time to write. If you seem to lose focus now and again, start with a smaller topic or easy-to-do tasks instead of diving headlong into a larger project.

5. Find a writing buddy

Source

To hone your content writing skills, try finding a like-minded person. There are a lot of chances that you will find a writing partner or buddy at your workplace itself. Though writing is more of a solitary activity, the best content writers are always looking for feedback on their writing. So talk to your colleagues and friends, and ask if they want to go through your work and give you feedback. It’s the best way to hold yourself accountable.

6. Write simple

Among the various skills required for content writing, this is the simplest one. Yes, the true skills of web content writers are showcased in simple writing. You are not expected to write complex or fancy words. Use simple yet effective words in your articles. Your writings must be understood by a layman easily, and they should derive value from it.

7. Write short sentences and paragraphs

Content writing, especially for the web, is tricky. No matter the amount of material you have ready, you must adhere to a strict word count while retaining all essential information in your piece. Since online readers have short attention spans — a study claims it is about 8 seconds, you must break your ideas into small sentences and give more points. Along with this, focus on keeping your paragraphs shorter yet impactful.

8. Be careful with grammar

Source

The success of your post largely depends on your grammar. No one would like to read a post that has a lot of grammatical errors. Try getting an editor to help you with finalizing your error-free copy.

9. Take inspirations from your favorite writings

It is time to dissect your favorite writings and get some much-needed inspiration. Print out a few copies of your recent favorite blogs, and highlight the portions you like the most. It can be words, phrases, sentences, or even full paragraphs. Examine these elements carefully, and try to apply the same techniques in your work.

10. Get pro at proofreading

Most people skip the last stage of editing — proofreading. You must read the piece twice before you post or submit it. When you read the copies from a reader’s viewpoint, you will be able to point out several mistakes. While proofreading takes more time and focus, it pays off in the end.

11. Mind your communication skills

Apart from meeting the word count, a content writer needs to focus on the clients’ needs. They should communicate with the client and get as much clarification as possible on the deliverables. Note all important factors you need to understand before creating and submitting an article to the client or the stakeholder. This is important to minimize revisions. 

12. Join a writing workshop

Content marketing workshops or courses, professional development groups, and meet-ups have become extremely common today. Undergo such training from time to time to keep your skills in check. Try participating in any of LinkedIn’s content marketing groups to get in touch with like-minded writers. Write about a topic that you like, discuss it, and get feedback from the group. Joining a good writing workshop can be immensely beneficial in improving the skills of a content writer.

13. Superior organizational skill

Organizational skills don’t only mean having a clean work desk; it’s about setting priorities, meeting deadlines, organizing your workday most productively, and also simply being on top of everything personally and professionally.

There are many ways to be organized. For instance, keep a calendar of your deadlines if you are working on multiple assignments. Many smartphones come with a feature to organize your time. The key is to remain sorted at the work front.

14. Plan an outline

Not many writers work on an article outline before embarking on the writing journey. Outlines can be your best friends since they help you write an excellent, well-rounded copy.

An outline is a simple structure of the article. It must mention the sections and subsections of your write-up. If you seem to lose the plot while writing at any point in time, you can bounce back with the help of an outline.

15. Do away with unnecessary words

Another common tip to improve one’s content writing skills is to not stuff your articles with overly heavy words and complex sentences to sound authoritative. In most cases, short and simple sentences have a greater impact. Remember, overwrought sentences and paragraphs are not required to get your point across.

16. Track your writing journey

If you have been writing for some time, make it a habit of looking back at your initial works. This will remind you how far you have come and progressed. Tracking the journey and noticing the progress gives a lot of satisfaction to any writer. Pat yourself, you’ve worked hard, now keep writing.

17. Write what you think is right

Many articles on the web are dreadfully bland. This is because writers and bloggers focus more on presenting the same news as others without adding opinions. Do not fall into the trap of simply writing facts. Do not be shy or afraid of sharing your opinions. You don’t have to rebuke your readers, rather ensure that your piece is worthwhile for them to read.

18. Efficient editing

To be able to edit the copies well is an excellent skill required for content writing. First drafts are never perfect; they require a lot of editing. Editing skills further require a good eye for detail, discipline, and lots of patience.

