Writing and editing abilities are foundational skills that every content marketing writer must-have. But… is that all they need?

For a content marketing writer (aka content writer) to be truly effective in their role, there is a multitude of other qualities they’ll need to bring to the table.

Let’s examine what makes an outstanding content marketing writer. This information is not only helpful for both businesses looking to hire a content marketing writer, but also for writers looking to improve their craft.

1. An Effective Content Marketing Writer…Is Great at Research

A good content writer knows where and how to find information on any topic or industry online, offline, and even with other channels like social media. The best content writers understand how to use these resources to identify compelling topics and trending current events that will resonate with their target audience.

Here is what a typical blog or article research process may look like:

1. Decide which article or blog format would work best for the content and audience.
2. Find keywords that your ideal customers might search before, during, or after reading content related to your content marketing campaign.
3. Use tools like BuzzSumo to find out what content has worked well for other companies in terms of driving traffic, leads, and sales.
4. Conduct interviews with your content’s target audience to better understand their content consumption habits.
5. Read content on websites in your niche so you know what content is engaging to readers.

Performing thorough research means that content marketers can keep content fresh and ever-relevant. This ensures content marketing campaigns are less apt to become stagnant or out of date—which is one key component for content marketing success.

2. An Effective Content Marketing Writer…Knows How to Keep the Interest of Readers

Content marketing writers understand how to get—and keep—readers hooked. Blatant advertisements or content that only seems self-serving will not generate desired results. Instead, effective content writers employ a hook at the beginning to entice the audience to continue reading. Only later in the piece do they add a call to action such as checking out a sales page or encouraging them to share content with friends and family.

Another way content writers craft the content into easily digestible formats is by using list articles, or “listicles.” This format is entertaining to read and easy to skim. Effective content marketers also use subheadings or titles that are attention-grabbing so that readers are captivated from the start of a piece of content.

Content writers also make content personal, which helps readers stay engaged. In content marketing campaigns, content writers can interview their potential customers to find out what they want from the business. They can also ask for feedback to show that they are open to considering new ideas and implementing changes that improve the content or customer experience. These types of actions keep content fresh and relevant so that customers are more likely to stay engaged.

One final method that great content writers use to keep the interest of readers is “show, don’t tell.” In content marketing, writers should use formats that encourage the reader to visualize the topic rather than just passively read a story. Content marketers can do this by using infographics or video content in their content marketing campaigns so that readers have something interesting and visual to look at while they read the content. These content formats give marketers a great opportunity to paint a picture that not only delights readers but deepens their understanding of the subject.

3. An Effective Content Marketing Writer…Uses Simple and Clear Messaging

While a tip such as using simple wording may seem obvious, many content marketers fail to communicate clearly because they try to be too clever or use complex language. Instead, content writers should focus on writing in plain English so that anyone can easily understand the message—without getting distracted by a plethora of superfluous, pretentious, and even nonsensical diction (aka, too many fancy words).

Concise sentences and short paragraphs encourage readers to continue through the article or blog rather than giving up after one or two sentences. Simplifying content not only keeps content engaging but also keeps the messaging concise and focused on the key points of content marketing campaigns.

Needless to say, this approach may change depending on the audience. For instance, a content marketing writer who is creating for a company in the legal field may need to use content with more complex language so that customers can properly understand content about their products or services. However, content writers should always focus on clarity from beginning to end.

4. An Effective Content Marketing Writer…Is a Big Reader

Whether learning about a particular topic through books, blogs, online articles, or other sources, great content writers know how to read widely and deeply. This means that they are able to learn new things quickly and apply them to their work.

Content writers take advantage of social media sites like Twitter or Facebook to learn about trending topics and current events. By doing this, they can create content that is timely and topical without having to wait for traditional news outlets to report on these stories. Their goal is to provide information that people want to read and share.

Content writers must constantly stay abreast of what is happening in the world around them so that they can find relevant ways to connect with audiences. If you’re looking for a way to get started with content marketing, start by finding out what your target audience wants to hear from you. You’ll then be able to craft content that provides answers to those questions.

It’s important to note that content marketing campaigns require content writers to spend a lot of time with content so they should be content enthusiasts. It’s not enough for content writers to read content occasionally; they must also consume new content daily from content marketing experts and influencers. This allows them to decide how to apply this content to their own content marketing efforts.

5. An Effective Content Marketing Writer Knows…How to Drive Traffic

Content marketing is often about driving traffic to websites. When people visit blogs or articles on a website, they expect to see certain types of content, including text, images, videos, and even audio files. Content marketing writers should make sure that they have different types of content available on their site because visitors won’t stick around unless they see something interesting.

In addition, content marketers should include links to other pages on their site so that users can hang out and consume more content. These links will help drive traffic back to the original landing page.

Content writers create copy for both humans and search engines. Search engine optimization (SEO) is one aspect of content marketing that focuses on making content easier for search engines to crawl. SEO techniques may include using keywords throughout the body of the text and adding links to related pages on your site.

As was touched on earlier, effective content marketers also know how to write content that inspires actions—with the help of well-written CTAs. People may visit a website with the plan of reading a blog and then leaving, but content marketers want their visitors to do something else, such as sign up for an email list or make a purchase. Writers who successfully inspire readers to take action are content marketing success stories.

Other High-Value Qualities and Skills of Effective Content Writers

While the qualities we have mentioned in this article do make for a great content marketing writer, there are still more qualities that can truly make the difference. These include:

Adaptability

Content writers work with many different clients and marketing teams. This may include working with multiple departments within an organization, as well as working with external agencies and freelancers. Writers should be able to switch gears quickly and collaborate effectively with others.

Creativity

Because content marketing involves creating unique pieces of content, writers who understand creativity are essential to the success of any campaign. Content marketers who are creative will experiment with content and come up with different strategies to see what works and resonates with the target audience.

Organization

Content marketing requires writers to organize themselves so they can manage large amounts of information and prioritize tasks efficiently. The content production process can be cumbersome and time-consuming if content marketers aren’t organized.

Professionalism

A professional appearance goes a long way towards building trust between clients and content marketers. Clients want to work with someone who looks like they know what they are doing. Professional content marketers will portray this image through their website content, social media presence, and other forms of content.

Content Creation with WriteForMe

When all of these qualities come together they create a great content marketing writer. If you are looking to work with an excellent content writer and get assistance with your content strategy then look no further than WriteForMe.

The content experts at WriteForMe are ready to help you design, research, create, and implement your next content marketing campaign.

Learn what WriteForMe can do for your business with a free content marketing playbook!