Writing has been a noble pursuit over centuries, but content writing is a vocation specially made for the tech generation we live in. As the advent of the internet increases, people want to scale their businesses online as much as possible and creating quality content is undoubtedly one of the best ways to do it. So it’s no wonder that you may want to work with a content writing agency. The question is, where do you start.
It’s not simply enough to have a knack for writing or reading. People often assume that having a good grasp of English or enjoying literature is a sure shot sign that you will make for a good content writer, but that’s definitely not the case. Content writing is about adding value to a reader’s life, whether that’s by providing useful information or just entertainment.
Here is how you can build on your content writing skills and start working for a content writing agency.
Build Your Portfolio
If you’re expecting to get paid gigs from day one, then you’re in for a nasty surprise. There are a lot of people who claim to write content but agencies only hire people who have a past record of producing high-quality writeups consistently.
So start writing whether you’re getting paid for it or not. You can write for your school or college magazines if you’re a part of such institutions. You can even start your own blog website where you post things that you’re interested in. The point is to show proof of good work.
Get Comfortable With Time Management
Just like any other job, content writing requires you to stick to deadlines. A content writing agency may need you to write anywhere from 1000-3000 words a day. This can seem quite burdensome if you’re not used to such volume. Not only that, the quality of your work will start to deteriorate drastically too.
So before you interview for any content writing agencies, have an idea of how many words you can write in a day since the question is bound to come up. Also, build on your skills as time goes by.
Gain a good knowledge of SEO techniques
These days, companies want content that’s both high-value and helps them climb up in search engine page rankings. SEO is a priority for nearly all content writing agencies so having a thorough knowledge of SEO keywords is a must.
You can take some courses on platforms like Udemy and Coursera if you want, otherwise watching some good old YouTube videos will help you get started too.
Start Applying
The thing with content writing is that you will never be perfect. Trends change quite quickly so you’ll constantly have to keep growing and accommodating. So once you’ve built a decent portfolio, start applying for jobs.
Lay more importance on skills such as good grammar, versatility, quality control, and no plagiarism while applying since these are the primary skills agencies are looking for. If you have minimal writing experience then it can be useful to apply for internships first and full-time jobs later on.
Work On Your Samples
Beginners often go wrong while providing samples for writing jobs. Your goal shouldn’t be to just put in articles that you like but to provide a mix that shows range. You should be able to accommodate different writing voices and styles. A wide range of topics is usually appreciated too.
This goes without saying, but do NOT forget to do grammar checks. Bad grammar is an immediate deal-breaker with content writing agencies.
Conclusion
If this is your first time joining a content writing firm, you might have to knock on a lot of doors before one opens. Do not get disheartened, rather focus on optimizing your profile on websites like LinkedIn, Naukri.com, Internshala, shine.com, and more. In the content writing industry, your work speaks for you to constantly keep updating the blogs you’ve posted so far.
