Fundamentals/Introduction to Content Writing

Difference between Content Writing & Copywriting 

The main thing that differentiates between Content Writing & Copywriting is the purpose of creating it.

Where Content Writing is usually aimed at creating long and detailed article content. The goal is to get the audience the information they need.

Meanwhile, copywriting is usually aimed at creating shorter pieces of writing. The aim of making it is to attract the audience's interest to take action. Such as making purchases, signing up, downloading, donating, and so on.

Another way to differentiate content writing from copywriting is where the content is published. 

If you find an article published on a website/blog, then that is content writing. However, if you find writing in the form of a tagline in a social media post, then that is copywriting content.

Skills that Content Writers Must Have

The following are the skills that must be mastered to become a content writer:

• Writing Skills

The skills that must be mastered to become a content writer are being an expert in the field of writing. Starting from understanding good grammar, making clear sentence structures, and using punctuation correctly.

Apart from basic techniques, other skills that you should have are good storytelling, and being able to write writing that suits the target audience's persona.

• Expert in Conducting Research

A content writer must be able to conduct research on the topic for which article content will be created. 

Research is carried out so that the content created later is valid, credible information and does not come from hoax or misleading information. 

By paying attention to the quality of the content that will be published later, this will make the audience have more trust in the website/blog they are visiting.

• Understanding the Target Audience

In content writing, a content writer must adapt his writing style to the intended target audience. 

The aim of using the right language style is to make readers happier on the website/blog. Of course, this will have a good impact on the sustainability of your business/traffic from your website/blog.

• Following technological developments and trends on social media

A content writer must be able to follow developments in social media trends, such as Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, and others.

That way, the website/blog that you/your team manage will always provide up to date information, and that will make your website/blog get more engagement.

• Understanding SEO

To create content with the aim of getting a high ranking on the Google search engine, a content writer must master SEO well.

Things that can be done to optimize SEO include using keywords that have high search volume but low competitiveness, or conducting analysis on competitor websites to maximize SEO optimization on the website.

Also read: General Guide: Content Writer [Second Guide]

Basic Principles of Typography

Typography has four main principles that will influence the success of an article. The following are the four basic principles:

• Communication is the Main Goal

The purpose of writing is to communicate, to convey ideas, information, or impressions from mind to reader's mind.

Therefore, the writing that is written must be easy for readers to understand. If the reader does not understand the content of the writing, then the writing will have no meaning.

• Clarity is the Key to Good Writing

By using words, expressions, sentences or language that are clear and easy to understand, readers will easily understand the message conveyed in the article.

• Use Simple Language

Use layman's language or language that many people understand.

And avoid using complicated terms, such as academic, political, literary, bureaucratic, technical and other terms. Because usually only certain circles understand it.

However, you can also adapt it to the website/blog that you own/manage.

• Writing is a Process

Writing requires patience because you have to go through certain stages, starting from determining the topic, testing the topic, looking for references, compiling an outline, and editing it.

Writing is also “intellectual work” that requires special skills. Therefore, it requires practice, foresight, reasoning power, insight, references, ethics, and time. 

Also read: Article Processing Tips for Content Writers [Third Guide]

Content Writer Tools

Here are some tools that you should master to become a content writer:

• SEO Writing Tools

Content writers need SEO tools to help their content get high rankings on Google search results pages. 

You can use several SEO tools in creating content, including: Google Keyword Planner, Yoast, Semrush, SpyFu, Ahrefs, and the like.

You can easily pull data such as search volume, keyword difficulty, competitor gap, and so on.

Some of these SEO tools can be used for free, but paid subscriptions are also available to get more complete features, so adjust it to your needs.

• Grammar Tools

Grammar tools are useful for content writers to produce quality writing or articles.

By using grammar tools, content writers can easily simplify their writing. Grammar tools function to improve grammar so that the content created is not monotonous.

Tools that you can try include: KBBI, PUEBI, Thesaurus, Word Rhymes, and the like, many of which you can find recommendations on the Google search engine. All of these tools can be used for free, but there are also paid ones if you want more complete features.

• Editing Tools

Online editing tools can be used to check content before publishing it to a website/blog. The function of editing tools is to avoid typos and missed typos.

Some editing tool options that you can try include Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, Semrush Writing Assistant, ProWritingAid, Readable, Phrases, Webspellchecker, 750 Words, Ginger, Text Expander, 1Checker, Grammar Base, and of course there are many more that you can find outside there.

With a limited number of words, you can use this tool for free.

• Plagiarism Check Tools

Don't forget to always check your writing for plagiarism before you publish an article.

Even though you wrote most of the articles yourself, there are times when the written content in them is adapted/quoted from other websites/blogs.

Don't forget to include the source, if you take content from someone else's website/blog/any other source.

Apart from that, don't let your article get a high plagiarism score, because your article only contains quotes from other sources.

Some plagiarism check tools that you can use are: Small SEO Tools, Duplichecker, Plagiarism Detector, Plagiarism Checker, and several other plagiarism detection tools that you can easily find on Google search recommendations.

Like tools in general, if you want to get more powerful features, you have to subscribe and pay money.

Also read: Content Writing: SEO Friendly for Articles/Blog Posts [Fourth Guide]

Those are some of the fundamentals of content writing that we have summarized for you, and congratulations on completing the first guide, let's continue with the second guide here. General Guidelines: Content Writer.