Introduction
Content writing is a broad field that covers a wide variety of topics. As a content writer, you may be tasked with researching and writing pieces on numerous subjects depending on your client’s industry, niche, and goals. While every brand and business has their own individual needs, there are certain topics that tend to come up again and again in content writing projects. Understanding these common topics can help you strengthen your skills and knowledge in high demand areas.
Some of the most frequent topics content writers cover include:
Blog Posts
Blog posts are one of the primary content formats many businesses rely on today. Writing blog posts allows companies to establish themselves as thought leaders, increase customer understanding of their products/services, and boost website traffic and rankings. Common blog post topics include:
Product/service overviews and explanations – Writing educational posts that provide detailed descriptions and highlight the benefits of a company’s offerings. These help visitors understand exactly what is being sold.
Industry news and trends – Sharing the latest developments, studies, and innovations happening within a particular field. Readers are kept up-to-date on how their sector is changing.
Educational and how-to guides – Creating step-by-step tutorials that teach visitors how to use a product, complete a task, or solve a problem. Valuable for generating leads and fostering customer relationships.
Case studies and customer stories – Profile real clients to demonstrate product success stories in a compelling narrative format. Illustrates how problems were solved.
Lists, tips, and recommendations – Curate interesting facts, advice, or item rankings into an easy-to-digest blog format. Strong for engagement and sharing on social media.
Articles and White Papers
While blog posts are generally shorter in length, some businesses require in-depth articles, guides, and white papers to better serve their prospects and customers. Common article topics involve:
Market research and analysis – Synthesizing data-backed insights on size, growth trends, competitive landscape dynamics, and more within a particular sector. Offers credible third-party perspective.
Problem/challenge deep dives – Exploring a prevalent issue clients face in exhaustive detail and proposing strategic recommendations. Establishes subject matter expertise.
Step-by-step playbooks – Providing actionable multi-page guidance on how to implement new processes, methodologies, technologies and more. Answers “how to” questions.
Emerging topic explorations – Covering innovative ideas, concepts, and developing areas of focus still forming on the horizon. Future-proofs brands.
State of the industry reports – Researching and aggregating the latest movements, challenges, and opportunities impacting customers. Brings readers up to speed.
Website Content
Aside from blog posts and long-form articles, content is also crucial for optimizing different website pages and sections:
Homepage copy – Write compelling promotions and calls to action optimized for quick scanning that entice site visitors to learn more.
Service/product pages – Develop detailed, convincing descriptions presenting offerings in the best possible light. Increases understanding and conversions.
About pages – Craft biography-style profiles positioning companies as authorities in their fields while fostering trust.
Team/executive profiles – Highlight individuals’ qualifications, achievements and personalities to humanize a brand.
Testimonials – Ask for and curate real customer quotes praising results into compelling vignettes. Provides social proof.
Press and awards – Research accolades a company has received and draft relevant, properly formatted snippets. Demonstrates respect and reputation.
Email Marketing Content
Consistently engaging subscribers is important for email marketing success. Common topics content writers cover include:
Newsletters – Crafting updates tailored to subscribers’ interests on a regular schedule. Builds relationships over time.
Welcome series – Developing auto-responder emails that smoothly onboard new leads providing value at each touchpoint. First impressions count.
Educational series – Curating longer email campaigns focused on a relevant topic and published at intervals. Deepens knowledge.
Promotional/offer emails – Drafting announcements highlighting deals, discounts or new products customers may want. Drives sales.
Holiday/seasonal messages – Coming up with creative ways to recognize cultural events while also promoting. Generates goodwill.
Automated emails – Writing pre-scheduled messages distributing resources, wishes and acknowledgements to reach subscribers when they are most receptive. Sustains continuity.
Social Media Content
Short-form, engaging social content is also in high demand:
Facebook/LinkedIn posts – Developing status updates that inform, entertain and spark discussions. Helps build communities.
Twitter threads – Crafting conversational, personality-driven multi-part commentary perfect for the platform. Spreads ideas.
Instagram captions – Writing punchy, visually descriptive text optimized for images. Drives profile following.
YouTube scripts – Coming up with informative, tutorial-style copy that makes video content valuable and share-worthy. Grows viewership.
Quote graphics – Curating memorable, thought-provoking and shareable quotes from experts and leaders into visual formats. Encourages shares.
Social media profiles – Writing bios, mission statements and calls to action formatted properly for each channel. Optimizes presence.
Sales and Marketing Collateral
Promotion-oriented materials require targeted messaging:
Sales proposals/pitches – Developing customized, results-driven narratives aligned with a potential client’s needs and organizational goals. Wins new business.
Product sheets/datasheets – Researching key specs and messaging tailored for different buyer personas across industries. Enables understanding.
Case studies – Interviewing customers to craft success stories optimized for targeted verticals or stages of the sales funnel. Validates value.
Webinars/presentations – Outlining visual decks with clear, engaging narratives focused on solving attendees’ top challenges. Generates leads.
E-books, infographics – Curating high-quality, visually oriented reference materials customers will want to consume and share. Builds authority.
Videos – Writing scripts emphasizing core messages through storytelling that will resonate at industry events or trade shows. Ampifies branding.
This covers many of the most common content topic areas that writers frequently take on. Of course, every business has unique needs—the key is understanding your clients’ goals, buyers, and crafting customized material tailored to their specific branding, industry and campaigns. Staying versatile in delivering top quality content across different formats is important for any modern content professional.
Andrew Stroud