Ignite your copy with this hot strategy

Posted on 21. May, 2012 by in Blog, Conversion writing, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house Content Marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques

Greetings! You will love this week’s Web-writing video, as Heather takes it waaaay back old school with her SEO copywriting how-to on writing content the AIDA way.

So what is AIDA? Glad you asked. It’s an acronym for: “Attention, Interest, Desire, Action” and is one of those tried-and-true, powerful copywriting strategies that when skillfully applied, can take your Web writing from lukewarm to smokin’ hot!

Tune in as Heather reveals the magic and mojo of this old-school copywriting strategy:

What’s AIDA?

  • Acronym developed in the late 1800’s.
  • Describes the common phases people go through when viewing an advertisement (or a landing page!)
  • Oldie but goodie – AIDA is still relevant today.

AIDA is an acronym created in the late 1880’s by an advertising executive, describing the common phases most people go through when viewing an (effective) advertisement: attention, interest, desire, then action.

So the elements that you want to have in your copy move people through the sales funnel, from “Oh, this is kinda interesting” to “Oh! I need to buy this right now!”

AIDA is an “oldie but goodie” and still highly relevant today, especially in terms of your landing pages. When people do that search and click on your SERP listing, and then hit your site’s landing page, you want that page to be completely relevant to their needs – particularly if it’s a sales page!

This means that you’ll have to write your content in a certain way that grabs their attention and compels them to take that next conversions step.

So, let’s talk about what AIDA means:

A = Attention

  • It’s important to immediately grab the reader’s attention.
  • Think about your headlines. Are they compelling?
  • To be truly effective, you need to write something that resonates with your target audience.

The first “A” is for Attention: you want to immediately grab the reader’s attention. A lot of times this is done with a compelling headline, although certainly your body copy has to be really powerful, too.

To be truly effective, you need to write something that resonates with your target audience. Heather’s discussed the importance of developing a customer persona and creating content that clicks with your target market many times before, via the SEO Copywriting blog and her YouTube SEO Copywriting channel.

So instead of writing this generalized copy that appeals to everyone, you need to think about the person who is actually going to be visiting your site and looking at your products and services: you want to be sure that your copy speaks to her, directly.

I = Interest

  • You’ve got their attention. Now you have to grab their interest.
  • This is where your benefit statements and “what’s in it for me” comes into play.
  • The benefits need to be targeted towards your specific audience.

You’ve got their attention: you’ve written that killer headline and drawn them into the copy – now, you have to grab their interest.

This is where your precision benefit statements and targeted “what’s in it for me” (WIIFM) messages come into play. You’ll notice Heather’s got her WIIFM guy in the screenshot, because again, you’re writing content in a way that is going to resonate with the specific folks who are coming to your site: your target audience. Your benefit statements have to be directed towards them.

So when you’re developing your customer persona, think about who these people are and what is important to them, and make sure your content speaks to that.

D = Desire

  • You’ve got their interest. Now it’s time to spark their desire.
  • Special pricing, additional features and testimonials help build that desire.
  • You’re psychologically helping your prospect feel better about the purchase/contacting you.
  • Help them picture working with you/using your product.

So you’ve got their attention and their interest: now it’s time to get your prospects really thinking that they want your product or your service.

http://www.seocopywriting.com/content-marketing/direct-reponse-copywriting/does-your-copywriting-convert/

Special pricing offers, bonus goodies and testimonials can be highly effective in nudging your prospects towards making the buy decision. What you’re doing is moving them along the conversion funnel, from “Yeah, you’ve got my attention” to “Yeah! I think that this is something I’m really interested in!”

You want to help your prospects to picture working with you, or using your product.

And finally, it all comes down to….

A = Action

This is where that main conversion happens!

  • Your prospect is ready to buy/convert. Make it easy for them.
  • Add calls to action to your content.
  • Don’t clutter the page and make it confusing.

Your prospects are now ready to buy, to convert, to do whatever it is you want them to do – the key is to make it easy for them.

And this is where a lot of sites fall down: they want people to buy that product, but they make it hard to do so, or they want people to contact them, but then they bury that contact information so it’s really difficult for folks to take that next step.

So make sure that it’s really clear what your prospects need to do to take action, and make sure that it’s really easy to do so!

Some e-commerce folks have that “add to cart” icon on the upper right corner of their home page, which is great. But you can also consider adding a call-to-action to your content.

Another mistake some site owners make is assuming that since their prospects are ready to buy, then it’s an opportune time to throw a bunch of other things at them. This is not the case: you don’t want to confuse or overwhelm your would-be buyers by cluttering up the page. Keep it clear, clean and simple.

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s SEO copywriting how-to, and have a great week (and for U.S. folks, a great holiday weekend)! We’ll be back with another hot SEO Copywriting video tip on the Monday following Memorial Day – June 4th. See you then!

