I received this note from a talented SEO copywriter:

“It’s really true that it’s important to do what one loves – and because I have ADD, I find social campaign management/monitoring, etc. to be extremely difficult, staying on top of Twitter and Google+ and FB and LinkedIn and StumbleUpon and YouTube and and Hootsuite and hash-tags and likes etc. It’s downright painful for me and I’d rather chew glass I’m afraid… 

Is there a place for an SEO Copywriter who has very strong skills in writing website core content, email/landing page campaigns, blog posts, case studies, reports, ebooks, etc. (which is a heck of a lot) — and not do social posts/monitoring too? I was recently asked to submit a proposal for a social campaign and I’m actually dreading it. I don’t even want the project. “

If you cut your teeth on traditional print copywriting, this may really hit home. Once upon a time, you may have been writing catalog copy (for print catalogs,) direct mail pieces and display ad copy.

Today, you’re being asked to research keyphrases, keep up with the latest search engine changes and watchdog social media campaigns.

Which leads many copywriters to ask the question “Is traditional copywriting dead?”

The answer is no. Not really. But things certainly have changed.

Many folks know that I cut my teeth on print copywriting. Long before we were Googling, I was writing ad copy for a local newspaper and developing marketing collateral for screw compressors (really.) Moving to an online environment was a very different experience 14+ years ago. Readability rules changed – since people were reading off of a monitor, that meant presenting the content in a slightly different fashion. Skill sets changed – I had to learn how to research keyphrases and segment them by buyer’s intent. And yes, I did have to keep up with the latest search engine changes and learn the technical lingo.

I think the definition of “copywriter” (and “copywriting”) has changed and morphed over the years. Today, a copywriter may still choose specialize in print communications (print is not necessarily dead and can still gain some great returns.) Or, a copywriter may love writing emails, landing pages and special reports. Or, some copywriters (sometimes called social media writers) may love tweeting, Google+-ing and Facebooking.

At the same time, how we write what we write goes back to traditional copywriting techniques. Show, not tell. Make sure your reader knows “what’s in it for her.” Know what makes your reader tick. The list goes on and on…

So “traditional copywriting” isn’t dead. There’s just more opportunity.

Does this mean that you, as a copywriter, need to embrace and do everything? No. It is perfectly OK to tell your clients, “I specialize in X copywriting” rather than tacking on Y and Z and gritting your teeth the entire time.

Having said that, there are some things that you may want to consider:

If you’re working online, it’s crucial to keep up with the latest search engine changes. Sticking your head in the sand because SEO is “too technical” can hurt your clients (something may change that you need to know about) and makes you look dumb (you want to be able to answer your clients’ questions.) It doesn’t mean that you need to be an expert. Just know what’s going on.

If you’re getting a lot of requests for X, partner with another copywriter. If you’re a print copywriter, the smartest thing you can do (assuming you don’t want to learn how to write online) is work with another copywriter. Then, when a client requests something you don’t like to do, you can hand it off to someone you know and trust. You could even build up a powerful virtual agency with this technique. Imagine being a “one-stop shop” for print, online sales pages/email and social – wow!

Always try something new – but be gentle with yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in the “I don’t want to learn that – I’m already overwhelmed” trap. And yes, it really is easy to overwhelm. Choose one “thing” a quarter that you learn more about. Maybe it’s learning more about SEO copywriting. Or try setting up a Google+ account and build your Circles. Or if you’re more of a sales writer, try your hand at an ebook. Trying things new keeps you fresh and curious. And besides, you may discover that you actually like whatever you just tried – and you can develop a brand-new profit center.

Are your clients asking about SEO and you need to know more about it? Do you have a print background and need to learn how to write online? Check out my SEO Copywriting Certification training for step-by-step help.

Photo gratitude to tj scenes

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!

“I’m working my butt off and writing all the time, but I’m barely scraping by. What’s wrong with me?”

You know the difference between a successful copywriter with disposable income and one that’s just getting by?

The first copywriter isn’t just a good writer. She’s a smart businesswoman, too.

Every year, I hear about new copywriters entering the space – and that’s a wonderful thing. But there’s a scary side to this too. Although these folks may be whip-smart copywriters, they may not know a darn thing about running a business.

And that will, eventually, bite them in the butt.

