Author Archives: Kristen Hicks

Language Matters: How to Be a More Inclusive Writer

become a more inclusive writer

Anyone that writes for a living doesn’t need to be told that language is important. Figuring out the right words to wield in the right order to effectively convey information is the job, after all. But even skilled writers can be prone to overlook ways that language can be harmful. Many of us use words and phrases all the time that have long been treated as a normal part of the English language, but that actually have a more sinister background or meaning.

As a writer, you don’t want your audience to feel alienated because you unintentionally used language that treats them as an other or outsider. And using language that excludes people is extremely easy. You’ve almost certainly done it before—I know I have. 

Those slip ups have a cost. First and foremost, they make your reader feel bad. Whether they’re hurt, or angry, or just slightly annoyed, you don’t want to inspire those kinds of negative emotions in your audience. But making your writing more inclusive is also good for your brand. Google research found that 64% of people will take action after seeing an ad they consider to be diverse or inclusive, and the numbers are higher for someone marginalized—69% for Black consumers, and 71% for LGBTQ people. 

1. Avoid ableist language.

Ableist language takes a couple different forms. Anytime a term used to describe a physical disability or mental health issue is used as a metaphor or expression, that’s one form of ableism. Examples include calling someone whose behavior you don’t like “crazy,” describing someone who refuses to listen to information “deaf” to it, or describing someone who’s particular about a habit “OCD.”  Another form it can take is using language to describe a disability that the disabled community considers insulting. That includes describing someone who has an unconventional physical appearance as being “deformed” or referring to someone with a learning or intellectual disability as “special needs.” 

Ableist language is all around us. Because it’s so commonplace, it takes effort to learn how to recognize and unlearn it. But getting it right matters. When you use a term that describes an actual disability as a metaphor, it can make disabled readers feel like you don’t actually understand them or their experiences. And when the community that a term describes distances themselves from it, they do so for a reason and it’s our job to listen.

Like all language, ableist language has a tendency to evolve. Sometimes terms that start out as descriptive get weaponized by people that aren’t a part of the community they describe and end up becoming slurs. And sometimes those same words later get reclaimed by people within the community. It’s important to keep paying attention to the voices of the disabled on this topic over time, so you know when there’s been a change in the norms of what language is acceptable. 

Learn more:

2. Beware the gender binary.

Unless maybe you’re Gen Z (and probably even then), you were likely raised to understand gender in oversimplistic, binary terms. Mainstream culture has long tried to slot all people into either the category of “man” or “woman,” based on what a doctor said they were at birth. But society has always been wrong about that, and a growing portion of the population is pushing back against rigid definitions of gender. 

Any article that talks about “women” and “men” as though those categories include everyone is leaving out nonbinary people entirely. And anytime a writer describes the biological attributes of sex (such as ability to give birth or having certain body parts) as though they’re exlusive to one gender, they’re excluding trans and intersex people for whom those descriptions don’t apply. That can be hurtful (and infuriating) to people in your audience that are left out, and makes your writing less accurate as well. 

Make sure anytime you’re writing about gender, you consider and include people who don’t neatly fit into the gender binary. If you’re quoting research that only acknowledges cis men and women (as a lot of research in, for example, the health field still does), make note of that rather than treating it as normal or accepted to exclude everyone else. Avoid using gendered pronouns in your writing, unless you’re referring to a specific person (whose pronouns you know). The singular “they” is better for readability than the awkward “he or she” your teachers may have taught you all those years ago anyways.

And speaking of pronouns, if you interview a source for a piece, always ask for their pronouns. You don’t want to get them wrong in your piece. That not only makes you look sloppy, but is also offensive to the person who shared their time and expertise with you.

Learn more:

3. Don’t let anti-fat bias creep into your writing.

How often have you been in a room with people discussing diets, calories, and weight goals? Probably a lot. It’s (sadly) a common part of life. But the way our culture often talks about weight is damaging. Not only is much of it wrong (weight isn’t correlated to health in the way you might think), but it’s actively harmful. 

The anti-fat bias in our culture causes a huge number of serious problems—from eating disorders, to fat people being bullied and discriminated against, to doctors ignoring real health concerns because they (wrongly) assume all health problems a fat person has can be solved by losing weight. But even if you personally know better than to be a bully to someone because of their weight (and I hope you do, cause if not—WTF), you may be contributing to anti-fat bias in your writing without thinking about it. 

Articles and blog posts that have nothing to do with weight often make casual mentions of diets or “shedding pounds” before summer, as though everyone reading will be on board with those things as a definite good. But for anyone in your audience that’s struggled with an eating disorder or spent years facing discrimination because of their size, a reference to “beach bodies” that you mean to be relatable will read more as an insult.  