Related reading: Angie Nikoleychuk wrote a fantastic guest post for us about AIDA as it relates to link bait. Check out How to seduce readers and woo – bait – links. Thanks for the inspiration, Angie! :)

Want to learn how to Google-proof your Web copy post-Panda & Penguin? Sign up for the free SEO Copywriting Buzz newsletter, either daily or weekly, and get your free copy of Heather’s How to write for Google whitepaper!

photo thanks to EvanLovely

What’s holding you back?

Posted on 17. May, 2012 by in Blog, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house Content Marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques

Who knew that my post, “Why do freelance writers hate SEO copywriting” would stir up so many comments?

After the post, I received a bunch of emails and blog comments like this one:

I like being able to work from home, but I really do despise the articles that I write. I would run away from these articles as quickly as possible if I had a client willing to pay a decent wage for excellent content.

Unfortunately, I cannot find these clients. To be honest, I don’t really know where to look because the only thing I find are the companies wanting quantity and care very little about quality.

Ugh. This writer is obviously in misery. Writing bad copy for low wages can’t be fun – at all.

But here’s the deal: If you’re in an uncomfortable situation, the only person holding you back is you.

That’s not an indictment. I have certainly been in scads of situations where I felt hopeless. Every day, I would wake up with a knot in my stomach. Instead of feeling excited about my day, I’d feel a huge sense of dread. Sometimes, I’d hear my father’s voice asking, “How long are you going to put up with this?”  There were times that I immediately snapped to and quickly changed my situation. But there were many more times that I didn’t.

Why? I may have hated where I was – but I was comfortable. The misery I knew was better than “putting myself out there” and doing something else. That seemed way too scary (and in my depressive way, I figured that it wouldn’t work out anyway.)

In short, I was stuck.

If this is you, I encourage you to change your outlook right now.  There is always something you can do to change your situation and exercise your “control what you can control” muscles. That power is always available to you.  You may not be able to do much…but you can take baby steps towards a goal

For instance, let’s consider the “I’m writing stuff I hate for hardly any money” situation. Here are some steps that person can take:

- Figure out his copywriting niche. What type of client does he want to work with?

- Figure out his value proposition. How can he demonstrate to his prospects that he produces extremely valuable work (hint: testimonials, case studies and testimonials can certainly help.)

- Determine his income goals. Steve Wilkinghoff does a great job during the Copywriting Business Bootcamp discussing how to figure out your yearly income goals – and how to break them down into attainable bite-size chunks.

- Develop a fantastic Website. If he wants Web clients, he’ll need to have a killer site with compelling copy. ‘Nuff said.

- Figure out how to reach his desired market. Is his target market on Twitter? LinkedIn? Or is direct mail better?

- Develop an airtight sales strategy. What will he say to prospects? What’s his process?

Is this easy? No. Will it take some time? Yes. Could it mean some hard decisions and sacrifies? You bet. But it’s taking action. It’s moving forward towards a goal. It’s using smart planning and baby step momentum to propel him in the right direction.

In short, it’s exercising the power he already has.

So, next time you’re feeling stuck, consider what you want the end goal to look like.

Do you want to lose weight?

Do you want to make more money?

Do you want to take a long vacation?

Do you want a better relationship with your partner?

Then, consider the things that you can do that are within your control. That could be signing up for an exercise class. Or working with a consultant to help you improve your income. Make a list of all the little tasks you can take towards your goal – big and small.

Then, start taking those baby steps towards your goal. Every day. No negotiation. No “Well, I don’t feel like it today.” Do it. That’s when you’ll start seeing results.

I guarantee that taking action – and reclaiming your power – will make you much happier.

Plus, you’ll make so much progress towards your goal that you’ll start feeling in control. You’ll know that you pulled yourself out of an uncomfortable situation and made it better. You’ll have exercised those “control what you can control” muscles and made them bigger and stronger. Next time you face a challenge, you’ll be that much better prepared to deal with it.

And that’s a wonderful thing.

 

 

 

Which should it be: Pinterest or Google+?

Posted on 15. May, 2012 by in Blog, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house Content Marketing, SEO Content marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, web writing

Pinterest or Google+?

Both of these social networks have broken up the Twitter/Facebook monopoly. In the last year, Google+ has gained 100 million active followers and Pinterest has expanded rapidly to become the 3rd most popular social network.

Not surprisingly, marketers have taken notice. Making Google+ and/or Pinterest part of your social media strategy is a smart move. Based on their early performances, these social networks will be an integral part of an effective social strategy from here on out.

Choosing one or the other isn’t necessary – but it’s a smart move if you want more targeted social media marketing. Each social network has distinct user groups, specific benefits and a few drawbacks.

