Blog > Archive by category 'In-house Content Marketing'

No one engine should have all that power

August 26, 2010 • posted by Heather

OK, I have a question for y’all…

Why do we let Google have so much power over how we produce Web content?

I was reading a Search Engine Watch article where Kevin Gibbons was stressing how Google is never the “only customer.” Still, at every conference (most recently, Search Engine Strategies, San Francisco,) I hear people saying that they’re looking for a writer who can “write for Google.” They don’t care about how the article sounds to their customer – heck, that doesn’t even cross their minds. They’re just focused on 1,000 word articles with a magical keyphrase density.  If they only had that, the rest of their SEO campaign would be smooth sailing.

People, let’s get with the program.  “Writing for Google” without thinking of your customers is like praying to some sort of angry, vengeful god, hoping to appease it with odd rituals and violent sacrifices. Instead of killing people, businesses place their content on the sacrificial block and pull out it’s still-beating heart. Stripped away is writing to inform, entertain, or tempt people into taking the next conversion step. Instead, it’s all about what the Google Gods “want.”

Mind you, Matt Cutts has never said, “Stuff your content with keyphrases.” In fact, he’s stressed quality content – as has Seth Godin and a string of other smart marketers. When conferences do have content sessions, speakers stress customer personas, writing for your audience and yummy, engaging content.

So why do we let one engine have all that power? Why do we sacrifice our conversions and our branding for what we think Google wants? ‘Cause Google has never said, “Go forth and write 1,000 word articles with a 6 percent keyphrase density.”

Here are some of my ideas – and I’d love your thoughts:

  • The SEO industry gives clients a mixed message around content. We get on stage and stress how it’s important, and then some SEO companies outsource the content to India, pay their copywriters $20 a page, or don’t offer content services at all.
  • The search engines purchase “content mill” companies (I’m looking at you, Yahoo,) where writers are paid bottom-dollar…and the quality is questionable at best.
  • SEO conferences don’t have a lot of “how-to” SEO copywriting training sessions. AWAI does…but their market is freelancers, not businesses. Mind you, I’m blessed to be speaking on those SEO copywriting panels…don’t get me wrong. But when a good 70% of all panels stress “good content,” I wish there was more of an emphasis of what good SEO content even *is.* Ten minutes of SEO copywriting talk-time is not enough.
  • Many online SEO copywriting resources are sub par at best. They report “tactics” that are incorrect and/or outdated. This makes it hard for the average business owner to know what’s right – and what’s been written by a clueless individual who touts their “expert” status after working online for two years or less (ahem.)

So what say you? SEO copywriting is the foundation of so much SEO and social media “stuff” – including Tweets, sales pages, white papers and blog posts. What do we have to do as an industry to get folks moving in the right direction…as opposed to the “keyphrase stuffed, it’s all about Google” direction?

‘Cause at the end of the day, Google doesn’t pay your bills. Prospects that convert into customers DO pay them. Why aren’t we focusing on the customer experience instead?

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,SEO Content marketing

Comments (10)

Mastering Your Content Message: What’s the Buzz?

July 19, 2010 • posted by Laura

Have you mastered your content message?

“Sure I have!” you may exclaim.  “I’ve defined my target market and have addressed their needs and pain points  – what more can I do to perfect my perfect message?”

Well, how about checking out the buzz around your product/service?  In last Monday’s post, I talked about checking out your competition.  Today, we are taking it a step further by researching your target market’s conversation about your stuff, so you can keep up with their concerns in real time, and update your content accordingly.

Remember, website content is a living document (as are all things internet) and it’s smart practice to be continually updating your message and content, flexing in sync with your market’s expressed preferences, lest you’re left choking in the dust!

Again, it’s a relatively easy and simple thing to do, thanks to the search engines.  For example, starting with your competition research, just expand it to include Google Groups, News, and Blogs.  Those resources can be found under “more,” on the far top right of the Google search engine results page:

Take a look, and note what people are saying about you, as well as your competitor’s sites:  what do they love? and what could they do without?  Then revisit your content message:  how can you improve upon it to more precisely hone in on your target market?  How can you better address their needs and desires?  How can you further differentiate yourself from your competition?

Another great tool for tracking your market’s buzz and trends is Twitter.  For up-to-the-minute trend information, simply go to Twitter search and type in some key terms into the search box, and voila!

