The internet is saturated with content on literally anything you can think of, from how to tie your shoelaces to how to build a space shuttle.
Whatever it is that you want to write about, someone has already written about it before. Undoubtedly, it makes you wonder if starting that blog is simply pointless or if you still have a chance to stand out.
I'm here to tell you that, yes, you can still stand out. You can still become the go-to person for your audience to read about the topics you're an expert in.
Throughout my years as a freelance copywriter and content writer, working with clients across different niches, I've realized what makes the difference between dull content and great content. Here's what I learned.
8 Practical Content Writing Tips To Write Engaging Content
Writing great content isn't just about excellent writing skills.
You don't have to be Ernest Hemingway, or much less William Shakespeare, to write great content on the internet. In fact, Shakespeare and his extremely complex sentence structures probably wouldn't do very well on the internet today…
But you certainly can! You can stand out by infusing your content with your personality. This is the reason why AI writing tools cannot replace human writers.
Here are 8 content writing tips to help you elevate your content and stand out from the crowd.
1. Write Creative Headlines
Headlines are everything.
The headline of your blog article (or anything else you’re writing) is the first thing people read. If it doesn't hook them and entice them to keep on reading, your article will flop.
An attention-grabbing headline should be the 4 U's: unique, useful, urgent, and ultra-specific. I explain more about that in my article on how to write headlines that convert like crazy.
But aside from the 4 U's, your headline should also:
Be creative. The funnier, the better!
Inspire emotions like curiosity, fear, desire, shame, or FOMO. Any of these emotions are a powerful drive behind our decisions and actions.
Provoke thoughts. If your headline makes your reader think about something from a different perspective or challenges their beliefs, they will want to find out more.
2. Hook The Reader With The First 100 Words
Once you managed to make someone read past the headline, they're now onto the first few sentences of the introduction.
The first 100 words of your article are just as important as the headline. They should show your readers what they can expect from reading your article - both when it comes to the information it contains and the reading experience.
The reading experience is everything from what your readers will learn from your article to how it'll make them feel.
The first 100 words of your article hint at what that reading experience will be - so make sure to write in your unique tone of voice, empathize with your readers, and tell them what they'll find in the article.
3. Develop Your Own Writing Style
How many times have you read a blog article that made you experience a confusing deja vu?
No one wants to read an article that sounds like the other 10 articles they've already read on the same topic.
And yet, many businesses and brands choose to write the same information in the same tone of voice as their competitors. As a result, their articles end up lost in the ocean of similar articles on Google, and the few readers they get end up bouncing after the first two paragraphs.
But if you develop your own writing style? That's when you stand out. That's when you can share similar information, and people will still feel like they're reading something new.
4. Share Anecdotes & Personal Stories
A long time ago, I used to run a travel blog. On the blog, I shared practical tips from the places where I traveled. It had a fair, steady amount of engagement.
And then, one day, I decided to write a piece about my impressions from Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I wrote about the cultural shock I experienced as a European traveler in Mexico.
That post exploded with likes and comments within a few days.
The most engaging pieces of content are the ones where the author shares their personal experiences, funny anecdotes, and unique points of view.
Why? Because everyone can share practical tips like the ones in this article. But you're the only one that can talk about these tips from your own perspective. That's what gives your piece of content a unique flavor no one else can offer.
5. Paint The Picture
One thing that differentiates a generic article from a fun-to-read, engaging one is the details. Painting a detailed picture of something, for example, your reader's situation, adds flavor to your article.
If you want your content to be more engaging, use ultra-specific details to describe the situation your reader is facing, share a solution, or tell a personal story.
To illustrate this, here are two examples:
Example 1: "Last year, I got fired from my job unexpectedly."
Example 2: "One day, I got called into my boss's office. Something in my gut told me this wasn't anything good. I reluctantly dragged myself into her office, fearing the worst. As soon as I sat on the big chair in front of her desk, she delivered the horrible news: I was fired."
Even though it's significantly longer, Example 2 introduces a storyline that helps the reader empathize with the author. Example 2 is filled with emotion, which makes it more engaging and fun to read than the generic Example 1.
6. Include Actionable Tips
Usually, when we end up reading a blog article, it's because of one of three reasons:
We’re looking for an answer to a question starting with a what, why, or how (ex.: what are the symptoms of the flu).
It caught our attention, and we're reading it for entertainment (ex.: top 10 most extravagant houses of the extremely wealthy).
We're looking for specific information that we can apply in our lives, usually to solve a problem (ex.: searching for the best hotels in NYC).
People go to Google to search for answers to their most pressing questions. They're usually looking for tips on how to do something or deal with a problem.
Including actionable tips in your blog article, even if they don't directly tie to your article's topic, will help turn your post into a helpful resource that people can rely on.
If your readers can take the information from your article and implement it into their lives, they're more likely to come back for actionable advice.
7. Empathize With the Reader
Empathy is a powerful tool in both copywriting and content writing. It's the thing that makes your content reach your target audience's emotions and resonate with them on a deeper level.
The thing is, we all want attention. We all seek external validation. And empathy does just that. It validates people's thoughts and feelings by reminding them that they're not the only ones on the planet thinking and feeling this way.
You can use empathy in your content by describing the situation your reader is going through in detail or writing the exact phrases they're thinking in their head.
When you use empathy in your content, your reader feels like you're talking directly to them. They feel like you truly "get them," which inspires them to trust your expertise and advice even more.
By empathizing with your audience's struggles, desires, and emotions, you can easily win them over.
8. Use Simple Language
One of the biggest mistakes I see people making in their content is trying to sound like they have three PhDs.
That's ok if you're looking to write on a scientific or technical topic for other people with a doctoral degree. But if you're looking to write content that attracts leads and helps convert them into customers, then that's a recipe for disaster.
There's a reason why you're creating content, and I bet it's not to write a thesis for your Master's degree. Instead, it's to attract your target audience, showcase your expertise, gain their trust, and eventually convert them into customers.
If you want to achieve that, use simple language in your content. Use everyday language that people find easy to read and easy to understand.
It doesn't mean that your content needs to be super basic. You can talk about complex stuff in a simple manner. Simplicity is one of the ingredients that make your content get more views and engagement.
It's Time to Write Content That Wows Your Audience
The main problem with content creation is that many pieces of content are written in the same tone of voice. That's mainly because few business owners and writers have nailed their branding - including their brand voice and personality.
Or because more and more business owners prefer to ditch content writing to AI writing tools rather than hire a professional writer.
As a result, we are ending up with more and more similar-sounding content.
But guess what? This allows YOU to stand out by infusing your content with your brand voice, personality, and personal stories and opinions.
With the tips in this article, you'll be able to write more fun and engaging content for your audience.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through my link, I get a commission from the sale at no additional cost to you. You're just helping me keep the blog alive!
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