Taking a Look at the Stats

Understanding the difference between Google+ and Pinterest is as simple as looking at the stats for each social network:

What to know about Google+:

  • As of April 2012, Google reports that Google+ now has 170 million active users. (Google)
  • As of January 2012, American users spent an average of 3.3 minutes on Google+. (eMarketer)
  • Websites using the +1 button generate 3.5x the Google+ visits than sites without the button. (HubSpot)
  • Two of the biggest user groups on Google+ are college students and software developers. (Remcolandia)
  • 63% of Google+ users are male. (Remcolandia)
  • Over 40% of marketers report that Google+ is “useful to critical” for their business. (HubSpot 2012 State of Inbound Marketing Report)
  • Google+ is expected to attract 400 million users by the end of 2012. (Remcolandia)

What to know about Pinterest:

  • As of February 2012, Pinterest had accumulated 10.4 million users. (AppData)
  • As of January 2012, American users spent an average of 97.8 minutes on Pinterest. (eMarketer)
  • As of January 2012, Pinterest accounted for 3.6% of referral traffic. (Shareaholic)
  • The top interests on Pinterest in the U.S. include crafts, gifts, hobbies/leisure, interior design, and fashion designers/collections. (Ragan.com)
  • 80% of Pinterest’s users are female. (comScore)
  • Pinterest referrals spend 70% more than visitors referred from non-social channels, including search, according to industry reports. (Wayfair)
  • With over 11 million unique monthly visitors (and counting), Pinterest became the fastest standalone website to eclipse the 10 million per month mark ever. (PR Daily)

The growth of both social networks has been impressive – but they clearly have different audiences and different benefits. In order to use one or the other effectively, you need to evaluate your goals.

Know What You Want from Social Media

Knowing your organization’s needs and capabilities for social media marketing will help you select between Pinterest and Google+.

Is your business targeted specifically toward a particular industry, job or gender?

Use the social network that your ideal clients are using. For example, if your target market is developers and other marketers, Google+ is a natural fit. For crafts based businesses, food related companies and products for a female audience; Pinterest would be a much better choice. Speak to the crowd by picking the right platform.

What Type of Traffic are You Seeking? 

Google+ has some unique search engine optimization benefits. Sharing your own links and resources can improve your quality score for your entire site. Having Google+ can enhance your chances for a higher search engine ranking.

Alternatively, Pinterest is a terrific referral traffic generator. If you have some interesting visual elements, product pictures or infographics that you want to spread across the social web, Pinterest is the way to go. Sharing visuals and images can bring more targeted visitors directly to your website.

Can You be Involved Enough to Make an Impact?

Before diving in, do you have the resources to manage another platform effectively? Although Google+ users spend less time on the site than Pinterest users do on their social media platform choice, both require investment and community involvement.

You can’t expect to start a profile, update it infrequently and reap any benefits. It’s better to be involved on a few platforms effectively than spread your resources too thin.

Pinterest vs. Google+ isn’t an issue that will go away anytime soon. With their meteoric rise in users and traffic potential, one or the other is worth your businesses’ time. It just depends on your target market, your traffic goals and your resources.

Do you use Google+ or Pinterest? Or both? Why?

 

About the Author – Courtney Ramirez

Courtney Ramirez is a proud graduate of the SuccessWorks’ SEO Copywriting Certification training program, and CEO of Six Degrees Content. She is passionate about helping small businesses compete with the big boys with skilled SEO copywriting and content marketing. You can connect with Courtney at her brand’s Google Plus page, Facebook, LinkedIn, and on Twitter @CourtneyRamirez.

Today is it: the SEO Copywriting Certification training program – the only online training independently endorsed by the SEO Copywriting watchdog, SEOpros.org – is raising its price! Grab some huge savings and sign up now! Tomorrow will be too late.

photo thanks to TheBusyBrain

 

Why do freelance writers hate SEO copywriting?

Posted on 03. May, 2012 by in Blog, Freelance SEO copywriting, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques

“SEO copywriting is low-paying, demeaning work”

“SEO copywriting is synonymous with unethical projects”

“[Much of this] SEO content is written by non-native speakers”

In the words of Liz Lemon from 30 Rock, “What the what?”

I was amazed – truly amazed – to read such angry posts in a LinkedIn group.  I knew SEO copy had a bad reputation in some circles. But I had no idea that some freelancers HATED the concept of SEO copy.

The sad thing is, their hatred is fueled by misconceptions. It’s true that spammy copy is out there. It’s true that some clients (still) insist on keyphrase-stuffed content (and will only pay $10 for 500 words.) And if you’re trolling Odesk or job boards for SEO copy gigs, well, you probably won’t find the cream of the money-making crop.

But here’s the thing: SEO content (how it’s supposed to be) is fantastic content. It was never – ever – supposed to be synonymous with spam. (For more information about this, please read my rant “SEO copywriting is dead. Long live SEO content writing“).

