62 Power Words That Will Help You Sell

 Have you ever read a landing page, sales letter or even blog post which has unequivocally sold you on a product?

The type of content you start reading knowing little to nothing about the product itself, yet by the time you’ve finished you don’t just want what’s being offered, you’re convinced you need it. In fact, you look back on your life and wonder how you ever made it this far without it!

It’s the kind of copy we all wish we could create. As marketers we need our copy to have an effect, we want it to elicit emotions that prompt readers to take the next step, follow the call to action and convert into paying customers.

The question we all want answered is how.

Increasing conversions through your copy is as old as marketing itself. It’s a topic that’s been covered so many times it seems almost impossible to break new ground. There are articles on utilizing emotion to increase impact, the psychological principles behind purchase decisions and even articles examining the different formats of copy most conducive to higher conversions.

However, in our quest to come up with a new angle or theory on how best to use modern technological developments in CRO, we often overlook the most fundamental of steps. The effective use of language.

The language you use has the potential to take product descriptions, landing pages and long form letters from interesting or useful, to absolutely unforgettable.

It’s something all great writers know and exploit. They pepper their work with certain words that capture attention and elicit an emotional response.

Deconstruct any high performing piece of content or impactful speech and you’re sure to find a huge host of words that, whilst perhaps a little hyperbolic, add a much needed dose of gravity.

Take this speech from one of history’s most famous and highly regarded speakers and leaders, Winston Churchill as an example.https://www.youtube.com/embed/G4BVzYGeF0M

This relatively short speech is an amazing example of how a handful of properly placed compelling and relevant words can alter the impact of a text for the better.

Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization

The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us

Hitler knows he will have to break us in this land or lose the war

But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister

The compelling words aren’t overused. They’re well placed and serve their purpose of adding much needed gravitas to the sentence. They ensure that each important point is completely unmissable and pulls at the emotional triggers of its intended audience.

And its something you can also include in your copy.

Now, I love Sir Winston as much as any other patriotic Brit, yet his goal was somewhat different from ours. Mentions of the ‘abyss’ would go down well for a country in the midst of war, but would likely come across as over hyped and try hard for a marketer promoting a product.

So, we’ll thank Sir Winston for highlighting the use of powerful language, but we’ll leave him there. It’s time now to turn to the words that motivate consumers to take up their wallets and combat the ever present enemy of last minute purchase resistance.

Words That Play on Pain Points

Fear is a powerful motivator. In fact, it’s probably the most powerful emotion when it comes to grabbing the attention of your prospects.

I’m not recommending you instill fear with threats of violence or Godfather-esque reprisals, that definitely wouldn’t do you much good in the world of CRO. Fear in the marketing world relates to the fears and worries of your target audience.

There are plenty of studies out there on how addressing pain points and offering a potential solution is the key to an increase in conversions. Here’s one from MarketingSherpa and another from Optimizely.com.

However, most of these articles focus on how to present the solution. What they ignore is the step that precedes this, the act of teasing the fear from your prospects to keep them fully engaged.

Before you present the solution, you’ve got to get the prospect worked up about the problem they face.

So, with that goal in mind, here are a few words that play on popular fears. Be sure to include them (sparingly of course) within your copy to really get the most out of your audience.

• Failure
• Hate
• Afraid
• Agony
• Danger
• Humiliation
• Alone
• Vulnerable
• Stress
• Death
• Pitfall
• Mistake
• Risk
• Devastating
• Stupid
• Warning

Words that Highlight Urgency

Whilst on the subject of fear, let’s examine another popular psychological theory that influences many conversion campaigns.

The fear of missing out.

A lot of the advice online tends to focus on highlighting the benefits of a product or service. That’s great, but think back to the last sale purchase you made and ask yourself if:

1. The benefit of gaining the product was the driving force behind the purchase
2. The fear of missing out on the deal drove you to commit to buying

The fear of missing out is far more powerful than the benefit of gain. It’s something that’s been studies dozens, if not hundreds of times and proven to be true.

One of the most interesting studies was conducted in 1975 and asked participants to value the cookies in two different jars. One jar had 10 cookies, the other only two.

Despite the cookies being identical, those in the near empty jar were valued more highly.

It’s strange, but that’s how we react to items that are scarce. We immediately place a higher value on something of which there is a lower quantity. The thought that we could potentially miss out on getting our hands on that perceived higher value product is enough to push anyone into action.

Scarcity has been one of the golden rules for conversion optimization for some time now. So what sort of words can you use to highlight the scarcity of your product thus increasing desire?

• Now
• Hurry
• Quick
• Limited
• Running Out
• Fast
• New
• Deadline
• Last Chance
• Final
• Never again
• Expires

Everyone Loves an Exclusive Deal

Building on our little foray into scarcity tactics, let’s take a dive into the world of exclusivity.

