How to become a content writer?
As social media and the reach of the internet are increasing day by day, so is the scope of becoming a content writer. In India alone, 220 million+ Online searchers take place every day and 14 billion+ search queries are generated every month. So, if you want to explore this field as a career opportunity, this article is going to help you enhance your game. So, let’s get started with the basics.
What Is Content?
Content is any sort of information that educates, informs, entertains, motivates, inspires, convinces, or persuades a specific group of people. Content is communication through written words which are generally one-way communication, i.e., writer to the reader.
To put it another way, content writing is all about addressing issues for a certain audience. Because you are addressing problems, you are bringing value to this group of people. And when you give value to this group of people, you generate trust, and trust is a critical component in the development of a brand.
Now that we understand what is content, let’s take the next step and understand, who a content writer is
A Content Writer
A content writer is someone who writes, or more particularly, someone who is a one-stop-shop for everything from creating material to editing and proofreading it for publication.
Content Writers provide compelling written articles for internet and print media for marketing firms and in-house advertising teams. writers can write on variety of topics, which their clients can then use to sell their services or educate people on issues related to their brand.
They typically have a degree in English, Mass Communications, or Journalism.
However, this does not exclude you from becoming one. a person with a basic command of the English language and the ability to write well may practice getting a high-paying content writing job.
Skilled Needed
In order to work as a content writer, you need to have some specific set of skills and as this field is growing widely, leading to high competition, for any aspiring content writer these skills are important.
Communication Skills
As content writing is a type of communication, having effective content writing skills are important, especially for a content writer as he /she has to deal with clients as well as readers. If as a content writer you are now able to communicate effectively with your clients, you would
not be able to satisfy their objective needs, from the piece of writing. So, you need to be through with
- -Written language skills
- -Grammar skills
- – Technical writer skills
- – Editing skills/ Proofreading skills
Technical Skills
Reach of the internet and social media is increasing day by day, so has digitalization and the need for technical skills. Technical skills are a must for every field so is the case for content writing.
- You must have a firm hold on
- – Analytics software
- – Monitoring software
- – Content Management software
- – Word processing software
Creativity
Content writing is often vocalized as creative writing. A content writer must have creative skills to create original and engaging content. Some say people are born writers, but writing is a skill you can develop over time. There are several online 21 days challenges to up your writing
game.
Time management and organization
In this fast-paced society having time management skills is a must, if you want to achieve more, smart work is important and one of the important factors of smart work is managing your time and organizing your work, especially as a content writer as you will have to deal with clients and due dates, having time management skills is a must.
Conducting research
As a content writer, you need to be updated on the information of major fields. Conducting research is going to let you generate information and generation of information means generation of content, thus as a content writer, you must be able to conduct research.
Adherence to SEO
Content writers come from different backgrounds like Public Relations, communications,
journalism, etc., but to turn that love for writing into a successful digital content writing career,
one must know about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO lets you
- -know about the market
- -Know the interest of the target audience
- – examine competition
- – Look for the appropriate keywords.
These all were the few major skill sets you need to have become a content writer, now let’s see the need of the field
Need of the field
As this field of writing is growing very widely, so is the opportunities. Here are the major sectors you can choose and develop your skills in.
- – Research content Writer
- – Medical content Writer
- – Technical Content Writer
- – Copywriter
- – Creative Content Writer
- – Freelancer
- – Blogger
- – Web Content Writer
- – Business Writer
- – Academic Writer
- – Content Editor and Proof-reader
How to build a career as a content writer
Step 0: read the full article and get an idea of the field.
Step 1: Build your portfolio
We all know the importance of a first impression and building your portfolio helps you to have a great first impression. Before you start generating money, you must first establish your credibility. Most individuals give up at this stage. Because this is the stage where you are doing
something without any financial reward. However, you must do this.
Nobody is going to believe you as a fresh content writer on the block. You must begin working on factors that will aid in the development of this trust. One approach is to create a portfolio. A portfolio is a presentation of your expertise
Step 2: Create authority with a blog.
The ultimate criterion for believability is authority. You will be able to attract more clients and convert them at a much higher price if you establish a sense of authority and knowledge. Creating a blog is a simple method to accomplish this. Again, you will use your blog as a vehicle to demonstrate your expertise and authority. It is fairly simple to start up a blog, and there are several sites online that will show you how.
So, start a blog right away
Step 3: Start on Fiverr and Upwork
Fiverr and Upwork have been the gig economy’s trailblazers. Many of you may say that it is oversaturated, but I believe there is still a lot of possibility on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork.
Of course, you cannot simply create an account on any of these platforms and expect orders to come in; you must put in the effort.
Giving out free labor in return for evaluations is a simple method to get ahead on Fiverr and Upwork. You may also utilize these content pieces to supplement your portfolio, so it’s a win-win situation. Once you’ve accumulated a certain number of reviews, you’ll have a higher
chance of landing jobs on any of these sites.
Step 4: join communities
There is no shortage of Social groups and communities. And there are lots more like them out there, especially for content writers. People generally publish content needs in groups like this. Continue to follow them, and when they announce their job openings, email them your work/portfolio. Again, don’t forget to follow up, but don’t be too persistent.
Step 5: Attempt to strengthen your LinkedIn profile.
If you want to be a member of the gig economy, you should take LinkedIn more seriously and use it more thoughtfully. The first and most apparent step is to create a complete profile with all relevant information.
Keep in mind that this is LinkedIn, not Instagram. So, when it comes to photos, avoid pouts, odd-looking brows, and false eye squints. It may seem apparent, but the number of profiles I see with images like these is astounding. Take note of the background! Upload a great headshot
to be on the safe side, and you should be OK.
Step 6: Apply for jobs at firms that have opportunities.
Keep an eye out over job boards for companies looking for full-time content writers. It is extremely difficult to find a full-time content writer, and I know this from experience. Even if companies do find content writers, it is even hard to keep them around.
Reach out to them again and pitch that they might want to consider you as a freelance content writer until they find a full-time writer. If you’re lucky, you could get hired as a freelancer as their “full-time content writer.” This also covers digital marketing and advertising firms.
They’re virtually constantly on the lookout for authors. Even if they have full-time writers, agency life is unpredictable, and you never know when your need may expand overnight.
Conclusion
Content writing jobs have created a new trend all over the world. In this day and age, you may discover a plethora of resources to read regarding content writing employment prospects. When you look into freelance content writing jobs, online content writing jobs, or part-time content writing jobs, you open up a whole new world of career opportunities. You don’t need worry focus on increasing your talent, whether you’re a writer or not.
Becoming a content writer, like most things in life, will take time. You must go through the learning curve in order to improve.
So, don’t give up and keep going.
Also Read : Top 10 Quick Website Changes That Make A Big Difference to Your Bounce Rate
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