Many times, editing can take more time than writing the piece itself. So, while you are editing, check for overused words, redundant points, along with punctuation errors, grammar, and spelling mistakes.

19. A finished copy is better than perfect

While you should invest a good amount of time in writing, editing, and proofing your article, you must not sit over it for weeks altogether.

You must know that no article will ever be perfect. Determine a time that is right just to submit it and stick to this deadline. Especially in content marketing, you don’t have the luxury of curating beautiful, poetic blogs. The more confident you become with your writing, the easier and faster you will finish a copy.

Lastly, always maintain your deadlines or your editorial calendars. They are your true masters, just like your manager or a boss.

20. Deliver quality work

True skills of content writers are showcased in delivering quality work on time. Therefore, give your best and present a well-researched, high-quality, error-free, and engaging article. Being consistent in delivering good work will not only make your customer feel happy and content, it is a sure-shot way to get more work and salary.

We hope you found these tips to improve content writing skills useful, even if you have been writing for a long time. And if you are a content writer already, take your writing career a notch higher with some of the below listed best free online courses.

5 Courses you can Take to Improve your Content Writing Skills

With content writing courses, you can not only brush up on your basic writing skills but also learn the nuances of online content writing. Also, digital media platforms are evolving with new trends and technologies every day. Hence, remaining relevant by keeping up with new skills is equally important for content writers.

Here we have short-listed the five best courses you can take to improve your content writing skills and make a good career in this ever-evolving field.

1. Hubspot’s Content Writing Certification Course

From planning the content, its creation to promoting a written piece and analytics, Hubspot’s Content Writing Certification Course teaches you everything and that too, for free. It makes you proficient in content writing. Once your course is complete, you can take an online exam and evaluate your progress. 

2. Become a Better Blogger, offered by Skillshare

Become a Better Blogger is one of the most popular courses on the Skillshare platform. Taught by Andrea Goulet, CEO of Corgibytes (a software modernizing organization), it is ideal for both bloggers and influencers. This free course encompasses 12 videos that help you to learn the basics of blogging.

3. Ninja Writing by Udemy

Ninja Writing: The Four Levels Of Writing Mastery is a course offered by Udemy For Rs 455. Aimed at helping your articles, blogs, and other writings into masterpieces, this is one of the best courses to take. From teaching how to provide rhythm to your sentences to the fine intricacies of writing, this course offers everything you need as a fresh content writer.

4. Coursera’s Content Strategy For Professionals Specialization

This free course from Northwestern University is available on Coursera. It teaches how to generate ideas and bring out the right emotions that will strike a target audience.

5. Udemy’s Writing Tools & Hacks: Copywriting, Blogging And Content Writing

Writing Tools & Hacks covers blogging, copywriting, and content writing. This course covers all the Skills Required For Content Writing. For Rs 455, you get to learn to write effective headlines, better article flow, make articles interesting, and come up with fresh ideas.

These online courses provide tips to improve content writing skills and help fill the gaps in your technical understanding to reach a target audience.

Conclusion

Content writing is an in-demand skill and one of the top requirements of marketing companies. Great content not only drives followers; it helps generate leads, increase sales conversions, and enhance brands’ reputations.

However, being a great content writer with all the required skill-set takes time and patience. You must be ready to invest more time in writing and, most importantly, be an enthusiastic learner.

With our easy and doable tips to improve content writing skills, we hope that you will gain confidence and much-needed momentum to up your content game. You can also take advantage of the online content-related courses and get ahead of other writers in the content realm.

Key Takeaways

• To learn content writing skills, you need a lot of patience, practice, and determination.
• Good research adds credibility to your writings.
• Adaptability is a must for any writer.
• Focuses on staying on top of the SEO trends.
• Write as per the brands’ voice.
• Practice writing every day.
• Remember: Keen readers make the best writers.
• Keep your writing simple and error-free.
• Proofread your article twice before you submit them.
• Chalk out an outline before actually writing the article.
• Develop your own opinion and voice of writing.
• Present well-researched, high-quality, error-free, and engaging articles.
• Take up content writing courses to brush up on basic writing skills and learn the nuances of online content writing skills.

FAQs