I was chatting with Lucy Jackman from Comma Sense the other week. Lucy is a Creative Content Writer and we were discussing some of the top tips for creating good content. Content marketing is becoming increasingly important but even if it wasn’t, it is worth putting effort into your writing. Nobody gets it right all the time but taking a little care will enhance your reputation.
Here are a few dos:
Check your grammar and spelling.
Some of the more common pitfalls include using “z” instead of “s” in English writing. Using capital letters in the wrong places. And then there’s that dreaded apostrophe which confuses the best of us.
Avoid jargon.
Even if you think you’re talking to industry peers there is always the chance that your reader doesn’t understand your industry jargon. You want your reader to feel comfortable with your content. The more comfortable they are, the more engaged they will be.
Avoid acronyms.
I was reading a slide the other day and the presenter had included the acronym EBITDA. It was a talk on valuing your company so it had its place. But the presenter had moved on a couple of slides before I could remember the I, the D and the A bits.
Use we, our, your and you.
These give your content a personal touch. This makes it friendlier and more appealing.
Keep your sentences short.
It’s easy to get lost in long sentences. It takes less effort to read short sentences. So short sentences are more likely to be read and understood.
Once you’ve written it, leave it.
If you can, come back to it the next day and re-read your writing. Your fresh eye will be able to improve it. You’ll also be more likely to spot mistakes. It is hard to proofread your own work so get someone else to do that if you can. If you can’t, leave it and re-read it later.
Finally, practice makes perfect. Keep on writing content and keep on thinking about what you write. Writing is such an important part of business, it will be well worth the time spent.
Take a look at Lucy’s blog @ http://www.comma-sense.co.uk
