Types of Content Writing: 5 Content Genres to Know

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Content writing is the foundation of digital presence success. It connects a business with the audience, conveys the message, and shapes a brand image. 

But content isn’t a one-size-fits-all initiative. User needs and preferences are evolving, so you need to explore different content formats to connect more effectively with your target audience.

From blog posts and ebooks to social and email, each type of content writing has a unique purpose in an inbound strategy. Sharing a healthy mix of these content writing types can help improve brand visibility, strengthen customer loyalty, and drive conversions.

A HubSpot survey revealed that 29% of users read blog posts 1-4 times a month, so blog content remains one of the go-to marketing assets, as 76% of marketers use it to distribute content. Similarly, 68% of users turn to social platforms to stay informed about new products and services.

This shows the need for a holistic content creation approach involving various genres. In this piece, we’ll dive deep into five different types of content writing mentioned below.

Content Writing Types

1. Website Copywriting

Website copywriting is the primary content type for businesses. This comprises website content writing and landing page copywriting. Both aim to engage the visitors and convert them into leads and ultimately paying customers.

A. Website Content Writing

Website content informs and engages your audience, helping them connect with your brand. The content writing involves creating copies for a homepage, product, and feature pages, the about us page, and the contact us page among others. Each element is crafted to communicate a clear message and persuade the visitor to explore more.

Here’s what website content achieves – 

  • Promotes Products or Services: Crafting content around the features and benefits of specific products or services educates the audience about the business offerings, thus piquing their interest.
  • Captures Lead Information Using CTAs: The service and product pages usually have forms contextually placed to capture visitor information, such as email addresses, business type, business size, etc. The call-to-action (CTA) buttons on these pages guide users on the next steps.
  • Enhances SEO and Improves Traffic Quality: Website content revolves around SEO best practices to optimize on-page text and improve search engine rankings. This helps attract qualified traffic, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

 

Best Practices for Nailing Website Copywriting

  • Prioritize Benefits Over Features

What are the top benefits your customers get? What problems are you solving? Craft content around the end-user’s issues and how your offering can help solve them. This approach is more persuasive and customer-centric.

  • Leverage Social Proof

Sharing testimonials and reviews offers validation to prospects, aiding them in deciding in your favor. Besides, share links to client case studies to build trust and credibility. 

  • Keep It Simple and Focused

Content copy should be clear, concise, and engaging since each webpage serves a unique purpose to help guide the visitor’s journey. For instance, the ‘about us’ page can have your brand’s story, key business figures, mission, values, and accomplishments.

Let’s take an example of Airbnb.

Airbnb Example

Source

Their ‘About Us’ page stands out for its storytelling approach, mentioning their mission, key stats, and milestones. There’s minimal copy coupled with a planned visual hierarchy to make it easy for visitors to follow through and act. 

 

B. Landing Page Copywriting

Landing page copy forms the backbone of any successful PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaign or other marketing initiatives like social media ads, newsletters, email marketing, etc.

48% of users click on ads based solely on headlines. So, landing page and ad content should be in sync to deliver crisp and purpose-driven content that grabs user attention, drives traffic, and improves conversion rates.

Here’s the purpose that landing page copywriting serves:

  • Optimizes the PPC Ad Spend: Poor landing page copies cause low click-through rates (CTR), wasting ad spend by driving fewer conversions, thereby, minimizing the return on investment.
  • Captures Lead through Form Submissions: Attention-grabbing landing pages capture the interest of potential customers through emails, ads, or other sources. The content offers visible benefits and carries a sense of urgency, enticing them to fill out the form.

 

Key Tips to Nail Landing Page Copywriting

  • A Strong Headline Is Staple
    The landing page content should have attention-grabbing headlines that communicate the value proposition while catching users’ attention immediately. Improving it with a headline analyzer tool can increase the likelihood of clicks and conversions.
  • Include a Compelling Call to Action (CTA)
    Use persuasive, immediate action-oriented CTAs, such as “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Get a Free Quote.” This can quickly push users to the next step.
  • Match the Landing Page
    Craft landing page content that aligns with the messaging on your PPC ad, email, newsletter, etc. If you have highlighted a particular benefit in the ad, the landing page content should share a better overview of those benefits for consistent messaging.

Here’s an example of a landing page that stands out in terms of headline, CTA, and text that complements the offering.

Miro

Source

Miro’s landing page stands out because of the well-designed (and well-placed) CTAs. The content also complements the visuals and ultimately guides users to take the next step, offering details about what stands out in the product.

