8 Skills That Set Top Writers Apart (2026)

With AI instruments at everybody’s fingertips, what does “nice” content material writing imply in 2026?

Content material writing is about utilizing phrases and psychology to ship worth, earn belief, and transfer readers towards motion.

It consists of weblog posts, social media content material, newsletters, and white papers. Or it may be scripts for video, podcasts, and displays.

In contrast to copywriting, which persuades the viewers to take an motion, content material writing builds belief via educating.

Due to AI instruments, filling pages is less complicated and sooner than ever.

And as content material turns into simpler to provide, consideration turns into tougher to earn — whether or not readers are scrolling social feeds, skimming search outcomes, or asking AI instruments for fast solutions.

One of the best content material writers convey a full toolkit: deep analysis, sharp vital pondering, strategic judgment, and the flexibility to use these strengths in methods AI can’t replicate.

On this information, you’ll study eight content material writing expertise that set prime performers aside, formed by my work with main manufacturers and insights from my colleagues at Backlinko.

1. Construct and Hone Your Analysis Abilities

Sturdy analysis is what separates fluff from content material folks belief.

Right here’s construct a hands-on analysis course of.

Begin with Your Viewers

Audience research is the simplest strategy to perceive your readers: their ache factors, targets, and hesitations.

Begin your analysis in a number of easy however efficient methods:

• Mine social media platforms to search out emotional drivers behind shopping for selections
• Skim product evaluations to study what excites or frustrates your viewers
• Discuss on to your viewers via polls, surveys, or 1:1 interviews
• Browse neighborhood boards to see actual conversations round your topic

For instance, for those who’re writing concerning the “finest SaaS instruments,” don’t depend on generic function lists to encourage your content material.

Go the place actual SaaS consumers are sharing suggestions — locations like G2 evaluations and user-generated forums like Reddit.

These insights assist you to create genuinely helpful content that connects with readers.

Rosanna Campbell, a senior author for Backlinko, shares what she seems to be for when researching an viewers:

However you don’t need to do all of the heavy lifting your self.

AI can velocity up a lot of this course of.

As an example, Michael Ofei, our managing editor, makes use of a strategic immediate to combination viewers insights from a number of channels.

Copy/paste this immediate into any AI software to jumpstart your analysis (simply replace your subject description first).

After utilizing this immediate for the subject “journalist outreach,” Michael acquired a useful listing of ache factors mapped to consumer stage and emotional depth.

Carry out a Search Evaluation

Subsequent, it’s time to overview natural search outcomes to evaluate what content material already exists and the place you possibly can add worth.

Chris Shirlow, our senior editor, stresses the significance of trying intently at who’s rating and the way when learning search outcomes:

Take note of:

• Content material depth: Is the content material shallow (brief posts) or complete (lengthy guides)?
• Authority: Who’s rating — massive manufacturers, area of interest consultants, or smaller websites?
• Visuals: What sort of visuals could make your content material stand out?
• Gaps and lacking angles: What’s lacking that you can add?

Then, repeat the identical course of with giant language fashions (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.

AI has modified how folks uncover and eat data.

This implies it’s not sufficient to rank on Google; your content material additionally must floor in AI-generated answers.

Discover the kind of insights arising in AI-generated responses, and discover gaps within the outcomes.

Take note of the incessantly cited manufacturers and content material codecs to know what AI considers “trusted.”

Examine these articles intently to see how they’re incomes citations and mentions.

Map Out Key Matters with Content material Instruments

Instruments like Semrush’s Topic Research additionally assist you to study extra concerning the subjects your viewers is thinking about.

Enter a subject like “lifecycle electronic mail advertising” and also you’ll get a visible map of associated themes like “loyalty program” and “segmenting your viewers.”

This provides you perception into the subtopics to cowl, inquiries to reply, and angles that resonate together with your viewers.

2. Discover Contemporary Angles to Create Standout Content material

Don’t fall into the lure of rehashing what’s already rating.

Discover new angles and content ideas to interrupt via the gang.

Angles come from pressure. This generally is a shocking perception, a typical mistake, a high-stakes story, or a view that challenges the norm.

With out pressure, you’re simply including to the noise. Right here’s discover them.

Discover Gaps in Present Content material

Examine the top-ranking and incessantly cited articles to your subject, and see what’s lacking.

