6 Web Writing Trends for 2022, and How Copywriters Can Take Advantage of Them
By Tammy Powell

Maybe it seems a little early to start planning for 2022. But as we enter the fall season and the last quarter of 2021, marketing managers have been hard at work developing their strategies for the upcoming year.

So, what’s coming up in the next year in terms of web writing and online content? And how can you as a copywriter (yes, even as a brand-new copywriter) take advantage of these trends to bring in some new paychecks?

Here are six upcoming trends to know about, and some suggestions for getting started …

1. Brand Recognition

In recent years, a lot of companies and brands have been publishing online content. That trend only increased during the pandemic, when businesses had to engage customers online rather than in person — and the trend is expected to stick around.

While this is great for copywriters (after all, someone has to write all that content!), the problem for businesses is that there’s a lot of “noise” online.

The online space is crowded and competitive — so they need a way to stand out.

To address this issue, many businesses are reassessing what makes them special or unique, so they can include this in their online copy and any messages directed to their customers and prospects.

As a copywriter, you can help businesses with their brand message, thanks to your training in focusing on a business’s USP — their Unique Selling Proposition, or the thing that makes them special and different from their competitors.

2. High-Quality SEO

Yes, SEO is still very important. And as with many things on the World Wide Web, it can evolve rapidly.

In case you’re new to the concept, SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s the process of writing online content with keywords and phrases that make it show up higher in online search results, so potential customers have an easier time finding the business.

In the past, many experts recommended publishing content (such as blog posts or online articles) frequently — one or more times daily for large businesses. But as we move toward 2022, some experts report there is a trend away from publishing so much average material.

Instead, the focus is on quality.

Quality can mean several different things. First, it means that the quality of the content is more important than the quantity.

In other words, quality can mean publishing blog posts less frequently — just when there’s something important to say, rather than publishing the same old stuff just to keep up with a content schedule.

This is probably due to the sheer amount of content that’s been published online in recent years. Customers are flooded with content that is often very similar between brands, and they’ve become somewhat immune to it.

Customers want to read something new and interesting. So, it’s important to approach content writing with new and interesting takes whenever possible.

Also, authoritative content (much longer blog posts that cover a topic thoroughly) are considered most helpful and often rank higher than short pieces.

3. Customer Retention

It’s a well-recognized fact that it typically costs businesses much less money to retain a current client than to attract new leads. And marketers want to expand on this strategy.

One way to do this is by “nurturing” current customers with interesting content, upgrades, or new products/services that are relevant to them. This strategy can lead to repeat sales, as well as valuable word-of-mouth referrals.

A business can nurture current customers by sending out newsletters to an email list.

Unlike social media, emails are not subject to algorithms. Therefore, customers who signed up for the newsletter WILL see it, assuming it stays out of the Spam folder.

For all the reasons mentioned above, it’s important to make sure this content is engaging and interesting. It should also be personalized to the customer whenever possible.

4. Chatbots

Many copywriters wonder if AI technology will start to replace them, since there is some AI tech that can be used for writing. However, this possibility seems to be a long way off, since much of what is written by AI is not that great — and sometimes, it’s flat-out nonsensical.

Plus, with the recent focus on high quality, engaging, and interesting content, many marketers will need content that has that human touch, something that is currently difficult for machines to emulate.

And there’s an upside — a way for copywriters to take advantage of the AI trend …

Specifically, writers are needed to create scripts for AI chatbots.

The demand for chatbots is high, since customers are growing more and more accustomed to immediate answers to their questions. So, this specialty could hold a wealth of opportunity (and lucrative pay days) for any copywriters who are interested in pursuing it.

5. Interactive Content

One way to make web content more engaging is to add an interactive component. This makes the experience more personalized, and it can help to hold someone’s attention on that particular website.

So, what exactly is interactive content?

A few examples include surveys, quizzes, and gamification.

This specialty is evolving, so copywriters with a strong creative streak may have fun coming up with new ways to keep customers entertained and attentive.

6. Podcasts

Podcasts are continuing to grow in popularity. While a podcast doesn’t necessarily cast a wide net, those prospects who listen to podcasts are often highly interested in the brand and may be more likely to make a purchase at some point.

Some businesses need writers to create podcast scripts for them, which is nice because it can be consistent, long-term work.

How Can Copywriters Get Involved with These Trends?

Everyone’s path may look a little different, depending on what they’re interested in doing and what their clients need from them.

However, the following are a few good rules of thumb to help a copywriter be prepared for many different opportunities that could come their way …

• Practice your copywriting and content writing skills. No matter which project types you become involved in, a solid foundation in good writing will always be needed.
• Brush up on web writing skills, so you know the best practices for writing online content.

• Pick one skill or specialty at first. While it’s tempting to try to learn everything at once, it’s usually most effective to focus all your energy on one thing at a time.

  So, whether that’s writing emails or blog posts, updating web pages, chatbots, UX copywriting, SEO, or something else, do whatever feels best to you first. Then, you can always add another skill later.

• Be comfortable working on a team. Some projects may involve a copywriter working with multiple people, such as a marketing manager, an SEO expert, the talent for a podcast, and graphic designers and artists (and this last one may become more common as augmented reality is another up-and-coming trend).

Being professional and easy to work with will always be a good way to expand your opportunities.

AWAI offers courses in many of these specialties and in many transferrable skill sets. So, there’s a lot available to you.

Right now is a good time to start brushing up your skills and get a head start on all the opportunities in the coming year.

If you’re not sure where to start, ask us in the comments.