For example, let’s say I’m in the business of writing professional resumes, and want to check out what’s trending in my chosen market.   Entering “professional resumes” into the box, these are my real-time results:

Thank you, Twitter!

Next Monday, we’ll delve even deeper into your SEO copywriting and content marketing strategy with an analytic tool designed to make you take a good, hard look at yourself!  Stay tuned!

Filed under In-house Content Marketing,SEO Content marketing

Comments (5)

Baby-step your way into a SEO content development campaign

July 1, 2010 • posted by Heather

Are you doing nothing with your SEO content development campaign because you can’t do everything, right now?

I received a question that I thought was excellent – and illustrates a common fear around launching a SEO copywriting campaign.

“Hi Heather,

I was just reading your latest edition of SEO Copywriting Buzz, and noticed the section titled “Do you have SEO copywriting questions you need answered?” There’s something I’m curious about, and I didn’t know if it might be something your other subscribers would be interested in as well…

I’ve talked to a couple of digital marketing specialists lately who claim that SEO Copywriting does no good without an overall, long-term strategy. So, my question is this: Is there value in doing some initial keyword research to create compelling, keyword-rich web content (and then incorporating those keyword phrases into additional online collateral like ezines, blog posts and press releases)? Or should companies hold off until  they can afford it all — social media, link building strategies, blogging, analytics, PPC, etc.)?

I view you as the expert on all things related to SEO Copywriting and would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

Thanks so much for your time!

-Heather Mueller”

Thanks, Heather for the question (and the kind kudos!).

Yeah, I hear things like this all the time. And it’s sad, because the mindset is so, so wrong.  Here’s why:

In a perfect world, yes, it would be great to have a completely robust SEO strategy in place – and the content development would be a piece of the search marketing pie. That’s when clients can see the fastest results (which makes sense, since you’d be leveraging multiple marketing touchpoints.)

But here’s the thing: That’s not always the reality. For many businesses – and this is applicable for small businesses as well as Fortune 500 companies – doing everything, all at once isn’t feasible. Maybe it’s because of finances. Maybe the company is working things out internally. Sure, they may be ready to do one thing (like content development,) but not a link building strategy. Yet.

Does this mean that a company should wait until they have the time, budget and manpower to launch a full-scale campaign?

Hell no!

I’m not saying that companies should run out, willy-nilly, and “try some SEO stuff” without having some sort of strategy – that’s just stupid. But, sheesh – if all you can do is write your butt off in an attempt to gain more search rankings, see better conversions and brand your businesses – then write your butt off.  Be smart about it – you may want to hire a content marketing strategist to teach you the ropes and set strategy. Or get train your team in SEO copywriting best practices. But by all means – write.

It’s like telling someone that they don’t need to try to lose weight until they’ve created a 3-month meal plan, have an exercise strategy in place, hired a personal trainer, have eliminated sugar and caffeine from their diet and have purchased new exercise clothes. Gee. Can’t someone just start by eliminating their before-bedtime snack?

I’m a firm believer (and I’ve said this many times on stage) in SEO copywriting baby steps. If all you can realistically do this month is edit 15 pages for keyphrases and tweak your Titles – great. Or getting SEO copywriting training may be the easiest first step to take. Just know that there are many ways to accomplish your content marketing goals – and, as Katherine Andes from the LinkedIn SEO Copywriting group said, “Eat the elephant one bite at a time.”

Filed under In-house Content Marketing,SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques

Comments (6)

Mayday, Mayday: Why SEO content development is more important than ever

June 22, 2010 • posted by Laura

My guess is that you’ve already heard the buzz surrounding Google’s “May Day” announcement (and its rankings aftermath).  Even if it’s late June, Google’s May Day algorithm change continues to be analyzed, expounded upon (and yes, even feared) by search engine specialists and the clients who love them.

Good news:  it’s not all bad news.  Google’s Mayday update may be the thing to slap site owners upside the head and encourage them to create great content.  Wondering what May Day means to content marketers?  Check out some of the buzz:

  • Webmaster World’s ongoing discussion of Google’s “Mayday” changes, as well as Google SEO News & Discussion:  Webmaster World

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques

Comments (0)

Think Penny Wise, Search Foolish when it comes to investing in an SEO copywriter

June 17, 2010 • posted by Heather

Hello, all!

