The State of Content Writing 2022
By the end of 2021, there was a record of nearly 50,000 content writers in the US. The peak of SEO Copywriting and Content Writing certainly has something to do with the rise of remote and hybrid work. Moreover, companies are aware more than ever that quality long-form articles can build long-lasting customer relationships.
When asked if they outsource Content Writing, this is how companies replied:
Source: Semrush
From the graph above, we can conclude what’s the most important for companies. First, they find it very important for content writers to be very well aware of the brand they’re writing about. Secondly, they need to be in day-to-day communication with the rest of the team. They need to be passionate and have an above-average talent for storytelling (considering how many content writers are there).
The best content writers have usually started their careers at another position in the company .
You’d be surprised to learn that the best content writers have usually started their careers at another position in the company. Only after getting familiar with the brand, they proceeded to share their words.
On that note, this is how Tia Walker, a Content Writer with formal education in Creative Writing, Literature, and Languages and a native English speaker, started her career in this field:
“My professional path was a bit unconventional. It was important to me to study what I really loved, which is Creative Writing. Afterward, I wanted to use my education and interests in my future profession. Before becoming a Content Writer, I worked in Customer Support. Although that’s far from writing, everything I learned there was beneficial for my future work. While working in marketing, I was required to do other tasks as well, but I enjoyed writing for the company’s blog the most”, she remembers.
Can Anyone Do SEO Copywriting?
Those first entering the job market, especially non-tech people, often tend to apply for SEO Copywriting or Content Writing positions. The reasoning is probably because most of them think it can’t be as difficult. But these positions require a lot of self-work and reading, as Tia explains.
“When someone asks my brother what he does for a living, he says facial recognition technology. The person would then seem impressed. On the other hand, when I say I write articles, it’s not the same reaction. But then again, when I read what my engineer friends write about their work, I don’t understand a single thing. That’s why they need us, content writers. We’re there to translate their doings into a language that’s easy to understand. Only then can people be aware of how that product or service can solve their problems”, says Tia.
With Content Writing comes a great responsibility, which is often neglected. Let’s say you’re reviewing a mattress you’ve never seen in person, touched, or laid in it. How can you, with such confidence, recommend it to customers?
Consequently, readers have become suspicious of the articles’ credibility. Instead, they rely on the website’s reputation or certain influencers. And it seems that many writers are aware of this problem but have lowered their expectation bar over time.
In a study conducted by Typeset and Mantis Research, writers were asked to rate their satisfaction with written content in the past 12 months. This is how they responded:
Source: Typeset
Instead of 'Writing is hard: I have to work harder at it’, we get 'Writing is hard: we can expect a so-so result’.
The same research showed that 86% of them know that readers will judge their brand negatively if they see errors in written content. However, only 34% said their articles are proofread. Moreover, almost half of them (44%) never fact-check their content.
Challenges of Freelance Content Writers
Switching to freelance or remote work may sound like a dream come true. But even the most enthusiastic ones are going to struggle through the adaptation period.
It sounds tempting knowing you will save time for commute work. Some are looking forward to working in pajamas and having homemade coffee with their pet running around. But it’s not all that fun if you don’t know how to discipline yourself and be productive at the end of the day.
Tia recommends her routine:
“In the beginning, I would panic a lot. I would work 12-13 hours because I wanted the text to be perfect. I was close to burnout, but I realized this way of functioning wasn’t sustainable. Now I’ve made myself a routine. Usually, I work from 8 am to 4 pm. What turned out to be great is moving my cell phone to the other room so it doesn’t distract me. I plan my breaks in advance and focus only on work. What’s more, I give myself deadlines when the first draft needs to be finished, and afterward edit it. It’s always better to meet the deadline than to spend extra time writing and be two days late”, she says.
And indeed, based on a LinkedIn survey related to freelance writers’ most prominent work challenges, almost half of them (47%) cited ‘sticking to a regular schedule as their #1 challenge.
Source: LinkedIn
The current job market is diverse and dynamic, and many opportunities are posted on online platforms, especially if you’re looking to join a Web 3.0 organization. What Tia recommends as the most wanted type of content is a short-form SEO copywriting:
“I see many more job ads for SEO Copywriting than for Content Writing. Writing for landing pages, CTA, and email marketing is required the most, whereas long-form articles are usually useful for brand awareness and SEO”, she concludes.