Here’s how I responded to the “I hate SEO copywriting” comments…

First, I totally understand the feeling that some folks have about SEO copy. Companies like Demand Media have cheapened the concept, and has given it a horrible reputation. It’s true that you’ll see ads promising writing $5 for writing 500 words – and those 500 words are mindless drivel, at best. It’s sad.

It sounds like what you call “SEO copy” is what I call “spammy copy.” *Real* SEO content writing – the type that Google likes (and doesn’t bounce out of its index) – isn’t like this. It’s always been about writing quality content for readers. Yes, you have to do certain things to help the page position in Google. At the same time, “certain things for Google” doesn’t mean copy that reads like, “Our cashmere sweaters are the best cashmere sweaters online. Buy our cashmere sweaters now for the best cashmere prices.”

Good SEO copy doesn’t read like this. It’s good copy first – and good for Google second.

I’ve been talking about SEO copy for 14 years – and I was a freelance copywriter before I entered the SEO space. It drives me NUTS when I see overly optimized copy. Or I hear about clients who will only pay 10/page and they want something that’s keyphrase stuffed.

Fortunately, Google is (slowly) bouncing those kinds of pages out of their index. The Panda update targeted thin, low-quality content – and sites like Demand really got hit. That was a huge wake up call for clients, SEO companies and writers. They were suddenly put on notice that bad content is…well…bad.

So please know that I’m with you when you talk about spammy copy. Also, please understand that there are many instances of really good SEO content – Brookstone’s site is a prime example. Companies of all sizes have benefitted from good SEO content – I’ve seen it increase conversion rates, drive more traffic and help companies make significantly more money.

And there are many (quality) writers who are able to attract good, high-paying gigs. If it was all 10/page jobs, I would have boogied out of the industry a long time ago. :)

So, please know that not all SEO content is bad or spammy or repetitive. There are some “good guys” in the industry, too. :)

I’d love to share some success stories with these folks – they’ve obviously only seen the “dark side” of SEO content. Let’s show them the light.

If you’re a business that has benefitted from SEO content, please tell us how you’ve benefitted. Did you make more money? Increase the number of leads coming to your site? How has SEO content helped you?

And if you’re a freelance SEO copywriter, I’d love to hear from you too! These folks need to know that it’s not all $10/page, offshore work. There are real writers making a real living as an SEO content writer.

C’mon guys. Let’s show the haters that SEO content (that is, GOOD SEO content) is a smart business move…

(And I’m looking forward to your comments – thanks!)

 

How to use the rule of 3 to supercharge your writing

Posted on 30. Apr, 2012 by in Blog, Conversion writing, Freelance SEO copywriting, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, web writing

Greetings! You’re in for a fun treat: learning all about the secret awesome sauce of powerful copywriting, held dear and effectively applied by marketers, advertisers and speech writers alike…the rule of three.

Described in detail by Heather in this week’s SEO Copywriting how-to video, once you learn about this tip, you’ll think “Oh my goodness – this is EVERYWHERE!” And it is, because it is a tried-and-true strategy that has stood the test of copywriting time.

Tune in as Heather explains what the rule of three is, and shows you how to employ the rule of three in your Web writing, from creating killer benefit statements to engaging taglines to fantastic web copy…

What’s the “rule of three”?

What we know collectively as copywriters is that grouping things in threes tends to provide a greater impact, and when speaking it tends to roll off the tongue easily. This is something that speechwriters and marketers have been using since the beginning of copywriting time.

  • Grouping things in threes provides a greater impact – and makes the list easier to remember.
  • Old school marketers have been using this technique since the beginning of copywriting time (and speech writers, too!)

So if you think about the advertising messages or slogans out there, you see this rule of 3 happens everywhere:

  •  “Just do it” – Nike
  • “Tune in, turn on, drop out” – Timothy Leary
  • “Blood, sweat and tears” – The band, and the saying
  • “Words and phrases and clauses” – Conjunction Junction

Heather had to use the little screenshot from “Conjunction junction,” because if you grew up in that generation then you know the lyrics, “Words and phrases and clauses.” Again, the rule of three is used to make something stick in the readers’ or listeners’ minds.

So here are some ways that you can edge this rule of three into your copy….

Use three benefit statements

One of the first ways you can incorporate the rule of three in your copy is to use three main benefit statements. While this is especially applicable to your home page, it is actually something that you can do on your other web pages as well.

  • Rather than listing a bunch of benefits, limit yourself to your top three heavy-hitters.

The screenshot example shown here is from You Need A Budget (YNAB). As you can see, on their home page they have three main benefits bullets:

  • A Proven Method
  • Amazing Software
  • Free, Live Classes

So all of the benefits pop! They stand out, and as readers it’s really easy for us to quick-scan the page and see exactly what’s in it for us.