Here’s a reality check: if you don’t have the business side of your business tight and wired, you will fail.

You won’t make the money you can make.

You’ll burn yourself out.

You may find yourself “stuck” paying a tax liability that you weren’t expecting to pay.

You may need to refund money to a client due to a bad contract.

In short, you’ll feel like you’re on a hamster wheel of a lot of work for little pay.

And that’s not why you’re in business for yourself.

Want to avoid this trap? Get business-savvy. Now.

Whether you’ve been in business 10 minutes or 10 years, here are some things to think about:

• Are you writing what you love to write? Or are you gritting your teeth before every gig? If you’re not enjoying what you do, you’re not going to do a good job.  What other writing tasks will make your fingers fly, your heart soar and your pocketbook fill with cash?

• Does it feel like every client you have pays late (if at all,) is a pain in the ass to deal with and doesn’t appreciate your work? You’re attracting the wrong type of client. It’s time to let some clients go and track down a new target audience.

• What is your contract like?  I’ve seen a bad writing contract almost bankrupt a writer. Don’t let this happen to you – even if you feel like you can “trust” your client. Find an attorney who can help – it’s not going to cost as much as you think.

• How many prospects are in your sales pipeline? How do you find prospects? Do you wait for them to contact you (bad idea.) Or are you proactively tracking them down?

• What happens if you get sick or tragedy strikes? Do you have a colleague who can fill in and handle the work (because flaking out on your client is never, ever an option.)

• Are you working with a tax professional? There is nothing worse than discovering that you have a huge tax liability that you could have avoided with a little planning. A savvy accountant will make sure that you’re in the best financial position.

• Are you spending hours creating proposals and then not getting the gig? How is that working out for you? Have you considered that there may be another way of packaging your services?

• How much money do you have in your business savings account? If you need something – like a new computer – how do you plan to pay for it? And no, saying “my credit card” is not a smart option.

• What’s your unique sales proposition (your U.S.P.) How do you communicate your U.S.P. to prospects? If you can’t communicate what makes you unique, you won’t land the gigs you want.

Your business is like your baby – and you need to do everything you can to protect it and help it grow. That may mean spending money on contracts and consultants. Or incorporating your business. Or even firing some clients and retooling your sales and client acquisition strategy. Any time or cash that you spend improving your company will always pay off  – and you’ll enjoy the freedom (and fun) of a well-managed, profitable copywriting business.

Did you just launch your copywriting business? Have you been freelancing for awhile, but you’re feeling “stuck?” You may want to consider my Copywriting Business Bootcamp. Just let me know how I can help.

Photo credit: KatJaTo 

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

Guest Author, Nick Stamoulis

I was working with one of my social SEO clients on their blog. My SEO company, Brick Marketing, was responsible for writing two blog posts each week, which we would then promote through the client’s various social networks as they went live.

We were specifically instructed to make sure the blog posts were “SEO friendly” and would do well in the search engines. However, before we even scheduled the blog posts I would send the new posts over to my client for their approval. If they had any changes or comments about the post, they just had to email me back and I would have my writing staff change the post as directed.

One day, they sent back a blog post with so many edits, changes and corrections that you could hardly discern the original article. When I asked them what they didn’t like about the original post, my client responded “Oh no, we really liked the post. We just didn’t understand why you had put those links in there. The blue text is really weird looking. And we thought we should only focus on the same keyword through the whole post, so we removed the variations so as to not confuse our readers.”

They essentially threw the SEO component of the blog post out the window!

I’ll be the first to say that any content, whether it is a blog post, article or webpage, should be written for the reader first and the search engines second. But even great content needs a little help getting found and read by your target audience. That’s where SEO and content optimization come into play.

Here are 4 ways to balance content optimization and traditional copywriting:

1. Don’t dumb it down.

Have a little faith in your readers. Writing generic and generalized content so you can target broad keywords won’t do anyone (you or your readers) any good. Don’t be afraid to target long-tail keywords that someone further along in their research process might be using to find related information. The most specific audience you can write your content for is the best chance you’ll have of earning their business.