Don’t assume weight loss is a goal for all your readers. Make sure you don’t slip into talking about some body sizes as being better than others. And avoid talk of diets or counting calories unless it somehow relates directly to the topic you’re writing about (say, if you’re writing about tips for adopting a vegetarian diet). 

Learn more:

  • Aubrey Gorden, who writes as Your Fat Friend, has a lot of great articles on this topic, along with a whole book on the subject that’s well worth the time,
  • She also co-hosts an informative (and funny) podcast with Michael Hobbes: Maintenance Phase. 

4. Use person-first language, when appropriate.

Person-first language means emphasizing the person before the descriptor. So instead of referring to someone as a “female writer,” you’d describe them as a “writer that’s a woman.” But in many cases, you don’t even need the descriptor. 

So first off, consider if that description of a person’s race, gender, disability, or other type of marginalization is relevant to what you’re writing. Only mention it if you determine it’s important in the context. And if you decide that mentioning it matters, then you may want to use people-first language—but go ahead and check with the person first, if you’re able. If it’s a source you’re writing an article about, ask them how they prefer to be described. If you’re writing about someone you don’t have that kind of access to, see if you can find examples of how they refer to themselves. If that doesn’t yield results, then person-first language is probably a smart bet. 

Learn more:

5.  Consider the history of phrases before you use them.

Sometimes a phrase becomes so common in usage that we say (or write) it without thinking about what the words themselves actually mean. But in a number of cases, those words are tied to historical meanings that can’t be taken lightly. When someone facing consequences for their actions claims to be the victim of a “witch hunt,” they’re callously using the imagery of actual historical violence. Or when two (non-indigenous) people making up after an argument talk about “burying the hatchet,” they’re appropriating Native American imagery without thinking about its history.

You can avoid some instances of unintentional bigotry or offensiveness by starting to pay more attention to the metaphorical phrases you use. Think about where the phrase comes from before you use it. And if you don’t know its history, look it up to determine if you’re casually perpetuating offensive ideas in its use. You may be surprised how many casually offensive terms are a normal part of your thought process. Identifying them is the first step to removing them from your regular vocabulary.

Learn more:

Always Be Learning

Language is constantly evolving, and the conversations around which words are acceptable and harmful are ongoing. In order to be an inclusive, compassionate writer, you have to commit to continual learning. 

Listen to people from various marginalized groups and backgrounds to better understand how they do and don’t like to be referred to and why (while also recognizing that there will often be variety in their opinions). Do your best to match your writing to what they say, and be open to feedback when you get something wrong. You won’t always get things right, but as long as you’re willing to always listen, show empathy, and do your best, you will get better at avoiding harmful language.

Some resources to help you along the way: 

The Crucial Content Writing Step You May Be Skipping

U.S. culture (and many others) valorize hard work. We grow up steeped in the messaging that success is correlated to how hard you’re willing to work, and that developing a skill requires relentless hours of practice. And while that isn’t exactly inaccurate, it’s not the full picture.

For writers—and knowledge workers in general—the quality of your ideas and output depends on finding the right balance between work and rest. Contrary to our cultural narratives, working too hard can hurt your results. And at the same time, it can diminish your quality of life and do serious harm to your health.

This isn’t a personal opinion—it’s backed by research. Taking time for rest doesn’t make you lazy or a bad worker. It’s one of the most commonly overlooked ways to become a better writer. 

5 Ways Rest Will Improve Your Content Writing

 In an ideal world, knowing that rest is important for your physical and mental health would be a good enough reason to make it a priority. In the world we’re all stuck in though, rest is too often associated with personal guilt and/or accusations of laziness. 

In many workplaces, managers will punish employees that take time off, and reward those who put in longer hours. But even for freelancers and business owners that work for ourselves, it’s hard to shake the idea that you’re doing something wrong when you take breaks or give yourself days off. 

So, for those of you that need to hear it: rest doesn’t make you lazy. Instead, scheduling rest—being intentional about it—is a strategic move you can make to improve your business performance. And here’s why. 

1. When you work too hard, your work suffers.

Conventional wisdom suggests that the more hours you work, the more you’ll get done. Actual research has proven that’s not true. Human brains and bodies have their limits. When you try to push yours past those limits, your work suffers. Not only will you produce less, but as your exhaustion increases, the work you do produce will be of lower quality.

The feelings of guilt many of us face when we take time off are illogical. Avoiding overwork isn’t the selfish, indulgent thing to do. It’s the best choice for anyone who cares about producing quality work. 

2. Rest gives creativity room to grow.

If you know many creatives, then you’ve heard anecdotes about the “a ha!” moments that hit when in the shower or on a long walk. That happens for a reason. When you allow the brain periods of rest in between those of intense focus, the brain doesn’t turn off. Instead, a different part of the brain goes to work—a part that excels in creativity*. 

