How to Start Content Writing in 5 Easy Steps?
The world has progressed dramatically since the internet’s introduction. The internet has not only transformed the world, but it has also impacted people’s lives by affecting many facets of life. Meanwhile, the global job market has also boomed as a result of internet-created jobs. Developers, content writers, and web designers, all of whom did not exist before the internet, are now among the most lucrative professions.
These jobs are not only well-paid, but they also provide a wealth of learning opportunities. In this article, I’ll explain what content writing is and how to start content writing in 5 easy steps.
What is Content Writing?
Before we look at how to start content writing, let’s define what content writing is. In layman’s terms, content writing means writing for the internet. We all know that content can be of any form such as text, video, and images.
However, content writing is all about texts, and content writers are the ones who write them. For some people, it might sound like just writing and nothing else. However, content writing is more than just writing as it entails proper research, structure, syntax, and vocabulary. Moreover, if you dig deeper into content writing, you’ll find it plays a significant role in SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
The question now is why content writers are so crucial, and why is content writing one of the most rewarding jobs? To get this, it’s necessary to first comprehend what Social Media Marketing is.
Utilizing social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others to promote your product and services, gain clients, and engage with prospects is known as social media marketing.
Content writers play an important role in the social media marketing strategy as they serve as a channel through which businesses entice clients. They publish articles and blogs in relevant niches to aware prospects and customers about the product or service.
They turn out to be the most crucial factor in the prospect’s decision-making process. In a nutshell, content writers are the lifeblood of social media marketing. To summarize, we can say that any business that wants to flourish over the internet needs content writers.
Let’s look at what it takes to be a successful content writer and how to start content writing?
Can Anyone Become a Content Writer in India?
When it comes to writing jobs, there are a lot of misconceptions. People frequently ask if content writers require a degree in literature, journalism, or mass communication. There are no such criteria for becoming a content writer, though. A degree or certification is enough. All you need to do is write engaging and compelling articles.
Certain fields, such as research writing, may necessitate a degree. Without a degree, you might not be able to write on psychology, for example. To become a content writer, however, there are no hard and fast rules. If you have the zeal for writing, you can become a content writer.
In addition to passion, the most important aspect required to become a good content writer is the technicalities associated with writing for the internet.
Most of the content writers fall into one of these two groups. The first type includes those who are good writers but are unfamiliar with the technical aspects of content writing.
The second types are not good writers at all. In the first type, all you need to know is how to write for the internet, which is very different from regular writing. You have to learn about web content principles like keyword density and SEO-optimized content.
You can also take an online content writing course, such as a master course from IIM Skills. Now comes the second sort of person who must improve their writing skills before entering the content writing field. After brushing up on their writing skills, they must also master the technicalities of content writing.
How to Start Content Writing in India?
1) Write, Write and Write…
One of the oldest proverbs on the internet, but still true, is practice makes a man perfect. Writing frequently aids us in our quest to become better content writers. A person must be an expert in writing before starting as a content writer.
I’m not talking about literary works like books or anything complicated here. I’m talking about writing that’s free from errors like ambiguity, grammatical errors, and other issues. To do so, you can use writing assistant software like Grammarly and paraphrasing tools like killbot to help you while you’re writing.
2) Expertise
Every industry, from healthcare to education, is now on the internet. No company wants to miss out on the opportunity to promote its products or services through social media platforms.
As a result, the internet has evolved into a source of content on a wide range of topics. You are free to write about whatever you want. This is, however, recommended at the start of your content writing journey.
When you’ve established yourself as a good content writer, try to narrow your focus. What I mean is that instead of writing about a variety of subjects, concentrate on just one. You must become an expert on a single topic, as the saying goes, “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
When it comes to niching down, devise a strategy that works for you.
Niching down helps to focus on a single topic, allowing you to learn more about it. When you focus on a single topic, you become an expert, which increases your market credibility because clients always want to work with people who know what they’re doing.
3) Build a Portfolio
Before you can start making money, you must first establish credibility in the industry. Because you are new to the content writing industry, no one will trust you, making it difficult for you to find work.
As a result, establishing trust and credibility in the industry is essential. Surprisingly, the majority of people regard industry credibility as unimportant because there is no monetary reward for doing so. You must, however, if you want to be a successful content writer.
So, the question is how to establish credibility in the world of content writing. A portfolio is an answer. It informs clients and employers about your abilities and experience.
Guest blog on various websites to build a portfolio, and try to write on a variety of topics at first to gain exposure in this field. After working on different niches for a few months, you can niche down later.
4) Creating a Blog and, Website
Having a website or starting a blog is again related to building authority and credibility in the industry. With blogs, however, you can go deeper into establishing authority and credibility.
In the case of the portfolio, you can only show it to any employer or client because you already know that this person is looking for content writing services.
But surprisingly, in the case of blogs, you can attract prospects with your writing. For example, if someone is a dietician, he/she can start a blog on health and wellness. In the blog, he/she can share anything related to health and wellness, from nutritious food details to weight-reducing diets.
And, it is obvious in today’s world that everyone who comes to the internet wants an answer, they search on google to get that particular answer. With your knowledge and experience, you can help them overcome their difficulties while providing value to their lives. You can use blogs and websites to attract prospects in this way.
5) Leverage Social Media Platforms
We live in the social media world, and you can find almost any person on social media. Nowadays, your internet profile is much more important than your real-life profile. In addition to people, you can find anything on social media platforms, from knowledge to entertainment. In short, our life revolves around social media platforms.
