What is content writing in India?

Content is crucial on the web. Content writing in India is making its name in the global web industry. Before beginning your content writing journey, it is essential to know every nook and corner of content writing. Content writing is not the traditional text only, in fact anything that is visible to the viewers comes under the umbrella of content writing India including images, text, flash video and whatever you can imagine on a webpage. Creating a good content is a key that can get your readers to view your website or buy a product. Since every content is not ‘good content’, therefore, content writing in India is taken more seriously as a profession now. Any good content has to be keyword centric and this way you will make your website searchable. You may have an exceptional idea but if you carve it in an amateurish style, then it might be a question mark on the content writing skills of the content writer in India.

What you need to know?

You need to know grammar, you need to know spellings, and you need to know the skill of communicating with others. When you talk about content writing in India, you should know what you are talking about so that you come up with relevant and required messages. Unless you know your readers, you cannot create a good content; therefore, content writing India is about knowing readers in the picture. If you are of the opinion that you will take your own sweet time to write a readable, crisp, interesting and catchy piece of article, then just don’t relax because deadline is what defines you as a good and capable content writer. Content writing in India cannot survive without the original content. Do not plagiarize because one stolen word can hit hard on your website and your online reputation. Learn the art of making your point which can force your readers to think about what you are trying to say.

Checklist

Successful content writing in India requires a certain checklist which needs to be followed. One can flourish in the art of content writing in India by keeping the following key factors in mind while writing content for any kind of web requirement;

1. Keep track of your deadlines – You won’t be able to master the art of content writing in India if you skip your deadlines.
2. Check your spellings - No content writing job can be termed as a good content writing work unless you proofread it with all the spell checks.
3. Keep the content simple – Whether you are writing a website copy, an article or a blog, the key to effective content writing India is to keep it really simple, hence comprehendible.
4. Keep it concise and direct – Get to the point with your content because too many twists can make your readers lose all the interest.

Content writing in India is now seen as a money-spinning profession for many writing enthusiasts but for this you need to have good command over language, great understanding of your readers and a creative head.

Copywriting services have come of age. It may have taken some time for most of the businesses to come to understand the significant role that content can play in affecting the visibility across various search engines but those who have have made gains they didn’t even think existed. But it also true that it’s not ‘content’ rather it is the ‘professionally written content’ that has been developed by a copywriting services agency which actually helps you accomplish the desirable results.

Internet has its own kind of world and different kind of forces and factors play their part in making the world go round. The way content has been able to help businesses find a foothold, turn the tide in their favour and get them closer to their target audience has amazed many. And the most interesting part is that a good and professionally qualified copywriting services company is able to do wonders with words to help you get the desirable outcome from the web world.

Copywriting services at very basic level would include website copywriting and now even SEO copywriting. But with time it has become a very specialized field with content writing domains like white papers, best practice guides, fax marketing ads copies, and others turning out to be the one businesses are looking out for.

But that doesn’t mean that any random copywriting services company can be trusted to deliver. In fact it becomes a bigger issue than the content itself, especially when you consider the fact that your content or copy can only be as good as the copywriting services agency that you have hired is. But if you make the right decision when it comes to engaging with the most suitable copywriting services company, you can be sure that your end results would be as per your initial expectations too.

I have always dreamt about being a copywriter, convincing myself time and again that I am creative enough to be one. Also, I keep self quoting myself at several places (including this article) saying that “Words are the best way I can express my feelings with”. But wait! Isn’t that true for most people? Anyone who’s done elementary English even at the school level is able to express themselves in words. What makes the difference though is, I have to be a writer who is compelling, persuasive and convincing enough to keep my reader interested in what I write. And so I decide to be in a place where most “persuasive writers” are the center of attention - An advertising agency.

From day one I was asked to craft catchy headlines for the endless briefs that I received. My life became a constant endeavor of keeping up with the pressure of being creative at the drop of a hat. I realized soon enough that writing was not always joyful. There were innumerable times when I found it difficult, challenging, upsetting and tearful. But nonetheless, each time I managed to surmount the expectations of a client, I felt a sense of illumination and delight.

