Have you ever been curious as to why content writing has taken over the internet? You scroll up on different social media apps from Facebook to Instagram and Twitter, and for some reason, you are wondering why a written text is usually attached to other forms of content like video and infographics, and you ask “Are these people making money from this content they always put up?”
If you have been asking these questions, then this article is for you! In this article, you will learn practical ways to build a profitable career in content writing, and be among those who command influence on social media. However, before that, you must understand what content is, and why you should venture into it. Are you ready? Tag along!
What is Content?
Content is any information you consume on the internet, be it on social media or search engines like Google, YouTube… The content could be in various forms such as video (reels), audio (podcasts), infographics, carousels, or written content. However, for this article, we will be focusing on written content. Therefore,
What is Content Writing?
Content writing is the art of creating a piece of information or message with the use of written words. All the articles you come across on social media are forms of content writing. This article you’re reading now is also written content.
Why is this so? It’s simply because different words were arranged together to pass a piece of information across to you, and you’re reading it because you believe you will find the answers you seek.
Types of Content Writing
There are different types of content writing, and they are used depending on the purpose of the message you intend to send. For instance, it would be wrong to use blog content to advertise a product or service online. This will be a misplacement of content because, for advertisement, copywriting (sales copy) is ideal to preach your message adequately and reach your target audience.
Below are some of the types of content writing.
1. Copywriting
This is the art of selling a product or service with persuasive words. It goes beyond merely conveying information; it aims to evoke emotions, create desire, and ultimately drive action. In essence, a successful copy convinces the audience to take a specific step, such as making a purchase. Any content that advertises a product and convinces you to buy is a sales copy.
For instance, the catchphrase “Good food, Good life” by the Nestle brand is a strong sales copy. It makes people curious to know what kind of good food they produce that will enhance a good life.
2. Blog Content
These are majorly long-form educative and informative content that contains practical guides and examples to enlighten the reader about something. Blogs are usually goal-oriented and have a targeted audience, in that only those who seek a particular information, search for it on search engines. This article you’re currently reading is blog content. Sounds relatable, right?
The reason you enjoy reading it is because it’s educating you about some things you didn’t know before. A good blog should be about 1000 – 2000 words to rank high on search engine result pages (SERPs).
3. Social Media Content
This is content written for social media purposes. They are mostly short-form content because social media users find it boring to read long content. They just want to scroll up on their news feed and have some fun. So, if you want to talk about your business on social media, be sure to make it fun and interactive while maintaining the purpose of educating your audience. Good social media content should be between 200 – 509 words to accommodate all types of readers.
Note that all social media platforms have different modes of operation, in that copying and pasting from one to the other will not produce the kind of result you expect. For example, Instagram makes use of carousels and videos more than written text. Therefore, copying a post from Facebook to post it on Instagram will be futile. This is because Instagram users don’t have the patience to read long-form content.
4. SEO Writing
This is the act of writing articles that will be optimized by search engines like Google, YouTube, etc. It involves the careful utilization of keywords for spider-like bots to crawl over the content, and index it for relevance, after which it will rank on the top pages of these search engines.
5. Technical Writing
This is a type of content writing that simplifies or breaks down complex information in the most understandable way. They contain step-by-step guides on how to perform a specific task or operation. An example of technical writing includes articles and how-to guides on small leaflets of a new technical device like a phone pack.
6. Landing Page
A landing page is a page on a website built to advertise a brand’s products. Marketers create instructive content specifically on this page to convince prospects and visitors to take action in purchasing the product. Some examples of landing pages include click-through landing pages, explainer landing pages, lead-generating landing pages, etc.
How To Build a Profitable Career in Content Writing
Now that you have understood the concept behind content writing, the next question is; how can you build a profitable career in it? One of the common misconceptions about content writing is that it is not for everyone. A lot of people conceive it to be a career that one must go into, full-time. While it can be a full-time career for some people, it can also be a part-time career or a skill needed to enhance or showcase one’s true profession. Whether you are a full-fledged writer, a stay-at-home mom, or an entrepreneur, you need content writing to advertise your services and grow your business. Therefore, here are 5 ways in which you can build a profitable career in content writing.
1. Become a Freelancer
With the steady increase in remote job opportunities, it has become way easier to start a freelancing career. Freelancing involves you working with multiple clients online, and getting paid in local and foreign currencies, hourly. There are so many freelancing platforms you can sign up on like Upwork, Fiverr, freelancer, Sprout Gig, etc. The good thing about freelancing is that it’s flexible and you can choose whenever is convenient for you to work.
2. Host Trainings
This is probably one of the most popular means of making money online in 2023. People make videos and teach others what they know and also on their areas of expertise. However, for this to work, you must be consistent enough for people to Know you, Like you, and Trust you (that’s the KLT factor) to register for your training.
3. Write a Book
If you cannot host a training, you can hop on creating an ebook for people to purchase. But before you write a book, ensure that the book idea is in line meets the needs of your target audience, and is something with a high market demand to avoid wastage of time and resources. For instance, if you’re well grounded in Content marketing or real estate, you can choose to write a book about it. After writing and editing, you can now publish your book on Amazon Kindle publishing, Selar, or other publishing platforms.
4. Write For Other Brands
These days, some people think cold-pitching is outdated and futile. However, I strongly believe that if done strategically, one can land high-paying, long-lasting jobs. But first,
What is cold-pitching?
Cold pitching is the act of reaching out to existing brands by sending them emails and messages about yourself, and the services you offer. It’s safe to say ‘it’s an act of marketing yourself’. When you are cold-pitching, be sure to highlight the benefits the brand you’re reaching out to, would get from working with you. Make it more about them, and less about you. This way, you make them understand that you’re concerned about their goals, values, and growth. After a successful cold pitch, they would get back to you if they see through your profile that you have value to offer them. That’s why it’s necessary to keep a clean and updated social media profile, as it’s the first thing prospective clients will look at.
Lastly…
5. Apply For Content Writing Jobs
There are so many job sites you can apply on. In Nigeria, a few of them are Career Jet, Jobberman, Myjobmag, LinkedIn, Google, etc. To narrow and make your search easier, type in the keyword or exact job position you’re looking out for, alongside your preferred location. For instance, if you are seeking the role of a content marketer, you can type in “Content marketing jobs in Nigeria” or “Project manager jobs in Canada”. When you do this, a list of available job opportunities spring up and you can go ahead and apply.
Summarily, the journey to a prosperous career in content writing is diverse and exciting. Whether you choose freelancing, training, book writing, brand collaborations, or job applications, each avenue holds the promise of success. Embark on your path, embrace creativity, and watch your content writing career flourish!
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