Three Core Elements of Storytelling (And Why You Need To Write Stories Right Away)
Posted on 05. Mar, 2012 by nardene in Blog, online writing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, story telling
Think of a story.
Any story.
Maybe just Cinderella, for instance.
What does it bring up right away to your mind?
1) Sequence
2) Suspense and
3) The roller coaster
Stories are like magic lamps. They have a sequence, there’s suspense and sure to be a roller coaster.
So if we examine Cinderella’s story we see:
1) There’s the sequence of the daughter who is mistreated and made to work in the kitchen.
The other daughters romp about doing what spoiled daughters do. And they fancy their chances with the prince. But things don’t go their way, and in turn, Cindy manages to get a fairy godmother. And blah, blah, blah.
And there’s a sequence of events each building into each other. But a good story must have some drama, some suspense.
2) The suspense
Suspense follows us all around the storyline. Cinderella’s mother dies and she’s doomed to sleeping near the fireplace (which is how she gets the name, Cinderella). But then the godmother appears from the blue—and suspense builds up—because now Cinderella has a chance like everyone else. Will she make it? Won’t she? She does. And then just as Cindy’s hitting it off with the Prince, the clock goes nuts and her life is miserable once more. What on earth is happening? What’s with this girl? Is she just going to be a loser? Yup, that’s all suspense.
3) Then there’s the roller coaster
Good times, then bad. Then good, then bad. Your story doesn’t have to swing wildly, but it helps to have contrast, because contrast changes the pace of the story. So just as things are really yucky, along comes the knight in shining armour. Or just as things are looking great, an avian flu threatens to kill the entire population. Cinderella’s fortunes seem to bounce up and down, which keeps the interest in the story.
Now let’s head to your story…
Every story you write tends to have sequence, because without sequence a story has no meaning. But suspense? You have to insert a certain amount of suspense. It’s always there in your story, but when you insert a ‘what the heck is happening’ factor, you instantly build suspense. And finally the roller coaster. If your story has been coasting with the fairies for a while, then it’s time to bring out the ogres—and vice versa.
And there are reasons why this storytelling is important:
1) Most writers are unable to capture the core elements of a story. Even if they do get the sequence right, they rarely build in suspense or the roller coaster. That’s because they aren’t aware of these elements, or just don’t know how to go about it. But you, you can practice and get a lot better.
2) Most articles are almost always how-to or reporter-like. This means that your articles automatically stand out when compared to millions of other articles on the Internet. And because most writers avoid this story-telling, your articles are instantly more appealing—and different.
Does it just have to be a story or can you have a case-study?
Case studies also have the same three elements, but you still have to work in the suspense and the roller coaster. The key factor is to realise that you’re already off to a brilliant start with a story because you have the advantage of sequence. And with a bit of practice, suspense and the roller coaster will become part of your case-study (or story-telling).
Kids sit at rapt attention when listening to the story of Cinderella
No matter how many times you tell the story, they’re keen as mustard to hear it again. Now you know why. And you can take the same elements and use it in your articles.
And then everyone who reads it will have that same mustardy-feeling too
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Announcing: The “Toughest Article Writing Course”-2012 in the World
Posted on 16. Sep, 2011 by Sean D'Souza in Blog, online writing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing
On Saturday 24th September 2011, you’ll get the details for what’s easily the “toughest article writing course in the world.” And it’s the toughest course because it’s not just another information-dump. Instead of getting even more information, you actually acquire–then master the skill of article writing.
And not just master it, but write with a sense of drama that keeps readers hooked from start to finish.
And as you’d expect, few get in.
There are two reasons why few get in:
1) We don’t take 1000 participants
Or even 500. Or even 50. Last year we stopped at 18. And the course was oversubscribed many times over. The doors still remained closed. This isn’t because we’re prima donnas. It’s because the group can’t sustain more than a fixed number when learning how to write. It’s important for the group and for learning–hence the “atom-sized” group size.
2) The results are staggering
There is probably no course (and you can check) that turns almost 95% of the participants into stunning writers. How stunning is stunning? Well let’s put it this way. The folks who’ve done our course can write on any topic–no matter whether it’s their expertise or not. And write with supreme authority.