We all seem predisposed to want what we can’t have. Ever noticed the most popular clubs all have exclusive door policies? Wondered about the disproportionate price hike that accompanies an exclusive brand logo despite the quality being of negligible difference? Or the rumored benefits and connections accompanying exclusive societies and clubs?

Often, these exclusive offerings offer no greater benefit than pretentious bragging rights. People want to feel as though they’re a member of a small elite group. It’s a minor power trip that, if we’re being honest, we’d all revel in if we could.

Adding an exclusivity element to your copy increases the perceived value. It signals higher social status as it’s only available to the ‘few’ giving the bonus of being rather unique.

Clothing brand Gustin have exploited exclusivity to great effect with a crowdsourcing approach to production. After announcing a potential product an initial backing fee period is opened. If the financial target is reached, all those who backed the project can expect to receive their very own product.

However, once that target has been reached and product shipped, that project is over. This lends an element of exclusivity to each products. Not only are you going to receive a well made product, but you’re also now a member of a very small group of people who did.

It’s a great way to exploit our want for an exclusive product and has helped Gustin become a desired name in mens fashion.

So what sort of words can you include in your material to play on the consumer’s want for an exclusive product?

• Members Only
• Ask for an Invitation
• Be one of the few
• Become an insider
• Be the first to hear about…
• Only available to subscribers/existing customers
• Limited
• Class full
• Login required

A Little Reassurance is Always Appreciated

One of the biggest conversion killers is a shortcoming in the trust department.

There are so many sites around nowadays that it’s difficult for consumers to know who’s trustworthy and who isn’t. In fact, 77% of online users worry their data is going to be misused in some way.

Fear mongering, scarcity, exclusivity and any other triggers you employ are all well and good. But if you can’t get your potential customers to trust you, then what’s it all for?

Of course the primary trust building elements will include various trust seals, guarantees or testimonials. But what words can you use in your copy to bolster the claims made in these areas and reassure your prospects that you’re a trustworthy brand who’s not going to rip them off?

• Lifetime
• Guarantee
• Authentic
• Certified
• No obligation
• Dependable
• No risk
• Proven
• Secure
• Verify
• Safety
• Backed
• Endorsed
• Protected
• Unconditional
• Money back
• Genuine

Clandestine Approaches aren’t Wrong, They’re Sexy

Most of us never really step on the wrong side of the law. We follow the rules and ensure that everything we do is by the book. An admirable trait no doubt, but there’s always an attraction to the other side of life.

In fact, nearly everyone has some curiosity in those who choose to live their lives by less than legal measures. There’s a curiosity there, one which is a powerful allure to all of us. And it’s something that can be used to increase the effectiveness of your copy.

I’m not advocating any illegal methods or the breaking of any laws, rather the exploitation of human nature’s natural curiosity for rule breaking.

To help build a little intrigue, try utilizing some of the following secretive words that bring to mind forbidden methods.

• Secret
• Confidential
• Private
• Forbidden
• Controversial
• Confession
• Backdoor
• Insider

Two Words Necessary in Any Approach

Whether you’re playing on fear, inciting urgency or presenting the image of a somewhat clandestine offer, there are a few words that can help add that extra punch to your copy.

You

I shouldn’t need to explain this one. Good copy is always written with a single person in mind.

Consumers don’t want to feel like just another member of the crowd. They want to feel valued, the first step to achieving this is to talk to them as an individual.

When you’re writing copy for email lists you can go one step further and use their first name. Studies have shown hearing your own name causes your brain to activate and should cause your audience to become even more engaged in what it is you’re saying to them.

… Because…

One of the greatest words in the English language when it comes to persuasion.

If you want someone to take an action, you need to explain to them why they should do it.

Robert Cialdini conducted an experiment on the effect of providing a reason for an action. The test measured the willingness of those waiting in line to let another person cut in.

The experiment had three steps. In each, the person attempting to cut in would approach those in the line and ask them if he could use the machine first.

In the first step he simply said, “Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine?” which received a 60% success rate.

Step two saw the introduction of a reason, “I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I am in a rush?” receiving an impressive 94% success rate.

The final step saw the reason lessen in importance, “Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make copies?” which still received a very respectable 93% success rate.

People won’t take action unnecessarily. They want to be able to justify why they have done something so be sure to give them a reason.

Create Your Own Power Word List

Creating impactful copy is hard, especially in the modern era of high competition and diminishing attention spans.

Start your own list of power words that compel and sell. Every time you find yourself reading a landing page or sales letter that you simply can’t pull yourself away from, dissect it.

