Maybe you’re not a natural writer – or perhaps you’re just a little out of practice. Either way, as a small business owner, getting good at writing professional-level content can have a massive impact on your business.
Great content builds trust, nurtures your audience, and helps turn casual readers into loyal customers. So in other words, having great content has become one of the main ways that brands can grow.
But how do you ensure that your content is up to par with the expectations of your customers and clients?
Whether you’re new to creating content for your business or simply dealing with a touch of imposter syndrome, here’s how to make sure to make your words work harder for your business.
Writing professional content starts with understanding your audience’s needs. Put yourself in their shoes – what challenges are they facing, and how can your content solve their problems?
Whether you’re sharing tips, answering common questions, or offering industry insights, make sure every piece provides actionable value.
Before you start writing any piece of content, take a moment to pause and think to yourself, “What value is this piece providing?”
There are many different types of value that any piece of content can provide. It can be informational, educational, persuasive, newsworthy, or even just entertaining.
Ensure you’ve identified what value the piece has before you spend your time writing it up, or else there won’t be much of a reason for anyone to read it.
Even if you’re writing about topics you know well, thorough research can make your content stand out. Look for credible sources, statistics, and examples that back up your points. This adds authority to your writing can give your content the air of authority that it needs
Plus, research often sparks fresh ideas and perspectives, elevating your content from basic to truly professional.
Of course, be sure to cite any research that you do to avoid any ethical or legal problems down the line.
While the level of readability will depend in large part on the intended audience and the subject matter you’re dealing with, you should always aim to skew your content a little more accessible when possible.
Talking about technical issues on a deeper may require the use of jargon, but even then, you want most people at the right reading level to be able to quickly hop into the bits of content that are most relevant to them. Use short paragraphs and sentences.
Ensure that you’re breaking up the text with relevant subheaders. Use bullet points or numbered lists where appropriate.
While many people prefer to skip through longer pieces of content to find the parts that apply to their needs best, there are those who will read from start to finish.
In your head, you may have a checklist of points that you need to address and create subheaders and sections for each of those.
However, you should attempt to order these in a way that creates a narrative throughline, with one topic leading naturally onto the next most relevant content. Otherwise, it can be easy for readers to get lost in your writing.
When it comes to professional writing, flawless grammar and spelling are non-negotiable.
Mistakes will happen. If you don’t have a copywriter and you’re editing all your own stuff, then your own eye may not catch all the mistakes that you make, and you should be willing to correct these without charge.
However, with the help of grammar-correction tools, you can make sure that many fewer of these slip through the net in the first place. There are plenty of high-quality proofreading tools out there that you should make use of.
In the course of writing professional-level content, especially about technical subjects, you are necessarily going to be writing using information from sources as you encounter it.
However, writing too close to the source material without attribution or your own ideas to add to it does cross the line into plagiarism, which is one of the easiest ways to ruin your professional credibility.
With the help of an instant plagiarism check tool, you can make sure that you haven’t crossed the boundary accidentally.
That’s why it’s important to cite your sources for information and be mindful that you’re not passing off ideas from others as your own.
Producing well-written and informative content helps you build a solid brand and if you want to attract high-quality clients, being able to make that content even more engaging and audience-ready is a huge advantage.
Making use of engaging visuals can help you step up to the next level. Using infographics, photos, digital mockups, and even videos can enhance your reader’s experience and get your points across more effectively.
Using easy-to-edit social media Canva templates, for example, will make it much easier for you to create eye-catching graphics that complement your written content and keep your audience engaged for longer.
Including relevant keywords in your content helps search engines understand what your piece is about, making it easier for potential clients to find.
Start by identifying the phrases your target audience might search for, such as terms related to your industry, products, or services.
Naturally incorporate these keywords into key areas like the title, headings, and body of the text without overstuffing. A thoughtful approach to keyword placement can improve your search rankings and drive more traffic to your small business website.
Always write your content with your specific audience in mind. Speak their language, address their priorities, and match their preferred reading level.
Whether the people in your audience are beginners seeking simple explanations or experts looking for in-depth insights, tailoring your tone and style ensures they stay engaged and find value in your content. Writing directly to your audience builds trust and keeps them coming back for more.
Writing professional content may feel challenging, but with the right strategies – like focusing on audience value, conducting thorough research, and optimizing for SEO – you can create pieces that capture attention and build trust.
Remember, every word you write is an opportunity to connect with your audience and grow your small business.
Looking for more inspiration and practical tips? Check out these helpful blog posts:
Happy writing – and keep creating content that makes an impact!
Share to…
Sign up to get 10 free Canva templates for your social media.
Created with solopreneurs in mind, these templates offer a variety of content types to help boost your online presence!
