Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content
Learn why being able to write well is more important now than ever before.
We live in the era of smartphones, viral videos, and social media. Who must write when a picture can express more than a thousand words?
However, writing correctly is more vital than ever. No matter how technologically advanced or gorgeous your company's website or blog is, if the content could be better, no one will bother reading it.
To write effectively, you must devote time and attention to your trade. These summaries provide helpful ideas and easy rules to enhance daily writing while winning clients with your words. And who knows. Maybe you'll be the Shakespeare of the digital era!
In this summary, you will find
Learn why an "ugly first draft" isn't bad, why writing less is preferable to writing more, and how your "About Us" page should focus on your client rather than yourself.
1. To get your message out to the world, you must know how to write it effectively.
Do confusing text messages make you laugh? We might all agree that #writingisdyingart.
But the contrary is true. Today, being able to write correctly is an essential talent.
We write daily. Whether composing an email, commenting on a blog, or posting on Facebook, words have become personal and business currency thanks to the internet.
This is why you must pay close attention to how you use your words.
For example, a company can find clients on a webpage and appealingly display itself. However, if a corporation views the words on its website as an afterthought, its success is jeopardized.
Companies that use jargon or imprecise wording on their websites will lose many clients.
Given how crucial writing is, how can you ensure your scribbles are up to par? Is it possible for anybody to write, or are some people born with the gift of words?
The good news is that we can all write well if we follow a few basic guidelines.
Before you start writing, determine your goal. What is the point of your content, and how can you locate data to back it up? Once you've determined what you need, go find your data.
Assume you're assigned to write a story about a new restaurant opening. First, consider who will read the article: who is the intended audience? In this situation, folks who enjoy eating out, possibly families or couples. Then, look for precise information about the restaurant, its menu, and the date it will open. You're now ready to write!
2. Your first draft will be awful; accept it! Then, take the time to revise it, paying close attention to word choice.
So, the first stage in writing is identifying your objectives. Surprisingly, many writers still need to complete this first stage.
Why? Because starting to write is quite tricky!
Many of us have writer's block because we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves from the outset. You can't just grab a pen and write a masterpiece; it's unrealistic.
Writing is a process. You start with something rough and refine it as you go.
So feel free of TUFD or the unsightly first draft. It's only a lump of dirty marble from which your masterpiece will someday emerge!
Assume you must write a film review and need help knowing where to begin. The film handled a complex issue, and you're concerned that you won't be able to precisely address every aspect.
As you begin, simply jot down your ideas as best you can, aware that there will be gaps in your writing where you can write "insert example" or "need to add more." Once you've done this, you'll better understand your first draft's strengths and shortcomings, as well as what you need to accomplish next.
So, what are the following steps? What editing is required once you've written an ugly first draft?
There are two techniques for modifying your manuscripts.
With developmental editing, you take a broad perspective. You seek for words that could be misconstrued or phrases that affect the overall meaning of your writing. This is vital since you may contradict yourself or use language that could mislead the reader.
With line editing, you can focus on more particular areas of your writing. You go through each line and remove words that don't fit, are repetitive, or cliched.
3. To keep a reader, you must grab him early. Get to the point swiftly.
The most crucial aspect of a sentence is how it begins. If you get this wrong, your reader will unlikely continue reading.
So, how can you begin a text with a bang?
To capture as many people's attention as possible, position the most important or striking words or ideas at the beginning of each phrase.
The first sentence shapes the reader's first impression of your material and should persuade them to continue reading. Aim to quickly immerse the reader in the story.
Consider the first sentence of an article by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, released in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Education, 30 million adults struggle with basic reading tasks."
Did that sentence grab your attention? Were you engaged and wanting to read more?
Let us try again.
"Thirty million adults struggle with reading, according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy report, released in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Education."
Much better!
We often need more context before getting to the topic when writing a sentence. This is known as a running start, and it should be avoided.
Background information is practical. However, it is typically utilized to fill out a lengthy introductory paragraph. The difficulty is that the reader does not appreciate this; they like to get right to the point.
Assume you're assigned to produce an essay about how to market a business using YouTube. You may start with a lengthy sentence about social media's importance in recent years. Or you may go right to the point by noting in one phrase that while businesses have succeeded in reaching clients through social media, just a tiny percentage have explored the potential of YouTube.
4. Don't just post on Facebook whenever it's convenient. Post when your audience is paying attention.
You can only be a successful company with a Facebook profile, but having one does not guarantee success.
If you want to increase sales on Facebook, you must first understand your target demographic, as tailoring your posts and ads to a specific group simplifies attracting new customers.
The abundance of available demographic information, such as gender, income, and ethnicity, combined with behavioral data, such as how people react to specific themes and images, makes reaching a particular target group easier.
Prep Obsessed, a preppy accessories retailer, first used Facebook in April 2013. The creators spent $40 daily on Facebook ads and analyzing their following. In nine months, the company acquired over 55,000 fans and an actively engaged audience at a cost of less than ten cents per person!
Timing is also essential. Post when your target audience is active, not just when your business is open.
People spend the most time on Facebook on Fridays, weekends, and evenings after the "normal" business day has ended. Posting or blogging around this period will allow you to reach most of your target audience.
Furthermore, you may leverage your information about your followers to enhance your corporate image by utilizing language that appeals to them.
For example, Prep Obsessed targets their postings to women (rather than girls or chicks), implying gentility and refinement. This maintains the company's reputation as a classy brand.
So, the next time your organization posts something on Facebook, consider using a unique or customized greeting to help your post stand out from the crowd of other postings!
5. The most effective "About Us" page focuses on your relationship with the visitor rather than your organization.
A company's "About Us" page is frequently filled with preconceptions and self-serving information. However, your company's page can follow a different model.
Your "About Us" page should always describe what you do for your clients.
Sure, the page can include your company's who's who, but instinctively, your readers want to know who genuinely provides the services behind the glitzy design and 800 number so they can decide whether or not to become a customer.
For example, Toys "R" Us' "About Us" website is lacking. It contains a lot of text and inspired design, not to mention monotonous images.
Coca-Cola, on the other hand, approaches things differently. The company discusses its history, presents a variety of vibrant photos, and provides up-to-date community reports, among other things. All of this helps the page appear vibrant, enjoyable, and current.
Make sure to highlight your company's human aspect. Although your material should be written in a tone appropriate for your company's image, you may make your page more dynamic by using videos, photos, or pull quotes to demonstrate that your staff is actual people!
Final Summary
You're a writer, and you write more than you realize! Significantly, your words influence your readers and consumers, for better or worse. The good news is that anyone can write well and attract readers by following a few guidelines.
Actionable advice: Start writing now.
Be sure to start honing your writing abilities. Whenever you post on Facebook or Twitter or email a customer, use the opportunity to improve your writing abilities.
Break the school essay habit.
Forget those five-paragraph essays you learned in high school. These traditional writing styles are not only more varied to write and read.