5 Things to Remember About Content Writing for Non Writers

There’s no denying that content writing is an essential part of any good real estate marketing strategy. It generates 67% of leads for B2B (business to business) companies. It boosts SEO scores, and studies show that leads developed from organic search have a 15% close rate! Plus, it establishes you as an authority in your field.  But if you’re not a writer by nature, content marketing can seem overwhelming. To help motivate you, here are some important things to remember about content writing for non writers.

1. You Need a Strategy

Before you ever put pen to paper, have a sense of what you want to write. How do you decide what to write? You look at what your audience wants! If your goal is to target real estate consumers, you need to put yourself in a consumer mindset. What questions would a future buyer or seller have? 

Give the people what they want!

Obviously if you’re targeting homeowners rather than buyers, your content will adjust accordingly. The best motivation to start producing content is to feel like you have something valuable to say!

2. Have a Calendar

So you’re not a writer? Then you’re probably pretty intimated by a blank page. But nothing will get you to buckle down and crank out some content like a deadline. People think that they need freedom and some intangible inspiration to start writing, but the truth is you usually just need the pressure of a due date.

As a blogger, most of these deadlines will usually be self-imposed. This can mean that you have to hold yourself accountable, which is easier said than done. Perhaps your best strategy is to advertise your content calendar. For example, post on your blog that there will be fresh content every Monday by noon! This will force you to stay true to your deadlines because you know an audience – however small – is counting on you!

3. Always Be Researching

You’ve heard the ABCs of real estate:  But in 2014 with the importance of blogging, you should also remember to Always Be Researching. The more in tune you are with industry news and trends, the more opinions you’ll have about current events. The more opinionated you are, the more you’ll want to share you take on your blog/site.

4. Write What You Would Read

You’re going to sound the most natural when you write in a way that you’re comfortable writing. Basically, you need a style that you would read yourself. Trust us, if YOU would read what you’ve written, someone else will, too!

Here are some different styles to try on for size:

• List Articles – In the style of Buzzfeed, make a quick list based around a certain topic. This very article is a “listicle,” just with some extra content/details worked in. Maybe even throw in a few gifs just for fun.
• News Stories – If you’re normally reading news stories, then that’s how you’ll want to write. It’s very fact based and doesn’t necessarily require much creativity.
• Super Short Paragraphs – You don’t have to sound literary just because you’re writing. You’ll notice most blogs use very short paragraphs, no more than a couple sentences. This is a good way to keep the attention of the reader in today’s distraction-filled Internet.

5. Content Is Not Just a Blog

Flex your creativity!

Blogs and written articles are great for SEO, but that’s not all that content marketing is about! Mix up your format with some data-driven infographics, some how-to videos, or maybe a fun podcast.

These things can still get detected by search engines by simply transcribing the content before you publish. If you stop thinking of your content marketing strategy and a chore with a bunch of writing, you’ll find the writing comes naturally through a variety of mediums!

Source: http://bit.ly/1EZaHGp