Your audience may be reading and paying attention, but the question is how do you write something that they won’t forget?

Great writing has some hard-defined traits that make the writing successful, not just to bring the audience to your content but to also make them stick around longer, continue reading, and engage further. And, ultimately help add to the revenue.  

This article will show you the top 15 ingredients for writing successful content in 2022.

What are the 15 ingredients of great content writing or copywriting?

1. A great headline

A great headline provides specific information that will help draw in readers and pique their curiosity. It is important to think about what your readers want to read before you even start writing. This way, you can focus on delivering the content they are looking for while also maintaining a high level of interest.

2. A clear focus

Good content writing is clear. Headlines resonate with what follows, one steps lead one into the other. 

You should write content with the singular idea of the title in mind and not take turns in the content that confuses the audience. 

Entertain, make jokes, provide insights, answer questions and do all the things you would, but keep the singular concept of the title in mind and keep digging deeper. 

Clear and focused writing will lead the user on one path and not many.

3. A specific audience

When you’re writing content, it’s important to know who you’re writing for and what their pain points are. For example, if you’re writing for a tech blog aimed at enthusiast developers, you need to focus on WHO your competition is and HOW they’re positioning themselves in front of your shared audience.

Example of blogging for a specific audience, in this case, pet owners:

4. Write a great intro that hooks the readers

I have read numerous topics where the first line was sufficient enough for me to say, the rest might be even worst and just bounce off that page. 

Successful writing means being successful at creating a hook that lures the users in, shows what great information you have to offer, and then converts. But, everything starts with the Hook.

5. A healthy mix of multimedia (video and image content)

According to socialmediatoday, Multimedia content, such as videos and images, can be extremely helpful in boosting your conversion rates. Additionally, it can help to change how users interact with your social media accounts. This type of content also helps to increase brand awareness, making it an important part of any marketing strategy.

It is also a way for you to show that you have done your research and are providing value beyond words that other pages can also provide. Unique research is becoming increasingly more important for SEO and hence adding videos and images can elevate the on-page experience a user has when interacting with your content.

6. A focus on readability

Overly complicating the content is what makes most people want to bounce off your page. Even if you happen to rank your content, if the information structure is not easy to comprehend, users will jump to find information on other pages that is more consumable. 

Follow these steps to better structure your content:

1. Create great outlines, not using jargon but creating informative headings and subheadings that explain the complete context. 
2. Structure your outlines so that the information flow is progressing and not bouncing around. 
3. Write shorter sentences and passages so users can follow, pause, think and follow again. 

Keep in mind writing for a 4th grader does not mean writing like one, but it means writing like you can explain it to a 4th grader.

7. Use AI writing tools to aid the process and write faster

There are a number of AI writing tools that can help you write faster. By using these tools, you can save time and produce quality content more efficiently.

With Outranking’s content writing software, you can quickly write better research content. This is done by using AI writing tools to help you reduce writer’s block and write faster. In addition, these tools can help you improve your content quality, grammar and sentence structure, vocabulary, and research skills.

See how Outranking can generate a complete AI-written first draft using automated research in a few minutes.

8. A focus on the user experience

When creating content, it’s important to focus on the user experience. This means writing in a way that is easy to read and understand, engaging and entertaining, useful and informative, and shareable. With a well-written piece, users will not only be able to understand what you’re saying, but they’ll also enjoy it. Good content writing promotes social media engagement, which can help spread your message to a wider audience.

9. Include statistical information and backup with a source

Include sources and statistics to strengthen your arguments and provide additional context. This will help readers learn something valuable. Additionally, by providing specific, actionable tips, you’ll ensure that readers can apply what they’ve learned to their own lives.

See this example of how appealing this content looks, just because it has stats and a link to back up the claim.

10. Write well-researched content

Well-researched content is important for ranking on the web. When writing content, be sure to include information that is both authoritative and trustworthy. This way, readers will know you’re credible and they can trust what you have to say.

Reasons why well-researched content is so important in 2022:

1. Increasing competition needs better content to outrank
2. Google pays increasing attention to the unique research aspect of each page
3. Well-researched content resonates with the audience because it is about the audience.

11. Write engaging content

Engaging content is the key to increased user interaction, time on page, and ultimately how well you rank for that topic and long run. 

You can write engaging content by: 

1. Studying your persona and writing about their most pressing pains
2. Including videos that demonstrate fragments of the knowledge, you want the users to take away. 
3. Be a better copywriter, take courses, study RATTLE, and learn by experimenting. 
4. Frame your content around Questions, because Answers are what people want in Google. 
5. Add tables, facts, or any other adornment to make your content more interesting

12. Add a call to action

For your content to be successful, you have to take the users to the destination that is designed by you. What are the next steps you want the users to take, what is the product you want the user to buy, and what is that video you want the user to see? 