2. Incorporate keyword variations.

Speaking of specific keywords, there is no rule that says you have to target the exact same keyword throughout the entire blog post. Obviously you want to stick with keywords that accurately reflect the theme and messaging of the content, but don’t be afraid to throw some variations in there. This not only makes your content much more natural sounding, it also helps your content appeal to more searches. Not everyone searches for the same thing in the same way, so variations help ensure you aren’t accidentally alienating a segment of your target audience.

3. Use anchor text to get the link.

Interlinking your blog posts is a great way to keep your readers engaged, educate them further on related topics and show off your industry savvy. No blog post is an island! Obviously you don’t want to pepper your blog posts with dozens of links (it can get a little distracting for your reader) but incorporating 2-3 links via anchor text is a great way to beef up your blog’s SEO! By using anchor text instead of the full URL to direct readers to another blog post (or even a page on your site) you are keeping the flow of your content intact and spreading the link juice from more popular posts across your blog, lending more value to other posts.

4. Write first, optimize second.

Getting the words down on paper is probably the hardest part about writing a blog post. Yet some site owners seem like gluttons for punishment and think that every word has be to perfect for SEO before they can move onto the next. You don’t have to sacrifice great content in order to make a blog “SEO friendly!” In fact, site owners should write the post first and THEN go back in and see how you can tweak it for SEO. If you can’t make a keyword fit, then don’t force it in. If you can’t find a reason to link, don’t bother. Trying to stuff SEO into a blog post is only going to ruin the integrity of the post.

About the Author – Nick Stamoulis

Nick Stamoulis is an SEO consultant and President of Brick Marketing. With over 12 years of B2B SEO experience, Nick Stamoulis shares his knowledge by posting daily SEO tips to his blog, the Search Engine Optimization Journal, and publishing the Brick Marketing SEO Newsletter, read by over 160,000 opt-in subscribers.

Give yourself the gift of a more prosperous new year! Get your certification in SEO Copywriting by the recognized founder of SEO, Heather Lloyd-Martin.

…And that means that it’s time for the “Most popular posts of the year” roundup (cue applause!)

2011 was a big year for Google updates – and a big year for SEO copywriting. Most of the top-10 post topics aren’t overly surprising (Panda, anyone?) Other top ten posts surprised me – and showed that many folks are still mastering the “writing for search engines and social” balance.

Without further ado, here are the top 10 hottest SEO copywriting posts of this year. Enjoy!

#10: Did Panda kill SEO copywriting?  Did Google’s Panda update mean the death of SEO copywriting? Not just “no” but “hell no!” Quality SEO copywriting is here to stay – and always has been. If you’ve thought “Why bother with a SEO content campaign,” read this before you give up.

#9: 3 skills every SEO copywriter should have.   2011 was the year of the freelance SEO copywriter. I received more questions than ever about how to launch an SEO copywriting career, how to get an in-house job and how to build a writing brand. Whew!  It’s nice to know that more folks are entering the wild and wooly world of SEO copywriting. Welcome!

#8: The trouble with SEO copywriting. The Panda update taught some folks a lesson: What they thought was “SEO copywriting” was nothing but keyword-stuffed crap. This great guest post by Eric Enge shows how to mix keywords with your value proposition to create tasty, high-converting copy.

#7: “How to write for Google’s Panda update. In the Brady Bunch, the keyword is “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha.” In the SEO industry, it’s “Panda, Panda, Panda.” “Panda” was certainly the SEO buzzword of 2011.  It’s no surprise that this two Panda-themed posts made it into this year’s top ten.

#6: Keyword density: Lose this relic and adopt best practices  Confused about keyphrase density? Apparently, you’re not alone. I’m a little surprised that this post made it into the top 10. My thought: Folks are scrambling post-Panda to figure out what quality copy means. And that’s a wonderful thing. (Side note: I can’t help but notice that Matt uses my “read the copy out loud” tip in his most recent video.)

#5: 5 sure-fire ways to create a killer home page  Yet another “back to basics” post (and the third video post) makes it into the top 10!  If you’re wondering what information is great to have on your home page – and what’s not so hot (hint: don’t shove every keyword you have into the footer) – this one is a must-read.

#4:  How to be an SEO copywriter: The ultimate guide for beginners  I wrote this post a few weeks ago, but it’s already zoomed to the top 10 list.  If you know someone who is feeling “stuck” in their in-house writing job – or someone who is thinking about being an SEO copywriter – send them this post.

