Content writing? Let’s start at the beginning — Content writing is the process of planning, writing, editing, and publishing web content, frequently for digital marketing reasons.

Writing blog posts and articles, as well as scripts for videos and podcasts, are all examples of this.

You’ll learn everything you need to know about content writing in this post, including how to get started in the field.

What does a content writer do?

Content writers are required to write thoroughly researched texts for clients. Clients approach writers to produce brochures, manuals, blogs, websites, newspaper articles, and other forms of content. 

Content Writers work for marketing agencies and in-house advertising departments to produce engaging written pieces for digital and print media. 

Content Writers can write on a range of subjects, which their clients can then use to advertise their services or educate consumers on relevant topics to their brand.

The scope of work covers technical writing, product descriptions, copywriting, cover letter, creative writing, essay writing, ghost-writing, SOP writing, resume writing, and more.

Copywriting vs content writing 

The differences between copywriting and content writing can vary depending on who you ask. 

Often, the two disciplines will overlap, and many writers act as both copywriters and content writers. 

So what’s the difference? Copywriters usually focus on persuading readers and selling a brand. It’s often short-form, appearing on ads, products, taglines, and similar types of marketing copy. 

Content writing generally tends to be longer-form, focusing on informing, educating, or entertaining readers. 

What are the different types of content writers?

The main type of content writers include the following:

• Web content writer: As the name suggests, these writers produce content for the internet. 

This content could be anything from writing product descriptions and blogs to services. 

Essentially, the job involves the writer researching the subject and writing an article or a blog post for the client. 

The writer is also required to infuse keywords so that the traffic is directed to the client’s webpage.  

• Technical writer: A technical writer will write on specific technical, medical, or financial subjects and write in a manner that is comprehensive for the reader. 

Clients require manuals, guides, articles, and other content. In these cases, writers should be well versed in the subject matter with the relevant qualifications. 

• Mass media content writers: Newspaper writers, or correspondents, write about current events for both offline and digital media. 

These writers are expected to be unbiased and ethical in their reporting. They can also review books or movies and pen their thoughts on a particular topic.

• Ghostwriters: Ghostwriters are writers who write blogs, website pages, ebooks, and other content under a fictitious name or on behalf of someone who pays to write for them. 

Types of content writing 

• Blogging: Blogs are often a central part of a strong content strategy. They can be used to communicate a variety of ideas related to your area of expertise. 

Blogs are generally fewer sales, and more of a way to build brand authority and awareness. 

• Social media: Social channels require a writer to tap into what’s current and communicate in and across a variety of different mediums. 

This style of writing generally needs to be succinct and stand out from the crowd. 

• Emails: Another key area of content strategy is email marketing. There are few better ways to reach your customer base than with a well-written email that encourages engagement with your business. 

• Ad and sales copy: Whether on print or digital ads, sales copy must persuade and convince. 

Again, brevity is at the heart of this style of writing, and a good copywriter can tell a story and evoke emotions using only a few words. 

• Product content: Selling products and services requires a unique set of writing skills. 

You’ll have to balance sales copy with SEO and storytelling. 

How to become a content writer 

If the life of a writer sounds appealing, you’re probably wondering how you can get started as a content writer. 

Many people start within a marketing team at an organization. 

However, if you’re looking to strike out on your own, our guide on how to become a writer will come in useful.

Write & Edit

Many people aspire to be writers. There is a certain romance to it, after all. However, many of these people don’t write, which can be a real problem. 

It takes a lot of hours to get proficient in anything, and writing is no exception. 

The majority of people can write to a reasonable level, but it takes time and effort to get good. 

You might start by writing your blog. It can be about literally anything you choose, so long as you’re regularly writing and getting practice. 

You can also learn about some of the other aspects of digital marketing while you do so. 

Find your niche 

Many content writers and copywriters work across a broad range of topics, often collaborating across a marketing team. 

However, it’s not uncommon for writers to have a particular area of specialization. 

Whether it’s creating compelling ad copy, shareable social media posts, or engaging and informative blog posts, having a focus can help you hone your skills in these areas. Again, you can work on many of these skills. 

Gain experience 

The classic dilemma is that you can’t get a job without experience, but can’t get experience without a job. There are several ways around this. 

The first is to build yourself a portfolio of work that you can share with potential employers. 

These examples of your work can be mock-ups of ads, blog posts you’ve written yourself, or ideas for social media campaigns. 

What’s more, you don’t have to even start as a writer. Many marketing roles dovetail nicely into writing experience, giving you the chance to gain valuable experience with marketing before finding your feet as a writer. 

As a content writer, you need a mind that is fluent in both language and creativity.

The key to getting started is to focus on honing your writing skills and getting as much experience and exposure as possible. 

However, learning some of the other fundamentals of marketing can also be beneficial. 

Looking for an agency to help you plan your career as a writer? Or to write articles? Contact us at I.B.O Tech Consults.

At I.B.O Tech Consults, we offer insights that help businesses and digital marketers achieve their goals by publishing articles that entail all they need to know to succeed online.