And we’re going to send you goodies on Saturday 24th September
Just so you can learn how to create drama and flow in your articles and learn how it’s a matter of structure and a very systematic approach. But for now, here’s a link that will give you an insight into what makes the course so unique.
Read it, because for one, it’s not boring. And two, it will give you an idea how you should be marketing your own products/services.
http://www.5000bc.com/pdf/protege/Prospectus_Article_Writing.pdf
This is it. 168 hours to the special announcement of the 2012 Article Writing Course. Or as one participant calls it: The Article “Writhing” Course.
Tick, tick, tick 
Interview with the copywriter’s advocate, Chris Marlow
Posted on 23. Aug, 2011 by Laura in Blog, Copywriting, Freelance SEO copywriting, online writing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, web writing
Chris Marlow is the original copywriter’s coach, helping copywriters garner high-quality, high-value clients since 2003. An award-winning copywriter with over two decades of successes, failures, and hard-won experience, Chris is a self-described copywriter’s advocate. Today, Chris shares her story and her inspiration for her upcoming Copywriters Marketing Roundtable event, available online from October 4th through December 14th.
Please share a bit about your story – how did you come into your copywriters’ coaching passion?
I came into my passion for helping other copywriters in 2003 when I was working with copywriters’ agent John Finn (now passed), and Kevin, his son, who is also a copywriters’ agent. They hired a coach and when I saw all the positive changes being made it dawned on me that I could do the same for copywriters.
So in 2003 I became the world’s first copywriters’ coach. I have also created the most powerful marketing course for copywriters, the Marlow Marketing Method™ for Copywriters.
What inspired you in creating the upcoming Copywriters Marketing Roundtable event?
There are many successful copywriters out there but many more who are struggling. By interviewing some of the cream of the crop, I can help all copywriters get a better understanding of what’s working in the industry today. A copywriter’s marketing secrets are usually just that – secrets.
This event allows successful copywriters to share their secrets and educate, inspire, and motivate others to do a better job with their marketing so they can see huge improvements in their career.
I’m all about helping copywriters create their ideal copywriting business, from choosing the right niche to landing the best clients and earning their best pay.
What might copywriters expect to learn from the CMR event?
That there are many ways to put your marketing together, but some tactics work better than others. They will gain insight into the many niches available to copywriters and get a sense for the potential profitability of a niche. They’ll discover what others charge for their hourly rates and in some cases find out how much these successful copywriters earn in a year. They’ll be able to brush away inaccurate perceptions and replace them with the collective truths they hear from 15 honest copywriters who are not getting paid for their time but who are happy to share with their colleagues.
Do you have any advice for companies that want to hire copywriters?
There’s a lot of downward pressure on pricing for copywriting. But you get what you pay for. If your company needs leads or sales, you’ll need to find a copywriter who can deliver that. A newbie willing to work for low pay is learning on the job. You’re better off looking for someone who knows strategy, and paying for great copy because great copy = great profits. Copy is an investment, not an expense.
Any advice for new copywriters?
Work with a coach! It will save you years of wrong turns, wasted money and poor earnings. It’s a no-brainer investment because you can often make back your investment on your very first job!
More about Chris Marlow:
Noting the absence of pricing benchmarks for copywriters, Chris Marlow published the world’s only statistical pricing benchmarks for copywriters. For more information and for details on her Copywriters Marketing Roundtable, sign up for Chris’ Get Great Clients newsletter and check the Copywriters Marketing Roundtable site.
How to create a customer persona
Posted on 08. Aug, 2011 by Laura in Blog, Conversion writing, Copywriting, online writing, SEO Content marketing, seo content strategy, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, web writing
Greetings! This week’s video how-to answers a reader question: “How do I create a customer persona?” Creating a customer persona is a fundamental step that is often overlooked by businesses both large and small.
Join Heather as she explains the purpose of developing a customer persona, as well as how to got about it:
When your prospects read your online copy, there’s only one thing they want to know: “What’s in it for me?”
The purpose of creating a customer persona is to get to know the person who is reading your stuff or buying from you. And at the end of the day, what matters to that person is what is in it for me? So everything you write – be it sales copy, blog, or article – should be targeted to your customer persona. The “what’s in it for me?” customer question is the essential one you need to answer.
