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The following 20 tips guarantee to make you a better website content writer. Especially if you are a beginner.
Remember, website content writing is as crucial as the design and development of a website. It is the main reason for people to visit your site and a key factor to rank you higher on Google search engine.
Writing well is not enough, you need a strategy. A plan to organise and create your content piece from start to finish. From having an intriguing heading that grabs your reader’s attention, to providing information that satisfies their search intent.
Great website content must also be suitable both for your viewers and search engines. It’s a balance of both elements, which require approximately the same amount of work.
There are many other articles, blog posts and videos out there. An absolute saturated sea of information. So, how do you stand out, find your voice and attract viewers to your website?
The answer to this question is not straight forward, but here are some powerful tips that will boost your game plan.
20 Powerful Tips for Writing Excellent Website Content
When creating a website, one of your top priorities is to write engaging and readable content. To help fine-tune your style here are 20 powerful tips that you can’t afford to skip.
Apply these tips and your content will be optimised to drive more traffic to your website.
1. Be original and avoid plagiarism
Being unique may sound difficult with hundreds of articles already present online on similar topics. Copying text from other sites can be tempting, why go through all the trouble if someone already has what you want.
You can use others work for inspiration and even direction but you must add your own twist to it. Copying directly will result in your site getting penalized or rated poorly by search engines. Spend extra time developing original content.
Remember there is no such thing as original, all the information you see out there has been based on preceding content/s. Just like new publications the reference dozens of other papers.
Some apps that can help include Copyscape, Duplichecker and 1text, that are used to confirm the originality of your content.
QuillBot is great for paraphrasing and helping reword paragraphs you are struggling with.
2. Use an intriguing headline
The headline determines whether your audience will read the rest of your work. A boring headline does not spark interest, curiosity, or emotion. No one clicks on a boring headline.
Getting people’s attention through copywriting and intriguing headings is a key skill of a website content writer.
3. Do your research extensively
You must have good knowledge of the topic you are talking about. Strive to include data and statistics to support your claims. Research is vital, as it gives you an upper hand over others. Dig deep to get the best information about the latest trends or news to make your report more relevant and valuable.
4. Avoid long paragraphs, sentences and complex words
Try to keep paragraph length to 3-5 lines and write short sentences (11-18 words). It makes your text understandable and readable to an average person.
Complex words and high-level writing may impress some people. But most people will get annoyed and will stop reading your content. Also, try to write to people who have no prior knowledge about the subject topic.
5. Utilize bullet points, sub-headings and numbered lists
Try to keep paragraph length to 3-5 lines and write short sentences (11-18 words). It makes your text understandable and readable to an average person.
Complex words and high-level writing may impress some people. But most people will get annoyed and will stop reading your content. Also, try to write to people who have no prior knowledge about the subject topic.
6. Understand your target audience
By knowing more about your audience, you will be better equipped to write for them. Always keep your audience and their needs/questions in mind while writing. You can investigate what people are asking about on AnswerthePublic.com
7. Use an outline
Have an organized idea of your writing for each web page. The quality of your content will increase if you plan and organize it in a structured manner that is easy to follow.
8. Talk to your readers like a friend
Talking to your readers like your friend creates a bond. You can use techniques such as:
- Direct addressing with words like “you” and “we”
- Active voice to sound more personal
- Making jokes
- Painting a scenario
9. Avoid repetition
Readers visit your website to learn from the things you post. They don’t want to keep seeing and reading the same thing when they want to learn something new.
10. Avoid Punctuation, Spelling, and Grammar Errors
Bad grammar can put off readers. Your content should be free from any form of errors. Apps like Grammarly are available to check your spelling and correct any grammatical blunder or improper use of punctuation marks.
11. Stick to the point and focus
There is an ocean of information out there, so you need to stick out. Identify the key message you want to convey; it will keep you from losing your flow halfway through the post. Don’t write to hit a particular word count.
Keep yourself away from distractions to stay focused. There are several methods available to increase creativity while writing and minimize distractions.
12. Add visuals
People tend to remember what they see more quickly than what they read. Adding images or videos to your write-up can grab people’s attention and make them better understand the message. Websites like Pexels, Unsplash, and Pixabay contain free legal images that can suit your content.
A professional website content writer knows how to find images that complement their content.
13. Use Calls-To-Actions (CTAs)
A CTA tells your readers what they need to do, it can be a sign up, shop now or any other graphic that encourages a reader to take action. Great content without a clear CTA is not effective as the website’s primary purpose is to lead the visitor to some form of action.
14. Use creative anchor texts
If you want your readers to click on a link within your content, don’t just insert the link. Be creative; use an anchor text that is inviting and fits naturally into the content.
15. Write with a unique voice
The content created for a website is the voice of the company and should portray its personality and nature. The tone of your writing must align with the target audience and brand goals.
16. Build a social/online presence
The mantra of an excellent content writer is being friendly and socially active. Develop your relationships with people and experts via social media. Pitching your ideas on social networks connects you to people in your niche and helps you gain more knowledge.
17. Prioritize adding value to your readers
Readers usually want to gain knowledge and seek answers from the content they consume. It is crucial to add value to your readers by providing meaningful and factual content.
18. Optimize your content
Optimizing your content increases your content visibility on search engines. Avoid keyword stuffing and include relevant keywords in titles and sub-headings. Make sure you check our article on SEO for beginners if you are just starting out.
19. Know your competitors
Doing some research on your competitor’s website is an excellent way to identify trends and get ahead of the game. Check their site ranking and investigate the services and products they offer.
20. Review your content
After writing content, it is essential to review and edit your work. You can do this by reading through it, looking for any errors or missing information, and polishing the rough edges of your writing.