Read each line and pull out the words that add impact, meaning and emotion to the overall message. Find the words that compel you to continue and turn what would otherwise be just an interesting piece, into something you can’t put down and add them to your own list.

Before long, you’ll have a list of powerful words you can use in your own copy to keep your audience enthralled and engaged no matter what you’re trying to sell.

If you’ve already got a list or have your own power words guaranteed to perform, drop them in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts and how we can expand on this list.

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The 4 Buyer Types Checklist

 Even if you have a solid handle on your Audience Personas & Brand Messaging, there’s a good chance your website copy and product descriptions are written to appeal to the way you like to be sold. The problem with this is that there are four types of buyers with different psychological buying triggers. The 4 Buyer Types framework is a way of profiling your entire audience and identifying how your warmed-up leads like to be sold to based on their internal buying psychology. You need to address all four if you want your copy to convert. By not writing sales copy for each buyer, you’re potentially leaving money on the table by ignoring up to 75% of your readers’ mental checklists.

For example, let’s say your digital product page ONLY contains an image of your workbook and a bulleted list of features.

→ You just lost The Thinker who needs more information to calm their fear of buyer’s remorse.

Is your services page 10,000 words of emotion-filled empathy statements?

→ The Director can’t figure out the immediate ROI of a fluffy offer and just bounced.

Or maybe you’ve just spent hours perfecting your sales page but…

→ The Socializer thinks your lack of social proof means your process isn’t proven and no one can vouch for your expertise.

And if you’re banking on your high-ticket offer or service to sustain your business but…

→ Your rigid approach puts The Relator in a box when they want payment options or ways to customize the engagement to fit their specific needs.

What is “Buying Psychology”?

You can think of buying psychology as an invisible checklist of wants, needs, and proof your reader needs to see written out on the page before feeling confident enough to pull out their credit card and make a purchase.

The crazy thing is, most of us aren’t aware of our selling style and the triggers that make us “Add To Cart” or say “Thank You, Next.”

Readers come to your website or landing page with a different set of experiences and expectations that affect their buying decisions. As a marketer and copywriter for your business or company, it’s your job to understand the cues each type of buyer is looking for as they scroll the page you can start to layer in compelling copywriting that appeals to each type’s buying triggers.

Here are the four main Buyer Types and what you need to know about them:

The Director

The Director is a big-picture thinker who is able to consume information quickly. They’re keen to make a decision and move on to the next. They are categorically allergic to fluff and will home in on the features and benefits relevant to their immediate goals and desired ROI.

Depending on where they are in the sales funnel (awareness – consideration – decision – loyalty) they’re likely to make their decision while reading the top half of a sales or services page. They skim the bottom half looking for headlines, bulleted sections, and testimonials that validate their decision.

Goal-oriented and competitive, they’re looking for partners and solutions that will help them overcome a challenge with the least amount of resistance or the most certainty possible.

Directors prefer numbers-based (quantitative) testimonials, infographics, and price anchoring to convey complex information succinctly.

es them feel special, or in the know, they become an incredibly loyal brand ambassador.

The Socializer

The Socializer loves getting to know the personality behind the business. When it comes to the know/like/trust factor, they’re all about the LIKE. They run their most important decisions by their peer groups because their opinions are the ones that matter to them most.

The brands and businesses they follow all carry a similar vibe or aesthetic. It’s important to them that a brand comes off as authentic but they’re also a total lover of creative imagery and “world-building”. They like feeling like a part of a brand family and being a part of a community.

Socializers don’t like feeling isolated or just a number. When a brand or personality makes the effort to reach out and makes them feel special, or in the know, they become an incredibly loyal brand ambassador.

The Relator

The Relator is highly empathetic, highly intuitive, and doesn’t like to be put into a box. They focus their attention on the emotional costs of their problems and roadblocks. They need to feel assured that a brand or business understands their problems and is focused on helping them find a unique solution that will improve their day-to-day life.

Rinse-and-repeat marketing tactics and cookie-cutter solutions are a huge turnoff. When it comes to the know/like/trust factor, Relators are all about TRUST. They’re looking for high-touch solutions that will solve both a business and a lifestyle problem, as their worldview is that the two are inexorably intertwined.

Relators crave feeling centered and aligned in everything they do. If they were asked to choose between more time or more money they would look the questioner straight in the eyes and choose “peace”.

The Thinker

The Thinker needs to know every. single. detail about a product or service before making a commitment. They tend to follow a very logical thought process, weighing the pros and cons of every situation before handing over their credit card details or reaching out for a consult.

Their biggest fear is buyer’s remorse. When it comes to the know/like/trust factor they are all about TRUST. They need to be assured that moving forward is the absolute right decision.

Thinkers will read every word on the page and pour through the FAQs. They will even come back to a sales page several times before making their final decision.

