Tag Archives: good content

If you don’t want to pay even a decent amount for writing services, you don’t need a writer

Nothing wrong in paying for quality content writing and copywriting

Although for many years I have been turning down low-paying content writing and copywriting assignments, on an average I get 2-3 queries every day from clients who think paying for good writing the amount it deserves, is waste of money, especially when cheap writers are available.

My standard response is, “Good for you! If you want such writers, your business needs those writers, and you should stop looking around.”

I think, in most of the cases, somehow, they get the idea that my writing services are very cheap (I really, really don’t know how I give this impression on my website), even cheaper than what they are paying now, or pretend to be paying now.

Because, otherwise, if they are paying dirt cheap and if such writing is working for them, why are they looking for another content writer unless they want to pay even less?

Fortunately, most of the clients who contact me understand that their business needs quality writing and they are going to have to pay for quality writing.

My content writing and copywriting services are not very expensive, but they are also not cheap.

I don’t undersell myself.

I run a business.

I need to maintain the cash flow.

Over the years, I have gotten an idea of how much my clients are ready to pay for the quality of writing I provide.

I charge slightly less than that.

Why you shouldn’t refrain from spending money on quality content writing?

Your written content is the main point of contact when people come to your website or access your blog or receive your email message.

When people read your content, you are talking to them.

You are trying to sell them.

If your writing is not convincing, you don’t convince your customers and clients.

Every headline counts. Every sentence counts. So does every paragraph and every bullet point.

If your writing is less than professional, your customers and clients think, well, if this person cannot write properly, how can I expect him or her to deliver his or her services professionally?

You may say, “Oh well, I am a mobile app developer, so, it doesn’t matter how the content is written on my website. The client is going to hire me for my programming prowess, not my writing abilities.”

I agree with you. In your case, the client or the customer is not looking for a writer.

Assuming you are a programmer, do you think a coder or a programmer will be exploring your website to hire you?

No, he or she will be a manager, a business owner, a digital marketer, or someone who is responsible for taking serious decisions, decisions that involve spending lots of money.

Even if he or she is a coder, he or she is also responsible for hiring people.

People on such posts are very particular about messaging, presentation and above all, professionalism.

It can easily put them off if the writing on your website is not good.

Only when they are impressed with your writing, they will consider reading about your coding prowess.

This is one thing.

Another thing is, visiting websites and reading content on websites is a highly individual activity.

Your text should be conversational and interesting.

It should be able to hold the attention of the reader.

Your writing should be able to sell your idea strongly.

The passion must drip through your words.

And, if you have such writing on your website, it will constantly generate business for you.

Otherwise… do I need to say more?

Therefore, when you are investing in a good writer, in quality content writing or quality copywriting, you are investing in your business.

Writing is the oxygen your website needs to survive.

If the quality of the oxygen is not good, your website is going to suffocate.

If you think such writing is not worth paying for, for your case, it is really not worth paying for.

After all, it’s you who are responsible for the good health or the bad health of your business.

How to write remarkable content for your website

Write remarkable content for your website

Do you know there is scarcity of good, remarkable content and therefore, there is a big opportunity for you if you can write and publish content on your website or blog?

The success of your website depends on your content.

You get search engine traffic because of your content. Your visitors turn into your paying customers and clients because of your content. People recognize you or your brand on other websites and social networking platforms because of your content.

You can read on this AdWeek link that 90% customers prefer tailored content before they decide to do business with a brand.

Your prospective customers and clients need information before they can decide to buy from you.

They want to familiarize themselves with your business and what you stand for, before they can make up their minds.

Your content allows you to have conversations with your customers and clients.

The more conversations they have with you, the better acquainted they get with you. The better acquainted they get with you, the more eager they are to do business with you in the hour of their need.

But the biggest challenge faced by online entrepreneurs is, creating and publishing good quality, remarkable content.

What is remarkable content?

Remarkable content makes your visitors happy about visiting your website.

Remarkable content should be conversational, to the point, easy-to-read, and helpful. People should be able to find it quickly on your website or blog.