  • Track Major KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) of Ad Spend
    Once you execute the landing page content, track major KPIs to assess its performance. 
    • Click-Through Rate (CTR) to measure the effectiveness of your ad in capturing attention. A higher CTR indicates engagement in copies that bring visitors to the landing page. The high rate indicates relevance to the audience, signifying successful PPC copywriting.
    • Conversion Rate to track the number of users who completed the desired action after clicking on your landing page link. A higher rate suggests ad copy and landing pages effectively drive user actions.
    • Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) to gauge the revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising. This helps assess the overall profitability of your PPC campaigns.

2. Blog Post Writing

Blog writing educates and engages the audience while building topical authority. Kissmetrics confirms an 18.6% increase in traffic for writing one additional blog post weekly.

Here’s the purpose blog posting serves:

  • Educate and Engage: Use your blog to provide valuable information, address your audience’s pain points, and offer solutions.
  • Build Brand Authority: Demonstrates your expertise and unique perspective, positioning your company as an industry thought leader.
  • Attract Organic Traffic Through SEO: Well-optimized blog posts can significantly boost your search engine rankings. A strong SEO can boost 1-4X growth annually when targeting relevant keywords to attract organic traffic to your website.

Key Points to Bear in Mind for Effective Blog Posting

  • Informative and Value-Driven Content
    Let your blog posts offer real value where users can take home actionable insights backed by data wherever possible. Also, focus on addressing the needs and interests of your audience to engage and push them lower in the funnel.
  • Tonality
    Choose a tone that resonates with your audience. Depending on your brand and the target audience’s preferences, this could be formal, authoritative, informal, conversational, or friendly.
  • Incorporate Keywords
    Use tools like Ahrefs and Semrush to conduct thorough keyword research and incorporate the same into your blog posts. For starters, navigate ‘search terms’ to identify search queries your audience performs to land on your content.
  • Internal and External Linking
    Implement internal links to guide readers to other relevant content on your site. This will increase the time spent on your website, increasing the chances of conversion. Also, incorporate external links to credible sources with high domain authority, thus boosting your page visibility and authority.

3. White Paper and eBooks

White papers and eBooks are different types of B2B content writing that provide long-form content. Usually, you’d get the white label content from agencies who’d outsource the white paper and eBook writing process to top-notch writers.

When creating white papers for B2B SaaS businesses, ensure they are concise and analytical while functioning as laser-guided solutions. It should dissect specific problems with a data-driven approach since their technical nature addresses the needs of a specialized audience seeking in-depth expertise.

Here are some of the major sections that you should include in your white paper.

8 Critical Sections to include in your white papers

Ebooks, on the other hand, unfold as narrative journeys, exploring broader topics in a compelling and accessible style. This format caters to a wider audience, offering valuable insights and information in a more digestible manner.

The Content Marketing Institute finds that 51% of B2B marketers rate white papers and eBooks among the most effective content formats for achieving their marketing goals.

Here’s the purpose that white papers and eBooks serve:

  • Demonstrate and Establish Industry Authority: White papers and eBooks place your brand as an expert in the domain. Use them to share in-depth insights and well-researched information, showcasing credibility with the audience.
  • Generate and Nurture Leads: Provide white papers and eBooks as downloadable content for lead generation. For instance, below is how you can incorporate content around eBooks and use it to gain leads.
Appboy

Source

A Demand Gen report suggests that 48% of B2B buyers are willing to share email and personal information to access gated content. This is a powerful approach to knowing more about potential customers and helps nurture leads through targeted follow-up.

  • Educate Readers: Both these types of content writing are ideal for educating your audience about complex topics. Provide detailed explanations backed by data and real-world examples to help readers make informed decisions.

 

Key Tips for Creating Content for White Paper and Ebooks

  • Keep It Comprehensive Yet Authoritative

Cover your chosen topic thoroughly to educate readers while keeping the content well-structured and easy to follow. At the same time, support your claims with solid data, research findings, and expert insights to create content with thorough research to provide accurate information.

  • Include Customer Quotes and Testimonials

Bring in real-world examples and success stories to demonstrate the practical impact of your solutions. Leverage user-generated content and blend it with your written content to build trust and showcase practical applications of your products or services.

  • Focus on Problem-Solving

This type of content writing addresses specific pain points or challenges. It engages the audience by addressing their problems and providing actionable solutions, which makes your content more relevant and valuable to readers.

