The whole business marketplace depends on high-quality content to determine the organization’s ability. Content writing has become the pillar of a website for adding informatic aesthetics. The blog or articles that the company or organization has decided to add to their website adds traffic, optimize search engine optimization, and add weight to the website, paving the way to becoming an industry leader.
When business professionals set their journey as content writers, they might come across various talented individuals with magnetic writing skills. The content writing process has multiple niches. While some write interesting and spicy articles for magazines to render entertaining reading, some write research-based articles to impart educational value. Content writers spend a lot of time developing their niche and brushing up on their writing skills.
Without any further ado, now let’s get down to the business; this article will help you understand the effective processes you can implement in your writing.
Step #1: Understand The Topic, Research, And Get Facts Checked
No matter how fast of a typer or how fluent your blog content writing is, you can spend five minutes thinking, typing, and retyping 19 words. Or you can jot down 19 lines in 5 minutes. The process of getting the idea, curating the topic, and finally hitting the “Publish” button can take several days.
To sustainably grow in the content writing industry, you must spend time planning the process before hitting the keyboard. Planning is essential for success down the journey.
It would be best to take the ideas and references from verified sources. You might have heard that do not Google your disease, or it will mislead you. Writing an informative blog about a minor headache can turn into brain cancer if you write without thorough research.
Content Writing Process
The content writing process might not get you invested if you have a topic that does not interest you. Writing just for money or being employed will be no fun. As a writer, you should have a kick in your statement. It will, in turn, create interest in your readers too.
Work will mean something other than work if you are creating something of your interest. You will find yourself dedicated and passionate when writing about something that intrigues you.
A reader can identify when they are reading an article if it consists of superficial enthusiasm. A not-so-favorable topic will make you write arbitrary sentences and incomplete information and might mislead the reader.
It is indeed a toxic trait of content writers. The writer must consciously avoid it. Click here
But the world does not run on passion. You can not expect gutter cleaners to be passionate about their job, but they have a significant role in our lives. Similarly, you can not expect that you will be writing only exciting topics.
The solution to this is to muster up a little enthusiasm and understand the topic you are assigned to.
Step #2: Plan An Outline
Illustrate the main idea of the content with valid information and an interesting back story. Ensure that the first two lines of your content give the reader a clear idea about what they are reading.
After highlighting the main idea, it is time to create an outline for your content. Like the skeleton of our body, the outline of content is the skeletal structure of the content.
Make a draft when you know the topic you have been assigned. The draft will contain the areas you need to focus on, the number of words you can spare on each subheading, and how you want the flow. Take time while drafting because it will be the foundation of your monument (content). Invest time in developing your blog content ideas.
After you have created the draft, write crips and an edgy introduction. Introductions are the magnet of content. The more informative and exciting your introduction, the more people will spend time reading your content.
Step #3: Draft A Clear Content
It is suggested that you create the draft in one sitting. Taking breaks will break your focus. Further, add a little here and there whenever you visit your draft. It will break the generic flow and turn your draft into the wilderness. Thus, give it one go! Follow the guideline for developing your draft.
1. Curate A Headline And Subheading
There are two ways you can aim at writing the headline. First, write your headline and then jump to the details of your topic. Second, note the subject you were assigned and then write a suitable headline.
Do not be rigid in how you choose; you can juggle your way and create headlines following the thumb rules.
Another crucial debate over headlines is that some think they should be appropriate and have a direct link to the topic. While some believe it should be interesting, it will attract an audience by invoking curiosity.
However, you can decide this by looking at the audience you are writing for. For instance, if you are dealing with financial writing, you might not want to indulge in sarcasm and fathom your humor. This article is about content writing process.
2. Pen Down A Clear Introduction
An introduction is the anchor of content. As discussed earlier, an opening must be informative and exciting. The first paragraph of content will decide whether the reader will continue reading the content or skip to the second option.
3. Support The Subheadings
Subheadings are pivotal to your content. They elevate the flow of your content and decide its direction. However, people often must avoid jumping to points before writing a line or two to support the subheadings. A proper way is to add a few words of wisdom before you head toward the explanation.
4. Curate Supporting Paragraphs For Each Subheading
While elaborating on the subheading, ensure that you write short paragraphs. Do not write lengthy paragraphs as they are turndowns for readers.
5. Develop Appropriate Style, Flow, And Tone For Your Content
The introduction of your content will decide the style, flow and tone. When you write your content, stick to the kind you developed in the initial paragraphs. Furthermore, maintain a flow. Maintain a link between two sections or topics. Do not give half-baked information and jump from one topic to another.