Writing for me thus became one filled with the uniqueness of discovering within myself a voice which is born from personal experiences and circumstances, giving me the zeal, enthusiasm and passion to be someone who constantly probes into the minds of her readers and puts across to them what they need to hear, honestly reflecting with each sentence how my copywriting aids them to get what they need, hence making my entire procedure of copywriting powerful, attractive, engaging and monetizing.

When I started to write on this topic, I tried to search the internet for anything interesting that I could use for my article. I am sure any content writer would have done that. After all being internet savvy is one of the prime requisites of a good content writer. I came across a number of articles, texts and blogs suggesting a variety of things on this issue. Different people, different voices and different view-points. Finally, I decided to pen down what I think of content writing after doing it for about a year now.

The Ultimate Goal

Let me start by writing down one of the most clichéd opening lines- ‘As the name suggests’, content writing is writing good and effective content so that it serves purpose it is intended to. The ultimate goal is to cater to the target audience, to drive more and more traffic towards your website, webpage or blog and to help the client sell his products and/or services.

The Need

Basically, content writing is needed because professionals know their job. They are better at it than a layman and are actually the ones who put the plan into action. They write the world’s most creative and original content for your websites, blogs, press- releases, advertisements, brochures, travel experiences etc.

The literary work of the company or the firm has to be at its best all the time. It is like you are ‘the’ introduction to your prospective clients. No one can afford to neglect it. The bottom line- Everyone needs content writing.

How it’s done

A Content Writer must assess his client’s needs. He should exactly know what he is supposed to write. After having done that, he is supposed to search the internet and use any other source of information that he has, and try and find out the maximum details about the subject. A bit of re-writing work obviously needs to be done. Knowing what is relevant and what is not is also very important. However, this only comes with practice. The more you write, the better judge you are. The final stage of work involves checking your text for any kind of errors. In the end, make the changes that your client wants to be done.

Qualities needed

Though content writing seems easy, but being 100% original every single time is not easy at all. Patience, dedication, sincerity, timeliness, good language skills, basic computer skills, being internet savvy, good researching skills etc are obviously needed. You also should know the limitations of the medium you are writing for. The most important thing, however, is the love for writing. You need to love what you are doing. Unless you don’t, you can’t be good at it.

This was a gist of what I have understood about content writing in the past one year. I might have missed out on a few points but I tried to give you a basic idea of what content writing is all about. Though the job is not difficult but being good at it is also not easy. What an irony!

You will find zillions of articles written on how to engage the reader’s attention. And no, I am not playing any blame game, I too have written on this topic before. So the fact which draws me to write such an article again is that the importance of the headline is not being properly explored and since we live in the largest democracy in the world, no one can stop me from expressing myself. Some of the factors that I might mention might have been written before, but I will mention them again so that all those who read this article get those facts etched in their minds.

Substantial Content: Whatever you write should not be deceitful. Be true to the article and you will see it getting appreciation. If all the facts mentioned in the article are bona fide, then not only will readers find it worthy reading but also will recommend it to others. You never know when some of the readers might feel like doing some business with you. There are lots of readers out there who are business people are read so that they can hire the services of such writers. So write well.

Capturing attention: The article should have the potential to grab the attention of readers immediately. If you can make this happen, you will hit the jackpot. Readers are often in a big hurry and are aware about the noise on the internet. So it is very tough to keep them captivated. Powerful creativity is the weapon which helps the writer in breaking the ice. The writer has to make sure that everything is creative from headline to the last word of the article. It might be tough but it is achievable.

Meticulous Writing: The piece of writing should seem to be well organized. Usage of bullets and numberings should be done wherever required. This will give it the elegant touch and would make it look clean. The more organized the writer is, the more are his/her chances of scoring with the readers. Readers love cleanliness and a proper structure. If the writer is able to give them what they want, then it is game on.