- And then you need to consider that you’re looking at different types of folks who may be visiting your site, reading your content, or considering buying your products or services.
An explicit example: Would you “sell” the same way to these 35-year-old guys?
A lot of folks will claim that they have a product or service that appeals to everyone, so they can’t write copy specific to any one persona.
Well, consider this example of two 35-year-old men:
- Customer Persona #1/Momma’s Guy: He lives at home with his mom, enjoys ham radios and bagpipes, reads magazines about military history, and dates maybe once a year.
- Customer Persona #2/Metro Guy: Lives in a downtown condo, enjoys scotch and fine dining, reads exotic travel magazines, and dates several times a month.
So would you write the same for them? No, probably not. Each guy has different hopes, fears, desires, pain points, and objections to overcome.
This example speaks to the importance of customer persona. When writing online content, you’ll want to delve deeper into your readers’ persona.
Some Questions to Ask When Developing a Customer Persona
There are a lot of questions that you need to ask at the very beginning of the process when creating a customer persona.
If you’re a freelance writer, one of the first questions to ask your client is if you can view their customer persona documents so that you can capture the reader you’re writing for. Or, if you’re working in-house and don’t have access to customer persona profiles, then this presents a great opportunity to go back and revisit your copy to discover what content is really resonating with your readers.
A list of questions to start out with are:
- Do you have multiple target audiences? (As referenced before, Constant Contact does a fabulous job of segmenting verticals on their landing page).
- How old is your typical buyer/reader?
- What level of education have they reached?
- What are their average income levels?
- What benefits are important to them? (What is important to one 35-year-old guy may be irrelevant to another, as noted above).
- What magazines do they read?
- What sites do they visit and trust?
- What objections do you need to overcome in the copy?
In the end, you want to know your customer persona like you know your best friend. Your copy will resonate with the customer, and convert!
Thanks for tuning into this week’s SEO Copywriting how-to. If you have a question for Heather, just zip it on over to her at askheather@seocopywriting.com. Hope to see you next Monday!
The Trouble with “SEO Copywriting”
Posted on 12. Jul, 2011 by Laura in Blog, online writing, search engine writing, SEO Content marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, web writing
Guest Author, Eric Enge
The trouble with the term “SEO Copywriting” is that so many people misinterpret what it means. A large number of people associate the term SEO with a mindset that involves manipulation and trickery, and they bring this faulty mindset to copywriting as well. Worse still is that many believe that this manipulative behavior is a victimless crime – after all we are only tricking big corporate America (Google and Microsoft) into giving us search traffic they would not otherwise intend to give us.
But there are in fact real victims. People who come to search engines and click on links to sites that have managed to rank well in spite of poorly written copy are victims. And, in the long run, the publishers who fall into this trap are victims as well. Even if their bad content helps them rank in the short term there is no long-term future for their business. Visitors to their site see no value, and eventually the search engine algorithms catch up to them and take their traffic away. When this happens they are left with nothing and have to start over again.
So what are the most common problems that come up when you have the wrong mindset? Here are the two biggest ones:
1. Content written mostly for search engines The search engine must never be the primary target of your article. This is a slippery path on a mine-filled hillside. With search engine algorithm changes like Panda, the search engines are getting better at measuring content quality and user engagement. I would argue that the strength of your brand is also a ranking factor today. Bad content hurts a brand while quality content helps build it.
In addition, no writer can serve two masters equally well. The target audience for your writing must come first. Write something outstanding that reflects well on your brand. Something that helps convert visitors into customers. Something that you can be proud of. This is the content that the search engines want to find and deliver traffic to.
2. Content over-filled with keywords Once writers learn that keywords are important for search engines there is the danger that they lose focus on the user. Consider the following example:
“Looking for left handed golf clubs? You have come to the right place. Our left handed golf clubs help you take your game up a notch. Left handed golf clubs you will find on this site are made by Ping, Callaway, and TaylorMade. Who else would you want to buy left handed golf clubs from?”
Don’t you almost feel soiled reading it? Clearly it is completely unnatural looking and it just does not seem well written. As a user this type of writing is a complete turnoff. Can you imagine talking to someone at a party that kept repeating the main point they are trying to make in a conversation in every sentence like this?
