Content Marketing Tips: How to Improve Your Writing

Behind every great novelist is a skilled editor. But for content marketers, we're often left to fend for ourselves. Even if editing isn't your strength, there are plenty of easy solutions to create stronger content. By carefully selecting your words and striving for brevity, your writing will keep readers engaged and inspire them to take action.

There are many ways you can strengthen a piece of branded content. Take a look at these few helpful tips.

Can Versus Will

Can is an auxiliary verb meaning "to be physically or mentally able to do something," and while will also denotes capability, the key difference is that it expresses futurity. Take a look at the following examples:

The company can provide a free consultation to clients.

The company will provide a free consultation to clients.

In the first example, you are expressing the company has the ability to provide consultations, so if you ask for one, you will most likely receive the free consultation. In the second example, however, the idea of the free consultation is absolute. The difference may seem subtle, but you are eliminating any sense of doubt. What is said will be done.

Use Assertive Language

Along the same principle of using will instead of can, the use of assertive language will resonate more with readers. Common phrases I often eliminate from posts include be sure to and make sure to. Not only are these verbs completely unnecessary to the meaning of the sentence, they lack confidence. The language creates a weak call to action. Take a look at these examples:

Be sure to visit our website, and make sure to call us at (123) 456-7890.

Visit our website, and call us at (123) 456-7890.

Imagine if Nike's slogan was Make sure to just do it. It doesn't have quite the same forceful tone as Just do it.

Skip other weak verbs, i.e. to be, and choose action verbs. And forget about generic adjectives like great and good. There's no shame in utilizing Thesaurus.com! The most inspiring writing is specific.

Be Clear and Concise

Many writers wrongly associate verbose writing with intelligence, creativity, and skill. While you should never craft a piece of copy entirely of simple sentences, overly complex sentences will distract readers and often muddle the meaning of the sentence. Strong writing expertly blends simple and complex sentences, varying sentence structure and length. Content marketing is not on the same playing field as a Hemingway novel. You're defining a brand and selling a product or service, so get to the point.

Fiction writers are taught that every sentence must push the story forward, and the same can be said for content marketing. Rid your copy of filler and fluff—anything that doesn't provide value to the reader. Each word should be meaningful to the sentence, and each sentence should be meaningful to the paragraph.

Eliminate Useless Words

What else can you do to create concise sentences? Eliminate useless words. It's not so much about saving the reader time as it is showcasing your skills as a writer and saying exactly what you mean. Here are a few words that don't serve much purpose:

Very and Really are qualifiers used to show emphasis. But instead of emphasizing the adjective, it weakens the sentence. Whip out your thesaurus and find the real word you're looking for. Instead of very sad, use melancholy. Instead of really hungry, use famished.
Stuff and Things are two generic words that don't provide the reader with clear details. Often, these words are chosen out of laziness. What are you trying to explain to the reader? Change 5 Things to Ask a Lawyer to 5 Questions.
In Order To is not only clunky, it literally serves no purpose in a sentence. Take a look at this example: I need to pick up food in order to feed my family. I challenge any writer to think of an example when it's necessary.
That is used for clarity and has its moments of usefulness. But most of the time you can rearrange a sentence: A quick way to check is to read the sentence without the word. Does it still make sense?

Show—Don't Tell

Telling is easy, but it doesn't inspire. Consider the most powerful ads you've seen. What moves you? The best storytellers relate to their audience with real-life experiences. How can you connect to a business or a brand if you don't feel that inspirational pull?

Any business can say they "provide top-notch customer service and quality products." But if you read a story about how a baker personally hand-delivered a cake to a family who couldn't make it to the shop, or how a contractor repairs homes in poor neighborhoods for free on the weekends, would you be more inclined to choose them?

According to surveys by the UPS Store, "Ninety percent of all respondents agree that small businesses are important to the U.S. economy." Between 2013 and 2014, there was a 41% increase in the number of people who chose a small business' products or services over a large business. People cited an overall better experience and higher quality products at a local business.

There's no need to explain the power of social media and content marketing. Use it to your advantage to show your story via blog posts, testimonials, pictures, and videos.

Just as much time should be put into editing as writing. Keeping it simple and clear will resonate more with readers and strengthen your writing.