They say matches for matrimony are made in heaven, but down here on earth, matches for jobs are made in placement consultancies. There are hundreds of placement consultancies today which are making right talents meet right organizations. Now if you have to develop content for one such placement consultancy, then how do you position it as an exclusive and distinctive agency when it is doing the same job as thousand other companies? Let me share my experience of developing content for a placement consultancy’s website.

I had no clue about the consultancy business when I was handed over the project. So the first task that I undertook was to do research and analyze. Having a clear view about the competitors and the company differentiators is the most important thing while you are straining your brains to come up with a brilliant idea that can place your client, a large HR consultancy in the league of leading companies rather than the routine ones.

In any kind of creative writing it is important to understand the business as well as the target audience. Placement consultancies are a bridge between job seekers and employers, so their target audience consists of both. So after understanding their business and industry nuances, I interacted with the client to know about the services that they offer for their clients and job seekers. Developing a content to address to different work groups where in the website would be scrolled by a company CEO who is probably an MBA from IIM to a college student who is looking for a temporary job, was tough job.

After doing all the preparations from research and understanding, I began to write the content. Now there are three key fundamentals that one needs to keep in mind while you are developing content for a placement consultancy-

Make it fresh and distinctive- HR consultancy is a flourishing business today, and there are more than 3000 placement consultancies that are registered on naukri.com itself, so then how do you expect readers to stop on your client’s website? This can be done by positioning your client as a company which has the competence to stand in line with the leaders. Bring out their efficiency and professional approach in the content. As content writer you are not paid to write, but to charm with your words. Address the pain areas of employers and job seekers and address them in away that convinces the reader that this firm understands their problems and has solutions for the same.

Build trust – HR solution companies are corporate match makers. Job seekers hand over their professional lives in their hands and organizations entrust their company integrity, hence it is important that the website content of any placement consultancy exudes dependability and confidence. The content needs to have an emotional quotient to connect with the audiences.

Use industry jargons- Don’t let the world know that the one who wrote the copy doesn’t belong to the industry. It is good to build an emotional connect but that doesn’t mean you get too verbal. Using professional language and industry jargon is necessary to bring out your client’s expertise in the field. The maximum business for placement agencies comes from employers and not job seekers who can easily register themselves on the various online job portals. Hence the language needs to be prove the credibility of your client’s experience and industry expertise.

Like every other child, even I used to dream about being an astronaut when I grow up. I used to fantasize about going in the space where earth seemed like a colorful crazy ball and stars looked like giant balls of fire. But like every kid around me, that dream was lost. Instead of choosing a profession that could help me go to space, I chose a profession that required signals to be transmitted, Media. I never thought that I could write, I always thought I was a boring writer who never got good marks in English essay writing and who always wrote clichéd stuff. But after sitting unemployed at home for 1 month, I tried my hand at content writing. Initially I was little hesitant but as I progressed, I realized even I could do it. I realized that content writing means far more than just writing. Here are a few aspects of content writing profession that I have explored during my 2 month long profession as a content writer. Most of these aspects are elusive to a majority of people.

• Content writing is not about making tricky sentences loaded with heavy vocabulary, but about building new relationships with the usual simple and colloquial words. This is because as every other media, content is also targeted at masses; hence it needs to have a language, a style that is comprehendible by all.

• Content writing doesn’t require just knowledge of language, but it requires you to be observant about everything that is happening across you. As a content writer one comes across myriad projects where you have to write for individuals as well as businesses from various industries. You are expected to speak your customer’s language; hence it is very important that you have a wide scope of knowledge about various industries and businesses.

• Content writing also requires research and analysis. I was a little surprised when my boss told me that every creative job requires a thorough research and analysis of the objectives of a project and now after having experienced it myself, I couldn’t have agreed more. I have come to realize that as a writer you would need to know the aims and the target audience for a particular project to articulate it successfully. An extensive research will be required to understand you client’s industry and the target audience’s psyche, only then you can match their pulse and grasp them through your content.

I never believed in this, but now I think everyone of us can write, the only pre requisite for it is to put your soul into each and every word that you write. I have enjoyed my last two months as a content writer and never felt exhausted after a day’s work, because as they say, if you love thy labour, you would never get tired of it.