There are two major problems with this sample text. One is the excessive use of the main keyword. The other is the complete lack of use of any synonyms. While we don’t actually know what factors are used in Google’s Panda algorithm today, both keyword stuffing and a lack of synonyms could easily be signals that indicate poor quality content.
Consider instead using variants of the phrase, such as “left handed golf club.” “clubs” or “club.” In addition, focus instead on pitching your value proposition, such as we see in this sample text:
“We offer left handed golf clubs from Ping, Callaway, and TaylorMade. Our clubs are backed by the strongest support team in the industry. If you have any concerns with the club you purchase just return it and we will refund the full price, no questions asked.”
In this version the copy focuses more on the key selling point of superior service, not on keyword stuffing. You also see other variants of the key phrase being used in a way that closely approximates the way that people normally communicate. Much better!
Summary
SEO Copywriting is dead. Long live SEO Copywriting! Master the art of producing content for users. Content which is designed for readability, and that quickly gets to the key benefit the user might be looking for when they come to your site. Move the reader towards your ultimate goal.
And finally, create copy that is SEO aware (because it is presented in search engine crawler visible text) and that uses terminology that keyword research tools tell you are used by prospects that are searching for products like yours. Not keyword stuffed, but selected to match up with the topics of interests of your prospective customers.
Eric Enge is the President of Stone Temple Consulting, a 20+ person Internet marketing consulting firm with offices in Boston and Northern California. A self-described “crusty old veteran” with 30 years working experience in technology and the Internet, Eric writes for Search Engine Land’s Industrial Strength Column, and is a contributing expert to the Search Engine Watch SEO Column.
Eric is the author of the SEOmoz Link-Building Pro Guide, and co-author of The Art of SEO, published by O’Reilly Media.
Is your SEO copywriting any good? 3 tell-tale tests
Posted on 11. Jul, 2011 by Laura in Blog, Copywriting, online writing, search engine writing, SEO Content marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, web writing
Welcome back! Today’s video SEO copywriting tip concerns how to tell if your Web SEO copywriting is any good.
Whether you hired an SEO copywriter or are doing it yourself, you may not be sure how to gauge the quality and effectiveness of your SEO copy. Join Heather as she outlines three tests to tell if your SEO copywriting is any good, focusing on what you need to watch out for:
Test #1: Does the writing work?
This is the easiest test of all: read the copy and ask yourself if you like it. Does it work for you?
What you should watch out for:
- “Fluffy” Copy Meaning, what could be conveyed in 250 words is dragged out with no apparent purpose or reader benefit to 500 words. Often this is the result of the SEO copywriter being told that s/he needs to reach a certain wordcount. As Heather has discussed in previous posts, this is a persistent SEO myth.
- Boring Copy Self-explanatory. Either you wrote it when you were brain-dead tired, or you’ve hired an SEO copywriter who hasn’t grasped the tone, feel, and voice of your site.
- Bad Copy Again, self-explanatory. If the copy reads like someone wrote it five minutes, then they probably did. While Google Panda has eliminated a lot of poor content, you can still find copy riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, and/or that seems to make no sense.
Test #2: How’s the keyphrase usage?
Look at the use of keyphrases in the Web copy and start drilling down from the SEO perspective.
Here’s what to watch for:
- Too many keyphrases As with SEO copy wordcount myths, keyphrase density remains a tenacious hangover from pre-Google days. The notion is that you have to a certain percentage of keywords, or keyword density, in the copy. And again, this is counter-productive nonsense as Heather has addressed before with her video post on over-optimization.
- Too few keyphrases On the other side of the spectrum is the overly-cautious SEO copywriter who fails to include enough keyphrases in the copy for fear of keyword stuffing. For instance, s/he may have only incorporated the keyphrase in the page Title and called it good. This is something else you’ll want to evaluate.
- Are the keyphrases appropriate? This can be a more difficult thing to judge if you’ve outsourced your SEO copywriting and the writer has chosen the keyphrases for you. Just know that if you’re in a highly competitive market and are targeting general (= highly competitive) keyphrases, such as “digital camera,” that it’s going to be that much more difficult to position for those keyphrases.
Look to make sure that the keyphrases targeted aren’t too general. You want keyphrases that are specific to the page you’re optimizing for.
