We tend to divide business writers Kuwait WhatsApp Number List into two types. “Hard” writers are the conversion copywriters. The gangsters, the ones who make businesses lots of money, because words are what drive sales on the web.

And content writers, by contrast, too often get identified as soft. As in a “soft skill,” something that’s nice to have as long as budget permits and you’re not feeling too tough-minded this week.

But that’s a dangerous Kuwait WhatsApp Number List mistake.

Content writers, if we’re doing it right, make businesses lots of money, because words are what drive sales on the web.

If the content on your site is fuzzy, fluffy, and just exists to make you feel good to be in business, I guess soft would be a fair word.

But that’s not what content is great at. And none of us should settle for soft, fluffy content.

Unleash your content badass

Remember, on Copyblogger we caution against falling for the false dichotomy between “killer” and “poet.”

The most effective business writers — whether you’re writing in-house, for clients, or for your own business — combine both.

The “poet” part, the art of crafting words in a pleasing way, is essential if you’re creating writing that’s enjoyable to read.

And in the 21st century, it’s rare to find an audience that will engage with content that isn’t enjoyable to read.

I don’t care if you’re writing a sales page, an email sequence, a white paper, a video tutorial, a podcast script … literally any words that you arrange for a business purpose …

It has to be interesting. It’s 2019, and the number of readers who will put up with boring shit has approached zero.

There also has to be enough strategy to justify the cost of writing the piece.

All writing is expensive.

Good web writers charge fat fees when making a living online, and they should.

Even if you aren’t paying a writer (yet), if you’re writing for your own project, or you’re an in-house writer, effective writing takes time. And time is the one resource we can never replenish.

That’s why we call it content marketing and not content hobbying. Content serves important business goals — or we shouldn’t be producing it.

Lately, I’ve been using the term conversion content marketer to describe a content creator who knows how to drive measurable business results with content.

(Tipping my hat to our friends over at Copyhackers, who popularized the term conversion copywriter for writers who focus on measurable business results. Not all conversion copywriters write content, but in my definition, all conversion content marketers would also be conversion copywriters.)

Here are three measurable “key performance indicators” (KPIs, to use a little business-speak) that smart writers can drive with the right content.

#1: Content attracts prospect attention

The first letter of most copywriting formulas is “A,” for Attention. Until you can get a prospect’s attention, you can’t deliver any kind of message.

Most advertising focuses here, for just that reason.

And every year, audience attention becomes more fragmented.

Content is still what works to attract the attention of people who might want to do business with you. And as more and more ordinary content piles up, you need to make sure that what you’re creating is extraordinary — and worth the attention you’re asking for.

That doesn’t mean that content (even great content) will automatically attract an audience. You still need to promote it, whether it’s through influencer outreach, paid advertising, or (if you’ve been playing the long game and are ready to reap some of those rewards) search engine optimization.

The folks you’re trying to pull toward your business still read blog posts, they still listen to podcasts, and they still watch videos. It’s your job to put enough art into them that they choose yours, when they’re given the opportunity.

How do you measure it? Measuring traffic and where it comes from is the first analytic task of any website owner. Fire up your Google Analytics account and learn the basics.

Pay attention to what kinds of headlines and topics are getting the most traffic, links, and shares.

If attracting audience attention has been tricky for you, Copyblogger can help you sharpen your attention-getting skills.

#2: Content builds an engaged audience

It’s one thing to get someone’s attention. It’s another thing to keep it.

The most important factor for virtually any business blog is a “starving crowd” of potential customers or clients who want and need what you’re offering.

Once you’ve done the hard work to attract an audience, it’s your job as a conversion content marketer to keep them close.

No matter what traffic strategy you’re using, a web of interesting, engaging content will help you keep that traffic on your site so you can actually have a conversation about what you offer.

That’s why your content marketing strategy needs to include more than splashy, attention-getting pieces.

You also need thoughtful, well-developed material that lets your audience take the next steps that matter to them.