Today’s post is by Pam Foster, a highly experienced SEO copywriter and one of the first Certified SEO Copywriters in the world. Enjoy!

The other day, a marketer for a sophisticated mid-size national company inquired about hiring a professional SEO copywriter to improve his website’s search engine traffic and sales results.

He admitted that his website is in very tough shape (weak search engine rankings, not much activity on this site), and that he doesn’t know why. This kind of awareness is terrific – it’s the first step toward making big improvements!

So let’s quickly hit the key points about what’s wrong with his site… those missing critical elements that drive results online these days:

•    The web pages don’t include a single keyphrase his ideal prospects may be using to find his company’s services in search engines such as Google and Bing.

•    The page titles and meta descriptions have absolutely no information about why someone would choose his company among the many options in search results

•    The messages on every page are all about “how great and cool our company is;” not focused on what the customer needs

•    It doesn’t seem to set itself apart from the competition. There are no messages that differentiate this website from others in the same business category

•    It isn’t “conversion-focused,” meaning there are no inviting calls to action; no compelling reasons to sign up for his company’s emails, inquire about services, or buy anything

And that’s just for starters.

So as you can imagine, this marketer would find tremendous value in hiring a skilled SEO copywriter who knows exactly how to bring his website to life with a smart keyphrase strategy, customer-focused messages, and compelling sales copy that offers unique and exciting reasons to choose his company over others. Right?

In other words, copy like this would be “found money” in the bank for his website, yes?

Well, sadly he didn’t see it that way. He balked at the fees for hiring a professional, skilled SEO copywriter – someone who will offer a terrific return on his investment and deliver measurable results. Instead, he decided to search for a cheaper resource; even though his company can and should make the sound investment in what works.

Ah, well. He’ll soon find that this “Penny Wise, Search Foolish,” approach means he’ll end up working with someone who doesn’t know all it takes to write successful SEO copy. Therefore, his frugality will come back to bite him.

We hope to help you avoid this problem with the following logic.

We’re not saying you have to take out a second mortgage to invest in SEO copywriting that works. But if you plan on a budget of at least $500-$800 or more per page, you’ll soon find that it’s a drop in the bucket when you consider the immediate and long-term gains you’ll realize.

For example, let’s say a single new client is worth $1,000 to you (if you’re a consulting service). Or 20 new product sales may equal $1,000 if you’re a retailer; even more if you’re a B2B marketer.

So would a $500 web page investment today, that returns $1,000 in business tomorrow, be worth it? I’m pretty sure I hear you saying, “Heck, ya!” Plus, when you consider the long-term gain of each new customer relationship, the revenue potential is infinite. Trust me on this one.

It’s important to banish short-term thinking when investing in your web content. Instead, consider it a solid foundation that will support your business revenue growth for quite some time. (You wouldn’t build your dream house on quicksand, now would you?)

Thanks for giving this some serious consideration. Here’s to your web success!
Pam Foster

Guest blogger Pam Foster is the owner of ContentClear Marketing and PetCopywriter.com. Pam recently became one of the industry’s first web content writers to achieve SuccessWorks SEO Copywriting Certification… the world’s only SEO copywriting certification program.

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques,Working with freelance copywriters

Comments (2)

Is your marketing collateral screwing your brand?

June 11, 2010 • posted by Heather

Question for you:

When’s the last time you reviewed your marketing collateral. No, not your site copy. Your other marketing materials: Your customer emails, fax forms, customer service surveys, order receipts – anything you send to a client or prospect.

Guess what? Your collateral marketing material may be undoing all of your good SEO copywriting and content marketing work and hurting your brand. To illustrate this point, let me tell a story…

I was unhappy with my current merchant processor. They weren’t a bad company. The customer service folks were nice. They just weren’t a good fit. It happens.

Canceling the account meant filling out a form. Not a big deal. The company requires a reason for closure and provides nine possible options to check.

(Mistake #1 – There was no room to write-in a comment. You had to choose one of the nine choices. So much for wanting useful customer feedback.)

I glanced at the reasons and saw the reasons you’d expect: “Out of business,” “new business ownership,” “chose different processor.”

And then one choice quickly jumped out at me: Misrepresentation.
And then I read: Poor service from bankcard.
And then I read: Poor service from sales representative.