When it comes to making a decision, they don’t like feeling rushed or pressured. Scarcity tactics are a turn-off while return policies or free trials de-risk the decision.

Why Knowing The 4 Buyer Types Is Critical To Your Copywriting

When you understand the cues each type of buyer is looking for as they scroll the page you can start to layer in compelling copywriting that appeals to each type’s buying triggers.

After all, most people come to your website or landing page with a different set of experiences and expectations that affect their buying decisions. Your job is to convincingly appeal to all of them.

So how do you keep track of whether you’ve ticked all the boxes for each type of buyer?

“Copy Sweeps” are individual read-throughs you perform on your copy, that focus on one goal at a time. You can apply the same principle to your sales copy by reading through your page and looking for the cues and triggers relevant to one buyer at a time. As you become aware of any existing gaps you can layer in or edit sections of your copy that speak to a particular buyer’s needs.

Buyer Sweeps are a surefire way to identify areas of opportunity that can help you engage more eyeballs and increase your sales.

20 Types of Email Marketing Subject Titles That Can Improve Your Click Through Rates

Crafting a good email can be stressful, especially when you need to take note of metrics such as opens, unique opens, clicks, bounces, unsubscribes. However, creating copy that stands out in your subscribers’ inbox does not have to take hours or go through multiple rounds of vetting.

Before we begin, let’s do a quick recap of the best practices for writing a killer subject heading.

Identify Pain Points

It is a cardinal sin to not have your buyer persona done. In the subject line, showing your subscriber that you have a solution will entice them to open up their email.

Write With Your Brand’s Voice

For example, the tone of copy you would employ for a luxury clothing brand’s event invite will be completely different from a boutique’s swimsuit sale advertorial.

Keep Your Subject Heading Succinct

56% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Trim the frills off your headlines to ensure that your subscribers are able to get the gist of the subject heading at first glance.

Using Numbers When Appropriate

Instead of “fifty dollars voucher”, changing it to “$50 voucher” makes it easier to read.

Mind Your Language

Turn off the caps lock and ease up on the exclamation marks. Nobody likes feeling like they’re being yelled at. This also makes the title look spammy. However, this could depend on your branding. If you are a casual lifestyle publication aimed at millennials, then go ahead and be expressive at appropriate times.

Always Segment Your Lists!

Don’t be lazy, because when you’re doing targeting right, your open rates will go up.

Now that we are all caught up, let’s dive in to the email subject lines that can net you a higher click through rate.

Types of Email Subject Lines That Can Improve Your CTRs

1. Subject lines that incite FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).

This one is a classic and can be seen in many promotional emails. Having this element implies scarcity and urgency. Don’t forget to include a time limit!

• Zalora: “Ends tomorrow: Buy 2 get 20% off.”
• ShopBack: “[lightning emoji] 2 days only: 17% off your Apple purchases at Epicentre with Shoppe!”
• Digital Marketer: “Your private invitation expires tomorrow night”

2. Subject lines that generate curiosity.

Leave your subject line open by dangling a clickbait that incites curiosity and makes your subscribers itch to find out the answer.

• Grubhub: “Last day to see what this email is all about.”
• “Things to avoid when planning a surprise party”

3. Subject lines that appeal to their sense of vanity

Appealing to your subscribers’ sense of vanity in your subject heading by promising something that would make them look or feel better.

• Levis: “Hey (name), you would look so good in these jeans.”
• Sephora: “Products the celebs are wearing”

4. Subject lines that appeal to their sense of greed

This feels similar to FOMO. However, we emphasize more on the ‘getting a good deal part’ rather than the ‘blink and miss it’ part. If you have done your targeting well, your subscribers will find it hard to pass up a good deal. Many FMCG and retail brands use this tactic.

• “Score these styles at a fraction of their original costs!”
• La Mer: “A little luxury at a great price”

5. Subject lines that offer them quick and easy fixes.

Everyone wants things done fast, and done well. That’s why fast food and cheat sheets exist. Brands use this tactic mostly to entice people into entering their emails in exchange for an freebie.

• “99 Content Marketing Ideas For Fashion Brands”
• “27 Excel Hacks You Wish You Had Discovered Sooner”
• Salesforce: “How To Grow Your Business Faster in 15 Minutes.”

6. A subject heading that reminds them to complete an action or process.

These are usually sent to subscribers when they fail to complete an action or step in their sales funnel. For example, when they add an item to their wishlist and just leave it there. These emails then serve to stream your subscribers back down the funnel.

• Zalora: “Hi (name), your wishlist items are running out of stock!”
• “Good news! Your shopping bag items are on sale!”