#3: How many words should be on your home page? Is your boss (or client) insisting that your home page have a certain word count “for SEO reasons.” Or worse – no words at all?  In this post, I build upon a video post by Google’s Matt Cutts and add my own SEO copywriting spin.

#2: Why social media is good for SEO.  Yes, SEO and social DO play nicely together. In fact, they can definitely help you build exposure, brand – and yes, search positions, too. In the second guest post to break the top-10 list, PRWeb’s Stacey Acevero explains why social media is yummy for SEO. If you’re wondering how the two dovetail, check out this post. It’s a good one!

And the #1 most popular post of 2011 is…..(drumroll please)

Wow. This one was a surprise. I expected a “sexier” topic to be the #1 most popular post. Instead, the post answered an age-old question: How to turn a boring FAQ page into a sales star!

Looks like basic SEO copywriting information is always in style.

Happy holidays to you and yours! We’ll be taking next week off for the holidays – and we’re back in the blogging world on January 3rd. Thank you for reading the posts and sharing them with your friends and colleagues.  I smile every time I see a retweet. Really.

Here’s hoping that 2012 is your best year ever! Happy New Year!

Given that last week’s video discussed three essential tips for writing for the Web, the question of word count makes for a natural fourth in the Web-writing fundamentals sequence.

So without further ado, tune in as Heather discusses how you can tell if your web pages are jammed with too many words:

It’s true that writing for the Web is different…

As we learned from last week’s video post, writing copy for the Web is markedly different that writing for print. With online copy, people are scanning, and they’re also viewing your content from a variety of different mobile devices – and possibly even when they’re doing something else, like watching T.V.

According to usability expert, Jakob Nielsen:

• People scan first, THEN read. 79 percent of people scan a new website, picking up individual words and sentences.
• If people are viewing your site on a mobile, they may not want to “pinch” and scroll if the content is hard to read.

So the challenge is that you have to present the copy in a way that makes it really easy to read and really easy to take action.

Unfortunately, some folks react to the “too long” dilemma by going the other way.

The unfortunate side effect…

• Some online writers who know that readers are turned off by long, scrolling pages may tend to over-react, and produce too-short copy that doesn’t help with conversions, SEO, and most importantly, reader engagement.

From an SEO perspective, there could be more room to insert the keyphrases if there was more copy to work with. From the readers’ perspective and the conversions perspective, more content will help the reader to engage more in the experience, and thereby help conversion rates.

• You don’t have to strive for super short content. You do have to be able to showcase your content so that it’s easy for people to read the copy, and take action.

So here are some ways to tell if your Web content may be a little too long for the page:

Tip #1: How easy is it to read the copy?

• The first way to tell is to take a step back and simply look at your site: evaluate how easy it is – really and truly – to read your content.

Take the snippet shown as an example. It is only part of a webpage that is 1,600 words long.  Not only is it a very long page, but for some folks, reading this particular font online might also prove challenging. So these are the things you might want to consider when evaluating your own site copy.

• If you feel like you’re “too close” to your site content, ask other people for their feedback. It might be interesting to hear their perspectives and suggestions.

Tip #2: What do your analytics say?

Of course, you always want to look at your analytics to find out what people are actually doing on your site:

• Are people quickly bouncing out of a page?
• Are your conversions low (or non-existent)?

Analytics allow you to check out those pages that you’re afraid might be running a little too long, and see how visitors are interacting with the page: are they bouncing right off of it? How are the conversions?

Your analytics will let you know if there’s an opportunity to re-write that page if your bounce rate is high, and/or if your conversions are on the low side. Then you can see if you can improve the amount of time that visitors stay on the page, and if you can encourage more visitors to take action.

Tip #3: Test, test and test again

Testing is something that more sites should do, because it is such a powerful tool!

• Until you test, all you can make are “educated guesses.”
• Test short vs. long copy and see what happens.

No matter how skilled you are as a copywriter, no matter how well you know your business, until you test your copy to find out what really works, all you do is make educated guesses.

So go ahead and test that long copy against the short version, and see which one pulls better!

From there, you can start testing other page elements, like headlines, and get really dialed in to the point that you have Web pages that you know work: for the search engines, and for your readers.

