Anyone can write, but not everyone can be a writer, says Claudia Mossman, our resident content manager. Writing takes great skill – it has to both serve the reader’s needs and meet a brand’s broader objectives.
So, no, not everyone can write well. That’s why we have Claudia in our team. In our first interview, we gave you a glimpse into her life outside of Trio. This time, we sat down with Claudia to discuss her thoughts on the industry and her experience in content marketing. Let’s hear what she has to say.
What drew you to digital marketing?
Digital marketing is so multifaceted. It’s a fuse between logic and creativity, which, while on the opposite ends of the spectrum, work so well together. On the creative side, there’s branding, content creation and copywriting. On the other hand, it’s SEO, PPC and data analytics. Each of these areas is so different, allowing me to find my niche: content writing.
I’ve always been creative. I’ve dabbled in art and have loved the English language (and all its complexities) since graduating from university.
So, instead of funnelling my new-found love into being a miserable novelist, I jumped into content marketing, where I could put my skills to practice.
Are there any key lessons you’ve learnt that influence your work today?
Saying everything in as little as possible. Aka, writing concisely. When I look back to my junior days, I used to squeeze as much in as possible. Because why should you leave the reader guessing about the solution? While this still holds, it doesn’t mean you have to cover everything.
Unwieldy sentences, complex words, never-ending monologues… you know, the stuff that dilutes whatever you were trying to convey in the first place. Brevity didn’t come naturally to me. Instead, it’s something I picked up over my career. I learnt the usual way: writing ugly drafts and editing until you could get the key points of my message.
You would assume that writing concisely would be quicker since it involves fewer words. When, in fact, it doesn’t. Mark Twain, the 19th-century writer, summarises this perfectly:
Rambling on is much easier than being succinct. When I’m writing blogs or web copy, I dedicate time to getting to the point. So, the next time you ask a writer to ‘whip up a ‘few’ lines of copy in the next hour’, forgive their eye rolls and gawping faces. You may as well be asking us to fit a novel into a tweet.
Concise writing takes time, skill and careful thought – far more than just throwing words on a page.
What content marketing trends do you find most influential?
Trends come and go, but one that’s sticking around is the rise of AI content. While ChatGPT has matured since its launch, search engines have become better at separating AI-generated content from people-first copy. Simplifying copying and pasting content won’t work – you need to use AI as your foundation, which you work off to create something unique.
AI isn’t here to replace jobs like mine; instead, it’s here to make them easier. Brands will start using AI to handle admin or data-heavy tasks, then use their voice, real-world expertise and insights to refine the rest. If you use AI without caution, don’t expect anything in return, especially when the most popular search engine, Google, has a stance like this:
Here’s where the next trend comes into play: original, high-quality, people-first content will take centre stage. Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness) qualities will become essential for those seeking success in Google search.
AI content is generic – it rehashes what’s been said a thousand times. Not only that, but generative AI often fabricates evidence and relies on out-of-touch, complex language. This year, we’ll start to see more brands becoming personal, whether that’s through anecdotes, case studies or unique narratives from their in-house experts.
My key takeaway is to lean into authentic experiences to transform content from generic AI-generated fluff into a must-read resource.
Hungry for more? E-E-A-T up our series:
How do SEO and content teams work together to achieve better rankings?
Search engine algorithms are constantly changing, making SEO a never-ending job. Despite these changes, one thing remains consistent: helpful, high-quality content outranks everything.
SEO content makes both the user and search engines happy. The intention is to engage, inform and eventually convert. I achieve this by working in harmony with Darren, our SEO Manager. I write the content with the user in mind, and Darren gives the raw insight – such as keyword research – to optimise it for search. Put the two together, and you get people-first content, which improves search visibility, rankings and user experience.
Do you have any tips for effective content writing?
Do your research. This can be the longest part of the writing process, and you have to make time for it. In my role, I manage content for a large-format print supplier. I have no experience in this industry or understand the language used. As part of my research, I sit with the client’s project and account management teams to know what they do and how they help particular industries.
This first-hand insight allows me to write content that aligns with Google’s E-E-A-T qualities. I also research online, read industry publications and find myself deep in forums and competitor websites to get a better understanding. When you have the research, you will write better.
My other content writing tips include:
- Know your purpose – SEO content is not the same as website copy. One is to educate; the other is to inspire and convert. Whatever you’re writing, figure out what your objectives are so you know how to tailor your content around it.
- Conduct keyword research – Select your primary keyword and any semantic or long-tail phrases that you want to target in your content. Incorporating semantic keywords will help search engines understand the page context and match it to more user queries.
- Choose the right format – You could write a how-to guide, listicle, gated content, white paper or case study. The format varies depending on your end goal. For example, if you want to increase leads, gated content requires users to fill out a lead generation form to access the content.
- Optimise header tags – HTML header tags are just a technical term for headings (H1s) and subheadings (H2s and H3s). These structure your content, so use them effectively. Always add your target keywords and try to frame them like the questions seen in ‘people also ask’ on Google search. Doing this will increase your visibility on SERPs.
- Proofread your work – Final draft done? Now it’s time to review. I recommend reading aloud. You’ll notice when sentences leave you breathless and need a comma (or, better yet, breaking them into shorter sentences). Proofreading is essential for catching spelling and grammar mistakes that could affect the quality of your work.
Want to hear more from me? My top reads are:
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