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

 

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

 

 

25-point Web copy checklist: How to write for Google

Posted on 22. Mar, 2012 by in Blog, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house Content Marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques

Are you wondering if you’re writing your Web SEO copy the right way?

Google’s Panda update raised the content bar. Now, it’s not enough to “have keyphrase-rich content” for a top ranking. Today, that content must be relevant, informative, sharable and well-written.

Additionally, your readers demand smart writing that meets their needs. That means knowing what makes your reader tick – and the best way to write and present the content.

In short, it’s more than just sitting down and writing. You need to make sure that you have all your SEO copywriting basics covered.

Whether you’re an in-house SEO content writer, a DIY business owner or a freelance SEO copywriter, this 25-point checklist will help you write engaging, Google-happy content. Every time.

- Is the content based on a customer persona document or readers’ profile?

How do you know how to structure your writing if you don’t know who you’re writing for?  Ask your client or supervisor for a customer persona document that outlines who the target customer is and their specific characteristics. If the client doesn’t have a customer persona or reader’s profile document, be prepared to spend at least 30 minutes -1 hour asking questions about the intended reader. Here’s more information on customer personas.

- Is the copy based on keyphrase research or based on a trending topic that resonates with your readers?

It’s tempting to blog about whatever strikes your fancy. The problem is – your readers may not care as much as you do. Base your blog posts and site pages on reliable keyphrase research. That way, you’re giving your readers they content they want to read.

- Is  your main CTA (call to action) clear – and is it easy to take action?

Most sites (even blogs) want readers to take a specific action.  In a sales environment, the call to action is purchasing a product. It could also be contacting the company for additional information. Make sure that you tell your reader what you want them to do – and make it easy for them to take action.

- Do you have a secondary CTA (such as a newsletter signup or downloading a white paper.)

Many sites have a secondary CTA. Many times, the CTA relates to lead generation (signing up for a newsletter.) Other times, it could be a link to related products or blog posts. Make sure that your secondary call to action is clear and doesn’t take attention away from the main CTA.

- Does the page include too many choices?

It’s important to keep your reader focused on your primary and secondary CTA’s. If your page lists too many choices (for example a large, scrolling page of products or a long list of related blog posts,) consider eliminating all “unnecessary” choices that don’t support your main calls to action. Otherwise, your prospects may overwhelm and not take any action at all.

- What is your main per-page keyphrase focus (focus on two-to-three keyphrases per page.)

Don’t make the mistake of conducting keyphrase research after you’ve written the copy. Run your research first, and then choose the best keyphrases for your page. Check out how easy it is to develop your own per-page keyphrase strategy.

- What internal pages will you link to? What’s the anchor text?

This is especially important if you’re writing a “soft-sale” blog post, where the secondary CTA is to send readers to specific product or services pages. “Dead end” pages (pages that don’t link out to related pages,) don’t encourage further reading/interactions – and can be a cause of higher bounce rates. Read more about “dead end” Web pages.  As a side note, always hyperlink the keyphrase rather than linking words like “click here” or “learn more.”

- What are the product/services features and benefits (if you’re writing a sales page.)

People make purchase decisions on the benefits of a product – not the features – so this is crucial. Make sure that you tell your reader how your product/service will make their lives better and satisfy a need. Do you have all the necessary background information/research you need to write the page? Here’s the difference between features and benefits.

- Do you have vertical-specific testimonials (if you’re writing a sales page?)

General testimonials are fantastic – they offer third-party proof that your product or service is superior. However, if you are writing a sales page for a specific vertical, always include vertical-specific testimonials (for instance, a real estate agent testimonial on a real estate landing page.) This will help increase your conversion rates. Learn more about writing sales copy with testimonials.

- Is your H1 headline “clickable?” That is, does it convey a benefit statement or otherwise entice the reader to click-through from the search engine results page?

Readers initially quick-scan your content. Benefit-rich headlines tell the reader “what’s in it for him/her” and entices them to keep reading.Ensuring that your headline is compelling and has a benefit statement is a proven copywriting technique – and too powerful to pass up.

- Does your headline include a keyphrase?

Searchers are following the “search scent” from the search engine results page. When they reach the landing page, they are quick-scanning for their search term (or a variation) – so including a keyphrase in your headline is important. Adding your keyphrase to your H1 headline is also an excellent way to reinforce keyphrase relevancy.