When you’re trying so hard to make progress on a piece—staring at a blank page and just getting nowhere—sometimes the most productive move you can make is to step away and do something entirely different. A walk, exercise, a shower, cooking, playing with your pets—anything that explicitly shifts your mind away from the work. 

It may feel counterintuitive, but letting your mind wander can help you accomplish more than trying to whip it into gear when you’re nearing a breaking point. 

3. Rushed work gets sloppy.

When you overload your calendar, you’ll end up cramming work in when you don’t have the proper time and energy to give to it. Rushed work will be more prone to errors—from minor ones, like embarrassing typos, to bigger issues, such as pieces that lack research and get information wrong (yikes!). 

If you don’t give yourself room to breath with the amount of work you schedule, the mistakes that make it into your pieces will hurt your reputation. And just as bad, they could lead your readers astray in their search for accurate, useful information.

4.     Rest is required to avoid burnout.

Short periods of stress and overwork can take their toll. But once they become your norm, you face the bigger issue of burnout. And once you hit the point of burnout, not only will your health suffer, but you’ll struggle to get anything done. Work goes from feeling challenging to impossible. You go from being worn out at the end of the day, to tired all the time. And motivation will feel entirely out of reach.

In short, burnout is serious and best avoided. To keep from reaching that point and facing all the personal and career consequences that come with it, you need to start prioritizing rest before the days and weeks of overwork pile up to the point where it’s too late. 

5.     All work and no play makes you dull.

Unless you’re staying at a secluded, haunted hotel throughout the winter, working too hard probably won’t make you a murderer. But it does risk making you less relatable, which matters when it comes to writing. Interacting with friends and family members can produce insights you won’t get while sitting at your computer. Spending time reading books, watching movies, and following current events will keep you learning.

And the experiences you have while living life (away from work) will often come back in surprising ways that make your writing better. Maybe something that happens while walking your dog becomes the perfect anecdote to start a piece with, or a friend’s comment at a party sparks a great topic to tackle on your blog.

When all you ever do and think about is work, you lose insight into a lot of the things your audience cares about. Keeping in touch with the culture outside of your job helps you keep your writing interesting and authentic. 

How to Intentionally Incorporate Rest into Your Work

Now that you have strong arguments for abolishing any guilt or hesitation you may have felt about adding more rest into your life, you need to develop specific strategies to make sure it happens. 

1. Schedule in breaks.

When you’re busy (which most of us are most of the time), the idea of including a break in your day may feel impossible. But that’s why it’s important to intentionally schedule it. Treat it like a task that’s as important as any other item on your to-do list (because it is). The breaks you include in your day will make the time you spend focusing on work more productive. 

And by being more intentional about the breaks you take, you’ll likely find you spend less time on unintentional breaks <cough> Twitter/Facebook/Instagram <cough>. And that means you can spend your breaks doing something you actually like. Doesn’t a walk in your neighborhood sound nicer than another twenty minutes of doomscrolling? 

2. Enforce a strict line between the workday and your personal life.

Make a rule for yourself right now: when you’re done with work for the day, you’re done. No checking email on your phone while you watch TV, or taking business calls that come in while you’re trying to have dinner with family. To truly get the benefits of rest, you need time where you’re psychologically detached from your work. And a voice in the back of your head urging you to check your work email just in case will keep you from that.

You’re a writer, not an OB-GYN with clients that could go into labor at any moment (or at least, if a client does go into labor, that’s very much not your responsibility!). This isn’t a job where time-sensitive emergencies are the norm. You don’t need to be on call to do your job well. And in fact, you’ll do your job better if you let yourself be all the way off when you’re not working. 

3. Take weekends (or something comparable).

For freelancers and agency owners, the line between the workweek and weekend can get blurry. But it’s important to have full days off regularly. 

If you find that you prefer to take Mondays and Thursdays off to Saturdays and Sundays, that’s fine! The particulars matter less than the idea. But don’t try to work seven days a week. Make sure you leave yourself weekends to rest, spend time with loved ones, and pursue any hobbies you’re into. 

4. Commit to regular vacations.

If you’re employed, use your vacation time! Don’t feel bad using the benefit you’ve earned. And don’t feel like you need to keep an eye on your email while you’re gone.

Note: I recognize that If you have an employer that requires this, you may not have much of a choice. But to the degree possible, leave work behind completely. And if you don’t have that option now, seriously consider looking for an employer who respects the value of rest.

If you work for yourself, make scheduling vacations a priority. Something a lot of people don’t realize about freelancing until they’re in it is that somehow it becomes harder to take time off when you control your own schedule. Many freelancers fall into the trap of forgetting to take vacation, or feeling like they can’t for the first few years (hi, it me). That’s a surefire path to burnout.