Create a “rule of three” tagline

  • Can you distill your company’s essence down to three main statements? Sure you can!

So here we have an example from GAIAM, with their tagline:  “live | learn | grow.” And Mind Body’s tagline:  “Love your business.”  See how well that those three-word groupings slide off the tongue, and provide a powerful impact?

Again, this is something you can do for your own business and for your clients’ businesses!

Think in threes when you write your copy

The third thing to remember is to think in threes when you write your content:

  • There are lots of ways to structure your copy so that you’re able to really leverage the rule of three.

So for example, here we have 37 Signals, presenting their web content in three main points: “Frustration free web-based apps for collaboration, sharing information, and making decisions.”

Another great example is from Despair, Inc. – Heather loves their demotivational posters. Again, we see three concise main points: “Demotivational Posters. Invented here. Perfected here.”

And even looking at Google’s copy, where they’re promoting Google Drive, they use three main bullet points: “Create and collobarate,” “Store everything safely,” and “Search everything.”

So again, once you’re hip to this rule of three, you will notice that it is everywhere – in advertising messages, in books, in magazines, and in speeches – and again, this is something that you can use in your own copy to help that copy pop and make a greater impact.

Thanks for joining us for this week’s SEO Copywriting how-to! If you have any questions or topic ideas for Heather, let her know: you are encouraged to email her [at] heather@seocopywriting.com or tweet her @heatherlloyd. See you next Monday!

Would you like to know more about writing for Google?  (This is especially important since their latest algo update, “Penguin”,  just rolled out.) Simply visit the SEO Copywriting Buzz page, and sign up to receive either the daily or weekly newsletter (or both), and receive Heather’s “How to write for Google” whitepaper, free!

photo thanks to lrargerich (Luis Argerich)

How to conquer career burnout

Posted on 26. Apr, 2012 by in Blog, Freelance SEO copywriting, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques

There must be something in the air.

In the last week, I’ve chatted with two people facing career burnout. This wasn’t a temporary, “I’ve been working too much and I need a vacation,” situation.

This was, literally, a life crisis.

Building a career can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s wonderful to see where you’ve come from and know that you’re truly successful. You may own a profitable business. Or you may be an in-demand employee. You’ve worked hard for your success, dammit – in some cases, spending over 1/4 of your life in your current career.

On the other hand…reaching mastery can mean boredom. Sure, you know that there’s more you can learn. But you also know that you can show up, turn your brain off, and do better than 90% of everyone else out there. You see the same debates floating around the industry (Is SEO dead? Is Google really evil?)

And you find yourself feeling…trapped.

Every work day feels as dull as the one before. You examine your immediate options and think, “Well, I can stay put. Or I can take a pay hit and do something else.” Depending on your financial situation, you may not have the freedom to change careers. Or, you may have been doing the same thing for so long that you have no idea what’s out there.

If you’re self-employed, the thought of taking a “real job” may be enough to keep you where you are.

Even if you don’t know why you’re still doing it.

Have I gone through this? Heck yes. I remember talking with a friend about closing down, moving to Mexico and living on my savings.  It wasn’t a pipe dream. I was working out the pros and cons.  Then there were the dreams where I would announce on stage, “This is my final conference – I’m leaving the industry.”

I love what I do. But there have been times that I’ve been…tired. And that’s when burnout can creep up and smack you.

Typically, you have little warning signs before the big burnout hits. Work doesn’t energize you anymore – even if you hit a huge milestone. You find yourself putting off important tasks because you just don’t care. You put in the minimum amount of time and no more.

If you ignore the warning signs (and the mini-burnouts,) you’re setting yourself up for a big crash. That’s when moving to Mexico seems like the best idea in the world.  You can pull back from this – I did – but it’s much, much harder.

Here’s what to do:

-  Have outside interests. This may seem like a “duh” comment, but career-climbers are often highly focused. They go to work, come home, go to bed and start it again the next day. Doing anything “fun” feels like it cuts into valuable work time. You may feel like you “don’t have time” to take a class, exercise, cook a healthy meal – whatever. But do it anyway.

-  Feeling antsy? Consider how you can tweak your career. Often, the first symptoms of career burnout is feeling bored. If you’re in that space, think about how you can add some spice to your work life. That could mean getting a new job. Or going back to school. Or launching a new product line. Or moving away from clients and selling products instead. Consider how you can leverage the talents you have while getting that dose of “newness” you need.

- Talk it out. I thought I was the only one who faced career burnout. I started beating myself up, saying, “Gee, Heather. You own your business and you can do whatever you want. You can change your situation. But you don’t know how. Loser.” Turns out, feeling like a “career loser” is pretty common.  Share how you’re feeling with a trusted mentor, colleague or friend. They may be able to provide an unique perspective (and if nothing else, it feels good to talk to someone else.)