Happy New Year! To celebrate the beginning of 2012, Heather is offering a 12-percent discount off the full price of the SEO Copywriting Certification program! Just use coupon code SAVE12 and enroll now while the offer lasts!

That’s a wrap for the SEO Copywriting video series for 2011. Have a wonderful holiday, and be sure to join us again on Monday, January 9th, 2012!

photo credit to: chris-sy

I took one look and resisted the urge to say, “Um, how much did you pay for this?” The writing was…bad.  Picture a 500-word, below-the-fold paragraph with no hyperlinks, no call-to-action…and what’s worse…

All of the copy was italicized. All of it.

Imagine reading that on a mobile device.

The prospect knew that something seemed “off.”  But he thought, “I hired someone who specializes in SEO copy. Well, maybe the copy should be that way.”

Not by a long shot.

Life is too short to pay for bad copy. If your SEO copy sucks, that means that it’s time to send it back to the writer and get her to fix it.

Here’s how to separate the stupendous from the sucky:

• Read the copy out loud and hear how it “sounds.” If your content sounds clunky – or if the keyphrases stand out like a sore thumb – send it back to the writer. Over-optimized copy will not do you any favors – and you don’t want your readers bouncing out of your site the second that they arrive.

• Do you have the urge to bring out your red pen and slice unnecessary words? Smart SEO copywriting is tight – which means that the writer is using as few words as possible to bring the point home. If you feel like the content is “fluffy,” send it back for editing.

• Does the copy make your company’s benefits “pop?” Or is it all focused around features? One tip: Review how many times the writer used the words “we” and “our company.” If you find that it’s focusing too much on features and not enough on benefits, send it back.  If the page is live, try out this fun “We-We Calculator” for feedback.

• Is the copy focused around one single keyword? Good SEO copywriting focused on two-to-three keyphrase variations. If you’re seeing the same word repeated over and over, have the writer rewrite it.

• Are there spelling or grammatical errors? Granted, your writer is human – and things happen. But if you are seeing multiple errors and you’re finding yourself correcting the document, stop. That’s what your writer is supposed to do for you.

• Is there a call-to-action? This could mean linking to a sales page, another blog post, or encouraging folks to sign up for a newsletter. Your writer needs to weave your site’s (and your page’s) conversion goal into the copy. If they haven’t, it’s time for a rewrite.

• How is your page Title (what appears as the clickable link on the search engine results page.) Does it include the page keywords? Is it enticing? Or is it a bunch of keyphrases separated by pipes? If you’re thinking, “Hmm, I don’t think I’d click on this result,” send it back to the writer.

• Is the page easy to read? Long, scrolling paragraphs are visually overwhelming – especially on a mobile device.  If the paragraphs are long – and you’re not seeing any subheadlines that break up the text – have your writer check out these Web writing tips before they rewrite the copy.

What happens if your writer revises the content – yet your SEO copy is still crap? It may be time to let the writer go and find someone else who better suits your needs. Better to take the loss now and move on, then upload crappy copy and suffer the consequences.

Guest Author, Ann Smarty

Ah, guest posting. While blogs were once a fringe activity similar to writing a journal, they now represent a great bulk of much of the average freelance writer’s work. If you own a blog yourself you have probably written guest posts before, or written them for someone else. If you are a writer you will probably regularly look for chances to expand your visibility by searching out chances to get involved with various high-profile sites.

But if your application process is specifically aimed at getting approved for a post you are doing it wrong! Your focus is not in the right place and it might be costing you your chances. Instead, use these eight tips to help you land the spot every time.

Tip #1 – Focus On What THEY Need, Not What YOU Want

You have a great idea for a post about how iPhone apps can be used to increase market visibility, and you know just the blog to pitch the piece to. Having read their blog many times before, you remember a similar piece done just a few weeks ago. So you eagerly shoot off an email along with the headline idea, confident that this post you want to write will be well received. A few days later you get a big, fat no.

What happened?

Really, it should be obvious: a similar piece was already written on the topic a short time before. Therefore, it is needed. However much you wanted to write it they have no demand, and so you won’t land the spot. You should have taken that into account before offering your services, and shown that you were aware of what they needed.

