15 Content Writing Techniques that Drive Business Results
To help you enhance your content writing techniques for better business results, we've gathered fifteen insightful tips from CEOs, Marketing and Content Strategists, and other industry experts. From leveraging email-nurture automations for lead generation to creating relevant and timely content, discover how these professionals have successfully impacted their organization's marketing efforts.
Leverage Email-Nurture Automations for Lead Gen
Optimize Content for Google Search
Inject Fun and Emotion into Content
Understand Your Audience Before Writing
Write Thought Leadership Content
Use the Problem-Solution-Benefit Strategy
Adopt a Personalized Writing and Editing Method
Apply the "What's In It For Me" Filter
Implement Educational Content Marketing
Incorporate Psychology in Copywriting
Publicize and Distribute Your Content
Target the Individual, Not a Crowd
Aim for Eye-Catching, Brief, and Vivid Content
Keep an Idea-Board
Create Relevant and Timely Content
Leverage Email-Nurture Automations for Lead Gen
One content-marketing technique that has been effective for lead gen is creating email-nurture automations. When someone downloads a piece of content on our website by filling out a form, they'll be enrolled in an automated workflow.
Over the next few weeks, they'll then receive links to other types of content, such as blog posts or videos that are related to the topic of the original content piece. This keeps them engaged with us and continues to build trust as they contemplate taking the next step of booking a call. We currently use HubSpot, but many email marketing tools have this capability.
Katie Sorce, Marketing and Content Strategist, Overit
Optimize Content for Google Search
We hold the view that the most effective content-writing technique is optimizing for Google Search. This may be a controversial opinion, but data supports it. Traffic has increased by 500% since the start of content optimization for search engines, leading to an unprecedented rate of lead generation.
A case in point is the recent blog post on "How Long Does It Take to Earn Your First $100 Blogging". It has been ranked on the first page of Google for its target keyword for over a year, attracting thousands of visitors to the website. Many of these visitors have converted into paying customers.
By optimizing content for Google Search, it is possible to reach the target audience more effectively and drive more business results.
Steve Bouboulus, Director of Marketing, SEO Strategist, SEO Content Strategists, The Branding Agency
Inject Fun and Emotion into Content
Add fun to everything you write. As AI and SEO keyword-forced writing become more and more prevalent, make sure to intersperse any content with true emotion and conversational points (if your product allows) so that your writing isn't just designed for Google, but for readers too.
Garrett Nutgrass, Marketing Content Strategist, Destify
Understand Your Audience Before Writing
Understanding my audience is the first thing that most writers miss, and I try not to. It's important to know for whom I am writing—their age group (if possible), their pain points, their expectations—and then build my content/copy around this understanding.
For instance, I can do without keywords for certain content, but if I write an overtly technical blog post with all the industry jargon out there for an audience that comprises laymen, it's pointless. The moment they have to Google something for its meaning is the moment I have failed to retain their attention. Therefore, my process starts with the question, "Who's my reader?" and goes from there to factors like keywords, trends, stats, and objectives.
All of the other factors are important and unavoidable, but without knowing who's going to read your stuff, you don't have a point to begin your research or writing. In BeatRoute, there has been a steady rise in quality, leads, and social media engagement since implementing this simple tactic.
Soham Chakraborty, Senior Content Writer, BeatRoute
Write Thought Leadership Content
I talk to people all the time about the value of copywriting in a world where people write words for pennies and AI is taking the internet by storm. Content is everywhere, but good, insightful, unique content is not so easy to come by.
In fact, that's what people want. They don't want generic, copied answers with no critical thought, insight, or data behind them. They're looking for thought leadership. It's on this basis that we've established excellent working relationships with clients in the complex world of B2B technology because we understand their world and their tech, and we know how to write about it in a way that's both factually accurate and engaging to the audience.
Use the Problem-Solution-Benefit Strategy
We love going all-in with the problem-solution-benefit strategy for our content calendars. We dig deep into our client's target audience, really nailing down the "why" behind using our client's product. Most of the time, we do this during a 30-minute brainstorming call with our content creators and SEO consultants.
We list out all possible objections and counter each with a helpful "how-to" blog title. For instance, the objection “Uncertain about the ROI from this product/service” would yield the blog title, “How to Measure ROI of [XYZ Product/Service] and Impress Your Management Team with Stunning Reports.”
We keep going until we've exhausted every objection we can think of. Each objection then turns into a value-packed blog post, complete with solutions, benefits, and a CTA.
Josien Nation, Co-Founder and Head of SEO, Operation Nation LLC
Adopt a Personalized Writing and Editing Method
I spend some time thinking about what I'm going to write about. It's not forced thought, but playful thought. I read around the subject and look things up on the internet. Then, I sit down and write.
I write, write, write, emptying my head onto my screen. I don't worry about the form or structure too much. I often break it into sentences and paragraphs, yes. I give paragraphs or sections little titles but don't fret about how it would look to anyone else. I write and watch the word count grow.
After taking a break, I go back and read, and think about structure, form, grammar, and voice. I edit, separating the wheat from the chaff. I rephrase, reorder, and reimagine. I try to imagine someone else reading it. Would they understand? Would they be able to see things through my eyes? Am I convincing them? This method has helped me to deliver better content.