And, if you do have questions, be sure to ask your SEO copywriter how they selected the keyphrases they’re using, and why they decided upon those particular keyphrases. Hear what s/he has to say.
Test #3: Conversion Power
At the end of the day, we all want our sites to do something for us – be it blog comments, subscription sign-ups, direct purchase, or contact.
What to watch for:
- Reviewing a sales page? Be sure the benefits to your prospect are front and center, and that you’ve included a clear call to action.
- Reviewing a blog post? Check to see if the post is engaging and optimized with a keyphrase-rich Title.
- Reviewing a FAQ or article page? Does the FAQ page or article link to other areas of the site? Are there any “dead end” pages that fail to help the prospect take action? The point of all your SEO copywriting efforts is to get your readers to move around your site.
Thanks for tuning in! Do you have a question for Heather? Fantastic! Shoot it on over to askheather@seocopywriting.com and you well may be answered via next Monday’s video post. See you then!
Writing lessons I learned from my Dad
Posted on 21. Jun, 2011 by Laura in Blog, Copywriting, Freelance SEO copywriting, online writing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, web writing
Recently, I spent about 10 days staying with my parents. Although I may have missed Father’s Day by a couple of days, in the spirit of the holiday, I wanted to share some lessons that I picked up from my dad and how they relate to copywriting.
Know your audience and speak appropriately
Growing up, I never heard my father swear or curse. Instead, if the situation called for a good cuss word, my dad would say, “Sugar” (with an elongated “sh” sound at the beginning). He may have wanted to say “shit,” but he was aware of the little ears around him (he had four kids so there were always under-aged ears in his vicinity), so he tailored his words based on his audience.
In marketing, you are not writing for everyone. Focus on your target market. Get to know the individuals you are trying to reach and write in a language that is appropriate for them.
Research is vital
When I grew up there were no search engines. In fact, the internet of today was nowhere to be seen. However, I believe my dad created my reliance on Google and Bing when I need information.
I was an inquisitive kid. Being the youngest of four, I think my incessant question asking got to be too much for both of my parents. Whereas my mom sometimes just made stuff up to get me to stop asking questions (it took me until adulthood to realize that using too much deodorant wouldn’t make you explode), when my dad had too much, he would simply say, “Look it up.” Back then, that meant sifting through our massive dictionary or volumes of encyclopedias. When search engines came into their own, I found an easier way to look things up.
Today, from keywords to fact checking, I still rely on research. It makes me a better writer. The tools may be different, but when I’m not sure of something, I hear my dad’s voice saying, “Look it up,” so I do. You should too.
Focus on your uniqueness
My dad grew up the youngest of eight in a Catholic family in a small town in Pennsylvania. In the 60s he was not a hippy or a flower child – he probably came across more like “the man” since he was a teacher with a crew cut.
Today, this 70-year-old grandfather with white hair is a retired guidance counselor and is very active in his church. Do you have a visual image of him in your head? Good.
In his small New Jersey town of about 5,000 residents, my dad is well known from his involvement in church, school, and community associations. He is also a soft-spoken gay advocate (of which I am so proud). Last week, I realized that he likes rap music. I discovered this when he told me not to change the radio station as he tapped his fingers to I Need a Doctor by Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Skylar Grey.
This is probably not the picture you had of my dad in my head – trust me, he is constantly surprising me too. However, this just reminds me that none of us fit into perfect little boxes. You (and the business about which you are writing) are unique. Don’t promote yourself just like everyone else. Find your unique selling proposition (USP) and focus on that.
Important information warrants repeating
While I was home this last trip, my mom was (finally) given a prescription for a CPAP machine to treat her sleep apnea. My dad and I joined her at the appointment where she learned how to use it and how to set it up.
That night my dad was setting up the machine and asked me for help. Although we sat through the same session, I am more mechanically inclined, and (honestly) I had a better angle when viewing the demonstration. I helped my dad through the process of setting up the machine and asked him questions along the way to make sure he understood what we were doing.
This experience was a great reminder that:
1) All people do not process information the same way.
2) You need to make sure vital information is clearly conveyed.
3) Sometimes you need to repeat a message – restating it in different ways – to make sure your audience gets the right information.
