11 Smart Tips for Writing Engaging Content You Can Act On Today
Writing for a client is very different from writing for yourself (a bit of a no brainer, huh?).
Although there are lots of strategies, tips, and ‘rules’ that still apply, at the heart of writing content for someone else and their business is engagement. No matter what you’re writing; whether it’s blogs, social media captions, newsletters, or press releases - the focus is always on helping them connect with their audience in valuable ways and to grow that audience.
Creating engagement can feel tricky, and in my work, consistency has proven to be one of the crucial components for developing it. That means consistency across the quality of the writing, consistency in connecting with readers, and consistency in tone of voice and value-added (so the audience knows what they’re getting).
A part of my freelance week is dedicated to learning more about writing engaging and compelling content, so I can take that expertise back to my clients and the work we do together. Here’s a quick summary of eleven super smart (and easy!) tips you can implement today to improve your writing for engagement.
1.Understand Who the Audience Are
First and foremost, find out who the content is for. I write for a variety of clients who all have very distinct audiences. From high-schoolers to graduates, to small business owners, new parents and working mothers: knowing the target audience helps you understand the language and cadence you need to pitch your writing.
2. Research Your Topic
This doesn’t mean read up on what other writers have done, rinse and repeat. You’re researching to find the nuance and the niche. Sure, there are some topics that clients in specific industries will need a staple blog or two on, but to crack into engagement, you need to be adding something new. Research is key.
3. Create a Connection
Readers are astute when it comes to the content they want to spend time with. If you’re writing in a way that makes it sound like you know it all and the reader doesn’t - you’ll lose engagement. Creating a connection is about inviting the reader onto the page. Acknowledge they understand what you’re talking about, uncover what their struggle or question might be, and invite them to keep reading to help find the answers they need.
4. Be Clear and Concise
Most of us are reading content on our phones. We want clear, snappy, easy to digest writing that we can dip in and out of as we please. Keep it clear (no big unnecessary words, unless you’re writing for academia!) and be concise. Don’t drag things out.
5. Back It Up
Opinions are great, but they mean so much more when you back them up with current research, great sources and related links. Engaging content is about starting a conversation, not telling someone you have it all figured out. Build that conversation by backing it up.
6. Use Headers and Bullet Points
As mentioned, the majority of online content is consumed via mobile phones. Use headers and bullet points to break it up and create flow. Formatting is vital for engagement.
7. Consider Your Tone of Voice (TOV)
When I’m writing content for a client, I need to consider how they talk and get some of that onto the page too. A podcaster I work with has a beautiful and very distinct cadence to her voice and how she uses language. Engaging with her specific audience means using this TOV in my writing, so readers feel they’re conversing with her (and not me!).
8. Edit Edit Edit!
I put my content through at least three rounds of edits before I send it to a client and I guarantee there will STILL be a thing or two when the client and I do a read through! Read your piece out loud, check how it sounds in ‘real-life’ - this has been a staple for me in picking up on dead sentences, wordy paragraphs and clunky sounds.
9. Conclusions Are Key
I edit a publication on Medium and have a lovely budding team of writers who submit work regularly. I also help to edit a secondary publication and across both of these, I’ve found that SO many writers fall down on the conclusion - if they include one at all. Conclusions are essential for engagement. It’s the spot where you draw everything together and help the reader land on why they started reading in the first place. Don’t dismiss the power of a firm conclusion for ongoing engagement.
10. Start a Conversation
If you’ve done your job, the reader will feel buzzy about what they’ve just read and want to talk more or share it. Create space for engagement by inviting readers to comment with an open question or create a Call to Action (CTA) inviting readers to join social media channels. Clients usually have an idea of what they want here, but check-in and offer some guidance if they don’t. Engagement doesn’t end with the article itself.
11. Be Consistent
Rinse and repeat! I’ve started offering clients advice on how they can break the content I write for them (if it’s a blog, press release, newsletter, etc.) to be used across their other channels and drive engagement back to the blog itself encourage sign-ups to the newsletter. Creating consistency in this way helps ensure your hard work isn’t wasted on a barely visited blog somewhere and gives your client lots of value. A win-win!
And one final tip, freelancer to freelancer, something that has helped me get better at writing engaging content is writing for people I connect with on topics I’m passionate about.
When you’re first starting, it’s fine to pick up any gigs you can to build your profile and confidence - these will also help you better define what you want to write about. Over time, hone it down and target clients who work in the spaces you’re personally interested in too. Have introductory conversations where you’re also focused on finding out more about the client and not just selling yourself. Look for the click that makes you feel like you’re going to get along and enjoy working with them.
These things are so important, not only for your sense of well-being with your work, but also for the amount of passion and dedication you’ll bring to the table.
As humans, we’re all pretty good at picking up when someone has poured a little bit of themselves into their writing.
When we write about the things we love, engagement comes naturally.
