Here’s the definitive guide to content writing for non-native speakers. This post will answer how content writing works, examples of content writing, and more.
Table of Contents
- What Is Content Writing?
- How Does Content Writing Work?
- Why B2B Companies Need Content Writing?
- 35 Types Of Content Writing + Examples
- How Much Does Content Writing Cost?
- How Much Do Companies Pay For Content Writing?
- How Much Do Content Writers Earn By Content Writing?
- Is Content Writing A Good Job?
- Is Content Writing In Demand?
- How Can I Learn Content Writing At Home?
- How Can I Learn Content Writing For Free?
- How To Begin Making Money By Content Writing?
- Conclusion – How To Become The Best In Content Writing?
Is content writing hard?
How much do I make by writing content?
How to begin my career in content writing?
After days of scouring the search results, I haven’t seen an article about content writing alone. I mean excluding tips on how to write website content or SEO.
It appears that nobody has talked about this by its definition. I haven’t stumbled upon articles without talking about the process of content writing.
So, what I’m trying to do here is to explain the definition of content writing and why the world needs the best content writers.
To better understand this industry, we have to learn about how online businesses operate and market their products online to acquire customers locally and internationally.
So, learning the foundation plays a role before you learn the process of content writing that satisfies your clients. In that way, you will better understand your role and the weight to know your worth as a professional writer.
And here’s the best part.
I know you want to know how much businesses pay for content writing and how much you charge them. This post will help you figure out whether this is a good career option for you or not.
You will also find my gigantic list of content you need to be aware of and practice. If you are a non-native speaker, mastering different types of content will take you to greater heights.
That is how you become an asset than someone’s liability.
So, are you ready?
Let’s begin. Shall we?
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What Is Content Writing?
Content writing is the process involved in writing content for websites. I know that sounds silly. But it is what it is. Anything piece of information on the internet is content writing.
You see different types of content on the search results, from YouTube videos to infographics. Everything you read on the internet is content writing.
Does my explanation make sense to you?
How Does Content Writing Work?
After understanding the simplified definition of content writing, let me explain how content writing works for you and your client’s businesses.
As I said earlier, you have to know how businesses manage their marketing strategies to acquire more customers in their online shops.
That brings us to understand how SaaS, startup companies, and other small online businesses establish their brand.
To do that, I want you to imagine yourself having a new business. It doesn’t matter what it is. Just imagine owning one.
Then, as you do your research, you find out that most of your target customers prefer buying online purchases. So, don’t you think setting an online shop is a smart decision, do you?
It is, right?
Why B2B Companies Need Content Writing?
Let’s say you already have your website. Now what?
You need content.
It requires the right words to find your customers and convince them to sign-up. You need content writers to learn more about your business and to buy your products.
Do you get me?
Basically, this is how content writing works. You bring people from Point A to Point B by creating pieces of valuable content. You convince people to buy products or services by helping them realize their value.
You also show them the consequences when they don’t follow your advice, such as call-to-action. For example, you see hooks like these on online platforms like “I want to get access” or “Buy now.” These are the goals of content writing.
Unlike copywriting, it urges writers to tell stories, to find ways to establish the brand, and, as I said, to help your customers realize the value of your products at their own pace.
Besides, content writing never pressures people to take action “now” or sound pushy or sleazy, but rather it brings people to listen to you and realize why they should.
That is the primary reason for business owners to hire great content writers. It’s because they know the weight of carrying the responsibilities.
Every business owner knows the strenuous process of building a brand. In other words, the success of his or her company lies in what you do and how you do it.
Are you getting the picture now?
35 Types Of Content Writing + Examples
What are the types of content you will be working on as a content writer?
- Blog posts
- Website content
- News
- Long-form content
- Articles
- Case studies
- Videos
- Client profiles
- Testimonials and customer reviews
- White papers
- eBooks
- Content images
- Lead magnet
- Audio
- E-courses
- Email marketing
- Newsletters
- Photos
- Podcasts
- Presentations
- Promotions
- Social campaigns
- Webinars
- Link building
- “Ask Me Anything” format
- Quotes
- Reviews
- Interactive pages
- Forums
- News releases
- Wikis
- In-app messages
- Advertisement
- App
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Suggested Post: 35 Types of Content You Should Know + Examples
How Much Does Content Writing Cost?
It is a matter of confidence. Unfortunately, some writers, especially non-native speakers, are afraid to ask for a high price.
Why?
Most of us believe we don’t write as top-tier as the natives, which is a lie.
If you’re curious how much do writers earn per year, you can earn as much as $95,800 on average. That is according to the Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) statistics released in 2019.
Joanna Penn, author of “Successful Self-Publishing,” mentioned the following percentages in royalty fees when you self-publish books.
- Amazon – 70% royalty fees for books set within the $2.99 to $9.99 price range
- Kobo – 70%
- Apple Books – 70%
- Aggregators (Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, StreetLib, and Smashwords) – 60% to 85%
Only when you understand the full spectrum of the industry will you realize how powerful writing is. The problem is, most of the non-native speakers don’t have the confidence and the right skills to tap into the market.
How Much Do Companies Pay For Content Writing?
I am glad I found an article on PayScale, which summarizes the financial side of content writing.
According to the article, popular employers like Brafton, Clark Associates, IBM, and Microsoft Corp pay as much as $139,000 for content. It’s a lot of money!
Here’s the summary of the popular employers and their mind-blowing expenses for content writing alone.
