To define the role of a content writer in one short and sweet sentence is a difficult task. Content writers have an extensive list of tasks they perform, each depending on the type of content writer they are, the clients they work with and the areas they specialise in.
However there are some universal similarities which help in defining what a content writer is. These can include:
- writing copy based on a brief
- writing content for use online
- working with search-engine optimisation to ensure their content ranks on Google
- using keywords, both long and short, when necessary
- working with digital platforms to produce content across multiple platforms
- work as independent contractors
- provide a voice for brands to help share their message with customers
The following definition is broad because the industry of content writing is constantly evolving. However, the simple definition is: content writers produce copy for the web, usually with the purpose of selling a brand, promoting a service or explaining a concept.
Why Should I Hire a Content Writer?
A content writer is the voice of your brand. Their content shares your mission with the world and, if the content writer you hire is successful, they convert readers into long-term customers. This in itself should be enough reason to hire a content writer.
Content writers also help in building the story of your business. Branding is fundamental because it enables customers to relate to the service or idea your selling. The same rings true for content writers. Their copy shows customers there’s a human behind your brand and that human understands them. This process is achieved through effective storytelling which is why a content writer is key to how well you can market your business.
Let’s consider this advertisement.
Reebok has cleverly played on an idea all humans can relate to; on average we live for 25,915 days. The advertisement is provoking us to consider one question. What will you do with the 25,915 days you’re alive for? It’s no surprise the ad was an international success. Reebok’s marketing team has used a concept that’s engaging, compelling and brand-building.
The advertisement finishes with the following copy: ‘Honor the body you’ve been given. Be more human.’
Reebok has used deceivingly simple storytelling to convey a powerful message. Your brand is only as strong as your team which is why having a marketing strategy that works simply must have a content writer. The two are intrinsically linked, especially in the digital age we now live in.
A Content Writer Is Your Brand’s Storyteller
As Bill Buford from The New Yorker explains,
“Stories … protect us from chaos, and maybe that’s what we, unblinkered at the end of the 20th century, find ourselves craving. Implicit in the extraordinary revival of storytelling is the possibility that we need stories — that they are a fundamental unit of knowledge, the foundation of memory, essential to the way we make sense of our lives: the beginning, middle and end of our personal and collective trajectories. It is possible that narrative is as important to writing as the human body is to representational painting. We have returned to narrative-in many fields of knowledge-because it is impossible to live without them.”
The Verdict
Buford’s quote beautifully illustrates why a content writer, in their ability to provide your brand with the stories customers crave, is essential to the success of your business.