As companies strive to inform their prospective customers, there’s a lot of pressure for marketers to write creative, captivating content. But this is often a challenge for both new and experienced writers.
With any writing task, you may have a lot of ideas but find it difficult to flesh them out – especially under the pressure of a packed content schedule with strict deadlines. Other times, you might draw a blank when it comes to thinking of new topics. When you feel like you’ve run out of ideas, you might notice yourself writing fluff just to have something to publish. But that takes away from the value of your content and disappoints your readers.
While not everyone is great at articulating their ideas through writing, even professional writers experience challenges when it comes to content creation. But there are ways to overcome those challenges.
If you’re struggling for ideas, you have to know a little bit about what you’re looking for. Before you start, consider the three W’s:
Know what types of content perform better than others and adapt your plan accordingly. This strategy is crucial for creating meaningful, valuable content because it helps you tailor your content to a specific format and audience. It may seem obvious, but by starting with a solid foundation, you’ll most likely find it easier to write. Defining these basic elements of your project is the first step to building that foundation.
One of the biggest struggles that writers face is not knowing what to write about. You might feel like you don’t have a lot of direction. If your topic is really broad, it may seem a daunting task to condense it to a few words. Likewise, if your topic is a bit too focused, it might be difficult to expand and offer unique insights. So, you need to find a focused topic that you can build upon with your own perspective. Here are some tips that can help you find the perfect topic to write about:
From finding the perfect topic to write about to actually writing, consulting a third party can be especially helpful for non-writers. An outside source can offer input and direction that can spark creativity and make the writing process that much easier. Simply collaborating with another person outside of your typical work environment can help you gain new perspectives and offer more creative thought in your writing projects.
If you start writing without a plan, you might find it difficult to structure your content effectively. A simple outline can help you organize your ideas, making it easier to develop them as you write. Your outline could be as detailed as you’d like – some people like to include just the overarching ideas while others find it helpful to use their outline as a template to fill in as much information as possible. Find what works best for you and use your outline to guide you as your write.
Just because you write something down doesn’t mean you need to use it. Rather than rephrasing the same sentence over and over to get it just right, keep moving forward. After you’ve finished collecting and recording your ideas, you can edit the content to perfection.
Better writing comes with a lot of practice. Setting aside a few minutes each day to write can help you become a better writer because you’ll feel more comfortable with putting your thoughts on paper (or a screen). Frequent writing also enhances creativity and clarity when expressing your ideas.
It pretty much goes without saying that proofreading is a critical step in content creation for various reasons. Nobody’s perfect, and mistakes are bound to happen. So, it’s important to proofread your content. It can also help to have someone else read through your content before publishing, as writers sometimes sit with their work for too long and miss errors as a result.
All in all, the ideal writing strategy depends on the writer. Try different strategies to find which work best for you. Unique website content boosts your company in search results and helps it stand out from the competition. Cain & Company can help create and optimize your website content, always with your brand strategy and business objectives in mind.
Robin ChandlerMarketing Coordinator & Copywriter |