Examples of some great calls to action are:

Banner CTA

Conclusion CTA

13. Perfect it for good grammar and spelling

Grammar and spelling checker tools can help you spot writing errors and improve your content. With the right tool, you can catch mistakes even before they’re published.

Some of the best grammar and spelling checker tools include Grammarly, Hemmingway, SentenceCheckup, and PaperRater. Sometimes it is easy to write a good hook – particularly if the topic is intriguing or exciting to you, as the writer. Writing a good hook requires pulling back and looking at the bigger picture.

14. Write for the brand

Understanding brand values and conveying them in the best possible way ensures the long terms value of the content you publish. Lesser edits are required, the audience sees you as a thought leader and your managers love you because you read their minds.

We are not talking about being sarcastic or funny in the tone, I am talking about the core feature benefits, emotional benefits, and other esses of products are splattered over the content that says it was written by one company and not 10 different people.

15. Add tons of examples to show and not just tell

Tons of example helps readers understand what to expect from the content. 

Example shows readers how the topic applies to their lives. For instance, if you are writing about a new cooking technique, you might use an example that includes pictures and step-by-step instructions. 

See how we gave you examples of different things thought out this content to make sure you get the most value out of this writing.

What are the writing skills of successful and effective content writers?

1. The ability to research beyond the score

Effective content writers are able to research beyond the score. They are also able to understand search intent and develop a content strategy accordingly.

2. Have tack for details and can follow a content brief

In order to be a successful content writer, you need to have a lot of detail and be able to follow a content brief. This ensures that your content is of high quality and meets the expectations of your readers. Outranking content brief builder will help guide you in creating quality content.

3. Know basic HTML and WordPress skills

When it comes to being a successful content writer, it is essential to have basic HTML and WordPress skills. HTML is the markup language used for creating web pages, while WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) used by millions of web developers. Knowing these two technologies will allow you to create pages the way you want them, as well as make sure your text appears in the correct manner on the web.

Start with this free HTML guide

4. Be able to write SEO content

It is important for content writers to be skilled in SEO. SEO is the process of optimizing a website for search engine visibility. This means that the content must be well-written and include relevant keywords. Additionally, being up-to-date on SEO techniques will help your content rank higher in search engine results.

This will ensure that your target audience can find and read your work. As a content writer, it is important to have a unique perspective that will be appreciated by your target audience. By having these skills, you are well on your way to becoming a successful content writer.

Register for a content accelerator Free course with Outranking

5. The ability to use different writing styles

A content writer who is successful must be able to use different writing styles. This means that they are not afraid to experiment and try new things. A flexible writer will deliver quality content no matter what the subject and they can write for different audiences. This is essential for a content writer to be successful in today’s market. There are many different types of content out there, and a writer who can adapt to them will be in a better position to succeed.

According to the University of Rhodes Island, there are four different writing styles: persuasive, narrative, expository, and descriptive.

Example of Persuasive writing

Letters of recommendation; cover letters; Op-Eds and Editorial newspaper articles; argumentative essays for academic papers

Example of Narrative writing

Short stories; novels; poetry; historical accounts

Example of Descriptive writing

Poetry; fictional novels or plays; memoirs or first-hand accounts of events

Example of Expository writing

How-to articles; textbooks; news stories (not editorials or Op-Eds); business, technical, or scientific writing

Successful Content Writing FAQ

What makes a piece of content successful?

A successful piece of content is relevant to the target audience. It should be valuable to the target audience, which means that it should offer something of value. The content must also be credible and confident, which means that it should be well-written and persuasive.

What makes a piece of social media content successful?

A social media content piece that is successful is public and friendly. It is relevant to the audience, so it will be well-received. Well-written and informative social media content scores high on engagement because it is easy for followers to connect with the author and learn something new. Capturing the attention of social media followers is essential in order to promote a brand or product. Effective social media strategies help make content more likely to be shared and talked about.

How do you write content like a pro?

To be successful as a content writer, you need to understand your target audience. You also need to write with the specific needs of that audience in mind. Here are some tips to help you write like a pro:

Start with a snappy introduction that will keep your readers’ attention for longer. However, don’t rely on an introduction to carry your entire piece. Write for a small subset of people and tailor your content to their interests. This will help you keep your readers engaged and motivated.

Remember, writing for a niche audience is key to success as a content writer. So go ahead and give it a try.

What makes content good content?

Good content is well-written and informative. This means that it is clear and easy to understand. It should also be relevant to the reader, which means that it provides valuable information that is applicable to them. Good content is also easy to read.

This means that it is not complicated or difficult to understand. It should also be easy to share, which means that it is easy to share with others without losing any of the information. Finally, good content is helpful and useful. This means that it is able to help the reader achieve their goals or solve their problems.

Which platform is best for content writing?

There are many great platforms that assist with content writing. 

Spelling, tone, and grammar: Grammarly

SEO content writing: Outranking