Communicate with your clients in advance and schedule all your deadlines to make sure they won’t interfere with the time you’ve allotted for your vacation. It really is OK to put an out-of-office message up and leave work behind for a week or two. The alternative is the real danger to your career. 

5. Get comfortable saying “no” (and “not now”).

For everything else on this list to be possible without burning bridges and disappointing people, you need to avoid overcommitting. That means getting really good at using a small and simple word that is surprisingly difficult to say: no. 

Don’t feel like you have to agree to everything a boss asks you to do. Don’t think you have to take on every project a client offers. Getting comfortable with saying “I don’t have the space in my calendar for that right now” takes work, but it’s important. And saying “no” doesn’t make you unprofessional. A lot of people will respect you more for showing that you know how to schedule effectively, set realistic expectations, and communicate boundaries.

Sometimes saying “no” outright is important. Other times saying “I can’t fit that in now, but could slot it in X weeks from now” will do the trick. Get in the habit of figuring out how much you can manage without going overboard, and protecting your schedule from going beyond that. 

Conclusion

The internet is packed with articles about productivity hacks. But a lot of them miss this crucial part of the equation. If you’re not taking enough breaks, getting enough sleep, and keeping portions of your life entirely work-free, your productivity will dip. Your work will suffer. And you’ll hit a wall where you just can’t keep it up any more. 

For the good of your personal life, your health, and your writing—take a break. 

*If you want to know all the sciency stuff behind this, you can find it in the chapter on “The Problem of Rest” in the book Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. It also has sections that cover a lot of the research referenced elsewhere throughout the post. [jump back up]

SEO Writing 101: Don’t Skip SERP Research

A good 90% of SEO writing is about creating content that’s valuable to the humans you hope will read it. But then there’s that other 10%—the part about understanding search engines and making sure your writing speaks to what the algorithms respond to.

And a key step in getting that 10% right (and helping with the 90% while you’re at it) is performing SERP research.

What is SERP Research?

SERP stands for search engine results page. Anytime you do a Google search, the page your search produces is the SERP for that keyword.

SERP research is performing an analysis of the SERP for a keyword you want to rank for. 

Digging into the SERP for a keyword yields useful insights about how people use the keyword, what Google deems good content on the topic, and what you need to do to effectively compete in the rankings.

How to Perform a SERP Analysis

The idea of SERP research may seem straightforward enough: perform a search, see what shows up. But to do an effective SERP analysis, you want to include a few key steps in your process.

1. Google your primary keyword.

Do a search for the primary keyword you have in mind. If you have a list of a few keywords you’re targeting, or are still trying to decide between a few, go ahead and do this for all of them so you can see how the SERPs compare.

Because Google sometimes provides personalized results based on past search history, this step is best performed in an incognito or private search window. 

2. Analyze the layout of the SERP.

The great aim of Google’s algorithm is to discern what the person searching wants to find, and deliver up the best possible results for their query. And because the company has massive quantities of data on people’s search habits and what they click on for each search, they do a pretty good job at understanding the intentions behind a keyword. 

For marketers, analyzing the layout of a SERP can reveal valuable information on what your target audience is thinking. You want the piece you write to address what they’re looking for, and the SERP helps you better understand what that is.

Sometimes the results you get will reveal people are searching for something entirely different than you thought. For example, if you do a search for “SERP research” the first result is for an organization called The Strategic Education Research Partnership Institute. 

That is…not how I’m using the term in this post. But because the rest of the results on the page have to do with SEO, that suggests that, other than the people searching for that specific organization, most of the people searching for that term are using it the way I’m talking about it. 

Beyond confirming the main meaning people have in mind for a keyword, a SERP analysis can help you better understand what type of results they’re looking for. For example, let’s look at the SERPs for two related keywords: ”how to improve energy” and “supplements for energy.”

The first has three main things on it: 

  • An answer box with information pulled from an article on the subject in a list format
  • A People Also Ask section with related questions 
  • Organic results dominated by articles that list tips

All three of these point to informational search intent. Google is convinced people performing this search want articles that provide actionable tips they can put to use, in list form. 

The latter search term looks different. Some of the organic results are informational articles like those on our first SERP, suggesting that’s what some people are looking for. But above that, we get shopping results.

Lower on the page, we get a local map of nearby stores that sell supplements. And several of the organic results are eCommerce brands. That all points to Google understanding this search term to have purchasing intent, at least some of the time. Some people doing this search want information, but many are ready to buy a product that meets their needs. 

3.  Identify any SERP features.

SERP features are all those extra features that show up on the SERP alongside the organic results. Some common examples include paid ads, the People Also Ask section, the Google local map, answer boxes, and knowledge graphs. 