Love what you do
While I am most likely biased, I think my dad was an awesome guidance counselor. He didn’t work at my high school, but we would run into former students (who were older than I am) and they would still remember him. That says a lot. Why do they remember him? Because he was a smart guy (again, possible bias here) and he cared about each of his students. He loved what he did and it showed.
Love what you do and it will show in your writing. Don’t believe me? Look at something you wrote because you “had to” and something that you enjoyed writing. I bet you’ll see the difference.
Thanks dad for the lessons – you probably had no idea you were teaching them to me. Happy belated Father’s Day to all dads!
Amy C. Teeple is a proud graduate of Heather’s SEO Copywriting Certification program. As the owner and lead copywriter of ACT Web Consulting, she offers copywriting and social media services. A Jersey girl living in Southern California, Amy is also a dedicated 3-Day for the Cure walker, a sports lover, and a video columnist for ThatsSoGayLive.com.
3 signs that your SEO copy is over-optimized
Posted on 20. Jun, 2011 by Laura in Blog, Copywriting, online writing, search engine writing, SEO Content marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, web writing, writing for search engines, writing for search engines copywriting
Greetings! Today’s SEO Copywriting video tip addresses the three telling signs that your web SEO copy may be over-optimized. Yes, there is such a thing, and it happens when you’ve geared the copy so heavily towards the search engines that you’ve forgotten about the user experience.
Join Heather as she discusses the three telltale signs that your web content is over-optimized, and the three ways to fix the problem:
1) Too Many Keyphrases on the Page
- Pages like the one shown are easy to spot: it is pretty obvious that the keyphrases are New York City and gift baskets. But for the folks who are trying to read the page, and determine whether or not they want to work with this company, it’s flat-out bad copy:
- User experience = bad. Too much emphasis on SEO: There’s nothing in the copy for the reader, and there’s nothing that speaks to benefits. Plus, the copy is so hard to wade through that anyone reading the page would be tempted to bounce out and find another site.
In trying to achieve ranking, the writer has created a user experience that is so bad that it’s actually hurting conversions.
- The fix? Reduce keyphrases: You have to pare down the keyphrases in the copy. In some cases, this might mean that you have to re-write the page altogether. But when you do that, and bring focus to what you’re doing, you’re going to see a huge jump in sales.
2) Too Many Hyperlinks on the Page
Sometimes copywriters pepper the page with hyperlinks for the perceived SEO benefits, thinking all those hyperlinked keyphrases will automatically get the page top ranking. Others overdo it with the hyperlinks because they want to give their readers lots of choices, so they end up giving them all the choices and assume the reader will pick one.
- Again, the user experience = bad. Too many choices cause overwhelm. Plus – what’s in it for the customer?
From the search engine perspective, hyperlinking users all over the place is not going to help you in your SEO ambitions – it’s not going to help you increase your rankings. From the users’ perspective, they are overwhelmed with too many choices and they find it difficult to make a decision.
- The fix? Focus on your conversion funnel
What you want to do in this case is to think about what’s in it for the prospect — the customer benefits – and then focus your copy around that. On a landing page, narrow down the decisions facing the reader and hone it to a few educated choices.
In removing the “overwhelm” factor for readers, you’ll see a higher conversion rate as you help move the prospect along the conversion funnel: you’ll achieve an increase in ROI.
3) “Fluffy” SEO Copy
- The content is longer than it needs to be, so it loses conversion flow
- Local pages and e-commerce product pages are typically the worst offenders
“Fluffy” SEO copy is often a result of the writer or site editor being instructed to conjure 500 words for a web page in order for it to be recognized by the search engines. This 500-word rule has never been true – it’s a tenacious misconception. So the writer ends up trying to say something in 500 words that may ideally need only 250 words.
The result is that the content is not only too long, but that it really isn’t written for the readers. Instead, it’s stuffed with fluff to meet a mythical search engine wordcount.
- The fix? Write great sales copy and weave in the SEO elements. Not the other way around.
This requires a change in thinking. Approaching your web page copy this way, you’ll have really good, tight, benefits-oriented copy that will not only help folks to take action, but you’ll have what you need for the search engines too.
Thanks for joining us for this week’s SEO copywriting video tip!