- Did you include keyphrase-rich subheadlines?

Subheadlines are an excellent way to visually break up your text, making it easy for readers to quick-scan your benefits and information. Additionally, just like with the H1 headline, adding a keyphrase to your subheadlines can help reinforce keyphrase relevancy.

- Does the content provide the reader valuable information?

Google’s Panda update spanked sites with “thin,” low-quality content that was poorly written. Before you upload your page, ask yourself if the content answers your reader’s questions and is informative. If you find that you’re focusing more on the keyphrase usage than the actual content, rewrite the page.

- Did you use bullet points where appropriate?

Bullet points help to highlight your content, making it easier for your readers to read. Use bullet points whenever you find yourself writing a list (such as a features-benefits list.)

- Did you use “too many” keyphrases?

Remember, there is no such thing as keyword density. If your content sounds “keyphrase-heavy” and stilted, reduce the keyphrase usage and focus more on your readers’ experience. Learn more about the myth of keyword density.

- Is the “voice” of the page appropriate?

Consider if your tone and feel will resonate with your reader. Your content doesn’t have to sound formal, but it should sound like you talk (or like your sales team would talk to a prospect.) Your customer persona document can help you find the “right” voice for the page. Here’s more information about working with your page’s tone and feel.

Are your sentences too long?

Vary your sentence structure so you have a combination of longer and shorter sentences. If you find your sentences creeping over 30 or so words, it may be time to edit them down – or turn them into individual sentences.

- Are your paragraphs too long?

Long paragraphs without much white space are hard to read off a computer monitor – and even harder to read on a mobile device. Whenever possible, make your paragraphs shorter for easier readability.

- Did you edit your content?

Resist the urge to upload your content as soon as you write it. Put it away and come back to it after a few hours (or even the next day.) Eliminate any spelling/grammatical errors and see what you can do to tighten up the word count. Discover why editing your Web writing is so very important.

 - Did you edit it again?

Once is never enough. Review your content at least one more time. It’s amazing what you can find to edit the second (or third!) time around!

- Does your Title contain one (or more) of your main keyphrases?

Always include your main page keyphrase in your Title – and work in other keyphrases if they “fit.”

- Is your Title “clickable” and compelling?

Remember that the search engine results page is your first opportunity for conversion. Consider how you can create an enticing Title that “gets the click” over the other search result listings. Remember, you have about 65 characters (with spaces) to work with, so it’s important to write tight. Here are some additional Title-writing tips.

- Did you create a meta description?

Your meta description is like a short page summary – and it helps encourage searchers to click-through from the search engine results page. Although Google may not always use your meta description, it’s still important to create one. Don’t forget to weave in your keyphrases.

- Does the meta description fit the intent of the page?

If you’re writing an article or blog post,  the meta description should be informational rather than sales-y . Conversely, if you’re creating a meta description for a sales page, your meta description can be more promotional.

Do you write Web copy as part of your job? Want to learn more about SEO content creation? My SEO Copywriting Certification training has been endorsed by AWAI and SEOPros – and is a great way to learn how to master search engine writing. Learn more about the SEO writing training today!

 

 

Do you feel like a fraud?

Posted on 15. Mar, 2012 by in Blog, In-house Content Marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, Working with clients

When people ask “What do you do,” do you find yourself making excuses?

“Well, I’m a writer…but I haven’t written anything that you’ve read.”

“I own a small business. ::quickly changing the topic:: What do you do?”

“I have a newsletter that I send out to a small list” (when your subscriber base is in the thousands.)

Chances are, you envy those folks who can “pull off” a fantastic, 30-second elevator pitch. You’ve tried to create your own so you can clearly explain what you do…but it never comes out right. Which makes  you wonder what’s wrong with you.”Everyone else sounds so polished and smart when they pitch their business. Why can’t I do that?”

Maybe it’s because…deep, deep down…you feel like a fraud.

Guess what. Every business owner, writer, and famous person has felt the exact same way.

Years ago, talking to big brand clients used to freak me out. I was convinced that everyone knew more than I did. What’s worse, I thought that someone would call me on my “you don’t know what you’re talking about” fear. It was almost guaranteed that I’d have a sleepless night before a big conference call or training gig.