7. Subject lines that feel like a short burst of energy.

When you see an unopened email in your inbox, the subject line is displayed along with a preview of the first line of the email. Try a short statement, and then elaborate further in the preview. This type of subject heading offers a change of pace from the usual longer sentences. However, use this with caution, as the tone of copy has to align with your branding and style.

8. Subjects that have shock value.

Create a subject line that offers a controversial view or refutes common beliefs to grab people’s attention.

• “Everything is Fake News and Journalism is Dead”
• “In defense of vegan evangelists”
• “Your body does not sweat out toxins and other hot yoga myths busted”

9. Subject lines that pare the information down to the bare essentials.

Use this for notification emails, or reminder emails. “Your order is being processed. Check the delivery status here.” is better than “Your order #0270218838 is being processed and will be delivered in 10 days via air shipping.” They can then check the details in the email.

10. Subjects that ask questions.

Asking people compelling questions will cause them to open your email in search of an answer to satisfy their curiosity. For example, you can try the following: “Do you know how to ensure your customer service stays top notch?”, or “Are you making these data mistakes”?

• Kari DePhillips: “Have questions about Digital Marketing? We’ve Got Answers!”
• Zillow: “What can you afford?”
• Chris Badgett (LifterLMS): “Could you do me a solid?”

11. Make your subject lines time-appropriate.

Make your subject lines time-appropriate. Scheduling emails is a great way to save time and have more control over when you reach your audience. For example, if you’re doing marketing for a food delivery company, you could send a coupon code for discounted delivery near midnight to entice the nocturnal ones to order in. Or maybe it’s the day before Father’s Day, and you haven’t had time to go shopping. Suddenly, you receive an email from Amazon with gift suggestions and a discount off next-day delivery. Score!

12. Subject lines with pop culture references.

This would require you to keep a finger on the pulse of the industry and have a keen sense of pop culture. A week ago, I received an email from the Quandoo app with the subject line “Don’t you, forget about us… Here’s 1000 points ($15)!”. First half of the subject line is a reference to the song made popular by the first Pitch Perfect movie. And now I have it stuck in my head. Check out some others.

• DailySkimm: “Are you a Yanny or Laurel?” Referencing an audio clip that divided the internet.
• “TGIF! If you’re happy and you know it…”

13. Subject lines that make it exclusive.

When people feel like they’re part of an insiders’ club, it gives them a sense of belonging and makes them more open to opening your email. Phrasing like “an exclusive offer for you”, or “special invitation to our next menu tasting” works well.

• Jason Zomwork: “Free Business Tips Just For You”
• Zalora: “First Look: All New Arrivals”

14. Subject lines that add a bit of mystery.

Giving readers a taste of intrigue might entice them to bite. But of course, do provide something of value or elaborate well in your body message, because you do not want to be known as the brand that cried wolf.

• “This might surprise you…”
• Hubspot: “We challenge you…”
• “If not you, then who?”

15. Subject lines that say it like it is.

According to Campaign Monitor, the average office worker receives about 121 emails daily. The inbox gets cluttered easily and a clear direction or call to action will be appreciated.

• “New! Guide to Tokyo’s best nightlife spots.”
• “Download your quarterly investors report here”
• SEMRush Academy: “SEO Writing Assistant on Product Hunt- Check it out!”

16. Subject lines that feature social proof.

We rely a lot on social proof to make our decisions. You may be more hesitant going into a empty restaurant because there is no social proof that the food is good to eat. Same goes for our other decisions, before buying a product or going for a movie, we usually trawl the internet for reviews. So take control of your social proof, and show your people what value they can get.

• SEMRush Team: “[SEO Fundamentals Сourse] 15,000 users took it and it’s rated .”
• eFinancialCareers: “117,390 people will sit the CFA in Asia – ‘even feeding them is a challenge’”

17. Subject lines that make people chuckle.

Everybody loves a good laugh and it makes them warm up to you. Throw in the offer of valuable content or a good deal, and watch your open rates go up.

• Natasha from Glints “Want a high flying career? Find out more here – it’s plane simple!”
• The Scoot Team: “Scoot for a tai-rrific time in Taiwan from $88!”
• The Scoot Team: “Feeling all Thai’d up? Scoot to Thailand from $44!”

18. Subject lines that identify pain points.

Seeing a pattern here? Yes, that’s right, content that is relevant to your target audience is valuable, hence the repeated note to always segment your subscriber lists! Check out these sweet examples below.

• Grab: Still craving for local food? Enjoy free delivery with SG53!
• Onnit: “Fix your posture with our top 5 foam roller exercises”

19. One word subject lines.

One word subject lines. It can be quite daunting trying to distill the message you are trying to convey into a single word, but the results may surprise you. Let’s say you are an online publication for travel and lifestyle content. Instead of titling your email “Check out the best beaches in South East Asia”, consider using “Paradise” in the subject heading, and further elaborating in the preview text.

