Rashida
As a writer, you must be able to tackle subject matter in a wide array of industries. In my time at Content Cucumber, I’ve written for many different clients in industries I was not previously familiar with. I’ve become nearly an expert on masonry and learned a wealth of information about eCommerce, digital marketing, mental health, nutrition, and more.
It can certainly be challenging to write for so many different industries, especially to cover ones that are particularly complicated or technical.
Today, we’ll share some tips that will help you write for different industries.
When writing for an industry that you are not familiar with, where even do you start?
Starting to write for a new industry, or helping out another writer with a piece in a different industry can certainly be overwhelming. Here are some steps to take when starting to write for a new industry:
- Review the client’s website and social media. First, check out who the client is or the company you are writing for. Their website and social media will have a lot of helpful information about their target audience and industry topics.
- Examine competitor sites. Check out what other people in the industry are writing about and the tone of their websites.
- Search top-ranking posts. Search relevant keywords or article titles for that industry and see what comes up first on search engines. Top-ranking posts will also give you insight into the industry and the information that readers are looking for.
How do you decide the direction of a blog?
Even when given a topic or title, it can be hard to know what information to include in a blog, especially for a new industry.
Examples are incredibly helpful for writers. Again, review the top-ranking posts. What are they talking about? Look for key points that will be important to your readers, but also look for opportunities to expand or improve upon the information in the existing content.
Don’t overthink this step. If a topic is particularly complicated, a “what is X” section is usually an appropriate start. Oftentimes, benefits and considerations can be useful sections. In general, just think logically about the topic. If you were a reader, what would your questions be? Consult Google’s “People Also Ask” section for different search terms for more ideas on what information to include.
How do you come up with topics for different industries?
Coming up with topic ideas in different industries can also be a big challenge, especially at first. As you learn more about the industry through writing, this can come easier, but when you are writing for several different industries it can still be an obstacle.
Here are some ways to generate ideas for different industries:
- Review existing content for new ideas and angles. Maybe you can turn a small section from one blog into a completely new topic. Existing content from the brand is the first place you should look for new ideas.
- Industry leaders. Who are the big names in the industry and what are they writing about? Think about ways you can add value to the topics that industry leaders cover. Check on their website blogs, but also review social media for new ideas.
- Industry news. Industry news is an easy place to find content ideas. You can announce new happenings in the industry and add insight into the effect they may have or future trends to look out for.
What are your top tips for someone who is just starting a blog for their company?
Starting a new blog is an exciting venture that can add immense value to your customers! For the most beneficial blog, keep the following in mind:
- Balance SEO with value. While you certainly want to use a sound SEO strategy to create content that will help your site rank, don’t forget the importance of value. Your blog posts should provide something beneficial to your customers that they can’t just get on any other blog post on the topic.
- Go easy on the eyes. Make your content inviting and easy to read with the use of clear subheadings and bullet points. Stay away from long paragraphs and keep it simple. Even technical topics should be easy for the average person to understand with your writing!
- Think like your audience. Your blog isn’t just about promoting your business or talking about the topics you find interesting. The purpose of your blog is to deliver value to your audience so you can build a relationship with them. Think about what your audience needs. What are their questions and concerns? What obstacles do they face? Write content that aligns with your audience’s needs.
- The length should reflect the topic. When choosing a length for your blogs, you must consider the topic. Shorter blog posts should only cover a very specific topic or provide a really broad overview, whereas longer blog posts are well suited for more in-depth topics. According to Buffer, the best blog post length is 1,600 words, but you should also examine your analytics.
What are helpful things clients can do to make writing for new industries a smoother process?
Thanks to my clients, I’ve had a way easier time adjusting to some complicated new industries. As a person in the industry, sometimes certain terms or concepts seem like a no-brainer, but someone outside of the space may have never heard of the concept. Here are some of the most beneficial things clients have done:
- Give some background. A brief background on a topic makes it much easier to understand and research as a writer. I had one client provide a 2 sentence explanation of why the newest Apple iOS update impacted Facebook and that made a world of difference in my understanding of the topic.
- A few key examples. Providing a few inspirational pieces helps writers understand the tone, main points, and style of content you’re looking for. 3-4 examples is the sweet spot. What’s even better is when clients give some details about what they like or don’t like from the inspirational pieces. One of my clients gives information like “I like the information in article X, but it’s not easy to read” or “I’d like more actionable tips added to the end of the article, making it 400-words longer than article Y.”
- Specifics. If you know which points you want to be included in an article or have an idea of the subheadings you’d like, sharing that with the writer ensures you get the information you are looking for. As a writer, I can only research based on my understanding of the content, and for new industries, it’s not always apparent what to include for a certain topic. Providing as specific of a request as possible guides the research and writing process while also ensuring the most important information for your audience is covered.
Writing for many different industries can be difficult, but it also allows you to learn about a wide range of topics and hone research and writing skills. Do you have any other tips that help you write for new or technical industries? We’d love to hear them and share more about our writing process as well!
