How Do I Become an Engaging and Credible Writer?

Have you ever come across an article you loved?

What about a book that you just couldn’t put down?

A unique headline, catchy statistics, or an eye-catching image, help draw the audience into your content.

I’m sure you have! But have you asked yourself, what made that article or book so special that you just had to finish it?

Is there a blog or website you recommend to your friends when they need help?

Why?

The answer is simple: the writer is credible and engaging.

They have a way with words that draws you in.

You feel a connection with both the writer and their writing. As a freelancer, this is a great superpower!

You can develop it too!

What Does It Mean to Be Engaging?

Imagine yourself in the mall, window shopping.

Just as you pass by a department store, you notice an outfit that catches your eye.

Without realizing it, you’re inside the store, looking for the outfit in other colors and in your size.

Writing can be used the same way.

A unique headline, catchy statistics, or an eye-catching image, help draw the audience into your content.

As a writer, it’s essential to use your words to convey information in a way that will resonate with your reader.

Now that you understand the idea of engaging content, let’s talk about how to write it.

How to Write Engaging Content

1. Choose a Good Headline

For example, my blog has a tool called the Headline Analyzer.

When I upload any sort of blog post for the week, I tend to create an outline and then go back to the title.

I never use my first title. Why?

Chances are, the first title that you think of will be very common. The Headline Analyzer scores my headline every time I create one.

A score of 40-60 is considered good, but anything over 60 is great! Great usually means that it’s a unique title. Here’s an example of two similar titles:

How to Diet and Lose Weight

How the Right Foods Will Help You Achieve Your Ideal Weight!

If I wrote two similar articles using these two titles, which one would you be more inclined to read? Both titles are similar and the articles are too, but the second title is more eye-catching, right?

The first one is very vague and too general.

The second title uses words like “right” and “achieve” which resonate better with the reader. It gives the feeling that the article was meant for that specific reader.

You’ve personalized your article by just using a better title. Using a headline that grabs attention is a way to hook your reader.

2. Be Enthusiastic

Next, you want to express your love and enthusiasm for what you write.

Readers can tell if you’re passionate about your topic by the tone that you use. Think about your best friend raving about a great movie they just saw.

Your tone of writing will create the same enthusiasm and excitement in the reader, encouraging them to finish reading your article. So choose a niche that you really enjoy.

3. Connect With the Reader

Try to make a connection with your audience as you write.

For example, my style of writing is casual.

I want my audience to feel like we’re having a conversation. Although some of my blog posts might be more educational, I stay away from sounding like a textbook.

On my Medium profile, I’ve noticed that the articles that do better (in terms of reads and claps) are the ones that I’ve told as my life story.

Share your experiences with the readers. Not only does this help develop a connection, but it also improves your credibility as a writer.

4. Images Can Help!

If there are relevant images that fit into your content, and that provide value, use them!

Visuals always help the reader understand your point of view and visualize where your content is headed.

I made the mistake of having my landing page full of words and words only.

While my content was informative, it was difficult to follow because the number of words was overwhelming.

I converted some of that content into a flow chart to explain my services as a freelancer and now my landing page has a better flow.

Now that you have some ideas on how to make your writing more engaging, let’s discuss how to build your credibility.

Credibility is how much you can convince or persuade your readers about the content you write.

Building credibility along with engagement are two key ingredients for success!

How Can I Write With Credibility?

Using statistics to support your ideas conveys not only confidence to your readers, but shows the readers that you’ve done your research.

Don’t forget to cite all sources that you use to draw conclusions from your content. When doing research, don’t just use the first few links you notice on Google.

Use credible sources. Literary journals, news articles, and case studies are all great sources for research. Wikipedia on the other hand, might not be such a great choice.

Respecting your target audience is crucial to building credibility.

Remember, your readers are like you, they don’t want to be lied to.

I’ve seen so many content creators, especially on YouTube lose followers because of collaborations with companies that provided subpar products.

These creators lied to their viewers just to get paid by these companies. Do not do this! If you feel something isn’t good, then say it. Be honest.

Finally, make sure your content is free from spelling and grammatical errors.

Reading unedited, poorly written content is a huge turn-off!

There are many ways to ensure your work is problem free! You can hire a proofreader or you can use Grammarly.

Grammarly is free to sign up for! If you install their plugin on your web browser, regardless of where you write (email or even a text message!), Grammarly will check it and give you editing suggestions to improve your content.

Finally, avoid using fluff.

Using generic and generalized statements is a big no-no. Just as it’s important to have a detail-oriented and unique headline, the content you provide should match up.

Be detailed.

Answer both sides of the question at hand. In my earlier headline example, “How the Right Foods Will Help You Achieve Your Ideal Weight!,” I would also include common myths about certain “healthy” food.

I would touch base on foods that are horrible, for people trying to lose weight.

Providing both sides of a problem gives the reader the understanding that you have researched and understood the topic you chose to write about.

Keeping these tips in mind, the next time you sit to create content will definitely give you the confidence you need in becoming an engaging and credible writer.

Practicing these techniques along with reading blogs and articles published by other freelancers, help hone my craft into something I feel confident about.

Use these tips and learn from others.

Make it a point to engage with other writers in your niche!

Keep updated about your field and always be open to learning.