What are the various types of content writing categories ?
While at school we had little knowledge about content writing. From nursery till Post Graduation in English even, you will not find a single chapter on content writing. Writing is related to the comprehension section of English Grammar. Almost all of us are familiar with comprehension part like writing letter, precis, paragraph, summary, story writing and report writing. We were not sure that there can a good career for English Literature students or anybody who can write well which is called as content writing. May be in some private institutions, content writing is taught as a course. But today, you can find many online courses on content writing.
The various types of content writing niches have been discussed below:
Articles and Blog Posts
Article is a long form of content that is written on contemporary issues with substantial amount of research or an interview. There is no marked differences between an article and a blog post. You can publish your article on any platform such as a website, social media or a newspaper. Blog post can be updated from time to time. Almost every website has a blog section attached to it. The blog of a particular website drives traffic for the website. Often the blog posts try to call the audience to act in order to use or buy the services of the concerned website. There are many websites which are simply blogs.
Website content
We come across a number of websites daily to fulfill some of our needs from taking admissions to buying clothes. The website contains texts, images, videos or animations. Besides a blog section, a website contain some static pages like About Us, Contact Us, Home Page etc. While crafting such pages, you will have to follow certain guidelines. The ultimate aim of a website content is to drive visitors and fulfill their queries.
Book and eBook writing
E-books are getting popular nowadays. They are simply electronic version of a printed book. As e-book is convenient in a number of ways. Again while writing an e-book you have to consider certain norms. Most book lovers or travelers nowadays carry e-book reader with them. E-book has a number of advantages over traditional books.
Technical Writing
Technical writing involves writing about scientific or technical things in a simple manner so that common people understands it. It is the documentation of all kinds of complex technical processes. The industries dealing with technical products require technical writers.
UX writing
A UX writer crafts a UI copy that guides users through a digital product (website, mobile App, etc.). Take for example a digital product like WhatsApp or a Game App. You will be guided through some texts inside the App. Some texts will be in the form of buttons, some as menus while some other as error messages etc. Every touch you make is on the basis of the texts you understand. UX simply means User Experience. UX writing is slightly different from copywriting in the sense that it guides the user through the digital interface in an intuitive manner.
Resume writing
Job seekers require the resumes. There are certain rules and formats for writing a proper resume. The goal of a resume is to get quick response form the concerned organization or company. Resume is an one page document that contains a candidate’s contact info, educational qualifications and work history.
Cover Letters
A cover letter is attached with a resume. It contains the professional experience of the candidate in brief with regard to the job nature of the post applied. The main goal of a cover letter is to tell the employer why the respective job seeker is the best and right candidate for the post.
Job descriptions
A content writer may work for a job website and write job descriptions for them on a continuous basis. Every job has some kind of descriptions attached to it.
Social Media Copy
The content that we come across in social medias. A good social media copy engages, educates and excites the audience. Knowledge of search engine analytics or SEO is necessary to write a good social media copy.
Social Media Profiles
Social media presence is vital nowadays for any individual or business. It is the social media profiles or bios that put the first impression of an individual or business over its audience. While writing a social media profile emphasis is given on the following information with regard to the individual or business.
- Who you are
- What you do
- Where you work
- what your interests are
- your brand’s tone
- How one can get in touch with you
White papers
Whitepaper is an informational document on a specific topic which presents a problem and its solution. Before launching a product or a service a company may issue a white paper. A government, before passing a bill, usually issue a white paper for the public. Before launching a scheme or a product it is required to educate the people about how the latter can solve their problem. More specifically we can say white papers as advanced problem-solving guides.
Case Studies
It is writing about business success stories but in a way such that it was able to solve a specific problem. In case study you analyze a business problem or any real life problem and try to give the most relevant solution with the help of proper evidence.
Podcast Writing
It is the script of a podcast episode. You don’t have to write each and every word the speaker intends to say. Rather you have to write it pointwise with missing any important dialogue.
Ad Copy
A good Ad Copy drives the sale of a product or a service. Here, you write about the possible objections a customer might have in buying the product. At the same time, you try to highlight the benefits of buying the product.
Script Writing
It is writing down the entire story or drama from all dimensions like action, movements, dialogues of the characters, music tone etc. in a screenplay format. Script is required in film, drama, video games and nowadays in web series as well.
Product Descriptions
It is the marketing copy of a product which explains about the product and why the product is worth purchasing. Businesses that sell online require good descriptions of their products.
Product Review
This is the customer’s experience after using a particular product. You can write it as a customer or you may write it on behalf of other customers as well. Here, you will have to note down all the positives and the negatives of the product. You will have to write the truth about the product.
Speech Writing
Speech writing is conveying a message to an audience. While writing an effective speech, you have to make certain analysis like the purpose of the speech, allotted time and the audience.
Press Releases
Usually the journalist writes them. But for writing a press release you needn’t to have the tag of a journalist. Press release follows a format. There will be catchy heading at the top. You will then summarize the content in the first paragraph. Finally you will elaborate your topic which is called body of the press release.
Creative Writing
This type of writing is based on imagination. The range of creative writing is very vast. The poems, stories, novels come under this category where the writer tries to evoke emotion into the readers.
Research and Summaries
A professional researcher often describes his or her research to prospective clients in the form of a summary. Here, you have to understand the key points of the research and concise it to become suitable for the reader.
Legal Writing
These are documents related to law. This type of writing is complex and technical. Common people require a lawyer or some legal experts to understand this type of document. Most business agreements between two parties are nothing but a legal document.
Grant Writing
This is writing a proposal on behalf of a company that applies for some grant from the government or non-government organizations. Here, a writer completes the whole application of the grant process. Non-profit organizations require grant writers as they frequently need proposal submission to the government.
Transcripts
An educational transcript is a document that contains the entire enrollment history of a student such as courses taken, grades earned, marks, honors and degrees. There are other types of transcripts as well.
Email Copy
The purpose of email varies across industries but most email are for marketing purposes. There are certain rules, formats and and etiquettes for writing an email copy. Businesses require email marketing to survive in a digital world. A good email copy has the power of persuasion.
Book Editing
This is to prepare a book for publishing. Book editing occurs on various dimensions like plot development, correction of spellings and grammar, etc. Book editing requires almost all round knowledge of content writing.
E-learning content development
With the eLearning Industry on the rise, a lot of companies are investing in this domain and the requirement of academic content is ever increasing in both textual and video format. eLearning videos require eLearning scripts. This is a new form of content writing which has got immense importance post COVID.