So, what the company is telling me is – out of nine possible (and apparently common) reasons for closing the account, 1/3 of them is for poor service or misrepresentation?

Immediately, what was a brand-neutral experience (They weren’t a good fit for my business, so what) turned into a brand-killer (Have they been lying to me all this time? Do I need to go back and check my statements?) I instantly distrusted them and would not recommend them. All because of a one-page fax.

Their marketing collateral screwed their brand.

It happens with emails, too. Companies forget to review their autoresponder content all the time – so they may have “stuff” out there from five years ago. And since it’s automatic and no-one really sees the email in-house, the mistake is sent over and over and over again.

Case in point: After every email received (every one,) a direct cremation company would automatically send a general “here’s how to contact us” email.”  The companies first error? They misspelled the first word in the email  (they wrote “thanks you for contacting us.”) Yes, they misspelled the very first word.  Immediately after, the email listed a 800 number “if a death has just occurred,” and told the reader to “wait 24 hours for an email response.”There was nothing about “Sorry for your loss.” No mention of “We’re here to help you every step of the way.” No…nothing. I don’t think it was more than 25 poorly-written words. An email like that should have been written with the utmost care and compassion. Not as a fast one-off.

Tell me, would you trust your loved one to a company that misspells the first word of their email?

Again, the marketing collateral screwed their brand.

I urge you, please go through everything – your autresponders, your fax forms, your customer service scripts – everything and double-check it. You’re not just looking for the obvious mistakes (although if you find them, fix them fast!) You’re also looking for opportunity. Can you transform your writing so it’s more customer-centered? Do your “old” materials reflect a different style than what’s on your site – and you forgot to update them? Is there a way you can transform a customer receipt into an upselling machine?

For most companies, reviewing the collateral will take a couple hours, max. Worst that happens is everything is on-track and you have the peace-of-mind knowing that things are A-OK. But chances are, you’ll find something you can make just a little bit better – and making it better can help you make more money (and help people embrace your brand rather than avoid it.) The opportunities are there. You just have to notice.

Filed under In-house Content Marketing,SEO Content marketing

Comments (0)

How to find your content marketing focus

June 3, 2010 • posted by Heather

One of the most most exciting things about SEO content marketing is that there are so many possibilities. Companies can start blogs, create white papers, produce an e-book, tweak their Titles, revise their content and tweet to their corporate heart’s delight.

Feel overwhelmed yet?

I realized that with all this talk about, “see how many ways your company can leverage content marketing,” there’s not a lot of talk about what to do when. I’ve seen too many companies with half-assed content marketing campaigns because they’re doing everything rather than the one really important thing. Instead of baby-stepping their way into a a robust content marketing campaign, they throw everything against the virtual web wall and sees what sticks.

Sound familiar? Take a deep breath and see if your site fits into the following categories. Here’s four typical scenarios for “what to do when”:

People are visiting your site, but they aren’t converting. This is a writing/usability issue (there may be some SEO elements in there as well, but they probably aren’t the primary cause.) What this is suggesting is that your target audience doesn’t “like” your pages. Maybe it’s because they can’t figure out how to take action. Or maybe it’s because the writing turns them off. Google’s Website Optimizer is a great way to A/B split test your pages and develop content that helps people convert like crazy.

And for goodness sake – if you’re writing to sell (or hiring someone to do it for you,) do it right. If you’re wondering why direct-response copywriting skills are crucial, this post explains it all. And if you’re a B2B company, here are some SEO copywriting tips just for you.

You company owns a catalog/retail site, and your product page rankings suddenly plummeted.

You may have been caught in Google’s May Day algorithmic dance (for more about May Day, watch Matt Cutts’ video, read Vanessa Fox’s great post and Dave Davis’s perspective from “the other side.”) One of the takeaways: Additional product content could provide a lifeline. If you’ve been relying on the “stock” manufacturer product description – and you haven’t enhanced your pages with reviews, additional value-added content and even video – now is the time. Brookstone is a great example of a company that’s doing it right – fantastic product descriptions, customer reviews and smartly optimized text. If you’ve craving more catalog marketer-focused information, check out the “10 stupid things catalog marketers do” and these “successful SEO copywriting tips”

In the meantime, consider other options. Google is a demanding mistress, and she will always withhold her ranking affections from time to time. Instead of relying solely on Google, consider other traffic-driving options such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. I just spoke with Greg Jarboe from SEO-PR today, and I’m reminded why he’s the YouTube master. If you haven’t read his book, “You Tube and Video Marketing: An Hour A Day,” check it out.

