Don't do these things if you want to write content people will actually read!

Content is king. But what does that mean?

Content is everything. It’s the lifeblood of your business. It’s how you attract and retain customers. And it’s how you build trust in your brand.?

But what is content? And how do you create it?

What is Content?

Content is information that has been created for a specific purpose: to inform, persuade or entertain an audience.?

It can be anything from a blog post or website copy, to a video or podcast, to social media posts and email newsletters – even images and graphics are considered content if they help convey information.

What is Content Writing?

Content writing is about taking the time, effort, and energy to say something meaningful. Remember that ideas only sell when executed well.

Creating content isn’t just about creating blogs, though. It’s also about creating unique value for your audience that helps them understand who you are and what makes you different from other companies in the same industry.?

Do’s and Don’ts of Content Writing

A content writer needs to be aware of all the do's and don'ts of content writing, so i’m going to break down the basic rules of creating content for your brand.?

Save this article for later—you’re gonna want to refer back to it when you start creating new content!

1. Start with a plan: It may sound obvious, but it's easy to get carried away when you're creating something new. Before you start writing, just take a few minutes to think about what you want to achieve with your content.?

2. Write for your audience: The best way to make sure that your content is going to be successful is to write for your audience.

If you are writing for yourself, then it won’t matter if it makes sense or not because only you will understand what you are saying.?

But if you are writing for other people, write in their language and tone of voice. And most importantly, don't ever stop giving them what they want!

3. Don’t neglect your headline: A headline is supposed to be tantalizing and catchy which brings the audience’s attention. This is the most important aspect that many writers fail to implement.?

Your headline should give an idea to the audience of what you’re content is about. And you’ve got less than 5 seconds to grab their attention with a strong headline. That’s why you must focus on writing engaging headlines that compel them to take a look at your content.

Pro-tip: Use power words to trigger a response from the audience (be it emotional, motivational, curious, etc).

4. Be original and honest with your content: While you may be tempted to write about the latest trends even when they are not specific to your niche, just remember it will do you more harm than good.?

If the trending topics fall into your niche, you may very well earn brownie points. Use Google trends or Answer the Public to your advantage when you’re brainstorming for ideas.

5. Don’t deviate from your topic: There are times when you get ideas for content that lead you off-topic. Happens to the best of us! Trust me! Put those thoughts into bullet points somewhere and see if you can incorporate them into your writing.?

6. Plagiarism is a big NO: No matter how pressed for time or how urgent you need to finish your piece, copying and pasting someone else's work won't get you anywhere.?

Writing content that is 100% plagiarism-free is the best way to build trust. Also, don't rely solely on tools like Grammarly to make your writing appear authentic.?

6. Be clear and concise: Don't try to be too clever with your writing. People don’t have time to read long paragraphs, so keep things short and simple.?

Don't use complicated language or jargon unless you're sure your audience will understand it (and if you're not sure, test it!). Readers should be able to understand what you are talking about straight away, otherwise, they won’t engage with your content and it will have no value for them.

8: Do include a call-to-action (CTA): CTAs encourage your audience to take some action whether it is signing up for a newsletter or registering for a webinar or any other goal you have. They give your readers a chance to engage with your writing, depending on what your CTA is. CTAs also help track your leads and make your writing more valuable to readers.?

9. Write for humans first, search engines next: It's not your competence to write for search engines that matter the most, but rather your ability to write for individuals. If your writing cannot resonate with human readers, there’s no point in writing at all. Your content should be focused on readers more and then you can apply your knowledge to make your content search-engine friendly.?

10. Use keywords strategically: Don’t use too many keywords or phrases in your content. Google looks at this as keyword stuffing and will penalize your site for it. Keyword stuffing doesn’t work anymore!?

Use your natural language and tone to communicate your thoughts with your readers. Where keywords are concerned, place them strategically so that they don’t give an impression of being forced upon the readers or search engines alike.?

Content writing is a broad topic and can be approached in many different ways. No two people will tell you the same thing when you are looking to create great content. Practice these approaches to content writing and hopefully, you'll find one that works for you!