All these make social media platforms a gold mine of opportunities. Here, you have the chance to show off your talent to a wide range of people. In the case of content writing, any person just reading your content is not enough. You must create content that is compelling and engages your readers, causing them to return to read more of your stuff.
To do this, you will leverage any social media platform, such as Quora, to create social proof. Social proof means a place where you have an audience that consumes your content, proving that you have established yourself as an excellent content writer.
After acquiring the requisites skill, the question arises of how to get work as a content writer.
Internships
Internships are a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills quickly. You don’t need to do an internship to start content writing. However, if you don’t understand how content works, you’ll never be a great content writer. An internship, in my opinion, is the foundation for learning any skill.
The question now is how an internship will benefit someone who wants to pursue a career as a content writer. Nothing is as simple as it appears on the internet. Aside from writing a captivating and interesting article, one must also bear in mind the technicalities related to writing for the internet, such as keyword density, headers, and so on.
In addition, Google uses its algorithms and criteria to analyze and index your content. Google gives your content a ranking based on these criteria. As a result, learning how to follow these rules and standards is vital; ordinary writing will not work in the online world. This is why you should consider doing an internship.
Freelancing
Many people in India are still unfamiliar with the term “freelancing.” The majority of people have no idea what freelancing is or what benefits it offers.
Before we get into freelancing content writing, there are a few things to consider. Let’s take a closer look at what freelancing entails.
Simply put, freelancing entails working for yourself and accepting projects based on your preferences and availability. A freelancer, rather than being an employee, works on a different project and charges on a project-by-project basis.
Working from home, having a flexible work schedule, and having a better work-life balance are all advantages of freelancing. When you start content writing, freelancing is one of the best things that can be chosen as, nowadays, most companies are outsourcing their work to remote workers. There are a lot of freelance opportunities present on the websites such as Fiverr, Freelancer, WorknHire, Upwork, etc.
Apart from these sites, freelancers and independent writers can use LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter to find clients and projects. Furthermore, Social media platforms assist us in developing a personal brand that informs our audience of our areas of expertise.
Create a Pitch
A pitch is a message to your prospects that you are good at what you do and that you are deserving of the job you are seeking.
A strong pitch is to the point, straightforward, and concise. Consider this: you’re attempting to land a job as a writer. How can you hope to get a paid writing job if you can’t sell yourself with your work?
Here are a Few Tips to Pitch
- The subject line must not be vague.
- Proper addressing of the recipient.
- The reason why you think they need an article.
- Links to your work that are life and attach your portfolio.
- Explain why you can be a good employee for the firm.
- Links to your social media accounts.
The upper suggestions are not a hard and fast rule, however, keep them in mind while writing any pitch. Be active on LinkedIn, Quora, and Twitter to start content writing effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions :
What are the processes to become a content writer without any experience?
High salary in any area is determined by years of expertise, and article writing is no exception. You must have a strong reputation in the market to become a well-paid content writer. Many people, however, are unsure how to become a content writer without any prior expertise.
To do so, you must first begin by doing guest postings and writing content for free. Start sharing your work for free on sites like Medium and Contently. Utilize all of these listings in your portfolio to start to receive paid work.
How to start content writing from home?
This is also one of the most frequently asked questions in the field of content creation. To begin working as a content writer from home, you must first grasp the fundamentals of content writing. Depending on your situation, you can take a free or paid course.
After you’ve mastered the fundamentals of content writing, pick a niche and begin writing about it. After that, start building a portfolio by posting your work on free platforms like Medium and Contently.
After you’ve completed your portfolio, create an account on a freelancing platform like Freelancer or Fiverr and begin working there. Furthermore, you can also use social media sites to get started as a content writer, as I said earlier.
What is SEO writing?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO writing plays a huge role in promoting a business online, basically in social media marketing. SEO writing is the act of planning, creating, and optimizing content such that it appears in Google’s organic search results. This is the most important thing you will learn when you start content writing.
What are the best content writing tools?
Grammarly
Grammarly is the most popular tool for content writers all over the world. It’s a cloud-based writing assistant that checks grammar, spelling, punctuation, and clarity, among other things. Grammarly uses artificial intelligence to detect any errors in writing and to offer a suitable replacement.
The most notable feature of Grammarly is that it allows you to select tone, formality, and audience before beginning any writing project. In other words, it does not provide one-size-fits-all recommendations.
In Grammarly, you can customize the settings to meet your own needs and, when you’re through with the settings, Grammarly will only show you recommendations that are relevant to your needs. A must-needed app when you start content writing.
QuillBot
QuillBot is a paraphrasing tool used by millions of people around the world. It assists a writer in improving and rewriting any statement. When it comes to writing, words are the lifeline.
Even if you are an exceptional writer, there are occasions when you don’t know the most appropriate word to represent the idea you are trying to convey. QuillBot assists the writer in expressing and communicating an idea while writing anything. You will need this website when you start content writing.
More Courses from IIM SKILLS
Conclusion
To summarise, content writing is a promising career with a great deal of potential in all areas. People are sometimes discouraged because they believe the growth of content writers is limited. This is not the case.
Writing is not limited to just writing. Content writing opens the door to a variety of career opportunities, including social media marketer and digital marketing, in addition to a plethora of learning opportunities. As a result, content writing is the most rewarding job on the market.
