Types of content writing every content writer should know- a definitive guide

As a content writer do you want to know the types of content writing you can write to create impactful posts for clients, then you are on the right page.

In this post you will learn

• what is content writing
• blog writing
• ghostwriting
• editing
• copywriting
• news writing
• product description
• video scripting

This will bring in clarity and you also know what to expect when you sign up with a client as a content writer for a specific role .

Content writing can be difficult.

Just consider these numbers. An astonishing 98 percent of all marketing teams say written content is their most-used content type, yet one in three marketers admit their content writing is only “somewhat” or “not so” effective.

In other words, there’s a whole lot of content out there that isn’t doing what it should be.

Source: https://neilpatel.com/blog/ingredients-of-great-content/

The above data suggest many content writers are still unaware of the different content writing types and the required skills to produce a particular content type to create the necessary impact.

So, without any delay let us delve into what is content writing and the types of content you can write:

Content writing is the process of creating valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience – and ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

This is one of the most crucial elements of digital marketing. 

It enables marketers to find out how they can connect with their customers at every stage in their journey.

To create valuable content for your customers, you first need to

• define who your buyer personas are,
• what problems they want to solve and
• how you can help them achieve that with your product or service.

It can be anything: blog posts, e-books, whitepapers, infographics or any form of content that serves a purpose in the digital world. 

Now that we have understood what content writing is, let us break down what are the different content writing types. 

Based on the content writing type, the requirements, skill set, and the role as a content writer varies.

 Each type of writing  has a unique skill set that differentiates it from others.

The style of writing is specific to the chosen type of content writing.

As a content writer these are the different kinds of writing you should be knowing:

Types of Content writing 

Media photo created by Racool_studio – www.freepik.com

Blog writing–

The first type of content writing covered  is blog writing.

 It’s a great starting place for aspiring content writers because it’s less intimidating than other forms of content writing.

You can get started without having to worry about pitching clients or having much experience. 

Anyone can start a blog and begin creating posts—that’s the beauty of it!

Bloggers write all kinds of things, from personal journal-style entries to how-to guides to product reviews.

If you enjoy intellectually engaging with your favorite topics and sharing your opinions, this could be a good kind of content writing for you.

They are generally focused around a specific topic or theme and provide an easy way for people to write out their thoughts and ideas, while also allowing other people to comment on them.

Blogs can be used for many different purposes, including sharing personal experiences, writing about your interests or hobbies, giving tutorials, answering questions or providing advice.

 Really, the possibilities of blogging are nearly endless!

If you’re interested in getting into content writing but aren’t sure where to start, blog writing is an excellent place for you to begin your journey. 

There’s no barrier to entry—as long as you have something interesting to say and know how to say it well, you can start your own blog and share it with the world!

 If you’re particularly passionate about a certain topic—

whether it’s beauty products, healthy recipes with healthy ingredients or video games—

it may even be possible for you to get paid by companies who produce products related to what you discuss on your blog!

Ghost writing–

• You are an expert in a certain topic, but you don’t want to write all the content yourself.

• You have a great idea and plan for a book, but you don’t have the time or energy to create it yourself.

• You are struggling to get your website up and running because no one has written the content for it yet.

• You have many clients who expect you to provide writing services on their behalf, but there is not enough time in the day.

Ghostwriting may be the answer you are looking for.

When someone else writes content on your behalf.

A ghostwriter can help you with, write, or even create a piece of content. 

They are often hired to help business owners and CEOs write a book or an article in a leading publication that they will then claim as their own.

 In this case, the ghostwriter is a contractor who gets paid for their work but doesn’t receive any credit for it.

Ghostwriters may also be hired to write content for blogs, articles, e-books, and scripts. Ghostwriters are not always credited for their work; however, sometimes an acknowledgement is added or the writer’s name appears in the piece’s byline.

Editing-

You may not be involved in producing content.

But definitely play a major role in tweaking the content before it hits the publish button.

Editing is the process of refining content. 

Writers edit their own work, often multiple times and  Editors edit writing submitted by writers and other editors.

As a writer, you’ll be engaging in editing as part of the writing process, which usually entails making revisions to your work based on feedback from others or from your own critical eye. 

As an editor, you might use different editing tools to make editorial changes directly to a piece of content.

Or the process could involve responding with comments and suggestions for revisions. 

You might proofread materials before publishing them or even during the design phase for print materials or websites.

The difference between editing and proofreading isn’t always clear—

the two tasks often overlap and can be performed at different stages in the content’s lifecycle—

In general, proofreading involves –

• checking for spelling errors as well as

•  minor grammatical and 

• formatting errors

 whereas editing includes

•  evaluating an entire message and 

• making much more substantial changes to its organization and expression (including style) if necessary.

Copywriting-

Check out U.K.-based drink makers innocent, and you’ll see a language, style, and tone that matches their philosophy, product, and even their branding and design. It’s all just clean, straightforward, and simple. And believe it or not, simple is a really, really hard thing to nail in copywriting.
This stands out most on their “Things We Make” page. (Isn’t that page name even beautifully simple?)

