The Different Types Of Content Writing You’ll Find Online

Many people consume content online every day. Whether it’s from watching videos or reading blogs, it’s a way for users, customers, viewers, and readers alike to spend time while online. Content marketers take advantage of their leads and consumers’ ways to consume content that they go the extra mile in reaching their target audience. Online content writing is an effective way to reach your target audience. 

For some marketers, having written content would boost conversion rates. For some, having written content can help their customers make a purchase. Consequently, written content remains a great way to connect with audiences and provide them with value. 

That said, written content comes in many forms but the following types of online content can help drive engagement and revenue.

Blog Posts

Writing blog posts is one of the most common forms of online content writing. Content marketers and writers employ this strategy to direct traffic to their site. In a marketing sense, blog posts act as guides or pieces of information that would help the lead get an idea of how their products or services work.

There are different types of blog posts one can write. 

One of the most common types of blog posts is how-to posts. How-to posts offer its readers to follow a process. For example, it helps assemble a product or even use one. It acts as a guide for beginners as well. Social Media Examiner utilizes a how-to post for marketers to learn more about social media tips and tricks.

Listicles are another form of online content writing. You can share anything about the top songs from 2018 or the best running shoes. It’s easy to write because you can just add anything relevant to the topic. You can even make a countdown for listicles.

Other types of posts you can write about are interviews, stories, round-up, and inspirational posts. You don’t have to write about the company all the time. If you can, tap an expert, one of your employees, or even your customers. You’d want to show that “human” side of your company and the connections you make. For example, these posts can help you learn about one of your clients or customers (another form of testimonials). 

For some, blog writing is personal. It’s a way for some people to post about their daily lives or document a momentous occasion. Some bloggers, however, have shared their personal lives to the public. It gives the public a feeling of “living vicariously” through these bloggers. In a way, several bloggers have managed to make a name for themselves through sharing their lives and getting more readers (and viewers, for those who also do video blogging).

Product Descriptions or Service Content

Another form of online content writing is product descriptions. It goes the same for services as well. Product or service descriptions are considered copywriting. But well-written copy can acquire new customers and evoke purchase intent.

In the case of product writing, it tends to exaggerate so it can entice potential customers to buy the products. But it works because it helps the potential buyer to get a sense of the product, its features, and its benefits through the five senses.

Amazon’s Alexa Echo Dot (3rd Generation) is one of its best sellers. The product’s copy highlights the most important features of its description. Its portability, ability to control smart applications and connectivity make it the top three reasons for buying the product. Amazon optimized the description to get purchases based on its function and its difference among smart speakers.

Copywriters can integrate the right keywords in product descriptions.

For those offering services only, like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, they use landing pages to attract its leads. The landing page is a page on the company’s website dedicated to marketing and advertising purposes. Landing pages also require content since its main objective is to convert a lead into a customer.

Dropbox, a SaaS company, uses a landing page when you click on their website. It immediately enables a potential customer to become a user. A potential customer can also scroll down on their website and learn more about their cloud syncing and collaborative features. At the end of the page, one can select two options between freelancers and teams.

You can write content (or a copy) for webinars and online courses. Hubspot offers different types of courses for sales and marketers. In a way, Hubspot repurposed its content and made it into a webinar, as many do. 

Webinar Content Example:

One example of content for a webinar is from Rob Percival’s “The Complete Digital Marketing Course”. 

For someone who has no UDemy account, Percival advertises his course by adding data and numbered tips that a student can consider before purchasing the course. Like many UDemy courses, the instructor gives the student a Certificate of Completion, which can motivate students to finish the course.

News Updates or Articles

Articles are types of content that provide updates for their users. What makes it different from a blog post is articles are usually presented as news. It still follows the idea of using keywords, but articles tend to be straightforward and provide details only when necessary.  News, features, and updates are examples of articles.

For most companies, it’s a way for them to show transparency.

Facebook has its dedicated newsroom for all their important updates. They post significant updates and announcements of their platform, which some marketers or bloggers post about on their websites or blogs.

While press releases aren’t considered articles, but some companies typically issue one as their form of updates to the public. Toshiba’s newsroom features their press releases so its stakeholders are well-informed of their business transactions.

Web Pages

The content on one’s website is a type of online content writing. Content writers should remember the user in mind when writing website pages. 

Neil Patel recommends not to put every single piece of information on the homepage and let them explore your website further. In all pages, Patel suggests to add a Call to Action (CTA) so the users can further engage with the business.

A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page is an example of a web page. If done properly, you can optimize that page with keywords. Check out Microsoft’s FAQ Page. 

It’s divided between Windows and Office, which are the corporation’s two main products.

The questions are structured as if an actual person was asking them. The use of “I” helps because they can connect with their users better. 

Another type of website content is the About Us page. McKinsey & Company’s About Us page contains its mission, vision, goals, services, and accomplishments. To enhance that page, they added data to support their accomplishments and features their employees as well.

Ebooks

Some bloggers or marketers practice repurposing their content. It’s a way for marketers and bloggers to have an extra source of income. An ebook is one example of online content writing that customers can use as a resource or a guide.

Before writing an ebook you have to consider these key elements:

Topic

What are you writing about? Is it something you’re familiar with?

Purpose

Why are you writing this? Who’s this ebook for?

Structure and Design

How many chapters would there be? What design do you envision the pages of your ebook?

Content

What type of information are you writing? What types of data and photos are relevant for your ebook?

Promotion

Where will you publish this? On your website or through a platform? In what form will you publish this?

Take Search Engine Journal’s “A Complete Guide to SEO” as an example. Their ebook has two versions. It has a downloadable and online version divided into different chapters. In this case, it’s better to have two formats because your customer or user can read your ebook offline. For those who are writers, they can link your ebook on their blogs or articles.

Email Newsletters

Email marketing is another way for marketers to capture new leads and keep their customers loyal by giving out promotions and discounts. Some companies send out email newsletters to their subscribers to get them updated. 

Many email newsletters are visual since it’s easier to skim for subscribers. Although it still requires a copy, it’s a factor to convert subscribers to make a purchase or subscribe to a service.

However, some email newsletters aren’t intended for marketing. Hubspot’s Lindsay Kolowich found this newsletter on her inbox. It’s a newsletter that contains different articles in one newsletter. It provides value to the reader because it’s well written and is high-quality due to the sources used in the articles.

In the end, the content of your email newsletter depends on you and how you can engage users, readers, or customers.

The Bottomline

Content marketers utilize many different ways to attract new customers to their site or to purchase a product or service. The usage of (optimized) written content can engage customers in different platforms and help them make decisions. The six types of written content are just some of the many found online.

It’s up to you which strategies to pursue and which type of content would best suit your business.