Everybody Hates Content Writers

Let’s talk about something hard: People have a sore spot for content writers. 

Maybe not so surprising, but it has recently come to my attention that content writers aren’t exactly thought of as the all-stars of the professional writing world. In fact, after visiting a few blogs and forums, it seems that the role content writer is thought of in one of two rather crazy-unforgiving lights: Content writers are either trying to steal your soul with flimsy clickbait and email marketing, or they are simply the wholly incompetent gremlins of the professional writing world. 

Jokes aside, research suggests that content writers are despised because, from the point of view of the consumer, their words sell only snake oil, or are written in a click-baity tone with nothing but empty promises on the other side of the click.  

It might be obvious, but to avoid becoming one of these soul-thieving letter goblins, here's what you need to do (If you don't read the read the rest of this article, the least you can do is what's listed below).

1. Don’t rely on sensational headlines

2. Know your audience, but stay true to your voice.

3. Avoid exaggeration.

4. Stick to the facts, and be honest.  

5. Use data and examples to back up your claims.

6. Proofread and edit your work.

7. Don't be a hack.

If you don't read the read the rest of this article, the least you can do is the above.

But now, let’s talk about it. Let’s look at content writing from the consumer perspective and try to identify how not to write if you find yourself in that position.

What do content writers actually do? 

An approximate, official-ish definition

Content writing is the process of creating written material for websites, blogs, social media platforms, and other digital channels. Usually, a content writer’s genres include articles, blog posts, marketing emails, social media updates, product descriptions, and pretty much any other form of writing that happens on the web. The term "content writing" itself became more prevalent in the early 2000s, right around the time the internet began to permeate all corners of existence. As companies started to recognize the importance of high-quality, valuable content, online marketing strategies emphasized the role. Voila—the birth of content writing. 

But if you ask a content writer face to face, they will probably tell you that their job is not so much about writing as it is customer engagement and journey funneling. A content writer’s job is to produce engaging, informative, and valuable content that attracts and retains an audience throughout their digital journeys. It’s not as much about crafting beautiful sentences as it is ensuring users find the content they are looking for and are able to consume it in an efficient, helpful manner. 

Why consumers hate content writers

or, “what job do you have no respect for?”

But if you look at what people have to say about content writers, helpful doesn’t seem to be the quality that comes to mind. 

One example of this - The well known SubReddit, /AskReddit, has revealed some potentially hard-to-swallow opinions about content writers, held by what most would probably deem a whole bunch of people. 

Over the last few years, Reddit users have queried /AskReddit with variations of the question, “what job do you have no respect for?” Among the professions listed in users’ answers (psychics, televangelists, life coaches, the list goes on) content writers are mentioned almost every time. 

At first glance, these comments read with what the title of the thread suggests: What job do you have no respect for? These Reddit users do not respect content writers; they see content writers as existing rungs below journalists on the respectability scale. But why? Well, for good reason. 

Just look at the thread’s larger context. To consumer eyes, what content writers seem to have in common with psychics, televangelists, and life coaches is that people constantly feel conned by them. Big surprise, but people really don’t like to be duped, bamboozled, or screwed. So when an entire industry or job title is hinged on even a micrometer of deceit, you tend to end up in a Reddit forum covered in rotten tomato skins. 

To put it another way, it seems that consumers hate content writers because, as far as they can tell, there’s no evidence that they actually care about what they are writing. 

Obviously, Reddit seems to only be referring to the type content writer who is trying to sell tabloid junk and alienating media pieces, but the lesson is still the same: From enterprise-size marketing work to influencer social media pos, if you're writing copy to sell something, you're just as at risk of turning into "click-baity blogger."

Speaking directly to content writers now, the reason consumers seem to distrust this type of writer is because we are seen as snake oil salesmen who not only don't care about the topic/product they are writing about, but also the value of the writing itself - how it's written, what it says, the agenda it's forwarding. Consumers think content writers just want engagement and clicks. Engagement and clicks are good, but if that's all you care about, then you have to ask yourself: How much of your writing ethics are you willing to sacrifice

So the questions is, if content writing is indeed a legit profession, how do content writers steal back the stigma and retell the narrative?  

Writer should come before content.

Sincerity is key

The broad term content writing can include everything from SEO writing, to technical writing, to PR and general copywriting. However, the reality is that the term content writer makes people think of disingenuous and time-thieving advertising gremlins before they think of those making a living, say, writing technical manuals or something respectable like that. 

So, listen up! If you want to avoid producing shoddy content and sounding like a cheap click-baiter, then you need to focus on the sincerity of your work. Here's what that looks like: 

1. Don’t rely on sensational headlines or gimmicky phrases to lure readers in. Give them substance, something that's informative, engaging, and adds real value to their lives. Remember: What you’re writing should affect peoples’ lives. 

2. Know your audience, but stay true to your voice. Don't try to force a tone or style that's not you, or you'll come across as fake and insincere. Don’t try to shoehorn Zoomer speak into your content if that’s not how you talk. Talk like you—people will respect it.  

3. Avoid exaggeration. Hyperbole is probably the funnest freaking thing ever created, but consumers can smell it from a mile away. Not to say that hyperbole never works, but if you try it and it falls short, you risk sounding like a desperate salesman with a red ball for a nose. 

4. Stick to the facts, and be honest. Don’t lie. This links back to exaggeration. People don’t like to be oversold, and if they are they chalk it up to a lie. 

5. Use data and examples to back up your claims. Including data in your writing works in two way: 1. Cold hard data speaks for itself 2. Numbers carry an odd rhetorical power. The mere site of a percentage mark will give your copy an unexpected amount of clout. So make your content credible and relatable by giving real-life scenarios and stats. 

6. Proofread and edit your work. Poorly written content is the sign of an amateur and will tarnish your credibility. 

The Golden Rule for content writers

Don’t be a hack. If you feel any indication that what you’re writing is somehow insincere or untrue, or that you don’t believe in it, then it’s probably garbage worthy. Give your readers something real to chew on, and they'll keep coming back for more.