Do you have an SEO copywriting or content marketing question for Heather? Fabulous! Zip it on over to her at askheather@seocopywriting.com, and you may well see it answered via next week’s video! See you then.
How many words should be on your home page? A closer look
Posted on 13. Jun, 2011 by Laura in Blog, Copywriting, online writing, search engine writing, SEO Content marketing, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques, web writing, writing for search engines
Greetings! Ready to get your learn on? Great, because today’s SEO copywriting video post delves into the question: How many words should be on my homepage?
Heather’s SEO copywriting tip actually piggybacks on a recent (Google) Matt Cutts’ (“that’s a good question”) video addressing whether you should have more or less content on your homepage. In his 57-second response, Matt doesn’t really cut it with his abbreviated answer. So here, Heather follows up on the question with the specifics on optimal homepage word count, discussing why you should move beyond counting words to how you can achieve reader engagement, conversions and page rank with a killer home page.
What Matt Cutts from Google Says:
- The original question posed to Matt Cutts was: “Should I have more or less content on my home page? There’s certainly a difference of opinion here.” His answer?
- “If you have more content on your home page, there’s more text for Googlebot to find.” You can view the very brief video at http://youtu.be/4rsOpkDFDtc
So What is the “Correct” Word Count for Your Home Page?
Yes, there are a lot of different opinions on this subject, and that’s precisely why so many people are confused about what to do with their home page. On one side of the coin, they want to have an exceptional home page that makes it easy for prospects to take action. On the other, they want to have a home page that positions well in the search engines.
As usual, there is no definitive “right” answer. The “correct word count” for your home page depends on a number of factors. Yes, you do want a respectable word count, but you don’t want to bloat you home page with fluff just to make it with the search engines. So let’s look at this more closely…
Looking Beyond the Home Page Word Count: Factors that Matter Most
You want to think about your home page from your prospects’ perspective. What benefits and message do THEY need to read?
- Landing on your home page, your prospects may or may not know your company. Focus on what you need to say on your home page that will engage your readers and keep them on your site.
What are you doing on your home page to make it easy for your readers to take action?
- You certainly don’t want to see your visitors land on your home page and immediately bounce off of it. Your goal is to get your readers to go deeper into your site to learn more about how you can help them with the products/services you provide.
- If you have a blog, you want your visitors to be able to read more of it, not just stop where you blog ends off on your home page.
How is your home page positioning? How is it faring with conversions?
- Analytics!! Check them. If your analytics show a high bounce rate from your home page, and that your visitors are not going to your site’s inner pages, then this presents a huge opportunity for your to revise your home page and make it easier for your prospects to do what you want them to do.
- If your analytics are indicating that things just aren’t “clicking” in terms of conversions, time spent on you home page, or positions, you need to make some changes.
Is your existing home page content written for readers – or is it just serving the search engines? There’s a big difference.
- We’ve all seen many sites where the top part is all pretty pictures and slick graphics, with maybe a few words. Then beneath the fold, there are about 500 words comprised mostly of hyperlinks to serve the search engines. It’s not like anyone’s actually going to read that hyperlinked content, and often those 500 words are not even well written.
- If that’s the way you’re writing your home page, the good news is that you can have the best of both worlds: a good amount of quality content on your site that is targeted to your readers and still serves to get those search engine positions.
You can have it all with great home page content and search engine appeal.
- A great example of serving both your readers and the search engines with your home page content is the site 37 Signals. These folks do it right. You’ll find that on the top part of the screen, 37 Signals funnels users into the different types of products they offer. (They follow up with a lot of copy on their site geared towards these distinct users). Then below that, they’ve fantastic content written for all users, with social proof, etc.
- You can have the best of both worlds on your home page: quality content targeted to your readers and still achieving good search engine positions, if you make sure that the ranking-oriented copy is good, solid value-added content. It won’t work for anyone if it’s simply “fluff” for the search engines.
Thanks for tuning in to this week’s SEO Copywriting how-to video! Do you have a burning SEO copywriting or content marketing question for Heather? We’d love it if you send it on over to askheather@seocopywriting.com. Have a great week! We’ll see you next Monday.