A Backlinko analysis found that 97.6% of searches produce results with at least one SERP feature. Understanding the SERP features for your keyword is important for a few reasons:

  • They help you understand search intent (as with our supplements example above).
  • If a featured snippet tops the page, it’s something you’ll want to target with your content 
  • They allow you to gauge how valuable an organic result really is

To that last point, SERP features play a key role in how people will react to a SERP, and can impact how likely they are to click on organic results. For example, if you do a search for a movie, the knowledge graph that shows up on the right side of the page packs a lot of information.

You get images, the year the movie was made, its running time, where you can watch it, critics’ ratings, quotes from reviews, and a list of the top actors in the movie. In short, a decent number of the questions a person might have about the movie are answered right there on the SERP.

Even if you rank on page one for a keyword with a thorough knowledge graph like this—your content requires an extra click, and Google’s doesn’t. That might not make the keyword useless to target, but it means it shouldn’t be as high of a priority as a comparable term without a knowledge graph.

On the other hand, if the page is topped with an answer box, you’ll want to create content optimized for claiming that featured snippet. An Ahrefs study found that less than a third of featured snippets came from the top organic result. That means you don’t have to earn the top spot in Google’s organic results to be featured at the top of the page. 

Pay attention to what kind of featured snippet it is. If it’s a list, structure your content in a list format. If it’s a paragraph answer box, include your keyword followed by a brief answer in the content itself, ideally near the top of the page. And of course, aim to make it better than the content currently claiming that spot. 

4. Review your top competitors.

This step is the most straightforward, but also the most time consuming. In order to write content that has a chance of ranking, you want to understand what’s ranking now. Click on the top few results, and spend some time reading what’s on the page. 

This accomplishes a few things at once:

  • It shows you what you need to beat. Unless your website has already built up a lot of authority (e.g. you’re writing for a big player like The New York Times or their equivalent in your space), your content needs to be better than the top results to have any chance of competing with them. You need to understand what you’re up against in order to create something that rivals it. 
  • It shows you what Google considers a good answer for the keyword. The content that ranks now can teach you a lot about what Google sees as the best way to cover the topic you’re writing about. Pay attention to what different sections the ranking content includes, what questions they answer, and what language they use. And also note the length. Has Google determined this a topic that requires a longform piece to cover it adequately? 
  • It helps you learn more about the topic. If you’re already an expert, maybe you won’t learn much you didn’t already know. But if you’re a freelance SEO writer who covers a lot of topics, this is an important step for making sure you understand the topic thoroughly before you start writing. 
  • It gives you the chance to look for what’s missing. As you look over these pages, is there a piece of information you feel is important that none of them address? That’s your angle for creating something different and better. You have to know what’s there to find what’s missing. 

This step takes time, but by the end of it you’ll not only be better prepared to create content that can rank, but you’ll find that creating your outline and doing the writing itself becomes much easier. 

SERP Research Enables Better SEO Writing

If professional writers have one secret for making writing easier, it’s to hold off on trying to write until you’ve done your research. When you understand your topic thoroughly, know what you want to say, and understand how to approach it to meet your goals—the writing itself comes much more fluidly. 

For SEO writing, spending time on SERP research gets you to that point. And specifically, it helps you to check off a number of goals at once. You will:

  • Make sure you understand search intent for your keyword. 
  • Confirm how valuable your keyword is, and whether ranking is realistic.
  • Determine how to structure your content to optimize for relevant SERP features.
  • Understand what Google considers “good” content for the keyword.
  • Make sure you’re answering the top questions your competition is, and then some.
  • Know what you need to do to write a piece that’s better than what’s ranking now.

All of that alone won’t promise rankings. Google cares too much about things like backlinks and website authority for good SEO writing to ensure rankings alone (as nice as that would be). But it ensures you’re doing all you can to increase your chances of claiming those top spots.

How to Use Statistics in Your Content Marketing Writing

For all the wonders of words to help us communicate, think more deeply, and convey truth, they have a dark side. I can just as easily write up a statement that’s a bald-faced lie as one that’s true. Or I can convey an idea that that’s inaccurate—maybe one I fully believe—in a way that makes it sound legitimate.

statistics in content marketing writing

Stating something is easy. Backing up what you say with convincing evidence is harder. That’s why content marketing writing frequently includes statistics from research.

When to Use Statistics in Content Marketing

Statistics have an important role to play in good content writing. Any time you’re trying to make a point about something, backing it up with a statistic is one of the best ways to convince your reader of the accuracy of what you’re saying. Instead of stating “lots of people shop on their mobile devices”—which many readers will intuitively feel to be true—it’s more meaningful to say that “in 2020 mobile shopping makes up over 70% of ecommerce sales, according to Statista.”

Statistics aren’t the only way to back up a point with evidence, quotes from expert sources or anecdotes from case studies are also options, but they’re a strong tool content writers can use for making a compelling case.