6. Direct To Readers’ Question
How will you feel when asked a direct question while reading content? Does answering the question make you feel connected? If yes, it will do the same when you ask your readers a question while writing content.
Step #4: Inserting Images To Visualize The Content Writing Process
People often become bored when they go through a plain blog with no images! Have you felt joy as a kid when you looked at the pictures in your book? Well, it is a new changing excitement. Images are essential, and we have a whole industry running over images (Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
Images are significant when you contextually add them. Inserting images into your post will make them visually appealing and stimulate joy among the readers. When writing for a dry topic, like cardboard boxes, inserting a picture with a little kitten inside a cardboard box can help bring visual satisfaction.
Step #5: Content Writing Process Can Be Hard, But Editing Is Harder
Editing is about more than just striking out irrelevant lines and making grammatical amendments. Editing is a vision that will help you see the content as a whole. Often it is also a sacrifice as you have to chop off a well-written line. The steps mentioned below will help you to develop good editing and proofreading habits.
1. Spend Time In Editing And Formatting
Individual clients have different formatting guidelines. Note down the guidelines and ensure that you tick every instruction mentioned. After you are done with the formatting, spend time reading your content. While reading your content, keep the following points in mind.
- Avoid repetitions.
- Read your content without any distractions and loudly check the flow.
- Ask for second opinions.
- Use short and crisp sentences, and try to write them shortly. Further, write short paragraphs as it can intimidate people and take away the zeal of investing time in reading.
- Aim for the stands and land up on the moon. You must try to be perfect, but do not overburden yourself for the sake of perfection.
2. Grammatical And Spelling Errors
Creative minds have developed AI software that has been a boon to content writers. Install AI software like Grammarly or any other SEO software. They will point out the silly spelling mistakes you have throughout your content writing process.
Be careful about punctuation. Avoid writing in a passive voice and stay away from vague pronouns. Use only a few prepositions in one line. The AI software is also beneficial for checking grammatical errors. However, follow them carefully, as they can not outsmart the human brain.
3. Run Through Plagiarism
Plagiarised content is cursed to content. It is treated as a heinous crime in the writing industry. Ensure that you run the whole document through plagiarism-detecting software before submitting it. If any part of the document is plagiarized, rectify it and detect any plagiarism once again.
4. Add Relevant Subtitles
When you write your content, ensure that you frame a suitable subtitle. The subtitle should indicate to the readers what they are supposed to read in the following paragraphs. Do not frame the subtitles as long statements. Instead, frame it short and apt to the topic.
Step #6: Format For SEO And Readability In Content Writing Process
Google will help you grow if you format your content for SEO and maintain good readability. It is a way to reach a larger audience. And maintaining readability is a way to decide how simple or difficult it is to read.
You might be a great writer, but you are content. It is overcrowded with words or full of jargon. Good content that solves a reader’s query will be pushed by Google so that it can reach more and more audiences.
Step #7: Publish Your Blog Post
Publish your content on various platforms that help bloggers share their work. You can do it on your social media handles, LinkedIn, Medium, etc. These places are great where you can share your work and read other content written by various writers.
Step #8: Get Feedback On Your Blog
If you are new in this field, this is a crucial step to help you grow. Don’t shy away when asking your acquaintance to read your blog and render valuable feedback. It will be a great help if you know someone with editing experience.
If you post your blog publicly and have received any negative feedback, work on it. These criticisms are essential to become a good content writer.
Wrapping Up
People think writing content is easy, but when you start the journey, you will discover numerous folds that the writing industry has. However, with consistency, it will get easier. All the five steps mentioned have a great hold of mastering the content writing process, and you will become a pro with consistent practice.
Refer to these tips to improve your writing skills and be on the right track. Wordscloud website has a high-class collection of blogs that will help you to acquire top-notch writing skills. You can go through them and have fun writing!
FAQs
1. What are integral parts of content writing?
Creating impact, analyzing, and engaging the customer are the three integral parts of content writing process.
2. What are the four famous pillars of content writing?
Engagement, originality, relevance, and relevancy are the four famous pillars of content writing that every writer should know.
3. What are the three elements of content strategy?
Content distribution, brand focus, and user experience are the three significant elements of content strategy.
4. What are the six common types of content?
There are six types of content, and they are as follows:
- Video content.
- Email marketing.
- Guest-contributed articles.
- Blog posts.
- Press mentions.
- Gated content.
5. What are the five writing tools?
The five writing tools are as follows:
- Google docs.
- Microsoft word.
- Evernote.
- Grammarly
- Twords.
I am the Wordscloud project manager, and I have a strong interest in everything that has to do with reading, editing, management, and writing. I have a background in journalism and mass communication, and I enjoy blogging in my spare time.