- Increase your vacation time. An interesting side-effect of burnout is that we dig our heels in, work more hours and try to power through. This is typically the worst thing that you can do. :) If you’re feeling the beginnings of burnout, schedule a vacation right now.  Try for two weeks – but if that’s not possible, at least take four days away from work.  The mini-break alone may help provide some perspective (and when you return, schedule another vacation so you have something to look forward to!)

- Take a sabbatical. Vacations are nice, but they may not give you all the time away you need. Does your job allow you to take a sabbatical? Take it. Are you self-employed? A sabbatical is still possible with a little planning.  I’ll be taking my first one in about a month, and I’m excited to see how the time away treats me. But truthfully, it took a conversation with a friend (thank you, Bruce Clay) for helping me feel like I deserved a sabbatical.  Now, I’m pumped at the sabbatical possibilities – and I think that I’ll be feeling VERY energized when I return.

- Still not feeling it? Come up with an exit strategy. My father, a member of the Greatest Generation, was a master of switching careers. He was a a fighter pilot, a test pilot, an insurance agent, a trust officer, Vice President of a major financial institution and a small business owner. When he was done with one career, he seamlessly found something else to do. If you’ve tried everything and you’re still hating your work life, figure out your finances, set a deadline and start plotting a new career choice. Just because you’re considered an expert in X doesn’t mean that you have to do it forever. It will take some soul searching. It may not be “easy.”

But just remember: Life is too short to be bored with what you do.

Don’t forget: The price for the SEO Copywriting Certification training goes up $140 on May 15th. Start now for the best price! 

 

How to spend less time writing proposals (and still land the gig!)

Posted on 19. Apr, 2012 by in Blog, Freelance SEO copywriting, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, Working with clients

Are you spending hours on your proposals and still not getting the gig?

Maybe it’s time to give your prospects less to think about.

I received this email from a frustrated freelance copywriter:

“When clients ask me for a proposal, I spend at least 3-4 hours working on it. I review their site, run keyword research, make a list of how I can help, etc. The end result is a 15-20 page proposal that looks great. I’m not getting the jobs, and now I’m wondering if I have to add more information? Help!”

If proposals are a part of your business, you understand this woman’s pain. It’s like spending hours to get ready for a date that never shows up. You’re sitting there looking pretty, and find out that your prospect decided to “date” someone else (assuming you hear back from them at all!) Ouch!

Plus, from a business perspective, that’s three to four hours of billable time out the window.  ::poof::

The answer?  Give your prospects less information packaged in a different way. Here’s how to “dumb down” your proposals and give your prospects what they really want.

Rule #1: Don’t give it away.  

It’s common for new freelancers (or anyone new to the proposal process) to blur the lines between “proposal” and “billable work.” Proposal-time is not the time to figure out a strategy, run a bunch of time-consuming research and outline your process. At best, you’ll overwhelm the prospect with your reams of material. At worst, the prospect has no reason to hire you – after all, you’ve already told them exactly what you’d do and how to do it. If a prospect needs strategy in addition to hands-on work, explain that it’s a separate deliverable.

Rule #2: Try to set up a phone chat before you create a proposal.

Email only goes so far – so take the time to set up a quick, 30-minute chat. This gives you the opportunity truly understand the project’s scope before you develop a proposal. Otherwise, you may include services that the customer really doesn’t want. The end result? The client may feel that you “don’t understand their needs” and look elsewhere for a provider.

Rule #3: Ask the prospect what he needs to see (and make sure that you deliver exactly what they ask for.) 

I’ve had (many) prospects tell me, “I don’t need anything fancy. Just a short email outlining the deliverables and deadlines is fine.” And that’s exactly what I give them.  Be warned:  don’t try to out-think your prospect and throw in a bunch of extra stuff that you’re “absolutely sure will seal the deal.”  You don’t want your prospect to think, “If she can’t follow directions now, what is she going to be like to work with later?”

Rule #4: Keep it simple and short.

This is a mistake that I made early in my career. I would sit down and create 20+ page proposals until my eyes bled. What I didn’t understand is that I was making my prospects’ eyes bleed as well. Think about how much time you have in your day. If you saw a 20-page proposal waiting for your review, would you hungrily tear into it? Or “accidentally” round file it? Yeah. Me too. Shorter proposals are definitely better.

Rule #5: Don’t forget to include benefit statements.  

Your prospect may be sold on why your services are so important. But remember, your proposal may be passed around to multiple team members – and they may not quite understand your brilliance. Don’t forget to clearly outline how your services can help your client boost her bottom line. While you’re including your benefit statements, don’t forget to…

Rule #6: Remind your prospect why they should hire you over your competition.