How Not to Use Statistics in Content Marketing Writing

While statistics can be used to make a piece of content marketing writing more effective, they are often deployed lazily. Bad use of statistics is all over content marketing. 

Some of the most common issues you’ll see are:

  • Statistics that don’t include a link to the source.

If you don’t link back to a source, how is a reader supposed to know if the statistic is even real? I could say that 95% of businesses that hire freelance writers are happy with the results. That’s a statistic that would serve me, a freelance writer, pretty well. But I just made it up.

Anyone can make up a statistic that conveniently says what they want. In order for any reader with critical thinking skills to believe it, they need a way to check the claim themselves. 

  • Statistics that do link to a source, but not the original one.

Many content marketers will find a statistic that backs up the claim they’re making, and link back to where they found it. But if the article they found it in isn’t the original source, they’re still forcing work onto any reader that wants to check the stat.

Content marketers often end up in a game of virtual telephone, with different businesses linking to each other as the source of a particular statistic, making it difficult to find your way back to where the statistic came from to start. If a curious reader wants to verify the information and understand methodology and context, they’ll be disappointed if your link doesn’t take them to the original source. 

  • Source links that are broken.

This issue’s more understandable. Sometimes the originator of a piece of research will change the webpage it’s on, or remove it entirely after a few years. When that happens, everyone that cited that source ends up with broken links. I don’t assume sloppiness on the part of a brand when I encounter this, but it’s a good reminder to periodically update your content to keep it current.

  • Statistics that are super old.

This is particularly an issue in topic areas where things change fast. A statistic about social media use from 2011 is basically worthless in 2020. Some of the most dominant social media platforms today didn’t even exist yet then, or were in their infancy. For any technological field, a statistic that’s more than a couple years old won’t adequately represent today’s reality. And even in other fields, statistics that are a few years old risk being inaccurate. 

  • Statistics provided without context (or that get the context wrong).

Sometimes in trying to make a statistic fit a particular point, writers leave out some of the context. That could mean saying 82% of people think something, when the research study the statistic came from was specific to marketers in the United States. U.S. marketers are people, to be sure, but it’s misleading to talk about a statistic that applies to a specific subset of the population as though it applies to everyone. Someone that doesn’t go back to check the original source in that case may believe something inaccurate based on how the information is presented. That does them a disservice. 

How to Responsibly Use Statistics in Your Content Marketing

When you see so many other businesses perpetuating these errors, you may be tempted to do the same. If it’s the industry standard, why not take the easy route? But the world of content marketing is competitive, and your aim should be to do work that’s better than the norm, especially if it makes your writing more valuable to readers. 

When using statistics, follow a few key rules to get it right. 

1. Trace the statistic back to the original source.

Sometimes this is hard. You’ll find 20 articles all linking to each other, or back to an article that doesn’t explain where the number came from. In that case, don’t use the stat. You don’t know how old it is, so can’t be confident it’s not outdated. You can’t confirm the original source was reputable, or even that it wasn’t made up. 

If you can’t can’t prove it’s legitimate, it’s not worth the risk of publishing bad information. 

I make one main exception to this rule: if you manage to track a statistic back to a research paper that comes at a very high cost. Some companies charge handsomely for access to their research (think: hundreds or thousands of dollars per report). If you found a reputable source that cites that report, I believe it’s OK to go with that instead of the original.

2. Research the source.

If it’s not a brand or organization you’re already familiar with, do some research to find out what their reputation is. Misinformation online is far too common, and there are plenty of bad actors that intentionally put out misleading or erroneous information. You don’t want to inadvertently end up citing so-called research from a company or organization that’s out to deceive or manipulate. 

3. Check the date.

If you’re in a fast-moving industry, try to find research less than a year old. In general, aim for research less than three years old. In some topic areas, older research may be fine. For example, if you’re writing about psychology, a study from ten years ago may still be worth mentioning. But if you’re writing about web design, a ten-year old statistic is worth little. 

4. Check the methodology.

Legitimate research reports will provide some details on how they came to those numbers. If it was a survey, look for a page that explains who they contacted with the survey, how many people responded, and any relevant demographic information about the respondents.

If it was data compiled by software, then look for an explanation of the study’s sample size and how the data was compiled. For example, if a company publishes a research report about common web design elements created by having software scan different websites, they’d say how many websites were included, how they selected them, and any limitations of the process to be aware of. 

You don’t have to explain the methodology when citing the statistic, but do take a minute to make sure the explanations are there so you can confirm the research is valid and that the stats are relevant to what you’re saying. If there’s a limitation in the methodology—e.g. the survey had a small group of respondents—do mention that. Start by seeing if you can find a better source. But if not, then make the limitations clear in your writing. For example, you could introduce the statistic with “While the sample size was small, one survey by Acme Corp found that <stat>”     

5.  Make sure you understand the context.

Sometimes what a statistic really means can get lost in the game of telephone between the original research report and the different articles written about it. The health field is particularly notorious for reporting that ditches any nuance in a research study to tout a statistic that makes for a good headline. But it’s not the only industry it happens in. 

