“Content Writing is just not about writing,” says Mr. Vaibhav Kakkar, CEO & Founder of IIM Skills. In a recent interview with Vaibhav, we heard him talking about how content writing is not just about writing and is much more than that, involves rigorous research, hours on the clock, creativity, and dedication. In this article, you will learn about what Vaibhav Kakkar, an experienced content writer, author, digital marketing consultant, and entrepreneur had to say about content writing, how it is a great career to opt for, and what the courses offered by his online skill development education institution, IIM Skills. Not to mention, IIM Skills is one of the highest-ranked platforms for online education and is known to deliver its offerings not just in India but globally.
We had an opportunity to get in touch with Mr. Viabhav Kakkar and the whole session was nothing but immensely informative. In the context of Content Writing, Vaibhav opened our eyes to very new things that are showing up every other day and we shall highlight everything in this article so that you can have the access to theories of content writing and a reality check of the contemporary world. Also how the statement by Mr. Vaibhav Kakkar “Content writing is not just about writing” stands true.
What is Content Writing?
Anything writing that can be treated as content is considered to be content writing. In the digital era, content writing has seen a boom but that does not specifically imply that content writing is only for a digital world. At the end of the day, it is content writing and not digital writing. So, if you are planning to write for a news channel, create a brochure that has words, or write a poem, it is all content writing.
Planning, writing, and publishing of writing is content writing which can bring rewards in cash or kind in the future. Digital marketing is a channel that is highly associated with content writing. Content writing can be considered a part of digital marketing but as Vaibhav quoted “Content writing is not just about writing”. This is why it is considered a part of digital writing and not merely writing.
When you take up writing as a job, what is the first thing that pops into your mind? What will you write about? Writing can come naturally to some, few may learn and a few can just write for the sake it. The quality of every above-mentioned content will vary, for sure.
Coming back to the job, you must have something to write about, for which you will have to be do rigorous research for the following:
- What topics are trending?
- Details of the said topic.
- Anything and everything about that topic.
Post planning, actual writing will begin. Which has to be creative, engaging and not abrupt.
This reminds me of an epic description of writing given to me back when I was a kid, that to make an article lengthy, you need to write about anything but the topic.
For example:
If you have to write about a peacock, you will not just begin to write about a peacock but to make it reach its word limit, trees, grass, sun, and sunlight which are around a peacock has to explain too.
Now when I think about that example, it is hilarious. This example is not entirely true. You need to explain every detail of the object in the talking but the content needs to be engaging, the content should boast information, drip knowledge, and must lead to something fruitful by the end of it. Creative writing is not just writing, it is a bigger picture than what may come up in front.
Content Writing Tips:
- Be creative: more creativity brings more originality.
- Be Original: the less talked about, the more judged about phenomena that give a content writer its identity.
- Engage: Try to engage and connect with the audience so that they understand what the content really is trying to imply.
- SEO & Keywords: Learn all about it in content writing courses at IIM Skills and you will swear by this tool. Mere writing will not drive you to the destination instead writing and marketing it properly will.
- Style: Follow a style of writing which is original to you, you might not know about it but it is possible that you already have it.
The final stage of content writing is to publish the content to the world and reach the targeted audience with the application of different content writing tips & tricks.
Before we jump onto the next section explaining the importance of content writing, this pretty much sumps up the basics of what is content writing. There are various prospects of content writing as well that has made it the talk of the town. In the current age, candidates are looking for upscaling their skills before jumping on to any career option, this is where institutes like IIM Skills are coming into play.
Importance of Content Writing
If it is just writing then why is not everybody doing it? Why is there a need to hire a specific experienced and knowledgeable candidate for the job? If it is a mere combination of words then why is everybody going crazy for becoming a professional in the field?
The answer is quite simple and as Mr. Vaibhav quotes in the interview “Content Writing is not just about writing” Also writing that not only explains the features of the product but reaches the targeted audience is the need of the hour.
Back in the day when print was the only medium to communicate, writing began to blossom like a beautiful flower and with digital marketing and online content creation, this flower is now a whole grown tree that is paving its way to become a whole collection and turn into a farm.
The metaphor above might be unnecessary but content writing is absolutely necessary. Let’s have a look at the importance of content writing before moving further to the prospects of content writing.
