The Seven Habits of Successful Content Writers

A new article on Search Engine Journal asks how do you produce high-value writing that drives real impact day in and day out? Learn seven essential habits of successful writers.

Content does one of a few different things, including:

• Convinces people to buy stuff.
• Produces ideas and articulates them.
• Turns information into compelling texts.
• Crafts stories around a product.

Writers need to wear many hats to create excellent content continuously – emphasis on continuously. Continuity is the meat and potatoes, the keystone, the bottom line, the… okay, you get it. Businesses don’t have time to wait for spontaneous outbursts of creativity or the luxury of pushing deadlines when writers’ block hits. Content needs to operate like a well oiled-machine, run by writers. How do you produce high-value writing that drives real impact day in and day out? Here are seven daily habits that the author swears by.

1. Read To Train Your Brain: Just like an athlete needs to keep their muscles in shape with interval training, writers need to read – all the time. That’s why the first must-have item on every writer’s daily to-do list is to read.
2. Collect Ideas And Record Them: In marketing, randomly reading stuff on the net during work hours is, well, totally recommended. To scale up your writing, make sure to be productive while you do that.
3. Do Your Research Right: If you want to be successful, you’ve got to remain hyper-focused on your impact (and getting things done). You need to hone in on the subject matter of your writing projects and ensure you’re set to tell an in-depth story from start to finish. Begin by finding material about the topic, the industry, or the product you need to cover.
4. Get Personal And Ask Questions: No amount of reading or Googling can replace the input you get from the people on the inside. That includes the people with professional knowledge.
5. Keep Your Time And Tasks Organized: Plan how much you can invest in each of the above. The trick is finding what works for you.
6. Write, Write, Write, And Then Write Some More: Truth is, the best advice you can get from anyone is to develop a daily writing routine.
7. Measure Your Performance: If numbers scare you, you aren’t alone. Measuring the performance of your content doesn’t need to be complex. In digital marketing, data determines business, meaning there are measurable goals attached to your words: drive traffic, generate leads, advance conversion, etc. If you leave the numbers game to the analysts, how can you get the answers you need? Analysts care about their own goals. Monitor engagement with your blog posts over time.