Don’t lose the sale because you didn’t make your unique sales proposition clear. A quick reminder of your expertise is a smart idea, especially for team members who aren’t familiar with you. You don’t have to send them your extended resume.  But a few statements like, “I’ve written for catalogs for over 15 years, and have increased conversion rates 67% or more. I’m confident that I can achieve the same results for your company” can go far.

Rule #7: Try to review your proposal with your client.

It’s tempting to push “send” on your proposal as soon as you finish. However, try scheduling an appointment with your prospect so you can review the proposal together. I learned this trick from Denny Graham (one of my instructors in my Copywriting Business Bootcamp,) and it’s increased my close rates tremendously.

What about you? What are your favorite proposal-writing tips?

Looking to save a little bit of cash? Remember that the SEO Copywriting Certification training prices goes up May 15th. Start your training today for the best price.

 

The word on SEO copywriting: what, how & why

Posted on 09. Apr, 2012 by in Blog, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house Content Marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques

Greetings dear Web writers! Today we’ve gathered our top 5 down-and-dirty, most elemental SEO copywriting videos for you. Whether you’ve lost your SEO way or have yet to find it, or if you  just need an SEO 101 refresher, these 5 brief videos will help you get your SEO mojo on. Kinda like finding a five-leaf clover, you’re in luck to have these five vid’s at-a-click here!

So tune in as Heather explains just what SEO copywriting is, the three essential skills you need to be an SEO copywriter, how to make money at it, how to tell if your stuff’s any good, and more…

What is SEO copywriting (and why is it important to my site)?

Heather strips SEO copywriting down to its bare essentials: what it is (and is not), how it differs from straight copywriting, and why it is so important for web pages and sites.

 

3 skills every SEO copywriter must have

In Heather’s inaugural YouTube video post, she addresses the three essential skills that you need to be successful (and satisfied) in the SEO copywriting profession. Tune in to find out what this golden triangle is!

 

3 ways to learn the SEO copywriting ropes

In her second YouTube video post, Heather details three specific ways to learn the ropes of the SEO copywriting business, from self-edifying reading in SEO and direct response theory to tapping online communities to finding a mentor…and much more in between. Essential reading/viewing if you are serious about learning SEO copywriting!

Is your SEO copywriting any good? 3 tell-tale tests

Here, Heather shares three solid tests to tell if your SEO copywriting is up to snuff, as well as what you should watch out for: from the actual writing to keyphrase usage to conversion power, learn if your SEO copy cuts it. You may well be surprised!

 

How to make money as an SEO copywriter

No doubt, this question is heavy on the freelance copywriter’s mind: how can I make this SEO copywriting set of skills pay? Heather delves into the guts of the business with how much you can expect to charge for your SEO copywriting, where to find clients, and what kinds of work you can pursue. A must-read for anyone considering entering the SEO copywriting profession!

 

Are you considering a career in SEO? Check into one the several affordable  SEO copywriting training options offered by the original SEO pioneer, Heather Lloyd-Martin. You’re sure to find the right training to suit your needs!

 

photo thanks to cygnus921 (John)

 

 

 

How to write killer sales copy: a video guide

Posted on 02. Apr, 2012 by in Blog, Conversion writing, Direct reponse copywriting, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house Content Marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques

Greetings! Today we’re featuring our top three SEO copywriting video posts on how to write killer sales copy.

Writing sales copy can be difficult! The art of persuasive writing does not always come naturally or easily to copywriters, especially if they are not trained in direct response theory and best practices. Good sales copy does not need to be heavy handed – the key is to have it flow naturally, while providing a clear call to action to inspire conversions.

Tune in as Heather guides us through how to write powerful, conversions-driving sales copy – as well as what to avoid…

How to tell if your sales copy sucks

In this reader favorite, Heather discusses how to check your sales copy to avoid common and costly mistakes. If you are a DIY small business or new to sales copywriting, there are several ways you can inadvertently go wrong. Learn how to detect these deadly sales copy killers.

 

3 ways to transform your sucky sales copy into conversions-driving gold

Here, Heather builds on the original video above, with three more tell-tale signs of bad sales copy. Learn how to refine your website’s tone and feel, create specific benefit statements, and use keyphrases deftly to turn your sucky sales copy into conversions-driving gold!

 

How to translate testimonials into killer sales copy

Finally, Heather shows us how to drawn on customer testimonials to write better sales copy. The benefits conveyed by your happy clients in their testimonials are a fantastic resource to tap for writing your sales pages, providing you with specific benefit statements in a natural voice that can improve both the actual content and tone of your writing. How cool is that?

Thanks for tuning in! If you have a question or suggestion for Heather about an SEO copywriting, Web writing, or content marketing topic, please zip it on over to her [at] heather@seocopywriting.com, or tweet her [at] @heatherlloyd.