1. Increased Website Traffic
The first and foremost has to be the traffic good content that is SEO-proofed can bring. Creating website traffic is to make people visit the brand website which further escalates the sales and the revenue for the company.
Content needs to be written in a manner that the reader is not only convinced but also forced to look at the product to follow. With the activeness of the digital platforms, good content can create much higher website traffic than other elements can probably not.
2. Brand Recognition
Once you are associated with a brand as a content writer, you need to be on your toes to bring out the most creative content, engaging content, and self-explanatory writing. When your boss is behind you to jump into the field, alas, he is not incorrect.
Boss’ can be right too, which can be quite annoying but content writing really needs awareness of the market with which the brand is recognized.
For example:
There are two competitive chocolate brands in the market. One of them is a leading brand and the other has just begun. The former is laid back as it already has a great market share. The latter, which is a newly launched brand is on its toes and is making evident efforts to enter the market.
Festival greetings, meme marketing, blog writing, website creation, frequent updates and blogs on the website, and content writing for the industry in hand. Sooner than you know, the latter grabbed everyone’s eyes. Grabbing the entire market share in a short span was still a task but the journey had already begun as the brand was already known to many.
This is the power of Content Writing. You are making your brand bigger than you and your competitors.
3. Customer Relations
With Content Creation comes customer relations. Once you have acquired the customers by any means, be it paid advertising, marketing, digital marketing, etc it is more mandatory than necessary to be connected with them.
Customers are like kites, if left unattended, they might fall, fly away, or be grabbed by competitors. To make customers feel connected with the brand and as if the brand is theirs, not ours. Good content writing is very important.
Content Writing helps in customer retention, customer growth, and building customer relations all at once which is why good content is always celebrated.
4. Inbound Marketing Tool
Content Writing is also a phenomenal inbound marketing tool. If you are new to the concept, inbound marketing in simple words is to make your customers find you instead of the other way around.
With inbound marketing, a great set of content including articles, webinars, keywords, email marketing, ebooks, and workshops is conducted related to the services available with the company.
Inbound Marketing is tailored to be of use to the reader, eventually, they connect with the brand to avail of the actual solution to the problem.
5. Brings Authenticity
No matter, if you are writing content for companies on your own, good content write-ups, can build trust in the hearts of the readers. They can know you even without actually meeting you and even shocking, without ever looking at your face. Trust is a very important factor in building customer relations and consider a major part of it is done with good and consistent content writing.
Content writing is a medium of communication and if even a single person is connecting with what you are saying, sooner than you know you’ll create wonders. Brands are blessed to have hired content writers because it not only increases sales but is an aspect that brings many other benefits in kind.
Content Writing Prospects
In this section, you will learn about the prospects of choosing career marketing as a career. Post giving a read on the importance of content writing it is quite evident that the content writing industry is at its peak and shall remain the same for the years to come. Content writing is needed in any medium of communication, you need script for videos, write-ups to publish on digital platforms or traditional print media, legal and technical writing for corporates, reports, and documents for businesses and the list is endless.
“ Medium of communication come and go, but words always stay”
The power of writing can not be questioned, people die leaving their words as a legacy behind.
With this, let’s have a look at how you can make your words turn legacy with content writing and how is “content writing is not just about writing” stands true.
1. Content Writer
A full-time or a part-time content writer writes content for companies. The content niche will be based on the industry the company works in. For example; educational institutions will want you to write about academic content, Software engineering firms would want a little technical writing.
A content writer’s job is to write about whatever comes his way and present it in a way that maximum benefits and output is generated for the company. It is the words that people will read and connect with the most, the communication shall happen next. So realistic click baits are always welcomed.
2. Freelancer
Sometimes people do not want to hire anybody on a permanent basis, instead, the job is a one-time job. This is where the need for freelancers pops in. Freelancers are the people who take up jobs on a one-time basis and you get to pay them for a job individually, cost depending on the nature of the work.
Finding freelancers in this age is not a complicated task as there is an abundance of them ready to upscale your work with their skills.
If you do not have 6-7 hours for a regular job in hand, o you cannot commit to one single job, or you are working full-time but need that extra money, freelancing is a great option to choose.
3. Writing Content for Publishers
There are publishers available on the internet who are willing to pay for your article and your words. Connect with them, they provide you with a niche, and then you need to write on that. On submission, you get paid for the article.
