A recent report by the Content Marketing Institute has revealed that an overwhelming majority of small to large companies will hire a content writer at some point in time.
Whether it is for blog posts, sales literature, printed marketing materials, or website copy, it will depend on each individual business’s requirements. However, if you need to hire a content writer, then you’ll want to pick someone who will do an outstanding job for you.
Like with many services in life, you get what you pay for. So, to hire an experienced content writer whose words will get your company seen and heard, you’ll need to pay market rates.
But what skills and traits should you be looking for in an ideal content writer?
In this post, I’ll outline 10 essential skills all the best professional content writers should have. Make sure you evaluate these before committing to hiring anyone.
What Does a Professional Content Writer Bring to the Table?
Before I outline the traits, it’s worth confirming what exactly a professional content writer can bring to your organisation.
A professional content writer is an expert at producing written work for blogs, websites, articles, and scripts.
While anyone can write written content (as can AI programs like Chat GPT), what sets an expert apart from a novice or a machine is their ability to craft copy that inspires, educates, and instantly grabs the reader’s attention.
Perhaps the main difference is that skilled writers will be able to concisely and effectively communicate your intended message.
Moreover, they will do this in a way that seamlessly flows from one sentence and paragraph to another and elicits your desired call to action.
The ability to do this requires a certain skill set, which leads on nicely to the next section.
Key Skills of a Professional Content Writer
To create high-quality content that not only engages your audience, but also compels them to perform your desired call to action, professional content writers need a specific set of skills.
They include the following:
1. Excellent communication skills
2. Ability to understand the brief and the client’s overall expectations
3. Strong research skills
4. Appreciation of what readers are looking for
5. Easy-to-read writing style
6. Capability to adapt to different styles and tones
7. Understanding of basic on-page SEO principles
8. Attention to detail
9. Reliability in meeting deadlines
10. Creativity to produce original, non-AI generated copy
Are you struggling to find a content writer who does this? Then please contact me to find out how I can help you.