Important attributes of remarkable content

The three attributes of remarkable content are:

  1. Purpose: What purpose does your content solve? Why does it exist? What will your customers and clients achieve after having consumed this particular piece of content? Is it meant to create awareness? Does it educate your visitors? Does it provide them valuable, useful information?
  2. Format: In what format does this particular piece of content exist? Is it a blog post? A web page? A landing page? A white paper? An ebook? A video? Remember that remarkable content exists in a format preferred by your target audience.
  3. Topic: Topic is a somewhat narrower version of the purpose. Whereas the purpose attribute can be applicable to multiple pieces of content on your website or blog, topic is narrower, and is confined to a single link. Does the topic deal with a sales related question? Does it explain something complex and technical? Will your customer be able to achieve a task after going through this particular link?

Whom are you writing for?

Remarkable content is persona-centric. It’s like, when you talk to someone, when you have a conversation with someone, your talk is more meaningful if you know the other person.

This is why creating a persona is very important for writing or creating remarkable content.

Defining a persona helps you write content for a well-defined personality.

How to write remarkable content for your website or blog

Listed below are few points that can help you write remarkable content or at least, keeping these points in mind, you can attempt writing remarkable content for your website or blog.

You don’t necessarily have to stick to these points and even if you pay attention to one or two of these points you will be able to write remarkable content.

Provide solutions to people’s problems

People will love you if you solve their problems.

Your every web page, your every blog post, your every email broadcast should solve some problem.

This is because when people search online, they are constantly looking for solutions to their problems. They always look for information that can help them achieve something. If your content helps them achieve something they like you and remember you and this is how your brand presence becomes stronger.

Present a unique perspective

If you write content that is more or less the same as the others are writing, how do people distinguish you from the others? You have to present a unique perspective. Tell them something that they haven’t yet come across on another website or another blog.

They are on your website because they want to know what’s your take on a particular subject or topic.

Back your claims with credible data

Though personally am not a big fan of throwing around big numbers just to impress people, if you can present some credible data when making claims, it definitely helps.

Telling you that B2B buyers prefer to go through expert content before making a purchase decision might be less convincing than telling you that 96% B2B buyers prefer to go through expert content before making a purchase decision, and then linking to the source of the data.

Write in a conversational manner

Great, well-written content is always conversational.

When you write in a conversational style it seems as if you are talking to people, you are interacting with them, instead of delivering a monologue that is totally uninspiring and emotionless.

Conversational writing makes greater impact. It also engages your audience and encourages people to respond to your content writing.

Publish in a format preferred by your target audience

There was a time when it was mostly text on websites and blogs. Gradually, images came up. Then GIFs. Then videos. Aside from these formats there are slides, presentations, infographics and all sort of other interactive content.

People have different preferences when accessing your content. Although what sort of format people prefer also depends on your niche – people in food and travel industry prefer videos and images and people on Twitter prefer shorter updates, but B2B buyers prefer longer, comprehensive blog posts and articles to get as much information as possible from you.

Some people also like slides and PDFs.

Worried how you would create so much content for different formats?

Normally, content marketers write a blog post and then out of that blog post they repurpose content into various formats. Want to know how you can repurpose your content? Read this: How to repurpose old content.

Make it easy to access and find your content

This is where content marketing plays an important role. Simply publishing high-quality content doesn’t help you much unless you make it easier for people to find your content.

Do the following to make it easier for people to find your content:

  • Search engine optimize your content so that it ranks well and consequently, it’s easier to find them for appropriate search terms.
  • Distribute your content using your social networking profiles such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
  • Encourage other Webmasters and bloggers to link to your quality content.
  • Invest in PPC campaigns.
  • Build and use your mailing list to broadcast to your mailing list subscribers.

It should be your constant effort to write remarkable content for your website because mediocre content, although it’s easier to write or create it, doesn’t help you much. It does not make a positive impact. It doesn’t improve your search engine rankings. It doesn’t improve your conversion rate.