You need “fast” results.

Who doesn’t love instant gratification? At the same time, a content marketing plan is a long-term endeavor – and getting rankings is rarely achieved “instantly” (although, when it works, it sure seems like it!). Although I’ve said that there is no “quick fix” in SEO copywriting, it is true that there are some quick ways to “spruce up” your content. Keyphrase editing (where you’re adding keyphrases into existing content) and optimizing page Titles can have a (fairly) quick effect. Once you see a faster win, you can revisit your messaging, create Titles that garner a higher click-through rate, and rewrite your copy with a better conversion focus.

You’re not seeing the rankings you want – and you never, ever have.

This is one of those times when an expert’s outside opinion can make a huge difference. You may think you’re doing everything right from a SEO perspective. But, there’s (obviously) something that’s hurting you. And if you haven’t figured it by now – and please know that I mean this with the utmost respect – what makes you think that you’ll “figure it out eventually.”

Even if you do, how much money are you willing to lose in the meantime?

You can purchase SEO content marketing evaluations from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars – depending on how deep you want your consultant to dig. Heck, you could even consult with a content marketing strategist for a few hours and figure out your options.  Plus, the strategist could give you a “sneak peek” on other future content marketing opportunities. The key is – don’t just wait for things to magically fall into place. Get help. You’ll make more money – faster – if you do.

Filed under In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques

Comments (7)

Outsourcing your SEO copywriting? 9 ways to get the best quote

May 27, 2010 • posted by Heather

Yesterday, a business owner sent over an interesting question.

“Why do I have to answer so many questions before you give me a quote? Years ago, if I wanted a copywriter to write a print ad, I knew it would be X amount. Why can’t there be more transparency?”

He had a point. I don’t list prices on my site – and neither do a number of my Certified SEO Copywriters. The main reason is because, “we don’t know what we don’t know” – short, catalog pages could be $250 a page – or up to $1000 if you factor in things like strategy, keyphrase research, customer persona generation and other factors.

And granted, a range like that could freak out the average prospect.

However, there is a way to get the information you need and find the right SEO copywriter for your next campaign. It may take more background research than sending a quick “how much do you charge” email.  And from the copywriter’s standpoint, there are some things that prospects can do to get an accurate quote, quickly.  Here are nine tips to get you started:

Do include your domain name in your initial email. At least twice a month, I get an email from an @AOL address that says something like, “I need five pages written for search engines. How much will you charge me? From a copywriter’s perspective, we can’t help you if we can’t see what we’re bidding for. Some pages (think longer direct-sales pages,) cost more. Others (like short catalog copy) can cost less. We won’t know what to tell you without seeing your site.

Do let us know your challenges. It’s wonderful when a prospect says something like, “We’re ranking well in the engines, but our sales copy isn’t converting.” Or, “We have a marketing team now, but they don’t know anything about SEO copywriting.” That information helps us evaluate your site and develop some ideas.

Do talk to us on the phone. I understand that it’s often easier to gather quotes via email. That’s OK. I do it too. But even a 15-minute conversation can help copywriters delve a little deeper into your challenges and explore different ideas. I’ve actually saved clients money because I told them that they didn’t need the big content marketing strategy they thought they did – and some simple tweaks would garner a great reward. We wouldn’t have come to that conclusion in an email conversation.

Do tell us what you’ll expect. Do you need us to provide status reports to your marketing department once a month? Are you working on an internal deadline, and need to have copy turned around by a certain date? Let your copywriter know what you’ll need before he zips you a proposal. That way, you avoid any future sticky issues – like your copywriter expecting to be paid to be on a three-hour branding conference call – when you thought it was a freebie (yes, this has happened!)

Do chat with multiple writers. It’s tempting to hire the first SEO copywriter who happens to meet your pricing and turnaround requirements. Just know that finding a good writer may mean talking to multiple people and asking lots of questions. Some writers will quickly “get” your business and will immediately generate some ideas. Other writers may not be as well suited for the task. Who you hire is crucial – after all, this person represents your brand – so make sure you find the best person for your business.