Not only will it give them a chance at using something they require during that time, but it will show that you are a regular reader. It will also put off a professional and competent air, and that means everything in a business where any blogger is taking a chance when they hire a guest poster. Add that to the fact that you come off as considerate and you have a recipe for a good working relationship.

Tip #2 – Watch Your Tone

I have lost track of the times when I had read a pitch that sounded like the person was doing me a favor. “I am an excellent writer, highly skilled, and I have this post idea I know you and your readers will love! Let me know when it is up, please.” This is a line taken directly from a pitch I received just a few days ago. I saved it in order to show you an example of a quick way to be turned down.

Not only was he talking himself up immediately, but he assumed that I was just going to put it up on my blog. He didn’t ask, he didn’t give me a chance to read it first, he just made the aggressive move of telling me to let him know when it was published. What a jerk! Would you go to a job interview and end it by asking your potential boss when you start?

He may have thought he sounded confident, but he just came off as arrogant. Plus, the post wasn’t anywhere near the quality I demand of my guest posters.

On the other hand, sounding too submissive is also a turn off. I have gotten emails from people begging to write for me, or asking for links. It is annoying and I tend to just ignore them outright.

Tip #3 – Don’t Be Intimidated…You Are Equal

When dealing with one of the “Blogerati” and celebrity writers that have taken over the Internet with their popular sites, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. These are successful people who have gained actual status in cyberspace, which is not that easy to do. With such a huge wash of blogs out there, they managed to claw their way to the top. They are the Perez Hilton’s and Jason Chen’s, and you might feel intimidated.

But remember, they were just like you once. They are regular people who are running a business and know what it is like to just start out. They had to work to get there, and they are usually pretty nice people. Remain friendly and natural, and acknowledge their success without fawning over it. These are writers, not rock stars.

Tip #4 – Have a Good Sense of Humor

I go through endless guest blog requests a month. So many that they tend to swim in front of my eyes and leave my brain the moment I read them. It takes something special to really catch my attention, and humor is a big factor. If you can make me laugh then I will remember your email forever. You will also be much more likely to get on my list of published bloggers, because it shows me you can add that humor to your writing.

That doesn’t mean you should make everything into a joke. But show me you can turn a couple of things into that direction and you are golden.

Tip #5 – Research, Research, Research

One of the most aggravating things I see is someone applying to guest post without any knowledge of my blog. Honestly, you would think that they would take a little bit of time to get to know me and what it is I do. Maybe read a few posts, check the FAQ page, read updates on projects. Anything. But so many completely ignore this part and instead offer unrelated posts or at times when the last thing I need is more content.

Before you shoot off that eager email, take some time to study the site. Look at what it is all about and what has been going on recently. Check posts to see what kind of topics get the most response. See if there is anything from the past you could properly update that got a lot of attention but hasn’t been covered in awhile. Research the blog, not just the post!

Tip #6 – Introduce Yourself Without Writing a Biography

Of course the blogger want to know a little bit about you: where are you from, what are you interested in, what do you do? Basic questions that any survey would probably ask, mainly to get an idea of who you are and what you will be able to write about.

But notice how I said a little bit. No one wants to read a biography about you, not an introductory email. Offer up a few small facts about yourself and leave it at that. Anything else should be specifically about your work experience, and even then only a few choice bits you are especially proud of.

Tip #7 – Show What You Got

When I was first starting up I would always offer a small list of three links that showed off online work I was really proud of. These were my “samples”, and it was usually on those samples alone that I got work. They showed that I could write well and covered a broad range of topics.

Remember when you are linking your own samples not to do too many. Three is usually any ideal amount, as it is enough to show consistency. You should also try and link to at least one related to the topic you are applying to post about. Though that isn’t actually mandatory.

Tip #8 – Drop a Few Names

Yeah, it sound like a cheesy move. But dropping the names of a couple of blogs along with your pitch can really help to show that reliable sources have published you in the past. Of course, you don’t want to do too many of these. Just name off two or three places that have hired you in the past. You can attach those to links for your samples as well.

Land The Post Every Time!

See, it isn’t that hard. These are some common sense rules that are nevertheless violated on an alarmingly regular basis. If you keep these tips in mind you will be sure to greatly improve your chances to getting that guest post of your dreams.