This may be tempting—it might get you clicks, or make your point look better supported than it really is—but it makes your writing less authoritative. Before you include a statistic in your writing, take time to make sure you understand it yourself. That’s a necessary step to keep from misrepresenting it.

6. Name the source in your piece.

Naming the source in the text of your piece tells readers right away where it comes from, without making them do more work. And if the webpage you link to moves or gets taken down (something all too common, as mentioned previously), it ensures readers still have some information on where the number came from. 

So when saying “76% of all people like to eat chocolate” (a made-up stat), throw an “according to the Food Research Company” (a made-up source) before or after the statistic itself.  

7. Link back to the (original) source.

Even though you’re working to make sure you’re presenting the statistic accurately, with the proper context, and with a mention of where it came from in the text, you still want to give your readers the means to check it all for themselves. A simple link back to the source does the trick. 

8. Double-check the information before publishing.

Every writer knows how easily small errors can slip into pieces you’ve worked hard on. As part of your proofreading process, go back and double-check all the statistics you included in the piece. Make sure you didn’t mistype one, or get a couple mixed up. You don’t want to work hard to do everything the right way only to lose trust over a small error.

If Used Well, Statistics Can Make Your Writing Better

Using statistics badly is easy. That’s why it’s so common. Getting it right requires more work on a writer’s part. But if you want to create content marketing that’s trustworthy, that extra effort is worth it. And with how competitive content marketing is today, this is one way to make sure yours stands out as more valuable.  

Imposter Syndrome: What it Is and Tips to Overcome It

You see a job ad that sounds perfect. It’s exactly the kind of job you’ve been wanting. But then you scroll down to the list of required qualifications. It’s long. It’s intimidating. You’re starting to worry it’s not even worth trying to get this job. It’s obviously meant for someone better than you. 

Or you see a conversation about rates in your favorite freelance writers’ group and marvel at the numbers other people mention. You can’t imagine ever being good enough to confidently throw out a rate that high. 

These feelings come from the same place: imposter syndrome.

It’s a problem that plagues people across industries and in all kinds of roles. And it’s dangerous. It keeps people from taking opportunities they deserve, drawing reasonable boundaries, and charging the professional rates their work is worth.

I was recently a guest on the Deliberate Freelancer podcast with Melanie Padgett Powers to talk about my experiences with imposter syndrome, and tips for how to overcome it. 

Listen to the full conversation here.

What is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is the worry that you’re not good enough, without any evidence that’s the case, and often in the face of evidence to the contrary. In professional scenarios, it means doubting your abilities in areas where you actually have an impressive amount of skill and knowledge. 

For freelancers, it can take the form of entering into client relationships with a feeling that you’re lucky to be hired—like the client’s doing you a favor. For employees, it can mean a fear of speaking up to voice your opinions, worrying that your contributions aren’t valuable.

Across the board, it leads to professionals failing to ask for what they’re worth financially, and leaves people vulnerable to exploitation and mistreatment by those willing to take advantage of a lack of confidence. 

What Causes Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome can affect anyone, but it does tend to show up more often in those with less privilege in our society. Cultural power dynamics play a role in who feels the most comfortable taking up space and voicing opinions. 

For me, being raised in a patriarchal culture as a woman contributed to the imposter syndrome I had in my early years in the professional world. My default is to be people pleasing, which too often translated to feeling guilty about drawing reasonable professional boundaries with clients, or asking for (what I now know to be) standard professional rates. 

That doesn’t mean imposter syndrome is specific to any one gender, although I do believe it’s more likely to affect those marginalized in our society in some way. The line “aspire to the confidence of a mediocre white man” is an adage for a reason—those that can expect power and respect from the world around them as a given are less likely to doubt themselves. Whereas those living in a world that constantly demands they prove themselves worthy of basic respect are prone to internalize that messaging.

The root causes of imposter syndrome relate to a lot of much bigger issues in our society—capitalism, racism, patriarchy, and ableism, to name a few examples. But as individuals we can tackle our own feelings of imposter syndrome while continuing to live with the power dynamics that create it. I don’t have to personally topple the patriarchy to beat my own imposter syndrome (although that doesn’t mean I won’t try).  

7 Tips for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

1. Pay more attention to the positive voices in your life than the negative.

One of the dirty tricks our minds play on us is amplifying negative feedback, while downplaying positive. Most of us could have ten people telling us we’re awesome and one saying we suck, and that one person will take up more brain space than the other ten combined. Changing that balance takes intentional work. 