It may very well be:

• Shallow sections that want a deeper evaluation
• Matters defined with out visuals, examples, or case research
• Predictable “protected takes” that ignore various views and daring recommendation

Use this framework to doc these gaps.

Think about Alternatives for Info Acquire

Information gain provides distinctive worth to your content material in comparison with the prevailing content material on the identical subject.

Suppose unique knowledge, free templates, and new methods.

Principally, it helps your content material stand out from the gang. And creates an “aha” second to your readers.

Use the following tips so as to add data acquire to your articles:

• Discover concrete proof: Help your claims with unique analysis, case research, quotes, or actual examples from your individual expertise or {industry} consultants
• Increase on throwaway insights: Take loosely mentioned concepts and canopy them intimately with further context, knowledge, and actionable takeaways
• Counter predictable recommendation: Stand out with contrarian views, exceptions, or ignored approaches
• Tackle unanswered questions: Discover what confuses readers and fill these gaps together with your content material

At Backlinko, our writers and editors take into account data acquire early in outlining to uncover gaps and add worth from the beginning.

Right here’s how our senior editor, Shannon Willoby, approaches it:

In my very own article on ecommerce SEO audits, I proposed a simplified, goal-based construction for the define, with an actionable guidelines — one thing lacking from current content material.

This method gave readers a clearer roadmap as an alternative of simply one other generic audit information.

Use AI as a Creativity Multiplier

AI content tools make nice sparring companions that improve your pondering.

As an example, Shannon shares her course of for utilizing AI to refine her analysis.

The next prompts can assist you discover deeper angles and enhance your viewers alignment:

3. Again Up Your Factors with Proof

Proof-backed content material offers weight to your arguments and makes summary concepts simpler to digest.

It additionally helps your content material stick in readers’ minds lengthy after they’ve clicked away.

This consists of firsthand examples, knowledge, case research, and knowledgeable insights.

The hot button is utilizing respected, industry-leading sources in your content material writing. And backing up claims with verifiable proof.

Right here’s how several types of proof can strengthen your content material:

• Current analysis knowledge: Backs up tendencies and {industry} shifts with laborious numbers
• Case research: Proves outcomes are achievable with real-world outcomes
• Skilled quotes: Provides credibility when difficult assumptions or introducing new concepts
• Examples: Makes summary ideas concrete and relatable

4. Construction Your Concepts in a Detailed Define

A top level view organizes your concepts and insights into a transparent construction earlier than you begin writing.

It maps out the important thing sections you’ll cowl, supporting proof, and the order during which you’ll current your factors.

For instance, right here’s the define I created for my Backlinko article on subdomains vs. subdirectories:

I included a working headline, H2s, and details. I additionally added my plans for data acquire.

This reveals purchasers or employers the way you’ll ship distinctive worth — and retains you centered on differentiating your content material from the beginning.

To get began together with your define, consider your core argument: what’s an important takeaway you need readers to depart with?

From there, use the inverted pyramid to create an intuitive construction.

Embody an important particulars firstly of each part, then layer further context as you go.

5. Develop Your Distinctive Writing Voice

Two folks can write about the identical subject.

However the one with a definite voice is the one folks quote, bookmark, and keep in mind.

Assess Your Writing Character

To outline your writing persona, begin by analyzing the way you naturally talk.

Have a look at your emails, Slack messages, and social posts.

Discover patterns in tone, humor, pacing, analogies, pop-culture references, or how usually you employ knowledge and stats.

Then, distill these insights into a number of adjectives that describe the way you need to sound.

Like skilled, insightful, and authoritative.

Use these to information your writing voice.

For instance, let’s say your adjectives are conversational, humorous, and genuine.

Right here’s how which may look in apply:

• Conversational: Quick sentences with informal, relatable language. “Let’s be actual — writing your first draft is 90% looking at a blinking cursor.”
• Humorous: Use wit or humorous references to have interaction readers. As an alternative of “Most introductions are too lengthy,” you may say, “Most intros drag on longer than a Marvel end-credit scene.”
• Genuine: Add tales out of your lived experiences to make folks really feel seen. “Once I first launched my weblog, my mother was my solely reader for six months.”

Get Impressed by Your Favourite Writers

To maintain sharpening your voice, examine writers you admire.

Take note of their rhythm, tone, and construction.

