This is a guide for those of you who want to take your online content writing to the next
A winning article is the result of careful planning, not divine inspiration or “being in the zone”. You need to be able to replicate success over, and over
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Whatever hails you, I’ve summarized the tips that have proven the most impactful so far on my content writing journey.
These tips focus on what you should do before writing the content.
New to the writing-for-profit game. Switching from long-form to article writing. Looking for ways to improve your content writing routine. Which free platforms and tools you need to start earning and building an audience.
nelmondo.me/content-writing-tips-for-beginners/
10 Critically Important Content Writing Tips for Beginners
September 9, 2022
1. Craft a Better Headline
Doing the proper pre-production is a great way to grow your audience and earnings consistently.
James Nelmondo
Ylevel.oumight be:
Research and Pre-Production
Headline writing is an art that not all of us are suited for (me included). Happily, several free tools make our lives easier
I prefer to use my eyes and brain.
2. Check the Competition (And Improve on Their Work)
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The question is simple: Can you do a better job than the current ranking articles?
Keep it under 60 characters: Anything over 60-65 characters doesn’t show in the search results. Keeping the character count low is also a good way of forcing you to keep it simple and concise.
Once you know what you’re writing about, check the competition.
Headline optimization in a nutshell
Make it personal: If you can make the reader feel like you wrote for them, they will click. Use emotion in the headline to break through but avoid click-bait.
Some people like to use keyword research tools to get an idea of how cramped the topic is, and the authority of the websites that crown the ranking.
Keep it simple: Your reader should know what they are getting out of your article in about 2 seconds. The simpler you keep it, the more obvious the benefits, and the more likely they will click.
Your first contact with a reader is through your headline. But if your title isn’t optimized, this is also your last contact.
There are no second chances with headlines, which makes title optimization the single biggest thing you can do to reel in visitors.
Keep experimenting: Do A-B tests. You can tweak your headline after publishing and slowly get a better idea of what works for you and doesn’t.
Check my list of free writing tools for more goodies you can use right now
Free headline tools and generators
Use these free tools to check how competitive your content idea is, and whether it’s worth the effort (there’s no point writing a 5000-word epic if there’s no demand to read it).
In what ways am I improving on what’s already been said? Judging by the feedback (comments or social media), what is the reader looking Canfor?
Free keyword Research Tools
Be honest with yourself. If the answer to any of these questions is no, then either find something else to write about or make your article even more specific.
If you are sure you can do better, do it.
Steal winning ideas
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator (a great tool to find enticing keywords on the fly). Neil Patel’s Ubersuggest (a great way to view both keyword data and competition data. But the free version is limited). Google Keyword Planner (unlimited, if a little vague, data from Google).
I know people who make a living stealing other people’s winning content ideas. You may find this unethical, but hey, it works.
Ask yourself the following questions:
You can use tools such as SpyFu to see what keywords a website is ranking for.
My advice is to use these tools to find some enticing topics, but then to manually use the search engine to understand what is ranking and why
Simply go to the website and enter your competitor’s address and voila, you can see what keywords to replicate and improve on.
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I offer the same content, but present it in a better way?
It is also a great place to build a following and turn your pen name into a brand.
If you can tap into their niche site ranking power and drive organic traffic over time, you stand to make a decent amount of money
If technical writing and on-page SEO is something you excel at, publish with Hubpages.
Want more options? Check my article on platforms that pay writers for their work and choose a couple that suits your skill set.
Every writing platform has its own rules for success, and what works on one, might not on the Forotherinstance:
Medium is a community-driven revenue-sharing platform that rewards people for internal views (reads).
On-Page Optimization
3. Pick the Right Writing Platform(s)
The key is finding a platform that fits your skill set. In this case, if your forte is human interest but not SEO, Medium is a great choice to build an audience and earn some cash.
Hubpages is a keyword-focused platform that drives earnings via aggressive display advertising.
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Hubpages has no real community and is driven by aggressive advertising.
Both websites can work but require different strategies
With Medium, you are better served by creating articles that appeal to the internal community-driven meta. Structuring your articles with search engine success in mind means views but no earnings.
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Content writing is more than hammering at your keyboard. It involves keeping track of an entire constellation of variables, all of which determine success.
The logic is simple: Make each major point a separate heading, and break it down further into sub-headings.
I’m no heading guru, and I often struggle with structure, but I have noticed a direct correlation between proper heading usage and article ranking.
Online readers don’t read, they scan. You need to make your articles scan-proof. And the best way to do this is the usage of headings and subheadings.
4. Heading and Sub-heading Optimization
Keep the following tips in mind while writing your article.
If you’re using headings correctly your readers should be able to “read” the article just by scanning your headings, and nothing else.
This article uses H2, H3, and H4 headers to break each point down. A quick way to see how is by checking out the table of contents embedded at the top of the article.
Search engines use your headings to determine the content of your article. This means they are a good place to inject your LSI keywords
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Managing the amount of white space in your article is more than just an aesthetic consideration. It is an integral part of keeping people on the page.
This is why you should do the following:
5. Manage Your White Space
But bear this in mind: Article writing is about having a point.
Sorry, but they aren’t there to immerse themselves in your writing. They want you to get to the point. And if you are too wordy, they will scan the content to find it.
Before embarking on my passive income dream I was a novel writer, which means that I love writing highly descriptive paragraphs and colorful similes.
Your readers want something specific.
Your content isn’t only the words that you write, but how those words are framed.
Cut your paragraphs into 2-3 sentences at most. Anything more and they will be skipped entirely. Many copywriters and article marketers swear by the 1-3-1 rule
Make use of lists and graphics. This makes information easier to digest. Use plenty of white space. Dense walls of text will be skipped and the back button pressed, no matter how amazing the writing is.