There has been a significant difference in the success rate of my guest articles getting published from the early phase to now, after doing this.
Aryan Chauhan, Expertise of SEO, UpInFifty
Apply the "What's In It For Me" Filter
Creating content should always involve the "What's In It For Me" or WIIFM filter. This is because people are interested in the value they can derive from your content. This value could be monetary, emotional, entertaining, or anything else that enhances their life in the short or long term.
It's important to consider your target audience and what might be significant to them, even if it's not directly related to your content's subject. Incorporate some of these elements into your content to make it more relevant. This approach makes the reader feel like the content is speaking to them directly, increasing their engagement.
For instance, at a marketing and PR company targeting startup founders and small public companies, much of the content could include the founder's story and the challenges faced. An example of this is the Amazon bestseller, Back After Burnout, which includes parts of the founder's story. I could send this book to new prospects as a reminder of some challenges and wins that might be shared.
Dennis Consorte, Digital Marketing and Leadership Consultant for Startups, Snackable Solutions
Implement Educational Content Marketing
We found that "Educational Content Marketing" was an effective content writing technique for business results. This strategy involves creating content that educates the target audience about industry-related topics, challenges, and solutions, positioning the company as a trusted authority in its domain.
For instance, we specialize in cybersecurity software. To demonstrate expertise and provide value to the audience, a blog series on "Cybersecurity Best Practices for Small Businesses" was created. By consistently delivering high-quality educational content, we positioned ourselves as a reliable company in cybersecurity.
Moreover, educational content attracts a wider audience, including those who may not be actively searching for the product but have a genuine interest in cybersecurity. Educational content lights the path to knowledge, drawing a diverse audience hungry for insights and empowerment.
Leo Dahlgren Yukio, Growth Strategist, Codific
Incorporate Psychology in Copywriting
One content-writing technique I use to effectively drive business results is leveraging psychology in my copywriting. For instance, when I wrote marketing copy for a client's sales funnel, I tapped into Gestalt Theory by incorporating language that evoked feelings of fear of missing out and the need to act quickly.
This message was then executed across multiple channels to achieve a higher conversion rate than we saw without using this technique. By capitalizing on psychological triggers within our copywriting, we were able to grow the client's list with more than double the leads compared to previous campaigns!
Carly Hill, Operations Manager, Virtual Holiday Party
Publicize and Distribute Your Content
Publicize your content. Distribute it on social media. Share it with your friends and family as well. I think this is one of the most practical methods for increasing the visibility of your material.
Remember, the more people who see it, the more likely it is to produce the desired results. It is your responsibility to increase the visibility of the information as much as feasible. Don't just upload content on your blogs or social media and then forget about it. If you're only writing for blogs, make sure to spread the links on social media, forums, and other platforms.
When creating material for social media, don't simply publish it on your page; share it with other subgroups and urge your audience to share it as well. This improves the effects of your material, especially when you promote it to the correct audience.
Arman Minas, Director, armstone
Target the Individual, Not a Crowd
Although you may try to attract the largest audience, it is not a good idea to write for one. Your content should be styled as if you are writing for a single person. People do not read content in groups, so writing as if that is the structure of your audience will lead to creating something that feels watered down and impersonal.
Therefore, trying to relate to individual needs and pain points, while creating a narrative that simulates a one-on-one conversation, will be more likely to drive a customer's interest and increase their desire to purchase. In addition, creating relatable stories will also provide a personalized feel.
By focusing your content writing on the single person rather than a bulk audience, you will generate more interest and create content that more effectively drives business results.
Cody Candee, CEO, Bounce
Aim for Eye-Catching, Brief, and Vivid Content
Content creation is a key part of any online marketing strategy. With quality and engaging content, you can reach a large audience and effectively promote your brand or product.
Content should be eye-catching, brief, and at the same time, vivid. Enormous blocks of text can be repulsive and difficult to read, so it is crucial to break text into paragraphs and dilute them with visuals or infographics. Including images attracts attention and holds interest. An enticing headline is equally important because users see it first and then move on to the main text.
Once published, the work with content does not end; it is necessary to analyze the response of users to it. By talking to your customers and researching what's already out there, you can come up with creative ideas for posts. With the right combination of inventiveness and research, you can create powerful content that will help you achieve any goal.
Alexander Kuznetsov, Digital Reputation Expert, RCheckUP
Keep an Idea-Board
The problem with creative people is that, generally, our best ideas come to us throughout the day, not when we are staring at a blank Word document.
I keep an idea-board tab pinned to my browser, so whenever I have a great content idea, I just write it down there and keep doing what I'm doing. Then, when I want to build some content, I can pull ideas from the board and expand on them—much easier than trying to come up with strong content on the fly.
Russell Pompea, Recruiting Manager, Topaz Labs
Create Relevant and Timely Content
While there might be plenty of relevant content for your marketing team to produce and share, it's important to create content that is both relevant and timely. This is why it's vital to follow trends and to be aware of what the rest of your industry is talking about.
You don't necessarily need to be creating content on past or closed topics, but rather, you want to be creating content on subjects your target audience is talking about right now. This is the content they'll be paying attention to, and it's the content that will stand out.
Joanne Demeireles, CXO, Oula Health
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