Just write! Ian Lurie on why you have to, even if you think you don’t
Posted on 07. Jun, 2011 by Laura in Blog, Conversion writing, Copywriting, online writing, SEO Content marketing, seo content strategy, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Tips and techniques
Guest Author, Ian Lurie
Ian Lurie is Chief Marketing Curmudgeon and President at Portent Interactive, an internet marketing company he started in 1995. Ian started practicing SEO in 1997, and has been addicted ever since. As a steadfast fan of Ian’s candid and wicked-smart expertise, I’m delighted to feature his words of wisdom today. – Heather
It amazes me how many business owners and employees think good writing is optional. Some of my favorite justifications:
“My customers don’t read”
Really? Do you sell to reptiles? Illiterate rodents? Tribbles, perhaps? ‘Cause otherwise, your customers read. Every day. Even if they don’t want to. They read signs. They read directions. They read e-mails.
If you sell anything, they read your e-mails regarding orders, sales, specials, etc.
If you provide a service, they read the reports and invoices you send ‘em.
And I guarantee they go to the Googles now and then to find an answer to a question.
Your customers do read. You’re confusing reading with reading books, or reading for fun.
The fact is, if your customers “don’t read”, then great writing is even more important. Your customers don’t want to spend a ton of time deciphering crappy writing. You need to get to the point with clear, directive prose. The best business writing goes unnoticed—all the reader remembers is the idea you were trying to communicate.
So, if your customers don’t read, you have to write that much better.
“My business doesn’t require any writing—it’s not that kind of company”
I. Uh.
Hmm.
I’m never sure how to answer that. When someone says that, my frontal lobe makes a kind of popping sound, and I black out for 30-45 seconds. Whatever happens after that must be bad, because when I come back to reality, the speaker looks like they got slapped with a rotten salmon.
If you make rubber grommets, you still need to explain why your rubber grommets are worth buying, right?
“Oh, but rubber grommets are a commodity. No one shops for them.”
Then you need to convince them to start shopping. That process starts with the first person who sees your site, if you’ve explained why you’re important to them. If you don’t bother, then yeah, they stop shopping, and go back to buying from the same place they always have.
There must be a reason you’re in the grommet business. If it’s just to sell to existing customers until they leave, I suggest you find a new line of work.
It’s up to you compel the reader. Saying “You’re not that kind of company” is just an excuse.
“My potential customers don’t use search engines, so I don’t need writing on my site.”
Surrreeee. It’s true. 10 or 12 North Americans out there never, ever search for stuff online. The rest of them, though, use Google, or Bing, or their computer’s search tools. Or, when they get to your site, they use your onsite search engine. Or, at a minimum, they’re going to search an individual page, with their eyes and brains, in an effort to figure out if they’re in the right place.
In all those cases, well-written copy that’s fully descriptive will help them find what they need. Which, in the end, is what turns visitors into customers.
At some point, customers search. Be ready when they do, with really good writing.
“No one’s going to read 500 words on shavers”
OK. So don’t write 500 words.
If you can present a compelling argument for your product in 25 words, do it. I don’t want 500 words where 5 will do.
“Writing” doesn’t mean “word diarrhea”. It means “communication”.
Yes, at some point, search engines get involved, and then it’s possible you’ll have to write more. That’s when you think about:
- The questions you most often hear;
- Special uses of your product;
- Help/advice for best product use;
- Your pet peeve (like people who think they don’t have to write);
- Big changes in your industry that might have your customers wondering.
You can always drill deeper into a subject. There’s always someone who wants to read a 1,500 word treatise on the origin of the electric razor.
Just write!
No matter what business you’re in, you need to write:
- Explanations of services, products, invoices, hours and policies.
- Direction telling the reader what to do next, how to get help, etc.
- Your case: Why customers should like you more than your competitor.
- Communications with individual customers, via e-mail, Twitter, Facebook or whatever comes next.
It may be 10 words. It may be 10,000. It’s most likely somewhere in between.
Just write. The more you do it, the better you get at it. And, even if they don’t notice, your customers will appreciate it.
For more of Ian Lurie’s smarts, raves, and rants, check out his Conversation Marketing blog. He’s also published several reader-friendly, no-nonsense ebooks on SEO copywriting, including The Unscary, Real World Guide to SEO Copywriting, and The Fat-Free Guide to Google Analytics.
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