 

In the meantime, would you like to learn more about writing killer sales copy? Check into the SuccessWorks’ SEO Copywriting Certification training to learn not only how to be the best in SEO copywriting, but also how to excel in the lucrative field of direct response/sales copywriting! The combination of these skills will make all the difference in your copywriting career.

 

photo thanks to Vectorportal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to write high-ranking copy for your one-page site

Posted on 26. Mar, 2012 by in Blog, Direct reponse copywriting, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house Content Marketing, search engine writing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques

Welcome back! In this week’s Web-writing video tip, Heather addresses a question that she’s been asked repeatedly in the past week: “How can I write high-ranking copy for my one-page site?”

You may be wondering why you would even want a one-page site, thinking “wouldn’t I just want to build out more content to the site?” And in most cases, yes, you would. But some companies decide on a one-page site for various, specific reasons, which Heather explains.

Of course, the biggest challenge of having a one-page site in the post-Panda SEO world is being found and ranked well in the search engines. So tune in as Heather discusses how you can optimize your single-page site with four specific strategies…

Many companies have one-page sites

  • Direct response sales pages

You probably have seen a one-page site that is essentially a very long direct sales letter. The purpose of that page is to get you to buy something or to sign up for something – and the site itself is just that one page.

  • Lead generation pages

You may also have encountered a one-page site if you’ve searched for something like car or home insurance. These are often lead generation pages that have their own separate domain name/URL, and where the sole purpose of the site is to collect your contact information.

  • Home pages (and the rest of the content is behind a firewall)

This third scenario is one in which the site technically isn’t just one page. There may be hundreds or even thousands of additional pages on the site, but all the yummy, meaty content is behind a firewall.

With this type of site – where all the “goodies” are reserved for paying members – the only page visible to “non-members” and the search engines is the home page.

In this scenario, the only page the site owner has to work with for optimization is the home page.

So if you have a one-page site that suits your purposes, that’s cool…

But here’s the challenge…

  • The search engines reward resource sites…and one-page sites aren’t considered a resource.

Resource sites are larger (than one page) sites that go in-depth about a particular topic, and one-page sites don’t fit that description. They are not considered a resource – no matter what.

  • You can tweak the content until you’re blue in the face…but it won’t position.

For example, if you have a one-page site about “internet marketing” and you pit that site against all the thousands of other sites out there that have multiple pages dedicated to internet marketing, your site is not going to position – no matter what you do, and no matter how many times you tweak the content.

In order to position that one-page site, you will have to do more to it…

So what can you do?

  • Can you make the one-page site part of your main site?

What a lot of companies do when faced with this SEO dilemma is rather than having that one-page site as a separate domain, they incorporate that landing page into their main site.

This is a really easy workaround. This way, you’re not marketing two separate domains, and you’re not worried about two domains: everything is happening on your one main site.

  • Can you build out the site with informative, keyphrase-rich content? (This will take some time).

Now if you’d rather not go with option #1 (above) because you have an awesome domain name for your one-page site and you want to do more with it, you can just go the traditional route of building out more content.

That way, you’ll build relevancy for your single-page site, and you will see not only a search engine ranking boost, but also more people sharing your content – because there’s more content to share!

The flip side is that it’s going to take some investment of time as you’ll be writing a lot of content as you build out the site.

  • Can you make any of the password-protected content public?

If you have a membership-exclusive site, or a similar situation where the majority of the content is password-protected, then the best-case scenario is if you can pull some of that content out to your home page so it is accessible both to non-members and the search engines.

Granted, you’d still have the “meat” of the content behind a firewall, but you’ll have more content that the public can look at and the search engines can work with.

This is actually a great way to work with conversions off of membership site: non-members can get a little taste of what they’d get in the way of content if they were to sign up for member status, and that can encourage them to convert a bit faster.

  • If worse comes to worse…what other ways can you drive traffic to your one-page site?

Finally, if none of the above strategies appeal to you, and you want to keep that one-page site as it is, then consider other ways to drive traffic to it.

It should be clear that traditional SEO via organic search is not going to work for you – but certainly there are other ways you can drive traffic and get the targeted visitors you want landing on your site. Explore social media, and all the other options available to you!

Thanks for checking in to this week’s SEO copywriting how-to video! Do you have a burning question about SEO, Web writing, or content marketing? Fantastic! Zip an email on over to Heather via heather@seocopywriting.com, or tweet her @heatherlloyd. And be sure to tune in next week – we’ll see you then!

 

Do you have questions about SEO Copywriting Certification training? Writing services? Customized SEO copywriting training? Heather’s always available to help you out! Feel free to email her at heather@seocopywriting.com or tweet her @heatherlloyd.

 

photo thanks to Danard Vincente

 

 

Older Entries »