  • Mention References and Citations to Demonstrate Credibility

Offer a list of references at the end of your white paper or eBook. This adds credibility to your content, allowing readers to further verify and explore the information.

4. Social Media Content

Social media content opens up the opportunity to connect with a vast audience. Social media users worldwide stand at 5.07 billion users. Also, 57% of users visit a brand’s social channel to learn about new products and services. 

Hence, the content brands put up there is pivotal. They can use this form of content to foster meaningful connections with the audience, build brand loyalty, and drive conversations.

Here are the key purposes that social media content writing serves:

  • Audience Education and Engagement

Craft bite-sized information, tips, and content around the latest news to educate and entertain your audience. Drive conversation by encouraging comments, likes, shares, and conversations to foster a sense of community.

    • Brand Visibility
      Regular and consistent social media posting boosts brand presence, helping you build brand recognition and reach a broader audience.
  • Generates Traffic for Other Content Assets

Leverage social media content to direct users to your website, blog, or other marketing channels by teasing or promoting your content.

 

Best Practices to Share Stellar Social Content

  • Mix Visuals/Graphics
    Incorporate visual elements like images, infographics, and videos to make your posts more engaging. You must write copies for visual content that fits the style, tone, and message you are communicating on a social media account.
  • Add Impressive and Detailed Captions
    Social media is one of the significant niches in content writing, where you’ll need to craft captions aligning with your brand’s voice and tone. Whether your brand is funny, witty, serious, or inspirational, maintain consistency to build a cohesive brand identity.
  • Make It Interactive (Polls, Quizzes, Etc.)
    Write content for interactive media on social platforms, such as polls, quizzes, contests, or questions. Here’s an example of a LinkedIn quiz that helps generate traction amongst your audience.
LinkedIn Quiz

Source

This tactic helps spark conversations, gather feedback, and identify what the audience likes to read and consume.

  • Platform-Specific Content

Tailor your content to each platform’s unique characteristics. For example, punchy and direct posts can work well on Instagram while being more humane and practical on LinkedIn.

  • Content Virality (the more recent, the better)
    Be in the know when crafting social media content to ensure you share recent and trending content that captures the audience’s interest. The more timely and relevant your content, the more likely it will be shared and viral.

5. Email Marketing Content

Campaign Monitor reports that 74% of marketers leveraged personalized emails to drive customer engagement and witnessed an average increase of 20%.

A report by Litmus suggests an impressive return on investment (ROI) of $36 for every $1 spent. For this to happen, you’ll require writing effective email content to drive open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.

The email marketing content should address the following purposes:

    • Promote Products/Services: Write email content to promote new products, services, or special offers to entice recipients, help them learn more, and drive them toward purchases.
    • Generate Leads for Sales: Emails require content writing for upsell and cross-sell initiatives. This generates new leads and nurtures existing ones by informing users about relevant products or services.
    • Nurture Leads: Run email campaigns that lead users further down the purchasing funnel by providing valuable information and personalized content to transform them into customers.
    • Drive Conversions (for existing leads): Write content for targeted emails by prompting recipients to take specific actions, such as making a purchase, signing up for a webinar, or downloading a resource.
  • Build and Maintain Customer Relationships: Email content can help build regular communication that contributes to maintaining solid relationships with customers. It keeps your brand top-of-mind and promotes loyalty.

 

Best Practices for Crafting Compelling Email Newsletters

    • Captivating Subject Line: The subject line is compelling, action-oriented, and relevant, encouraging recipients to open the email. Run A/B tests for different subject lines to help determine what works best for your audience.
  • Well-Thought Preview Text: Email content writing also includes considering the preview text, which provides a sneak peek of the email content. Ensure it complements the subject line and further drives recipients to open the email.
  • Highly Personalized Content: Create content using the recipient’s data to tailor it to their needs and interests. Personalized emails can lead to a 139% increase in click rate compared to static one-time sends.

Over to You

Effective content writing takes center stage in your digital marketing strategy. All the different types of content ultimately contribute to connecting your audience and achieving your business goals.

However, a successful execution requires expertise in various types of content writing. And harnessing each type of content format will require you to go for professional content writing services.

Agencies usually offer different types of content writing services where there are dedicated experts who craft compelling and strategic content to match your brand voice and resonate with your audience. Leveraging their expertise to create content is not only high-quality and effective but also tailored to drive engagement, build trust, and boost conversions.

Get started by connecting with us and discussing the type of you want to create. And we’ll take it forward to help you achieve business goals with top-quality content.

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