What phrases do they use? How do they maintain your consideration — whether or not in a long-form weblog submit or a fast LinkedIn update?

Borrow what works, then put your individual spin on it so it nonetheless sounds such as you.

Adapt to Your Purchasers’ Voices

As a content material author, purchasers and employers will usually anticipate you to adapt your writing to their model voice.

This may imply adjusting your tone, pacing, or phrase option to match their model’s persona.

Examine a number of of their weblog posts or emails to know their model.

Word patterns in rhythm and vocabulary, and mirror these in your draft — with out dropping what makes your writing yours.

AI instruments can assist you examine how nicely your draft matches your consumer’s voice.

Add each the model’s voice pointers and your draft to an LLM and use this immediate:

6. Add Wealthy Media to Enhance Scannability

Even the very best concepts lose influence when hidden behind partitions of textual content.

Plus, research shows that most individuals skim net pages. Their eyes dart to headlines, opening traces, and something that stands out visually.

That’s why including visible breaks, akin to pictures, screenshots, and tables, is so vital.

Visual content works nicely once you need to illustrate a degree.

It additionally simplifies or amplifies concepts which might be laborious to convey with textual content alone.

As Chris Hanna, our senior editor, places it:

Listed below are a number of locations the place infographics can complement your writing:

Tables or side-by-side visuals

Diagrams or matrices

Flowcharts or timelines

Layered visuals (like Venn diagrams)

At Backlinko, we monitor visible break density (VBD) — the ratio of visuals to textual content.

Our aim is a visible break density of 12% or greater for each article.

That’s about 12 visuals (pictures, GIFs, callout containers, or tables) per 1,000 phrases to maintain content material straightforward to scan and interesting.

Right here’s how this seems to be in apply:

We do that to enhance the readability, retention, and engagement of our articles, from begin to end.

7. Perceive Promote Via Your Content material

Every bit of content material sells one thing — a product, a signup, a return go to.

However good content material doesn’t learn like a pitch.

It gently nudges folks to take motion by constructing belief and fixing actual issues.

Lead with Worth

That is what Klaviyo, an electronic mail advertising platform, does via its blog content.

They embrace useful examples, unique knowledge, and actionable ideas of their content material writing.

However additionally they weave in product mentions that really feel useful, not salesy.

There are case research, screenshots, and examples that present how actual purchasers used their platform to extend income.

That is good for a number of causes.

It proves their experience, reinforces how their product solves actual issues, and delivers worth — even when the reader by no means turns into a buyer.

Deal with Outcomes, Not Options

Folks don’t care what an organization provides — they care what it helps them obtain.

Options speak about what you supply. Outcomes present folks how they’ll profit.

Right here’s what this seems to be like in apply:

Present folks you perceive their frustrations by baking their ache factors into your content material writing.

When readers sense you’ve been of their sneakers, they’re extra open to your recommendation.

Take this HubSpot CRM product web page, for instance.

​​It highlights actual frustrations — setup hassles, messy migrations, misplaced knowledge — the precise complications their viewers feels.

Then, it shifts to outcomes with copy like “unified knowledge” and better productiveness from “day one.”

That’s outcome-driven content material writing. It connects with the viewers instantly and makes the advantages crystal clear.

Share Your Firsthand Struggles

Authority issues, however so does humility.

Be sincere about your wins and failures. It makes your content material really feel actual.

Right here’s an instance from considered one of my Backlinko articles the place I shared my struggles with making a social media calendar:

I relate to the viewers with language like “too many tabs” and “overwhelming categorization.”

And supply a free calendar template so readers can apply what they study.

8. Finalize Your Work

Right here’s the reality: your first draft isn’t your finest draft.

Modifying is the place your content material really comes alive.

Step Away from Your Draft

One of many easiest modifying tips within the guide? Give your draft some respiration room.

Chris Shirlow, our senior content material editor, explains why:

It might take a number of rounds of modifying and refining earlier than you get the whole lot excellent:

• Spherical 1 (fast wins): Undergo the article. Does it stream logically? Is it straightforward to know? Do your examples clearly illustrate the core concepts?
• Spherical 2 (construction): Ask AI for modifying suggestions. What are you lacking? Does the construction/writing stream naturally? Is there any room so as to add extra worth?
• Spherical 3 (polish): Tighten sentences, transitions, viewers alignment, and examples

Right here’s a immediate you should utilize for Spherical 2:

Prioritize Readability Over Cleverness

In case your viewers has to re-read a sentence to know it, you’ve misplaced them.

