When it comes to explaining to others what I do for a living, they can usually understand the concept of blogging. But when I say that I write web content, I usually get a confused look.
A web content writer provides the text needed to draw in a certain reader. Sometimes it can include the use of pictures, sound and videos. This will depend on the website and who you are writing for.
Maybe you have heard the phrase, “Content is King.” What this means is that no matter how fancy your page looks, no matter how clever the layout…if you don’t have quality content, it won’t get you anywhere.
Not only do you need quality content but you need something original, which helps those who type in keywords find what you have. This is called “SEO,” search engine optimization.
Deciding if writing web content is for you will first of all depend on the industry. You will need to understand the topic you are writing about, or at least be able to learn.
That’s what I had to do when I started writing web content for law firms. I knew nothing about the practice fields I was asked to write about. But through research (including the client’s own websites) , I began to acquire the knowledge necessary.
Today I know about certain practice fields like the back of my hand, including medical malpractice and personal injury. But I am lucky enough to work for a web content company who keeps on challenging me. For instance, lately I have been writing for a criminal law firm.
You will also need to be familiar with creating SEO-friendly content. You may need to come up with the right keywords or they could be provided to you, which is the case for me. Then I have to find a way to use them so that the text flows and it doesn’t sound overstuffed.
What you write will again depend on the industry. I mostly write articles, blogs, news pieces, and FAQ’s.
There will be formatting issues that you will need to become familiar with. And you will also need to learn how to edit your own work. Even though I have editors who look over my pieces, I make sure to do this before I submit them.
With web content, you generally don’t get credit for the writing. But you can get paid and for some people, that’s all they need. How much you make will depend on who you write for.
Most people can’t expect to make a living from web content writing. I happen to be one of the lucky that has found a way to do it. But I don’t want anyone to get the impression it is always good
money.
Web content writing might be for you…hopefully after reading this, you have a better idea about what to expect.
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Photo by Jacob B�¸tter in Flickr