A lot of things about SEO change, but content writing doesn’t.
The rules that worked 10 years ago, still work today.
That’s why exceptional writers like Stephen King still get a lot of attention today.
In this post, you’ll get a free “50 content writing tips for beginners pdf” for your personal use!
Disclaimer: Take your time to read and process each tip. There’s a lot of practical information packed in each one.
50 Content Writing Tips for Beginners PDF
- Write like your target audience.
Nobody wants to feel like you're shoving something down their throat.
Writing like your target audience makes them feel like they're talking to a friend.
- Understand the pain points and desires of your target audience.
Do some research on Reddit and Quora to understand their pain points and desires. It'll help you with the next point.
- Write for your target audience, not for yourself.
You're not the target audience.
Don't write the way you'd like to be spoken to. Do some research on the media mentioned above to see how your audience wants to be spoken to.
- Write with empathy.
If you're writing copy to sell a product, you need to muster all the empathy you can.
People want to feel like you understand.
And even better, like you care… which I hope you do.
- Use active voice instead of passive voice.
The voice in which you write should be active and not passive.
How did that make you feel? Tired? Like you're performing a chore? Yeah. Use active voice, friend.
- Use simple and concise language
Perhaps, if I wrote this listicle like Shakespeare wrote The Macbeth, maybe then, I'd be able to help writers understand the necessity of simplicity and conciseness in copy.
- Use power words that evoke emotions.
Quick and Easy ways to rank on Google
- Create a compelling headline.
5 Free Tools that Work Better than Grammarly
- Use subheadings to break up long copy.
Nobody wants to read an academic textbook. Break up that content.
- Use bullet points and numbered lists
Speaking of breaking up content, try bullet points and numbered lists.
- Use analogies and metaphors
SEO without quality content is as useless as the 'g' in lasagna.
- Use short paragraphs.
We’re not reading an essay.
It’s okay to use short paragraphs like this one.
- Use short sentences.
Yes. A sentence can consist of 1 word only.
- Use statistics and facts to back up your claims.
I wrote this blog based on Semrush's findings that listicles receive 80% more page views compared to other types of content marketing.
- Use testimonials and social proof.
Why should we believe and trust you?
- Avoid jargon.
Just for clarity, jargon refers to special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand.
- Avoid cliches.
Don’t believe my PDF is worth a download? Don’t judge a book by its cover. Download it to see for yourself!
- Use humour if appropriate.
Who doesn't enjoy a good laugh?
- Use a conversational tone.
Forget about your essays in school. Write as you speak. No, really!
- Write in the second person (you) to engage the reader.
We're all self-centred to a point. Don't expect less from your reader.
- Ask rhetorical questions.
Don't rhetorical questions just leave you wanting to know more?
- Use calls to action. Always.
People actually need to be told what to do. Read the next point to see how to do it best.
- Make your calls to action clear and specific.
Reference number 22.
- Use urgency to motivate action.
It's not true, but just imagine that I told you, you had only 24 hours to get the free pdf?
- Use scarcity to motivate action.
And then what if I said downloads were limited?
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Amanda Nze
Amanda Nze, the founder of AmandaTalksSEO, is an SEO specialist who has successfully boosted her client's website traffic from almost zero to over a thousand organic clicks with limited backlinks.