Do you really need a native English speaker to write quality web content?
Many people think that it only takes a native English speaker to write quality content that drives readers to take action. I think hiring a native English writer is a matter of preference and not because they write better content. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I guess many are assuming that writing English correctly is the only criteria in this industry. Tell me if you really need a master’s degree in English to write a paper in chemistry or engineering. By no means because writing technical topics requires more knowledge of the subject rather than your ability to write English correctly.
The purpose of this article is to show that ESL writers can adequately create professional, good quality and relevant content. While I personally believe that some writers don’t have to write professionally, I am convinced that a writer’s true location has no bearing on determining their competence. The truth is that some of the most talented writers in English have ESL backgrounds.
What is a native English speaker?
My knee-jerk response is anyone from English-speaking countries learning the language from birth to a native English-speaking parent. A person raised in a non-English speaking country by native English speaking parents also makes them native English speakers.
Alternatively, there are many second-generation Americans whose parents may not have great English but consider themselves to be native speakers because they grew up in English-speaking countries. Isn’t this a bit complicated? Should there be categories like growing up exposed to the English language or having English speaking parents?
How about someone whose parents are second-generation immigrants who are not fluent in their parents’ original language? Nigeria, whose official language is English, and people who learned the language from virtual childhood and have done studies in English, would not describe themselves as native English speakers. In fact, some people who thought they were native speakers would encounter a terrible language barrier when they go to English-speaking countries because they cannot speak to most people and many people cannot understand them.
What about people from Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, does their version of English count as native too? If I’m being cheeky, maybe only the British speak native English as it was the original language. It is?
writing quality delighted
Content writing is a skill and an art like chess or martial arts. You can’t learn them by watching expert videos. And, like any other skill, you have to practice to improve. Even if he was born in the US to native English-speaking parents and attended the most prestigious journalism school, that would not make him an expert in content writing. And never think that because you are surrounded by native English speakers that one day you would wake up, type a few words on your laptop and bam; you are the next content writing sensation on the internet. It goes without saying that you will have the advantage of knowing the language, including the good stuff. However, regardless of whether you are from Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Brazil or the Philippines, you can become a proficient content writer and increase your luck exponentially.
Are there opportunities for ESL writers in this industry?
As bold as it sounds, yes, there are opportunities for ESL writers in this industry. Content writing is a skill, the more you write the better you become and the more effective you become at communicating with your target audience.
I wonder how the ESL speakers managed to reach the level of English of the native speakers? I’ve been doing my best to study English with considerable enthusiasm for 54 years, and I’m still working towards real, acceptable standards. Maybe I’m such a perfectionist with this criteria, but I hardly found ESL speakers who have never lived in English-speaking countries who can speak and write as good English as educated native speakers. On the other hand, this is my opinion.
For the most part, many ESL writers are remarkably linguistically and academically qualified. Not only do they have opportunities in the content writing industry, but many companies proudly state that they hire both native speakers and highly qualified ESL writers.
It is essential to know what you are doing because this is where you can get an advantage. Don’t just build a website, but build a search engine presence. Provide a package and a solution instead of a product and a service.