If you are a pure writer, this section will leave a bitter taste in your mouth. But ask yourself the following question:
Would you rather find a 500-word article that lists useful information in bullet points, or an amazingly written 3000-word epic that hides crucial details in unendingly descriptive paragraphs?
Make sure every sentence has a point. It’s not about word count, it’s about how much actionable information you can offer. Every sentence should play a role in satisfying your readers. If it doesn’t, consider tossing it.
The bottom line: Walls of text = high bounce rates.
Adding relevant artwork is a great way to both supplement your message, and make your article more interesting (as well as more shareable, artwork can go viral too).
6. Support Your Writing with Visual Aids
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Use these free tools to add value to your articles.
Start using Canva Canva (affiliate link) is a true all-in-one tool for content writers.
Keep your content varied. Break up long passages of text with information or visual aids to keep your reader’s attention from wandering.
Know where to find free images
When I say “artwork”, I’m talking about more than just a pretty featured image. I’m YAndtalking:InfographicsPresentationsSocialmediatemplatesBrandedkitsLogosAnimationsmore…oucanuseCanvaforfree,or
Pixabay. No attribution is required.
Pexels. No attribution is required.
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If you don’t want to create your own artwork, you need to know where you can find free images for your content.
Freepik. Attribution is required for free plans. A great resource for vectors.
Unsplash. No attribution is required.
7. Write for People Not Search Engines
Wikimedia Commons. Attribution may be required. A great resource for technical writers.
Here’s a short list of websites that offer artwork that doesn’t require licensing (or even crediting the author) from my article on free tools for content writers
Canva allows you to create original artwork for your articles by modifying existing templates. You can also create stuff from scratch. But the real prize here is the incredible amount of high-quality templates to make your own.
get a membership. I am a member because having access to their entire database is worth far more to me than their price tag. However, if you haven’t already, check out their free offer and start turning your articles into visual treats.
Don’t believe me? Check out Google’s latest helpful content update for clues about where the future of article writing is heading.
2 First-person perspectives are more compelling. People want to connect with the human behind the text. A personal tone greatly improves your chances of creating a conversation (and a following) with your readers.
1. Writing from a personal perspective means you are sharing opinions, not facts. Given that you, as a content writer, will often write about subjects you know little about, this gives you room for error.
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The rise of Natural Language Processing is making traditional on-page SEO increasingly redundant (and in some cases harmful, as over-optimization can lead to penalties).
For most writers, this is good news. It means we can spend our time writing rather than wasting hours toying with data, keywords, and other distractors.
I know, this tip is blasphemous to pure writers, but choosing a conversational tone has many advantages when it comes to article writing.
Future-proofing our content means the emphasis should be on optimizing our articles for people, rather than search engines.
3 Writing conversationally destroys writer’s block because it’s easier to speak and be yourself than it is to write from a detached perspective. If you struggle to put out content, try being more conversational.
8. Write As You Talk
Hitting that publish button may lead to a feeling of relief and accomplishment, but in many ways, it is just the beginning of your work.
If you are a content writing newbie, you won’t have built much of a following yet. Nor will you have attracted any clients organically
Here’s how to do just enough marketing to get you by
Content writing is the merging of writing and marketing. You need to know the basics of both or, despite your talents, you will burn out trying to “make it”.
9. Turn Your Name Into a Brand With Online Communities
Publishing and Marketing
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A marketer without writing chops will fail to retain an audience. And a writer who hates marketing will create wondrous articles… that nobody will read.
Sound familiar?
4. Conversational tones bring your writing voice to the forefront. Readers looking for solutions won’t care about your tone, but there will be a steady stream of readers who will subscribe to your work based on their appreciation for your writing voice.
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Building an audience (that you can one day monetize on other platforms) should be your immediate priority.
The good news is that writing communities that you can tap into right now already exist.
My advice is to join a thriving community like Medium (yes, that’s my affiliate link, but the advice is genuine).
Medium isn’t the only writing platform around, and I do advocate looking around, but no matter what you choose, it is a great place to start turning your name into a brand
The second advantage to embracing rejection and pitching like a machine is that with every successful pitch, your brand gets bigger, and your portfolio expands.
Once you have built a sizeable subscriber list (several hundred), you can export it to other platforms such as Substack or your blog, and monetize without the middleman.
Medium is free. I recommend the $5 membership. The amount of information (and connections) it gives you access to is well worth the diminutive price tag.
The more you publish, the more clients and demand arise and the more your name (or pen name) gets plastered across the web.
10. Pitch, Pitch, Pitch
Medium is a HUGE community. Be persistent. Engage with the community and you will make long-lasting connections.
Medium rewards great content with great viewership. Quality articles are manually curated, and can spontaneously go viral (and earn well immediately).
Medium doesn’t depend on external views. You don’t need to bother with pleasing search engines, you can focus completely on writing for humans.
But first thing’s first.
Medium allows you to build a subscriber base. Users can sign up to your feed, and you can then export this list to other platforms later on.
A trickle of interest will build exponentially into a tidal wave of work if you keep at it.
Start with the online magazines that offer $30-$50 per article and slowly work your way up to the $500+ offers.
If you want to make it as a content writer, you need to overcome your fear of rejection. Because you will be rejected a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean upwards of 90% of the Learntime. not to take rejection personally
It’s like an avalanche.
Where to pitch
Too Much Info? Download my Content Writing Tips for Beginners in PDF
If you are a Medium member you can subscribe to any number of freelance tag feeds (I am subscribed to the “freelance writing” tag) that list hundreds of updated magazine submission pages every day
To start you off, please check my dedicated article for places to pitch right now
Use your portfolio of smaller magazine articles to access progressively higher-quality Keepplatforms.pitching.
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Never stop getting rejected!