As Yongi Barnard, our senior content material author, says:

Take a fast litmus check: Is that this sentence/phrase/phrase right here as a result of it helps my viewers, or as a result of I like the way it sounds?

You’ll know a sentence/phrase must be minimize if it…

• Slows down the stream
• Makes the purpose tougher to know
• Is redundant

Widespread points in content material writing (and repair them) embrace:

Construct Your Private Modifying Guidelines

Each author has blind spots: repeated grammar errors, overused phrases, or formatting errors.

That’s why Yongi suggests creating a private modifying guidelines that features widespread errors and recurring suggestions from editors.

Chris Hanna suggests going via the guidelines earlier than submitting your draft:

Over time, you’ll naturally make fewer errors.

Right here’s an modifying guidelines to get you began:

Grow to be a Content material Author: A Fast Roadmap

For those who’re ranging from scratch, don’t fear — each nice content material author started precisely the place you might be.

Right here’s construct momentum and get seen.

Discover a Area of interest You’re Passionate About

The quickest strategy to stage up as a author? Specialize.

Niching down builds authority — and makes purchasers belief you quicker.

So, pick a niche (or two) and change into an knowledgeable.

A superb area of interest checks three containers:

• Ardour: You care sufficient to continue learning and writing when it will get robust
• Potential: There’s rising demand for this data
• Profitability: Companies spend money on content material on this subject

Construct Experience and Authority in Your Area of interest

When you decide a distinct segment, change into a trusted voice.

This provides you a number of benefits:

• Conventional and AI search engines like google and yahoo see your content material as authoritative
• Readers usually tend to belief what you say
• Your content material is extra prone to be shared and quoted

Begin with what you already know. Draw from your individual experiences so as to add depth and credibility.

For instance, the journey author India Amos constructed her authority by writing firsthand evaluations.

Her Enterprise Insider piece a couple of ferry experience is grounded in actual expertise, making the content material reliable and relatable.

However don’t restrict your self to content material writing for purchasers. Get your identify on the market.

• Contribute guest posts and knowledgeable quotes to respected websites
• Converse at conferences or webinars
• Share insights on social media

The extra you’re cited as an knowledgeable, the stronger your credibility.

Be taught search engine marketing Fundamentals

SEO basics stay important to content material writing: key phrase analysis, aggressive evaluation, and on-page optimization.

However you’ll additionally need to know write and construction LLM-friendly content.

YouTube movies, blogs, and programs can assist you perceive these subjects rapidly.

It’s additionally useful to familiarize your self with common search engine marketing instruments.

Purchasers usually anticipate you to know platforms like:

• Clearscope, Surfer search engine marketing, MarketMuse: Content material optimization and readability scoring
• Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz: Key phrase analysis and competitive analysis
• Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini: AI search perception and prompt-based content material discovery

Present Proof of Work with a Portfolio

A portfolio showcases what you convey to the desk and offers proof of your accomplishments as a author.

However you don’t need to spend weeks (or months) constructing one.

What issues most is what’s inside your portfolio, akin to:

• A brief intro about who you might be and what you supply
• Writing samples that showcase your experience
• Testimonials or references
• Contact data

Instruments like Notion, Contra, Authory, and Bento allow you to design a portfolio in minutes.

As an example, right here’s my Authory portfolio:

I like this platform as a result of it routinely provides all articles credited to my identify.

You too can spend money on an internet site for extra management and search visibility.

I did each — having a portfolio and web site helps me enhance my on-line visibility:

LinkedIn may double as your portfolio.

Add particulars about every consumer and hyperlink to your articles within the “Expertise” part of your profile.

Share your on-the-job insights, function testimonials, and have interaction in related conversations.

And don’t neglect to submit your favourite work, from weblog posts to copywriting.

In contrast to a static website, LinkedIn retains you seen in actual time.

Future-Proof Your Content material Writing Abilities

Use what you’ve discovered right here to create content material that builds your popularity and lands purchasers.

As a result of nice content material writing doesn’t simply fill pages. It opens doorways.

And as AI continues to reshape the content material world, the very best writers don’t resist it — they evolve with it.

So, don’t worry synthetic intelligence as a author. Use it to your benefit.