20. Lastly, the “Hail Mary”.

This type of email subject line is exactly what you think it is. It also sometimes goes against what you know about email marketing best practices. Some people use this as a last-ditch attempt after several unanswered sales emails. Usually something provoking/provocative. It’s something that should be used with caution, especially in the age of social media where it is easy to go viral for the wrong reasons. Check out the examples below.

• Ezbuy: “We are sorry for not doing good enough in Oct”
• Money Dashboard: “Please put us out of our misery.”
• “Your rewards points may be in danger.”

And there you have it! There are no absolute hard and fast rules to categorizing email subject headlines. You can actually combine some of the elements together to create a more impactful headline, like this example below.

So get creative! Write many variations, read them out loud, ask a colleague to vet them through. And always do split testing. 

Do you have any favorite or memorable emails received? Sound out in the comments below or if you’re feeling shy, just drop me an email.

Content Writing in India

 If you like creative things if you can enjoy reading and think to write, and if you have a basic understanding of language, communication, and writing, then Content Writing in India can be a second source of income for you.

You’ll not only enjoy producing content but would earn handsome money through this passion.

As rightly said, something which is constant is the Change itself. But Technology and the Internet have been revolutionizing things in an unexpected manner.

Businesses, media, personal relation, Industries and almost every aspect of life is positioning itself in the online space. This change is evidence of the brighter career prospects of Content Writers in India.

As a result of this massive digitization, the importance of Digital Content Creation is inevitable.

What we see while interacting on the internet is nothing but Content, and this mere thing is enough to let us realize the importance of quality Content creation scope and Development in the future.

If Content is vital, then the role of Content Writer is vital too. India as the world’s six-largest economy has an enormous potential to have its fair share in the online arena.

Businesses in India will grow enormously, with more digitization to have an online presence. Therefore it is fair to say that the future of Content Writers is brighter in India like everywhere else.

You can develop a career of your choice as a Content Writer. A career where you will be free of 9 to 5 strict routines, where you have the freedom to work from the comfort of your room sofa any time.

Prerequisites for Content Writing:

There is no specific qualification for Content Writing. Luckily anyone who has the following skills or can develop these skills can do Content Writing.

• Someone from Technology field, Engineering, even Medical, or Marketing, Journalism or any other field, if writes something related to that particular industry, is a Content Writer.
• Language proficiency is one and the most important requirement for a Content Writer.
• Some basic knowledge of Search Engine Optimization is as critical as the writing itself. SEO knowledge will make sure that your content is read by enough people.
• The skills to work with Microsoft Office or related tools is also required to become a Content Writer
• You will somehow need to read things. Anything from the brochure that you come across to the label on your laptop package, and then some books that would be very useful to create a charm, continuity, and attraction in writing.
• Research skills are also needed for content developers. When you are writing, some level of research is required to know the level of existing literature in that particular area. Research also updates you about the current trends in that particular niche.
• An essential skill is originality, your content needs to be original. Originality is needed because you’re going to add to the existing bank of knowledge in that particular area
• Meeting deadlines is also important. You’ll have to write for someone in the Freelance marketplaces, or for some agency. The Content that you produce is ultimately meant to be converted to money, therefore time management is important. You’ll have to work in relax or tough routine sometimes.
• Editing and Proofreading is another important skill that is required for you to be a Content Writer. Putting the ideas on a paper is one aspect, but editing, rewriting, and proofreading is another important aspect. Famous writers say that almost 25%-35% of your time is usually spent on preparing the first draft, while 65% to 75% is required to re-write, edit and proofread that particular piece of writing.
• Due to the massive presence of most people on social media sites and online websites, a Content Writer also needs to have some understanding of Social Media as well. You need to take the help of social media for the promotion and enhancing your reach to more audiences.
• Last but not least is the passion to write. If you enjoy writing something, you can definitely become a Content Writer.

Career Options for Content Writers:

As a writer, you have many career paths to go through. Here you are going to know a few of the career options that you can choose to start as a Content Writing Professional.

Freelance Marketplaces:

You can join any of the following famous international Freelance marketplaces to start your career as a Content Writer.

Upwork.com, Freelancer.com, Guru.com, Peopleperhour.com, Fiverr.com, etc.

All these are Freelancing marketplaces, with certain rules and regulations. These marketplaces play the role of a middleman between you and the client (Someone whom you’re writing for).

Your interests are safeguarded as a writer in these marketplaces, at the same time the interests of the clients are also taken care of.

In return, these marketplaces have a certain percentage as their charges to take care of all the things between you and your client.

As a writer, you need to establish a portfolio of your niche, a good rapport, and credentials or badges on these marketplaces. The rapport maybe you’re standard while approaching a job or client for a contract.