Learn to listen to the people that give you positive reinforcement. Trust that they know what they’re talking about. 

And when you receive negative feedback, walk away from it for a bit to get some emotional distance. Once you’re past the initial gut punch, come back to it with fresh eyes. Is it constructive feedback that you can take to improve? Is it actually telling you that you suck and you’ll never make it as a respectable professional? (Hint: it’s probably not.) And if it’s not constructive—if it’s mean or patronizing—is it something you should be treating as legitimate measure of your worth? (Hint: probably not).

2. Collect and save testimonials and recommendations.

This helps with the first step. Any time you get an email with positive feedback, save it and pull it back up on the days you’re doubting yourself. When you have clients or employers that like your work, ask them to send over a few lines about it.

LinkedIn allows you to send a request to people you’ve worked with asking for a recommendation. It’s quick and easy for them to do, and gives you a collection of positive words to pull up anytime those negative thoughts creep in.

And for freelancers, testimonials do the double duty of being a confidence booster when you need it and a marketing tool you can add to your website. 

3. Take stock of your experience.

Another good exercise to tackle when you’re facing imposter syndrome is to sit down and write out a list of jobs, projects, or clients you’ve managed. Similar to what you do when writing a resume (but it can be messier since it’s just for yourself), list the skills you developed and put to use, and any goals you accomplished in the process. Tally up the years you’ve spent doing a particular type of work.

If you’re new to the professional world or a particular field, the list can be about what you accomplished in school, volunteer roles, or extracurricular activities. Chances are, you’ve still built up some useful skills and knowledge that are worthy of respect. You don’t have to be an expert with decades of experience to bring value to a job or project. If you know you possess solid research skills, a willingness to learn, punctuality—whatever your list of top attributes are—put those down in writing in this step.

4. Dump toxic clients and bosses.

While you can work on giving more space to the positive voices in your life than the negative, if you have a toxic boss or client, their voice will be loud and persistent for as long as they have power over you.

If you’re a freelancer, one of the biggest benefits of working for yourself is the power to be picky about who you work with. If you have a client that’s all negativity, all the time, end things as soon as possible to open up room in your calendar for better clients. 

Note: I’ve spoken on this topic before! Get some advice on how to break up with bad clients here.

If you’re in a job with a toxic boss, this is a lot harder. I get it. But make looking for new opportunities a top priority in your off hours. A toxic boss can do serious damage to your self confidence, and there’s a real epidemic of bad managers out there. Do what you can to keep their voice from piercing your self esteem for as long as you have to stick it out, and commit to getting out of there as soon as you can. 

5. Build your professional network.

Personally, I know that how other people see me has an influence on how I see myself. When I realize that people I think are impressive professionals see me as smart and experienced—it’s a lot easier to see myself that way. If you’re not yet at a point in your career where you have a professional network around you that views you as an experienced and legitimate professional, get to work building one!

While in-person networking opportunities are out for the foreseeable future, you can still make professional connections with virtual opportunities. Twitter chats, virtual networking meetups, Slack communities, Facebook groups—take advantage of the online communities that exist in your field to start making more connections.

Put in the work to build those relationships and suddenly, one day, you’ll look around and realize people see you as an expert in your field. And once you know that’s what people you respect see when they look at you, it will bolster your own view of yourself. 

6. Make a habit out of professional bravery.

Apply for that job with intimidating qualifications. Send over that proposal with rates so high they make you uncomfortable. Apply to be a speaker at that industry conference. Send a pitch to that publication you think is way out of your league.

You may get rejected. In fact, you’ll almost certainly get rejected some of the time. But trust me that even some of the best and most brilliant people in your field get rejections too. The more brave choices you take, the more likely you are to get a “yes” on at least one of them. And when that happens, it will definitely boost your confidence. 

7. Invest in improving your skills.

If you’re genuinely concerned that your lack of self-confidence may reflect a lack of skills or knowledge, then fix that. Sign up for a course or hire a consultant in your field. Getting feedback from a proven expert should be enough to convince you that you do actually know what you’re doing and you are good enough. 

If you can’t afford that, then dive into all the free resources you can find in your topic area. See if you can find free courses that provide a certification in your industry, or highly-regarded books that provide valuable insights you can learn from. 

The best antidote to worrying that you don’t know your stuff is committing to learning as much as you can.

Imposter Syndrome Can Be Beat

While it took me years to get here, I’m confident now in my professional knowledge and abilities. I’m much more comfortable charging professional rates, drawing boundaries, and saying no to clients that aren’t a good fit—all things that require a level of confidence that’s hard to reach with imposter syndrome. If self doubt’s holding you back, start doing the work to overcome it. Trusting in your self worth will improve your career and your personal life. 

To hear more on the subject, listen to the Deliberate Freelancer episode here.