Last updated - July 8, 2021
As a business owner, you may have already heard of the importance of content marketing for business growth and revenue generation. However, if you are new to this concept, we will give you an analogy.
Let’s say you have content on your site written about a particular product/service you sell/offer in your store, and it is so well written that it gets ranked amongst the top three on Google’s search results. Now, because of this, a lot of traffic gets generated to your website, and people love how much you seem to know about the products/service you offer. From that one article, your business now gets a lot of exposure, thereby generating massive sales.
This, my friends, is just a little touch on the power content marketing holds.
While you may want to hop on the content marketing train, not everyone is good at marketing a product through content writing, least of all WordPress content writing.
I will share with you six vital skills you will need to master content writing on WordPress, and workable examples on how to learn them. Let’s begin:
1. Master Keyword Search For Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The first thing you must do before you even start writing is to know what you are writing about, how to make your content more visible on a search engine, and more relevant to your target audience. That’s where keyword search comes into play.
Keyword search is finding words and phrases your target market is searching for, and that is relevant, and using them strategically in your content.
Take, for example, you own a shoe eCommerce store, and you want to get more people to shop a particular brand of shoes on your website, then I suggest you hop onto keyword search apps like BuzzSumo and search for keywords people use with that type/brand of shoe you want to sell off, and place them in your content.
A few tips when working with keywords
- Place them strategically in your written content (headings, sub-headings, etc.)
- Maintain keyword density (keyword density should be between 1% and 3%. There are some tools explicitly used for keyword density calculation)
- Highlight your keywords (either by using bold or italics effect on the font.)
2. Learn How to use Plug-ins on WordPress to your Advantage
You are a business owner, not a content writer, and I get it. And while you may have critical skills needed for the growth of your business, content writing skills can take a while to be honed, and you may not have that time. So, it’s a good thing that specific plugins recognize this fact, and come in handy when you are creating content on WordPress.
Yoast SEO is one of such plugins. This plugin is a lifesaver to anyone new to content writing or still learning how to master the skills of content marketing. With features that make sure both your writeup and SEO and up to scale, no one should write without it.
There are other plugins that you can download and install on your WordPress to improve your writing, do your research, and find what works for you.
3. Learn the Art of Powerful Calls to Action (CTAs)
In every content I write, I always use Calls to Action. You know why? Because there is a reason and a purpose for my content. Whether it’s to redirect to other content on my website or sell a particular service, your content must have a reason for being written. And it is only in knowing that reason that you will be able to pick a compelling and emotionally driven CTA to provoke a response from your intended target audience.
Let’s say you don’t have an online store yet, but you want to drive traffic into your physical store, then what you could do is offer a discount for all walk-in customers. This is an incentive for people to visit your store and see what you have to offer.
Some other tips for drafting a compelling CTA include:
- Storyboard your intended audience: Who are they and what would it take to convince them to do what you are asking of them.
- Use emotional words in your CTA
- Use a powerful command verb at the beginning of your CTA (The reason for your CTA is to provoke an action,` right? Let that action be very clear from the get).
4. Outstanding Research Skills are a Must
Research is an integral part of any written content, but it will be even more critical for you. You see, you are trying to cement yourself as an expert in your industry, but even experts can’t know everything, and that is where research comes into play.
The good thing about the research skill is that there is a lot of information online on topics you can research on. There is also lots of information on how to properly carry out research, cite your source, and so on. Some websites, such as Best Writers Online, have writing service reviews that provide insights on the best writing services out there (if this is something you would instead opt for).
I advise you not to limit your research to just search engines. There are databases out there full of knowledge, journals, publications, and even some documents in public domains. There is so much knowledge, and all you have to do is search for it.
One more thing you must do when gaining this skill is to be very selective of the websites you get information from, not all websites are credible, and if you provide false news to your audience, you will lose their trust.
5. Get Social Media Skills
Social media is an essential aspect of any business. Whether you have an eCommerce business or a physical store, you should never underestimate the value of social media in your business, much less your content marketing strategy.
I have become quite an expert in social media marketing over the years, and I have witnessed tremendous growth in my written content when I use social media simultaneously with them.
Once you grow your social media presence, the demand for your content will grow as well. Interact with industry experts in your field and always link your written content for your social media.
6. Have the Ability to Create Something New From Something Old
Finally, you need to develop the ability to create unique content on old but popular topics. I can’t stress this enough.
I once had the opportunity to create content for one of the biggest retail stores in my small town when I first started content marketing years ago. The goal was to sell off a product that was once popular but had quickly begun dying out. By writing on the new and added benefits this product had, the retail store saw an influx of both old and new customers.
Why did this work? People had already tried the product before, and it worked for them, but as we all know, most people are drawn to shiny new things. So, by reinventing the products and adding more benefits, people were unaware of, I was able to reignite their interest, and that interest was all I needed.
You can take my example and run with it.
Conclusion
I know not everyone can be skilled in content marketing, but by implementing my advice, you can get started in honing your skills.