The credentials or badges may be your relevant skills, previous job history, and most importantly the testimonials that you have from your previous work or clients.

Once having this you can earn a handsome amount from international clients, businesses, individuals, or organizations.

Establishing your own Business of Content Writing in India:

While in the field of Content Writing if you want to be your own boss, you should always try to establish your own business.

As an entrepreneur, you can establish your own business and provide employment to others as well. Writing skills can help you do so.

You can promote your brand as a Writer in a specific industry or with many niches.

You can be a company that facilitates businesses, organizations, or individuals by Grant writing or Grant Proposals Writing.

There are many non-government-organizations, non-profit-organizations, charity organizations, and multinational companies who may hire your company for such writing from a donor agency.

You can be a publishing company, a ghostwriter for someone. People may hire you to produce content for their businesses like Educational Institutions. Such writing may be the legal documents for those Institutions, or they may be reports related to some aspect of the organizations.

You may be writing biographies or even books etc. Your services as a brand will be hired by these organizations or individuals.

One can also establish a Writing business by producing fictional content. You can produce Content like short stories for kids, novels for a particular age group, entertainment content for readers, news stories, case studies, white papers, technical reports and summaries, technical reviews on various gadgets.

You can develop your skills as a Freelance Journalist, an E-Book writer, a researcher, a proofreader, Blogger as well. There are so many options for you.

If you can review various gadgets or ICT pieces of equipment or any other kind of tools, instruments, or equipment, then you can also create and promote your own brand identity.

Once you establish credibility in the related market, you can provide your services as a consultant to various firms, government agencies, organizations, or businesses.

Copywriting:

Copywriting is another trending career path for the Content Writing profession. It is writing for the purpose of conversion.

This form of Content Writing actually triggers the appetite of the audience or readers towards certain actions.

The action may be to subscribe to your website, the action may be to convince the audience to purchase something, or such action may be the promotion of a certain brand or service.

Copywriting also includes pitching cold emails for businesses or services.

Branding yourself as a Blogger:

This means as a Content Writer you can generate a handsome amount through blogging. This may be a part-time job or a full-time job.

Your earning will vary depending on the way you manage your blog. It also depends on the fact that how many of the subscribers are in your reach, or what is marketing strategy that you adopt for your blog site.

There are various ways to generate money from blogging in India. You can do affiliate marketing by promoting the products from the world’s largest retailer like Amazon or any other of this sort.

There may also be another way to monetize your blog by displaying ads on your blog.

Therefore blogging is a very popular way to generate passive as well as active income through Content Writing in India or anywhere in the world.

Writing for Social Media outlets:

There are numerous companies and businesses that know the importance of social media presence in this digital world.

The ultimate goal of every business is to earn money from clients or consumers. We’re well aware that people have no time to read lengthy things about a product or service.

As a producer, you need to knock on the door of the customer. Social media is the best way to let your potential customer know about your brand.

Popular companies or organizations and businesses sometimes cannot manage their social media presence. At this stage, the role of Content Writing comes into place.

You as a Content Writer will be hired by these businesses to produce and manage their social media content for such businesses.

Technical Writing:

One of the most exciting areas in Content Writing is Technical Writing. Technical Writing means writing user manuals, guides, software descriptions, compiling and composing standard operating procedures for some business or activity or event. It also includes producing some legal documents related to a particular technical field.

It may also include writing agreements for various businesses or activities. The demand for this type of Content Writing is expected to grow faster almost 10% than other such skills as predicted by a website on the subject “Instructional Solution”.

The traditional definition of Technical Writing has somehow changed now. This area of Content Writing now includes the production of any sort of technical documents, whether that may be a report, a summary, or may any sort of document which conveys some technical information.

If you have the ability to ask interesting questions, neat and fascinating stories, then you can earn from this sector of Content Writing in India as well.

News & Magazine Writing:

The good old days are gone. The news is now read online. The renowned Newspapers now publish their online versions, which are supposed to be readable on mobile devices even. The Content for these Newspapers are written by the Content Writers.

Content Writing in India has a lot of scopes as long as Newspapers and Magazines are concerned. This area of Content Writing is mainly enjoyed by the Journalists community, but you as a writer can also write for News and Magazines.

Editor Proofreader:

Editing and Proofreading are other areas of Content Writing. Many publishing houses in India are in need to hire expert writers who can edit, or proofread writing to make it presentable at the final stage. This area of Content Writing is also quite in demand.

Website Content Development:

Businesses, organizations, Institutions, and Governments agencies have their websites to share information with their customers, or viewers. Website Content Development is another rich area of Content Writing.

You can develop your expertise in writing and designing website pages like a landing page, home page, etc.

