“Content is King” 

This is a term commonly used by most marketers to emphasise the importance of a good piece of content. While paid marketing works wonders for conversions, what keeps people engaged is organic marketing. And one of the most powerful pillars of organic marketing? High-quality content writing.

Hiring a good content writer should be a part of every company’s marketing strategy if you want to keep your audience’s attention. According to AIMultiple, 97% of marketers believe content writing is a crucial part of any marketing strategy.

Now, I know some of you reading this are thinking, “But AI can substitute a content writer.” But let me tell you, in this interconnected world of marketing, to navigate this dynamic landscape and truly reach your target audience, you need to meticulously find a human being to write your content, not ChatGPT. See what I did there?

Not that AI is bad, it’s great for getting the job done faster but let’s be honest, it’s generic. And do you want to sound like every other brand out there? No. You want to be different. You need to be unique. And the only way to do that is by having that human touch in your content because authentic content drives results better than any other form of content. And AI can’t give you that kind of authenticity.

A great content writer understands this perfectly. They understand the power of storytelling, how to put emotions into their writing, how to address their audience’s pain point, cultural references that they can relate to, and most importantly how to speak in your company’s brand voice. 

And that’s why hiring a great content writer is a necessity. The right content writer will not only write engaging, well-researched SEO content but they will also not deviate from your company’s brand.

So, if you are ready to hire a content writer here are the key skills you should be looking out for.

• Good Writing Skills 

This is obviously a given. Content writing is, well…writing. So, if you’re hiring a content writer, they need to have solid writing skills. This means proper grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, flow, and clarity. 

A great content writer knows how to make words flow, structure ideas in a way that makes sense, and most importantly keep readers engaged from start to finish. They need to know how to pass a complex message along in the simplest way possible to the point that even a sixth grader can comprehend what is being said without dumbing it down. Because let’s be real, nobody wants to struggle through complex, boring content.

A content writer needs to do all this while maintaining good grammar because, according to Real Businesses UK, an SME publication, poor grammar repels 59% of your viewers!

• Research Skills

A content writer will have to write on different topics. They’ll have to cover different topics, some they’re familiar with and others that are completely new to them. And trust me, you can always tell when a writer didn’t do their research.

Before you hire a content writer you need to make sure they know how to gather accurate, up-to-date information from reliable sources. They have to know how to sift through industry reports, case studies, news articles, and expert opinions to make sure their content is well-informed and credible. Remember nothing ruins a brand’s credibility faster than misinformation or surface-level writing that lacks depth.

• Ability to Write for Different Platforms 

Content writing is no longer about writing for your blog. There exist so many different platforms now, all with their own writing dynamics and a content writer needs to understand that and work with it.

What works for a blog post won’t necessarily work for an Instagram caption, an X thread, or a LinkedIn article. Social media content needs to be short, and engaging. Website copy needs to be persuasive and easy to skim. Long-form content needs depth and a good balance of storytelling. Content writers understand these differences and adjust their writing to fit. 

This ability to adapt is what separates a decent writer from a great one

• Attention to Detail

When it comes to content writing, the little things matter a lot. There’s nothing worse than reading a piece of content filled with typos or incorrect facts. Every sentence should be checked for clarity, every statistic should be verified, every comma should be in the right place, and you have to cross those Ts and dot those Is.

But there is more to attention to detail than proofreading. There’s also the part about maintaining brand voice and writing style, if it’s a professional voice and style then you have to maintain that across the several platforms. Then there’s the other part of checking that hyperlinks work and article formatting is clean.

At the end of the day, a content writer who values precision will always produce polished, professional content. And in a world where audiences have way too many distractions, that level of care can make all the difference.

• Strong Storytelling Ability

Do you know what the best kind of content writing is? The kind that delivers a message while keeping readers hooked. And a simple way to do that is through storytelling, writing in a way that feels like a natural, engaging conversation between the writer and the reader.

People might not remember an article but they can remember a great story. A content writer doesn’t just dump information onto a page they weave it into a narrative. They make their writing feel like a conversation, drawing the reader in with relatable scenarios, real-life examples, and a natural flow that keeps them engaged. When done right, storytelling turns even the most technical or boring topics into something compelling.

People remember stories more than facts. A writer who can take a brand’s message and package it in an engaging, story-driven way knows how to create content that not only informs but sticks.

Conclusion 

Many traits make a great content writer, but these five are key qualities that anyone hiring should prioritise. A strong writer isn’t just someone who can put words together, they know how to tell a story, pay attention to detail, adapt to different platforms, and create content that the audience can relate to. 

If hiring the right content writer seems like a lot to figure out, we’re here to help. Get in touch, and we’ll find you top-tier content writers who can bring your brand’s voice to life.