According to a survey of 14,000 marketers by Adobe/Econsultancy in the latest Digital Trends report, content marketing leads all other marketing strategies that companies plan to invest in this year.
Beyond just content marketing, which refers to the creation and sharing of blogs, social media posts and videos online, the demand for great writing for marketing and sales in general is also surging.
So what does it take to produce stellar writing and content?
Writing today is not what it used to be. Attention spans are shorter than ever. And prospects don’t want to feel like they’re being sold to. But they are heavily influenced by thought leadership, and they judge companies based on what they write and what is written about them. No wonder the demand for good writing is high! It’s not easy to do.
In most cases, it’s preferable to use a professional writer. Here are five reasons why that is the case.
1. DIY is a gamble
Some think of DIY as meaning “do it yourself,” but when it comes to writing, it can mean “done in years.”
If you’ve ever asked your internal staff to write an article or the content for your website or brochure, you probably understand what I’m talking about. What takes a professional writer a day or two to produce can take your internal staff weeks, months, or even a year.
And the result? The output usually screams of having been done in-house. To add to the frustration, your staff spent days or weeks poring over this project when they could have been focusing on their core competency.
2. Great content generates results
In the Content Marketing Institute’s B2B Content Marketing 2017: Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends in North America study, companies that indicated that their content marketing was more successful than the year prior said high quality, efficient content was the top reason.
Personally, I don’t need statistics to validate my belief that professional writing generates far better results than amateur writing. My clients regularly tell me that the great writing we produce for them has generated countless leads and won over prospects—much more than what they had witnessed before. They see huge value in professional writing.
3. Writing is a form of art
Each of us can likely recall the last time we read a great article, blog or marketing piece. It was one that drew us in, kept our attention and hit on important pain points.
Great writing does that. And it’s not something just anyone can accomplish. A marketing or writing degree doesn’t necessarily make someone a good writer. Creative, effective writing requires a real talent that takes years to hone.
In addition, good writers today must know the vast difference in writing for different mediums. For instance, writing a compelling blog is unlike writing an article. And writing the content for a website today differs completely from writing content for websites 3+ years ago. Communicating in a way that psychologically propels prospects to take action is more than a skill; it truly is an art.
4. Writing is a reflection of the business
Between words and images, what a company produces in terms of marketing, sales and social media is ultimately seen as a representation of the company. A professional writer empowers companies to control how they are perceived. Great content educates and truly inspires prospects, and puts your company in a positive light.
5. Effective writing yields valuable SEO
A skilled writer can generate high-quality content that makes it easier for people to find you or your company online. By writing search engine-friendly website content and/or posting useful articles with SEO keywords on your website, your company will show up higher in search engine results. Plus, having plenty of well-written content will encourage people to stay on your site longer, so you have a greater opportunity to engage them, turn them into believers of your company and capture leads.
Clearly, effective writing pays off – and that’s only possible with experienced and talented writers.
To see the impact professional writing can have on your business, just reach out to us. At Strategic Vantage, we have seasoned writers with decades of experience not only in the mortgage industry, but also in writing white papers, case studies, blogs, articles, website content, advertising campaigns, brochures, sales presentations and so much more.
We can be reached at Info@StrategicVantage.com or at 305.971.6239.
By Rosalie Berg, President, Strategic Vantage