This same straightforward-but-charming copywriting philosophy extends to their site navigation:

Their meta description is pretty awesome, too:

and my personal favorite:

Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/copywriting-examples

Copywriting is essentially the process of producing promotional content.

It is written with the primary objective of influencing the people reading it to take some kind of action. 

This action could be a purchase, or another form of conversion, such as signing up for a newsletter.

The process begins with research and planning.

 Copywriters conduct extensive research into their client’s business, prior to starting any actual writing. 

You need to understand not only

• what they are selling but
• who they are selling it to
• consumer demographics,
• user personas and
• audience insights

All play a big part in this process. 

Once you have a thorough understanding of both what needs to be sold and who it needs to be sold to-

As a copywriter you can begin creating copy that will resonate with their readers and encourage them to take action. 

*Note- When you click on an ad or call-to-action button to sign up for something or make a purchase, you have been influenced by the power of effective copywriting!

News writing-

News report photo created by Racool_studio – www.freepik.com

You might wonder whether you need a special skill set to write news articles. 

The answer is, no! 

You have to have the ability and willingness to look for information and write concisely about what you find out.

 For a lot of people, this comes naturally; for others, it’s something that needs to be learned through practice. 

A point to remember is News writers should always strive to be objective and straightforward with their readers.

If you’ve ever wondered why news writing is so important-

Think back to every time you’ve wanted to know what was going on in the world around you—

How much easier it would have been if someone had already done the hard work of finding all the relevant facts and presenting them in an organized way that made sense. 

Not only do we value having information available at our fingertips when we want it-

But we also expect news reporting to be factually correct and free of bias or personal opinions. 

Those are all essential skills for any aspiring content writer interested in pursuing this field.

Product Descriptions-

Here’s a great example of product description from Innocent Drinks.

Source: https://www.shopify.in/blog/8211159-9-simple-ways-to-write-product-descriptions-that-sell

Product descriptions serve the following functions:

• They give a concise but thorough overview of the product’s features and functionality.

• They help potential customers decide whether this is something they want to buy or need to buy because it fulfills a purpose.

• They help potential customers decide if they should buy this product instead of other similar products out there that might also fulfill their needs.

A good product description includes the following:

• What the product does (in clear, crisp language)

• The features and benefits of each feature (this is where you explain how those features make your customer’s life easier, better, or more fun)

• Why your customer needs this particular thing (and why it’s better than anything else similar that’s out there).

Video Scripting-

Source:https://rockcontent.com/blog/video-marketing-examples/

Visual content is fast gaining popularity as it is effective, engaging and delivers the message convincingly. 

To write a good video script that meets all the above parameters a few pointers one should note are-

The body of your video script should be broken down into three to four sections. 

These sections will correspond with the building blocks (or “acts”) of your story. 

You can put a heading in all caps to denote each section.

It’s also a good idea to include a brief sentence summarizing what that section is about.

The introduction is where you grab your audience’s attention, explain what the problem is, and paint a picture that shows why they need your solution. 

Think about this part as if you’re setting up a joke: first you have to get everyone’s attention and make sure they’re listening, then set up the premise or issue at hand before delivering the punch line—your awesome solution!

For an explainer video, you’ll definitely want a call-to-action (CTA) towards the end of the video. 

A CTA encourages viewers to do something specific—like sign up for a service or download an e-book—once they’ve finished watching.

It should be clear and concise so people know exactly what to do next without having to go searching for another page or email address on their own.

A video script goes beyond the typical elevator pitch. In a way, it’s more like a written form of your product. 

The biggest difference is that instead of just telling people why they should buy something, you’re actually showing them what the benefits are. 

You’ll ultimately be showing them how your product works.

What kind of results it can give users, but before you can do that, you need to tell them about your product in a concise and interesting way.

If there’s one best way to create this concise introduction for your video script, it’s by giving your viewers an idea behind what makes your product unique or different from other products out there.

Pick out specific keywords or phrases related to what you’re trying to sell, and make sure they’re in the introduction or title of your video script as well.

 Apart from the content writing types mentioned above, there are several others like technical papers, academic content, whitepapers, and much more.

All of them involve expertise of a different kind, academic qualifications and other skills to write  in that space.

 Conclusion:

 In this era of digital marketing it is not difficult to find the content writing type that you are comfortable with.

With the right training, tools and required skills you will be on your way to posting some awesome content that could establish you as a credible content writer.

 FAQs

 Can I learn the different content writing types?

 Yes there are many online and offline courses that help you understand and learn the different content writing types.

They teach you the basics of each type, the requirements and the skills required to write them.

You can search for an online course that suits your budget, and convenience and become a certified content writer.

 How can I gain experience in content writing as a beginner?

As a beginner the best way to gain experience is by guest posting on websites.

You can search for websites in your interest and expertise area that are accepting guest posting.

Contact them and pitch your idea.

Always remember to follow the guest post rules of the website to increase your acceptance chance.

You can also create a free website and post articles on it.

Once you are comfortable and understand how to approach content writing you can buy a domain and host it.

Some of the other sites where you can write for free to gain experience are platforms like Medium, Vocal for