Scientists are still debating as to when exactly humans began to speak. Estimates range wildly from 50,000 years ago to the time when the first modern humans appeared on this planet. However, scientists and linguists tend to agree that the first written texts began to appear some 5000 years ago. Ever since the early days of writing, man has used written text as a means to convey emotions and ideas, and to sell stuff.
The world’s oldest epic, The Epic of Gilgamesh, appeared in the 3rd millennium BC. Around the same time as when the epic was being created, an ancient Egyptian slave trader was commissioning a writer to craft an elaborate notice to locate one of his assets in hieroglyphs – the ancient Egyptian system of using pictures to write messages. This is probably the first example of someone hiring a content writer to communicate with a large audience.
Jump cut to the 19th century, and we see John Emory Powers turning ad copywriting into an art form with his precise, no-frills, to-the-point writing style. Powers was the world’s first full-time copywriter, going freelance in 1886, and although born in England, he called the United States his home. His copies for the department stores Lord & Taylor and Wanamaker’s are the stuff of legends. The 20th century witnessed the rise of such legendary copywriters and advertising geniuses as David Ogilvy and Leo Burnett. Enterprises big and small have come to rely on copywriting as the centerpin of their advertising efforts. Even in the 21st century, we see startups and billion-dollar enterprises hiring copywriters to churn out thought-provoking ad copies.
Content writing is the buzzword in this age of the internet and why not? The average human spends around 6 hours on the internet every day. That’s a fourth of a complete solar day! And 95% of the information on the internet is conveyed using written text. It won’t be an overstatement to say that the success or failure of a website depends on how well it is written. Yes, things like structure and the use of multimedia are extremely important. But content is indispensable. A brilliantly designed and elegant-looking page would fall flat on its face without persuasive written content. Similarly, no one would read an ad twice if badly written.
Content Writing and Copywriting – What’s the difference?
There’s still some confusion in some quarters as to the difference between the two art forms. So, when you hire a copywriter, they churn out precise, often short-form text telling what you are selling and why people should buy your stuff. These copies can come out as newspaper ads, Google ads, or social media posts. On the other hand, you hire a content writer to produce everything from blogs, articles, long social media posts, and website content. While brevity is the hallmark of a good copywriter, a lucid and free-flowing writing style serves a content writer best.
Writing for Business
Content writing forms a major part of Content Marketing. That’s why businesses big and small invest millions every year to hire content writers and copywriters to produce persuasive content that resonates with their target audience.
Here are some facts to blow your mind:
- 97% of marketers consider content writing as the cornerstone of content marketing.
- B2C marketers lean on content writing as their primary tool to create podcasts and video content.
- They also rely on whitepapers and use cases to promote their products.
- Content marketers rely almost solely on content writing to build trust and foster brand loyalty.
- 77% of internet users read online content to make informed decisions on products and services.
- 70% of B2B marketers increased their content marketing budget in 2022.
- Around 50% of them increased their content marketing team size in the same year.
- 75% of all large businesses outsource their content writing jobs to offshore hiring companies like Remote Resource®.
- The content marketing industry powered by long-form and short-form content is expected to touch US$ 135 billion by 2026.
The abovementioned facts are clear eye-openers as to the importance and effectiveness of the written medium in the content marketing world. Pro content writers like Darren Rowse, Heidi Cohen, Niel Patel, and Mukti Masih have taken the internet by storm, producing widely read blogs and sharing content marketing tips with budding and established marketers.
How to Harness the Power of Content Writing – Tips for Startups
If you are a startup owner, this part will be of particular interest to you. You can look competition in the eye and grow your business manifold in the online landscape. All you need to do is hire a content writer from a remote staffing company.
Emerging economies like India have no shortage of talent. A strong education system, good command of English, extensive knowledge in various domains, and low hourly rates make India’s huge talent pool a lucrative source of quality manpower for multinational companies. No wonder, India retains a 65% market share of the global BPO industry.
With the advent of remote staffing companies like Remote Resource®, this rich talent pool is now accessible to startups and mid-sized companies as well. Small enterprises can hire content writers, copywriters, social media experts, SEO specialists, remote developers, project managers, engineers, and virtual assistants at a fraction of the cost of hiring local resources. The icing on the cake is the absence of long-term, binding contracts. Startups can hire or let go of resources as they please without having to worry about the legal hassles of layoffs.
Tips for Effective Content Writing
If you are planning to boost your online presence with the power of words, here are a few things you need to watch out for:
The first 40 seconds are crucial
Readers decide whether they want to read your content or not within the first 40 seconds of discovering your blog or website. So, when you hire a content writer to revamp your website, make sure they are producing thoughtful content from the get-go.
Long-form copies are not dead
There’s a growing demand for long-form copies. Content marketers acknowledge that given the opportunity, readers will engage with smartly written long-form content. In fact, blogs and articles 1000 words or longer are more likely to generate loyal readers than short-form content. So, when you hire a copywriter, don’t restrict their output to producing short-form copies only.
Writing style is important
Short sentences, simple words, and a free-flowing style are the hallmarks of a good content writer. Readers are averse to clunky words, unnecessary punctuation, and paragraph-length sentences. Using too many adjectives can spoil the pleasure of reading. The best examples of content writing center around saying more via fewer words.
How-to blogs are popular
Did you know that around 80% of all online blogs are How-to articles? To grow your audience, make sure your website features How-to blogs – a lot of them!
Summing it up
Cash-strapped startup owners with a flair for writing are often faced with a difficult choice – to hire a content writer or take the responsibility on one’s own shoulders. If you are such a person, remember that micromanagement can be detrimental to your efforts. It’s better to leave a crucial part of business operations to a specialist than trying to manage it yourself. The best way forward would be to hire a content writer or copywriter from a remote hiring company.
