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Number 2, 3, 4, 5? I will be back to update you but maybe not today.

You can put in hours of work, research, and even creativity into a piece of writing but still mess it all up over these common mistakes.

1. Poor Headline

Headlines are otherwise known as caption, title, topic, and header depending on the platform intended for publishing. But these alternative names do not change a fact; the HEADLINE has to catch the interest of your target audience with at least 6 words and at most 10 words.

Note, the first three to four words must be compelling enough to elicit the "I want to read this now" emotion from your target audience.

Example 1:
✖ Nollywood actor, Alex Ekubo proposes to girlfriend
✔ Amidst gay rumors, Alex Ekubo proposes to a secret girlfriend

Example 2:
✖ 10 things to learn from Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote
✔ Become a billionaire by practicing these habits of Aliko Dangote


2. Poor Outline

An outline can be best described as the map of your writing. It helps you present your ideas and flow of thought both compellingly and logically. Failure to get it right could lead to a messy writeup. Your audience may find it incoherent and stop reading too early.

How do you map out a great outline?
- Begin with an introduction to the topic.
- Make use of more than one subheading or paragraph to arrange your ideas.
- Ensure subsequent subheadings are linked to previous ones.
- Avoid verbosity.
- Conclude around the topic.

Example 1:
Topic: Say goodbye to dark knuckles with shea butter
Outline:
Introduction
How are dark knuckles gotten?
Why shea butter?
How to use shea butter?
How fast does it work?
Side effects
Conclusion

3. Not Knowing or Understanding Your Target Audience

You may have done all the right researches and have all the right information to write great content. But let me burst your bubble. If you do not know or understand your target audience, you may not convey that information to the comprehension of your readers.

You can't use big words in writing for grade 2 pupils? You can't take a too conversational tone for a formal audience. You have no business writing YouTube scripts without a hook? In news writing, you can't leave out the where, what, who, how, when, and why. Of course, a research paper must be backed by reliable authorities.

How do I know these? Because I understand the audience. You should do the same, know and understand your audience.


4. Skip Proofreading

Tell me, how do you feel when reading an article or book with so many grammar and spelling errors? I bet you say to yourself that this writer is unprofessional... Well, this could be someone else saying the same about you if you skip the proofreading process of your work.

Proofreading is the last step in content editing and should be the last thing you do before publishing.

Thorough proofreading of a writing text gives your audience a robust reading experience and communicates to them what a skilled and professional writer you are.

If you don't value either of these, then by all means skip the ALMIGHTY proofreading.

Interestingly, the beauty of proofreading is that you don't have to do it by yourself. At your disposal, are several apps that can help you do a great proofreading job.

Have you heard of Grammarly? HemmingwayApp? SmallSeoTools? Edubirdie? ProWritingAid? Do check them out.

5. Concluding Without a CTA

Conclusion implies the end of your writing but it doesn't have to just end. It should elicit a response from your audience. And this is where a Call To Action (CTA) comes in.

With a call to action, be it covert or overt, you direct your audience to take a particular action in line with the end goal of the writing.

If you aim to sell a product, urge your audience to buy it with a CTA. Or you want a robust engagement, urge them to comment, like, and share. You want them to subscribe to your blog, urge them to do it with a CTA? Whatever your end goal is for an article or a piece of writing, a CTA can help you achieve it.

Example:

1. You need a fully functional Facebook messenger chatbot for your business? Contact us today. We will have it designed in real-time.
2. So, tell us in the comment section, do you think Ronaldo was wrong for endorsing water during Euro2020?

I bet you wonder what my end goal is for this article? Wonder no more as I introduce you to Latoya Sigmund Creatives, a writing agency geared towards bringing your ideas to life and presenting them compellingly.

Do contact us today at latoyasigmund@gmail.com for all writing-related projects.

Still on the easy peasy right?