When I first got into tech writing, I wasn’t sure what to expect. All I knew was that I wanted to write about technology and that I had a passion for numbers. At the time, I didn’t have much experience and wasn’t sure where to begin. After completing a 10-week training program on technical writing, I can honestly say that I learned a lot. Here’s a list of everything I now know.
The Purpose Of Technical Writing
I think the most important thing to understand about technical writing is that it isn’t just about writing. In order to become a technical writer, you need to have a purpose. As a new tech writer, you should focus on learning the skills necessary to accomplish that purpose. For example, if your purpose is to assist with product releases, you might focus on writing user manuals and help files. If your purpose is to create marketing material, you might focus on designing infographics and landing pages.
While there’s no set formula for determining your purpose as a tech writer, you should have a clear idea of what you’re trying to accomplish. Learning to write for a business audience can be very different from writing for a technical audience.
Keywords
If you have a blog or an online product, you need to have a clear idea of what keywords you should be using. When someone types in a keyword or phrase in the search engines, your website should appear as one of the first few results that pop up. In order to do this, you need to learn how to properly incorporate keywords into your writing. You can find free tools like Keyword Tool.org that will assist you in discovering the popularity of certain phrases and words. Take a look at the example below. The first result of a Google search for “Word Press” shows the Keyword Tool.org score along with the estimated monthly searches for each keyword.
If you see that a specific keyword does not appear to be providing much value, it’s a safe bet that your audience will not be using it either. Keywords are a critical part of any marketing plan and play a big role in SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
The Differences In Writing For A Business Vs Technical Audience
Apart from the purpose of writing, there are several other major differences between technical and business writing. One of the most important differences has to do with the target audience. When you are writing for a business audience, you are writing for people that will use your product or service. This means that your writing should reflect the persona of your audience and their needs. On the other hand, when you are writing for a technical audience, you are writing for people that will be using the subject matter of your write-up. This can lead to some major differences in language, style, and approach. For example, when writing about software, you will inevitably have to use terms such as “modification” and “additional settings,” which can be very jargon-y to someone who is not familiar with the underlying technology. Another important difference between technical and business writing is the source of the information you are using. When writing for a business audience, you are expected to use reputable and official sources for the information you provide. This means that you have to be careful about the documents you cite, as well as the reliability of the information they contain. On the other hand, when you are writing for a tech audience, you are expected to use non-traditional or informal sources for the information you provide. This can lead to a very different approach when citing and referencing sources.
As you can see from the above examples, there are a lot of differences between technical writing and business writing, so be sure to draw on these differences when creating content for each unique audience.
Research
When you are writing for a business audience, you are expected to research the existing standards and best practices for your industry. This means that you have to do some extensive research before even beginning to write the manuscript. When you are writing for a technical audience, you are expected to provide as much technical information as possible without making the text excessively verbose. You should include enough information for the reader to understand your logic and reasoning, but not so much that it becomes cumbersome to follow.
Research is one of the most important parts of any writing project, and you should learn to embrace it. When you are writing for a business audience, you have to take the time to truly understand what the client is looking for and how you can best assist them with their project. In technical writing, it’s your job to understand exactly what the reader is trying to find, and you should do your best to provide it in a concise and efficient manner.
Style
When you are writing for a business audience, you are expected to write in a formal tone and stick to the established style guidelines for your industry. This can be a good thing, as it ensures that your writing will look like everyone else’s writing in the same industry. However, if you are writing for a technical audience, you are expected to use words and phrases that are more informal in nature. You should aim for a writing style that is conducive to both your target audience and the platform you are using to disseminate your content. You should also avoid using jargon and insider language, as much as possible. These things may be necessary for your daily work life, but they can make your writing difficult to comprehend for someone who is not familiar with your jargon.
When it comes to writing style, there’s more than one way to do it! You can use different tones and words to attract the attention of your reader, or you can take a completely different approach and write in a way that is not conventional. You should explore different writing styles and see what works best for you. Ultimately, you want to find the right combination of words and approach that will make your readers interested in what you have to say.
Content
One of the most important things to keep in mind about both business and technical writing is that you are writing for an audience who has a specific need or question. This means that you should put yourself in the shoes of your audience and try to understand what they want. If you can’t figure out what they want, you can be sure that you are not writing the right content.
Both business and technical writing play an important role in any company or institution. When you are able to combine the two, you will be able to create content that is concise yet informative, and ensure that your unique voice is heard above the rest.