If there were no language, life would have had no meaning. If the world is a huge body, then language is its soul. Language forms the very basis of communication. Similarly when a piece of writing is being scripted, then language has to be given top priority. Language is the catalyst which helps in the formation of connections, influencing people and forwarding opinions. Language is one of the most destructive weapons if used in a wrong way as it has the power to divide people, create differences and instigate riots.

Whenever a writer starts crafting something creative or factual, the first thing that needs to b taken care of is language and its essence. It has the ability to convey thoughts, feelings and emotions in a very obtrusive manner and connects with the reader at once. It has a very strapping effect and hence its usage has to be done in a very delicate manner. Good language makes the simplest of things look so innovative and spectacular and bad language has the ability to massacre the delight of words which would make the book look nothing less than the bible.

The hallmark of language is that it sees no culture, cast, creed and race and is available for everyone to learn and use. No person can be stopped from using the various forms of language prevalent in the society and is given complete freedom for expression. Language does not adhere to any boundary nor does it carry any stipulation. It can be considered divine as it gives life a meaning and can be considered disaster as it also inflicts pain and misery in a very terrible mode.

So be it spoken or written, one needs to make sure that the usage of language should be subtle or volatile depending on the situation as the effects can both be pleasant and repentant.

It has been quite a while since I have been writing articles for the Internet. I have covered almost all the topics under the sun and at the cost of being labeled pompous; I think I can call myself a complete writer. But I was recently told that there is still some way to cover before I even earn the title, ‘amateur writer’. This comment has drained out all the enthusiasm that walked with me hand in hand. I argued but to no avail. So let me tell you all about the factor which taught me that life is not that easy and the road is quite long.

A colleague asked me whether I have ever written small articles for online promotions of an idea or a product. I was puzzled? Now where did this come from? Okay, I told him to explain. This was new to me. Advertisers get their products promoted from writers who write short descriptions high on impact which are targeted at the attention of potential customers. Wow, so does that mean that I am obsolete? Does that signify that whatever I have written till date is being counted as zilch? No, it is not like that. I will not let that happen. I have done this before but not the exact way in which it is supposed to be done. Of late I have been writing articles which require heavy and power packed promotion. To be quite honest, I have also started emphasizing on the actuality that it requires efficient marketing, something to which the user connects and responds in an authentic way.

So for the meanwhile, I am happy with being labeled as an ‘amateur’, but hey, never count me out. You never know when I may take you off guard.

It becomes quite tough a task to write something which really enthralls the reader and shakes him off his seat. Very few writers succeed in doing that. The daunting job of preparing a magnum opus gets to our head and deteriorates the level of performance. For a writer to understand what works with the reader is half the job done. All that needs to be done is the successful execution of those factors which will make the piece of writing automatically work with the readers. So here are three points which will help all the aspiring writers understand the psyche of the reader and captivate his interest.

1) Accentuate on significant points: The vital facts which form the base of a story need to be highlighted and nicely written. All the important factors need to be stressed upon as they are the ones which will determine the kind of impact that the user has been inflicted to. Such points exploit the depth in the story and tell the readers its importance. The main points always have a huge impact on them.

2) Make use of catchy headlines and introductory notes: Headlines which are highly creative always play their part in the article or the blog’s success. There are times when readers are in a great hurry and do not have time to read the whole thing, a headline which summarizes the whole story in one line conveys the message to the readers. Introductory notes, the first three to four lines in a piece of writing, also helps restless readers a great deal in understanding the story without having to go through the whole thing.

3) Be concise; do not beat around the bush: Whatever you write, make sure that it is relevant. The crux of the story should be given emphasis instead of the whole background. Readers like crisp stories. As a writer if you are able to give them what they want to read, then your purpose is done. Never exaggerate anything as your credibility might be questioned and never underplay anything that needs to be highlighted. Just by increasing the number of words and the length of the article, you will not be able to carve a niche. Readers want appropriate content.