Guess what? No one said, “Wow, why did we hire you again?” In fact, the emails I received after my presentation were exactly the opposite. People thanked me for helping them make more money, write better copy and finally being able to understand what the search engines were looking for.

So, nobody else thought I was a fraud…except for me.

This is a quirky issue that can hold you back in unexpected ways. When you feel like you don’t deserve your success, you…

- Don’t approach smart people who can help your career (what if they see right through me?)

- Don’t go for high-profile gigs that can make a lot of money (what if I mess up?)

- Don’t market your business effectively (I don’t have anything to say, so why bother.)

- Don’t spend money on things that could improve your business/life (I know that would help me, but I’m not sure where my next dollar is coming from. Better hold off.)

- Don’t let yourself out of your (very small) comfort zone (I’d love to try public speaking. But wow, I’m not ready yet…)

- Don’t feel good about your success, your business savvy or your craft (Well, yeah, I’m doing OK – but it was right place, right time.)

- You sabotage yourself financially.

(And all of these things spiral you right back into “I’m a fraud” mode.)

There’s a great post by Jodi Chapman that addresses the “fraud” feeling. Jodi said:

We are all simply playing the game. It’s a game that we are really good at – it’s a game that we know so well. Except, this game is truly exhausting, isn’t it?

Goodness, yes. It’s truly exhausting. And unnecessary.

So, next time you feel like a fraud, here’s what to do:

- Own it. Don’t ignore the emotion. Look at it – really look at it. Why do you feel like such a fraud? How real is the emotion?

- Read nice notes from happy clients. This helps you remember how good you really are.

- Remember that other people go through the same thing. You may think that they have it all together – but they don’t. They’re faking it too. :)

- Write down cool milestones and revel in your success. Starting a business is a BIG DEAL. Landing your first client is a BIG DEAL.

- Talk to someone about how you’re feeling. I know that this one is tough – it really is. But if you can share your insecurities, they’ll go away faster and help put things in perspective.

- Make a list  of what you are grateful for. Gratitude is a sure way to help drag yourself out of the “I’m a fraud” funk and ground you back into reality. (If it’s a Monday, you can tweet your grateful thought by using the #gratefulmonday hashtag).

- Refuse to let your feeling mess up your success.  You have come too far to sabotage yourself.

Remember that you deserve every drop of success. It’s not a “fluke” that you’re here. It’s not luck. It’s not right place, right time. It’s because you really are that damn good.

Isn’t it time to own it?

 

Photo gratitude to iJammin

 

 

 

Are you suffering behind the scenes?

Posted on 19. Jan, 2012 by in Blog, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house Content Marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, Working with clients

Have you ever said, “If I have to write one more post about (something you’ve been writing about a lot) I’m going to go completely insane?”

Yeah, me too.

Once upon a time, it felt like I wrote copy for every cosmetic dentist in North America. At the drop of a hat, I could talk about veneers, teeth whitening and “laser gum surgery.”  Yeah, I was great fun at cocktail parties.

I was also bored too. So very, very bored.

I’ve seen this happen to in-house and freelance copywriters. Every day feels exactly like the day before. Your writing no longer energizes and excites you.  Everything you write starts to sound exactly the same.

If you’re being really honest with yourself, you know that your writing is starting to suck.

Here’s a reality check: This is very common.

And here’s another: You need to get a handle on this and stop suffering behind the scenes. Fast.

Here’s what to do:

Take some time off. Have you been working some heavy-duty deadlines? Is it hard to remember your last vacation? Your lack of creativity is a big red flag with “You’re burning out” in big, block letters. If you’re thinking, “I can’t afford the time. My clients/employer needs me,” consider this: They hired you for your writing ability. If your writing quality is dropping, you owe it to your client to take a break.

Give yourself some space.  Is a short-term holiday not possible right away? Start giving yourself “writing breaks.” I’ve found that scheduling one or two non-writing days during the week makes an incredible difference – and what I do write is sharp, flows easily and is even fun to write.

Take on a new challenge. Consider taking on a new client that’s not in your current niche. Or writing a short story just for fun. The key is to break out of your writing rut and stretch your wings. It’s amazing how focusing on something else for awhile can help us regain passion for our current gig.

