Inbound Content

Chapter 5Becoming an Effective Writer

Why Effective Writing Matters

Let me start by telling you a little secret: Even for professional writers, writing is hard. It's not a skill that's learned naturally.

But words are the currency of the web. And to be an effective marketer, you need to learn to use these words in ways that benefit your business and brand.

So why does effective writing matter so much?

At its core, effective content is relevant and useful to your audience—your reader. It makes your reader, not your company and its revenue targets or goals, your number one priority. Your writing should use your audience's language and show that you understand their pain points, challenges, and goals. It should be produced to help people, not just sell them on your products or services.

On average, people consume 285 pieces of content, or 54,000 words, every single day.¹

That's a lot of words competing for one person's attention.

Your writing must slow down the reader and prevent them from clicking another link. It has to get them to stop, read, think, learn, and consider what you have to say.

To get your audience to put on the brakes as they browse, your writing has to be helpful and useful. And when your content is helpful and useful, day after day, month after month, people begin to connect with you and your business. They begin to trust your ideas and knowledge because of how you've expressed them and what they've learned from you. And then they begin to rely on you as a ...