Popular employers with mind-blowing expenses for content:
- Brafton – $38,000
- Clark Associates – $32,000
- International Business Machines (IBM) Corp – $56,000
- Microsoft Corp – $139,000
Hmm… if you’re wondering, is that really the case?
How Much Do Content Writers Earn By Content Writing?
Unless you have the following skills every content writer should have, you could get a chance. Based on PayScale’s article, you need to have the following:
- Copywriting – $46,007 average salary
- Editing – $46,692 average salary
- Content Management – $48,605 average salary
- Blogging – $44,708 average salary
- Web Content Management – $44,600 average salary
At this point, do you think you’re underpaid?
Is Content Writing A Good Job?
Yes, it is. I know I repeated this many times in my posts, but the key here is spending time honing your writing skills until they become marketable and profitable.
Unless you turn your writing skill into a high-income skill set, you will realize that content writing can be a lucrative job.
If you’re like most successful writers, you find ways to profit from your high-income skill set.
Aside from writing content for your clients, you can also do the following to increase the number of your income streams:
- Self-publishing books
- E-courses
- Podcasts
- Videos
One of the well-known freelance writers I know, Elna Cain, established her online presence by uploading YouTube videos.
Best-selling authors like Jeff Goins, Jon Morrow, and many others do video content to increase their influence and establish their authority as writers.
Is Content Writing In Demand?
Content writing is in demand these days, as most online businesses rely on content writers to attract customers using the internet. I don’t doubt it.
As you can see, just this year, we see a peak of online sales from various big online retailers due to the pandemic.
Imagine the number of people lurking around online in search of everything to buy. With a great piece of content, you can guarantee these users will become customers.
However, only a good piece of content can guarantee results.
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How Can I Learn Content Writing At Home?
There are many ways you can do to learn content writing at home. First, you need to have the right equipment, such as a laptop or a PC and a good internet connection.
Second, you have to create writing samples. Though it will be hard to think of your niche at first, start writing posts about your interests or a field of expertise you want to learn.
In my case, it took me 6 years to figure out my niche. But that doesn’t mean I wasted 6 years of my time to maximize my writing skills.
For me, it was a joyful and memorable roller coaster ride but an expensive one. But you don’t have to go through the same as I did.
Just get access to my EXCLUSIVE library, and you will find valuable resources to avoid the same mistakes when I began my online writing career.
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How Can I Learn Content Writing For Free?
There are many ways to learn content writing for free. What I did was to write about anything on WordPress.com (not recommended).
Eventually, I figured out that I like writing self-development posts. Then, it led to owning a self-hosted website via WordPress.org.
With a few self-development posts on my website, it led to guest posting opportunities. I also realized that a “blogging” niche gives great ROI.
As soon as I learned it, I began reading tons of articles, blog posts, tools, and resources to learn about blogging.
What blogging taught me?
- It teaches me how to write content for my website.
- It teaches me how to write an effective homepage.
- It teaches the basics of copywriting.
- It teaches me the value of a professional-looking website.
- It teaches me everything about content marketing.
If you look at the list, it contains the same skill set clients to look for in a writer.
So, if they want to hire someone to write effective content, they probably look for writers who own a website.
How To Begin Making Money By Content Writing?
It’s hard work. To begin making money by content writing requires a winning mindset from the writer.
First, you need to find ways to publish content. You can do guest posts, sign-up on Medium, or own a blog.
Second, start writing articles that match the niche you like and your target clientele. If you like to target real estate employers, write something about real estate.
The point is, you’ve got to have a niche. The more specific your niche is, the better. Take it from my experience.
When writers don’t have a niche, they often land on low-paying gigs. Years back, as I mentioned earlier, I wrote about many things just to figure it out.
However, I didn’t tell you the flip side of that story. Unfortunately, I barely got gigs when I haven’t defined my niche.
I noticed and learned from various successful writers that most writers, who have a specified niche, such as digital marketing or self-development, are often attractive.
When I did, I started and earned my first $500 as a writer.
Suggested Post: Make Money As Writer! Ultimate Guide to Earning $0 to $500 As Newbie Writer
What are the popular blog niches that will make money?
- Health and fitness
- Personal finance
- Fashion
- Lifestyle
- Business and Marketing
| Note: |
| You shouldn’t choose a niche for the sake of the money involved in it. Choose the one you REALLY like. So, you will always have the drive to keep going. |
Conclusion – How To Become The Best In Content Writing?
I know you have a lot of questions in your mind right now. But the key to becoming the best in content writing is to learn the writing skill. It is your high-income skill set.
As a non-native speaker, writing in our second language is already challenging. It requires a lot of practice.
Writing in English for us is like cooking. You look for the best spices in the market and choose the best ones.
To achieve the best dish, you need to find the perfect ingredients and learn the precision to achieve the same taste.
Similarly, to become the best content writer in the marketplace, you need to expand your vocabulary, read a lot, and write every day.
You have to figure out the process and the ingredients to deliver your best work. Write a blog post or an article that makes you proud.
Pursue greatness and never allow mediocrity in your work. That’s the secret to start attracting the right gig for you. By then, you will realize how powerful your skill is.
To end this post, let me quote Jeff Goins, one of my favorite best-selling authors. He said in one of his boot camps, “What’s obvious to you isn’t going to be obvious for someone else.”
In other words, find your niche, find your true voice. Add the right spices and cook the dish with perfection.
I guarantee you will see results.
If you like this post, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
If you think you have something to add that I might consider adding in this content, don’t be hesitant to leave them in the comment section, too! I’m looking forward to it, writer. 🙂
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