Split up the work. Do you have 100 pages of personal injury law copy staring you in the face? Are you wondering how you’re going to write all those product descriptions without losing it? Sometimes, the best way to give yourself a break is by letting someone else do the work. If you’re still feeling the burnout blues, see if another writer can take some pages off of your plate. Not only will you get a break, but reading someone else’s copywriting approach may spark some new ideas.

Let it go. Does another type of writing (or client) excite you ? There’s no law that says that you have to keep working with the same niche group – or writing about the same topic. Slowly phase out the work that’s making you suffer and make room for your new profit center. Sometimes, a new direction is all it takes – and you’ll finally remember what you love about copywriting.

What about you? What do you do when you’re “suffering in silence?”

Do you have too much content to write, and no time to write it? My Certified SEO Copywriting team can write blog posts, product descriptions sales pages and more. Contact me for details – I’m happy to help!

 

 

 

 

Screw resolutions. Take action instead!

Posted on 05. Jan, 2012 by in Blog, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house Content Marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques

Lately, I’ve been seeing quite a few posts discussing how SEO content marketing should be on the top of every businesses’ resolution list.  For instance, there’s this post. And this one. And this one.

These are all great posts. But here’s the thing…

…I’ve read these “write more quality content” resolutions before. For about 14 years now.

And you know what? Very, very few companies follow through. They want to. They mean to. But then, content marketing gets pushed to the back burner. Or, even worse – someone does a half-assed job just to get it off their plate – and the results (and writing) shows it.

To me, putting something on a “resolutions” list is the same as saying, “Here’s what I’d like to have happen. But I don’t have a plan to get there.” It’s a fuzzy goal – and I can’t get invested in a fuzzy goal. As soon as the next shiny thing comes along, I’m more apt to focus on that and ignore whatever resolution I created.

But here’s what does work: Taking action. Don’t just say, “I’m going to write more content in 2012.” Get off your butt and do something.

You’ve probably heard of creating S.M.A.R.T goals:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Realistic
  • Timely

The S.M.A.R.T framework gives you an easy way to bring your resolutions into reality. The next step is breaking down the goal into action steps.

For instance, maybe you want to revamp your site’s copy. You know that sales have been slow for awhile, and you suspect that the writing may not “hit the mark” anymore. Action steps could be:

  • Reviewing your analytics – what pages are doing well? Where are you losing your readers?
  • Contemplate your customer persona – is your target market the same as when the content was last written? Are the benefits still relevant?
  • Review your SEO effectiveness – are the search engines driving qualified traffic? Are you positioning for your main keyphrases?
  • Review your sales copy – does it match your customer persona? Does the copy pop, or is it flat?
  • Consider your resources – who would rewrite your content? Do you have the resources to do it in-house, or would you need to outsource?
  • Do you need to find qualified vendors? If so, how would you find them?
  • What’s your drop-dead, deadline for all content to be on the site? Make sure you give your team plenty of time to complete everything necessary. My recommendation: Figure out how many months you’d need to finish the job, and then double that amount.

See? That’s much more specific than “I resolve to revamp my site’s sales copy.”

If you’re a freelance copywriter, one of the most popular resolutions is to “make more money.” Unfortunately, that won’t magically happen without you making some business changes. For instance, some action steps could be:

  • Contact old clients and see if there’s anything that you can help with.
  • Research a new marketing technique (such as Twitter) to help get the word out.
  • Go to a local business networking meeting.
  • Expand your skills and specialize in a new niche (for instance, going through the SEO Copywriting Certification training.)
  • Raise your prices (I know it’s scary. But you need to do it.)
  • Get a handle on your taxes (Eva Rosenberg developed a module for my Copywriting Business Boot Camp that discusses tax issues for copywriters.)
  • Find a mentor and get expert guidance.

The key is: all of these action steps will move you forward rather than leaving you stuck. Instead of “resolving” to do something, you’re actually doing it and making progress.  Before you know it, you’ll have a SEO content marketing plan that rocks – or a freelance career that gives you the lifestyle you want.

It’s all about taking action.

Now, what are you going to do right now to improve your business and personal life? Leave a comment and let me know! :)

Photo thanks to Acererak

 

Older Entries »