This one is similar to freelancing but it is for web publishers and not anyone. This content is published under your name until suggested otherwise while freelancing doesn’t guarantee
that.
4. Blogger
Create your own blog and write about anything you connect with. Blogs are a perfect way to get started and it helps in putting out content from different aspects of life. If you haven’t found a niche for yourself, start with a blog and with practice and time you’ll explore more about your writings. Once a blog begins to get eyes, brands also recognise it and then brand deals come your way.
That being said, blogs create you as a brand, which is a trophy for a lifetime and also self-appreciating.
5. Content Writing Agency
Launch your own content writing agency and begin to provide content writing services to corporates, write for your own blogs, create content on the internet and hire people from the said community under you. Content writing agencies are trusted more than individuals and corporates look for trainings and writings from such agencies on repeat basis.
Vaibhav Kakkar on Content Writing
“Content writing is not just about writing” says Viabhav Kakkar.
Delhi-based entrepreneur began his journey as a blogger which turned into profession and led to birth of IIM Skills, an online skill development education institution. IIM Skill is not the only child, he is also the founder of Advisor Uncle, Course Dekho and runs a blog under his name which has got a huge number of frequent readers as well.
On being asked in a recent interview with us about the difficulties onee can face being a content writer and what is the importance of content writing, Viabhav said “Content writing is not just about writing”.
IIM Skills started its journey with only a few courses and a small number of mentors. Realistically possible and with immense marketing strategies put to work it has successfully completed 2500+ trainings in less than 5 years and has trained over 15000+ trainees so far. The number of courses has increased and the categories have widened. He also added that “IIM Skills is not just marketing skill development education platform anymore, it is much beyond that.” Highlighting that IIM Skills is now moving towards offering finance courses like GST, BAT etc, on their platform.
Let’s have a look at the actual interview with Mr. Vaibhav Kakkar, CEO & Founder of IIM Skills.
Question 1: What was the idea behind IIM Skills? Where did it all start?
I wouldn’t be wrong if I said writing was always in my blood. I have been writing since as long as I can remember and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Back in 2010 when I created a blog and started to write for it. Sooner than I knew, I had a really good audience. Back then, blogs were a new concept and hardly anyone knew about it till the rage for it began.
I started to dig more, learn more and implement more.
People kept coming to me in person for consultations, marketing strategies and recommendations which worked as a seeding process in my mind, seeding of ideas, and planting of IIM Skills.
I began giving advices and training on my blogs which turned into a fully fledged online institution that we see today as IIM Skills.
Question 2: What are the difficulties one can face being a content writer? What is the importance of content writing in current state?
I have been asked similar questions in the recent past with a slightest change in it. People often ask me “Is content writing even hard, it is just writing”. Extremely sorry to burst your bubble here, content writing is not just about writing. In the current state the need of content writing graph has been scaled but so has the complexity of content. With attention span being shortened, the world is switching to micro content.
Content Writing involves a deepend research, SEO implementation, tools and hacks, creativity at its most. Words have had the power to change from a long time, but now is the time that words also need to be marketed to reach the output desired.
Question 3: What can we expect in the near future from IIM Skills? Where is it headed?
IIM Skills has already come a long way but it isn’t stopping anytime soon. I am extremely happy to call it a brand and blessed to be associated and have founded such a platform which hasn’t only helped me, but lakhs of people. The number shall soon turn to millions in the near future.
That been said, IIM Skills began with content writing courses, digital marketing courses but we are moving forward for making it one stop solution for anything online education. By god’s grace we have seen a massive success for delivering worthy education on an online platform which is not just providing study material.
With lifetime access and guidance we have added finance courses like GST, Business Accounting And Taxation Course, and Financial Modelling Course. We hope to cover more categories in the near future.
Conclusion:
What Vaibhav said wasn’t just informative but also insightful. With a reality check of the field Vaibhav and the team share great experiences with their students which prepares them for bona fide ride beforehand. We wish IIM Skills great success, and a lot more courses, students and a great number on the sheets. If you are looking for an online based course for digital marketing, GST, BAT, Financial Modelling, Content writing, Technical writing and Advanced SEO, do check them out. They are affordable, provide lifetime access, internships and placement opportunities and certification not just from them but from renowned names in the industry as well.
Happy Learning!