While it’s easy to identify lousy writing, creating content that delights your readers and editors is no simple task. Thousands of hopeful bloggers sit down at the keyboard and find themselves stymied by writer’s block; all their good ideas vanished in a puff of smoke. The internet is overflowing with competing voices and even a mediocre post that gets read and generates traffic is viewed as better than having nothing published at all. In order to produce quality content that gets result you need a battle plan. Read on to discover how you can publish engaging copy that gets results.
Know you audience. Yes, you’ve heard this one before. And for a good reason: content writing without a clear idea of who you’re writing for results in sloppy, wishy-washy, useless content. Forget trying to please everyone and determine the core audience you seek to reach. Write for this key group of people and you’ll have an easier time coming up with ideas that suit your niche. Your copy will be stronger and more relevant and attract more repeat visitors. You’ll also find that when you focus on create vibrant blog entries that you attract people outside of the heart of your core target as well.
How do you find out who your true audience is? Examine what inspires you. Who can benefit the most from your knowledge and experience? Spend some time researching your industry and find out which niches remain under-served. Reflect on what topics and niches matter most to you and that you’re most passionate about. Chances are you have more in common with the audience you’re hoping to reach than you realize.
Begin with the end in mind. No matter what you’re covering in your latest post, plan before you write. Develop a quick list of bullet points of your main insights. While no set number is best, I find it helpful to aim for 3-6 main ideas for each piece.
Some pieces will be longer and give you the opportunity to delve deeper into a topic and there will be times when a brief overview is all that’s needed. In addition to picking your key points, you’ll want to sketch out a rough outline of your piece. Essential to formulating a useful outline is to take the time to determine the purpose of your article writing and the point of view you want to convey. A how-to requires a very different structure from a product review. By understanding the expectations a reader may have for your post, you can better ensure the end result meets those expectations.
At a loss for how to structure your article? Use the old 3-part story arc as a starting point: make sure you have a beginning, middle, and an end. Flesh out these three parts, and you’ll be well on your way to crafting your next blog entry, essay, or guest post.
Do your research. Read as much on your chosen topic as you can. Find out what other opinions and schools of thought are out there on this topic. Oftentimes, something you stumble across when conducting research will inspire a future piece. Take notes, print news clippings, and collect all the information you can find. Many readers value information that has supporting evidence and expert opinions woven in. Whether you draw upon your own experience or an interview with someone in the field, expert analysis and real world anecdotes liven up a piece and increase your credibility. Content that links to other online resources can improve your ranking, attract readers, and improve the chances of your post getting picked up by another site. You never know when that obscure tidbit about Peruvian pottery shards may come in handy, so keep track of everything that catches your eye and separate the fluff from what’s relevant when you begin to outline.
Tackle similar tasks at once. You’ll be more efficient if you batch related or similar tasks together. Set aside one chunk of time for brainstorming future post topics, another chunk of time for researching, and another chunk of time for outlining and writing. By working on one type of task at a time you can maintain your momentum and focus better than if you constantly switch between tasks. It will be less stressful for you and result in better copy overall. Even if the type of work you’re performing handles different assignments, you’ll be better off. The added bonus? You may discover connections between the different topics you have on your plate and realize that you can pull from the same resources for multiple pieces.
Set aside dedicated time and place to write. What does this mean? It means that you schedule a sacred, interruption-free time to do what you do best: write. Embrace your creative spirit and write when your inspiration is at its peak. If you’re a morning person, get your blog post writing done after you’ve had breakfast. If you’re a night-owl, toil away in the wee hours. There’s no right or wrong time to work on your content, just the time that is best for you.
If you find it difficult to concentrate at the task at hand, create an environment that makes it easy for you to stay focused and in a state of flow. Let your family know that for the allotted time, you are unavailable for discussion about groceries, school projects, or the latest episode of “American Idol.” Shut the door, turn off the TV, and for God’s sake, stay off the internet (you already did your research, right?)! Personally I find the tool “Freedom” incredibly helpful in this regard. Available for both mac and PCs, this little app allows you to set an internet off-limits period from as few as fifteen minutes to four hours. And there’s absolutely no cheating once it’s been activated. Write until your session is up, without excuses. Other useful tools? An egg-timer, cell-phone alarm, or hour-glass will work as well, depending on your self-control.
Sara Onderdonk is a member of the Content and Article Writers Network of Internet Writers and Bloggers. To learn more about the CAW Network go to http://www.ContentAndArticleWriters.com