Scriptwriting

Another area of Content Writing is Script Writing, a famous one and has a lot of potentials to earn as a creative Content writer.

According to the Quora website, an average scriptwriter in India earns between 98,920 to 1163,493. Scriptwriting is usually done for screen.

As an advanced film Industry, Indian scriptwriters have a lot of job scope.

Academic Writer:

Educational organizations, universities, or such kinds of businesses that have to deal with education need the services of Academic Writers.

Such writers have to produce a Curriculum for a particular field of study, they may produce books or research papers writing, or any other research.

This aspect of Content creation in India requires you to have some expertise in the area that you are writing in.

As an academic writer, you need to follow certain writing styles or writing guides.

Film and entertainment industry Critic:

Content Writing in India has also a scope in the film and entertainment industry. As one of the major film industries, India is a place of choice for film writers, and filmmakers.

You as a writer can develop your skills to write creative, fictional content. There are a lot of jobs for short story writers, scriptwriters, etc.

Therefore Content writing has a bigger scope as long as the film and entertainment industry is concerned. 

Joining Multi-National Corporations and Businesses:

There are a lot of jobs available in the corporate world in India. You may need to develop a business plan, a proposal, Newsletter writing, stories, case studies development, creation of fascinating and attractive messages for billboards or for emailing to clients of businesses.

Such jobs also include services solutions, presentations, and many more. The writer just needs to have a command of the niche that he/she is supposed to write in, secondly, SEO skills are also needed for these jobs.

Best Ways to Search Freelance Writing Jobs:

Besides the famous Freelance marketplaces for writing jobs, one should adopt the following way to reach clients.

• Try to work for free in the beginning. Your work may be needed by someone on social media groups. Try to reach out to local businesses and share your resume to start voluntarily with companies or businesses or brands.
• Rather than to make yourself tired and disappointed by searching for jobs on famous Freelance marketplaces, it is advisable to join local writing clubs, network yourself with local writing communities, and market your skills. Though difficult in the beginning, it is the only way to reach your destination as an established writer.
• It is also noteworthy not to worry about the amount paid in the beginning. You might be paid quite insufficiently for your work in the beginning, but this stage has soon to pass. As a beginner, you need to think bigger by taking small but important steps.
• One should also search for job boards. Job boards are websites where employers post their jobs like famous freelance marketplaces.  These job providers not only give you job opportunities but also may give brush-up sessions, seminars, and interaction with established writers to polish your skills.
• At the beginning marketing your brand identity as a writer is needed. Following are some of the portfolio showcase sites that may be helpful to showcase your work and establish a portfolio.

1. Writer’s Residence
2. Squarespace.com
3. Clipping.com
4. Behance.com
5. Format.com
6. Freelance Writer’s Den

You can also search for writers jobs by visiting the sites listed below:

1. Medium.com
2. Hubpages.com
3. Steemit.com
4. Substack.com
5. Quora.com
6. Ghost.org

A Piece of Advice for all Beginners in Content Writing in India or Anywhere:

• Be consistent and be patient. Writing is essentially a valuable and rewarding skill, but it is certainly a tiresome job too. You will need to be focused, and a smart worker. Approach clients by standing in their shoes, knowing their needs, and having the feeling of ownership for the clients’ business.
• Customize your job proposals every time by understanding the pain points of the client. Showcase your relevant skills related to that job post.
• Learn the basic SEO tools and techniques. It’s all about the reach to the readers. You write to be read, and that’s why it’s important to know how to reach the audience.
• Refresh your skills, try to master the skill of learning, unlearning, and relearning. Technology changes and so are the businesses. Therefore as a writer, you need to be updated all the time.
• Meet deadlines. Make sure that you take an assignment and do it on time. Commitment is the only thing that is vital in any business.
• Improve your language, communication, and presentation skills. This would help you to compete even with the native speakers.
• Don’t exaggerate your skillset. What you know is to be told to the employers.
• Read constantly. Reading not only helps you in the development of your personality, but it also enhances your wisdom. A well-read person looks into the world with different lenses. A good read for sure can be a good writer

Books Recommended:

• The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
• 4 Hours Work Week by Tim Ferris
• Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff
• Everybody Writes by Ann Handle

Conclusion:

Writing is a serious business/profession. You want to establish your identity in the digital writing industry, you will have to be real, and avoid any copy-pasting short-cuts.

There are numerous job opportunities for Content Writing in India. One has to be patient, and consistent in learning the modern trends of the writing industry.

It’s a knowledge intensive-desk job but rewarding in the same way. Joining any academy, which not only trains you but also provides a hands-on opportunity to guide you and place your steps in the real work environment is recommended.

Irrespective of the downfall if there, once you become an expert in a particular area, your demand will always be there.