Ann Smarty is the SEO consultant and professional blogger at SEOsmarty.com. She is also the owner of MyBlogGuest.com, the free community designed to connect guest authors to blog owners. If you are serious about your guest blogging strategy, join us for free!

Boost your copywriting income! Check into the SuccessWorks’ SEO Copywriting Certification training program for a prosperous 2012!

For those of you who come from a print freelance copywriting background, or for those who own a small business or are otherwise in the do-it-yourself (DIY) mode, these tips are all the more important for you to know.

Tune in to learn how to structure your copy for the Web in a way that makes it easier for folks to read, and thereby easier for them to take action, buy from you, or give you a call… In short, convert!

Writing for the Web is different…

One of the reasons that writing for the Web is different is that we know people are scanning copy first, then reading. This makes for a completely different experience than reading offline (print) copy.

According to Jakob Nielsen, a widely-recognized expert in web usability:

• People scan first, THEN read. 79 percent of people scan a new website, picking up individual words and sentences.
• If people are viewing your site on a mobile, they may not want to “pinch” and scroll if the content is hard to read.

Speaking to the first point, regarding scanning vs. reading, this means that folks aren’t reading Web copy word-for-word as they would print copy. Instead they are quickly scanning the Web page, and if they arrive on your page from a search, then they’re looking for those search terms or some variation of them to ensure they’re arrived at the right place.

And as to the second point, if you consider your own behavior when checking out a blog post on your mobile toy of choice, you know that it is a completely different experience than if you were sitting at home at your desktop.

With any and all Web copy, you don’t want to greet your reader with a big block of text with no white spaces.

Learning how to write for the online environment is critical. And it’s also important that you realize that people may be accessing your site from a variety of different devices, such as mobile.

That said, here are three tips for writing Web copy that will get read.

Tip #1: Write short, tight paragraphs

What you can get away with in the print world won’t necessarily translate well to the online world.

Considering this first example of well-written copy – it works very well for the print readers’ perspective…but no so well from the Web readers’ point of view.

Reading the copy online, it comes off as “chokey”: it’s hard to figure out what the copy is about because it appears as if there’s a lot of information crammed into a very small space.

Now compare the first example of copy with the second example: this is much easier to read.  We’re using the same words, but what we did is select certain sentences and make them stand alone.

See the difference? By simply pulling out key sentences, it allows us to have more white space and it allows us to have more “punch” with those key sentences.

And, if you were reading this on a mobile, it’d be much easier on the eyes than the first example of otherwise sound copy.

Tip #2: Use bullet points – bullet points are your friends

This especially applies if you’re writing things that involve lists or other enumerated content: it is tempting to just use commas and such that will make for a longer paragraph.

And while this may work in the print world, it won’t in the online world.

So, looking at the example of using bullet points to further break out your Web copy, you can see that there’s more white space, it’s easier to read, and all the while the words are exactly the same – they’re just structured in a reader-friendly way.

Summarizing tips #1 and #2 (and other points along the way):

•  Use shorter paragraphs with lots of white space.
• Ruthlessly edit your copy. Don’t say in five words what you can see in three.
• Provide information in bulleted lists.
• Create interesting, engaging copy. The most easy-to-read layout won’t help dirt-dull, boring copy. Trust me.

And now, here’s…

Tip #3: Sub-headlines are great for SEO – and readers!

Revisiting what we’ve learned regarding reader scanning vs. what is actually read, we know from old school, direct mail days that prospects tend to scan headlines and sub-headlines.

Why? To make sure that the copy meets their needs and to determine whether they want to keep reading.

So some food for Web-writing thought for sub-headlines are:

• They’re a great way to break up the page
• They need to be compelling, due to the scanning readers we’re trying to capture
• They should include a benefit statement whenever possible
• They should include keyphrases

Want to hone your Web writing skills? Acclerate your freelance copywriting career? Check out Heather Lloyd’s SEO Copywriting Certification training, or consider enrolling in the Turn Content Into Cash Business Boot Camp!

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s SEO copywriting video! If you have a question for Heather, you can tweet it to her @heatherlloyd or email  heather@seocopywriting.com. And be sure to check back next Monday for another hot Web-writing tip – it may well answer your question. See you then!

photo credit to: NKPhillips