Do ask us for writing samples. Writers love to brag about our successes. Yes, by all means, ask for writing samples – especially when evaluating us against another copywriter. It’s important that you find the right fit for the right price, and writing samples (as well as case studies) help us showcase our value. Plus, from the client standpoint, writing samples will clearly show the difference between a $5 and a $500 sales page.

Don’t expect free consulting as a way to “prove our worth.” It’s important to find the right vendor – and many SEO copywriters will throw out some quick top-of-mind thoughts about how you should proceed. At the same time, asking us, “What strategy would you recommend” and “How would you specifically change the Titles” is moving from sales-process vetting to freebie consulting. Yes, ask us hard questions. Yes, ask for writing samples. But please know that the best copywriters (like the best doctors, attorneys and business consultants) won’t give it away for free.

Don’t tempt us with “more work later if you can lower your rate now.” In my non-scientific estimation, 99.9% of copywriters have lowered their rate in this scenario. And 99.9% of copywriters would never do it again. Unless we have a signed contract promising us “future work” – including a retainer guarantee – we can’t “bank” on future work. Ask us this question later, after we’ve worked together and we’ve built a successful relationship.

Do be open to higher fees  – but ask us how you can save money. Many people start the SEO copywriting vendor search process without a clue about per-page rates. Or, the prospect needs more than writing – they need strategy and better keyphrase research – and that drives up the price. At the same time, if you feel like the price is edging higher than you’d like to spend, ask about training (DIY always costs less in the long run,) running a longer campaign for a smaller (guaranteed) monthly spend, or even paying your agreement up-front for a discount. There are always ways to save some cash without sacrificing quality.

Filed under In-house Content Marketing,Working with freelance copywriters

Comments (3)

How (good) SEO copywriting helps people like you online

May 13, 2010 • posted by Heather

Let me put it out there right now: I used to hate Crocs.

Actually, Crocs (and their ugly footwear twin, Vibram Five-Fingered Shoes) are one of the few things my husband and I used to argue about. Every time he’d put on his Crocs, or his Vibrams (which have been described by his co-workers as “creepy toe shoes”) I’d encourage other shoe choices. Or going barefoot. ANYTHING but the Crocs.

Confession time: I don’t think that the (cuter) Crocs are that bad. And I even have a pair of Vibrams (and there is photographic evidence of me wearing them, too.) Why did I have such a fashion-backwards change of heart? Turns out, by being “everywhere” Crocs and Vibrams actually seem more attractive.

Let’s talk about why that is.

In the book Buyology, Martin Lindstrom discusses how “mirror neurons” influence our buying decisions by making us mimic other people’s buying behavior (and yes, he used Crocs as an example.) If we see cool, sexy people wearing Crocs, our unconscious minds go into overdrive. We think, “Maybe if I wear Crocs, I’ll look cool and sexy too.” And suddenly, what seemed like an unthinkable purchase (Really…Crocs?  Really?) now because a must-buy. As Lindstrom says, “Just seeing a certain product over and over makes it more desirable.”

And this got me thinking about SEO copywriting and how good writing can make a company seem more “desirable.”

Today, companies have multiple online content marketing channels. You can create a video. You can send out snappy tweets. You can distribute a newsletter, write a white paper – or heck, even optimize your site content for better rankings. All of these channels allow you to be “found” a different way.

Now imagine, a prospect who is looking for a product or service like yours. Maybe they see one of your brilliant tweets, which causes them to investigate your company. Then, they see an article your CEO has written. Then, they find your company in the search results. Once they reach your site, they watch your video and sign up for your newsletter.

The cool thing is, in this scenario where your content is everywhere, your prospect is being encouraged to “like” you a little bit more. Your company seems more desirable.  The psychological concept of “familiarly fosters likability” states that we tend to like people (or companies), when we are continually exposed to them (this only applies if the information is useful and provides value.) So, to a prospect, your informative tweets, how-to white paper and newsletter would be highly valuable information – and every time they “see” your company again, the prospect is reminded, “Hey, I know these guys. I like these guys. I should read this.”

(At the same time, if your content is crap and your tweets are more sales-focused than sharp, you’ll actually turn off your readers.)

In terms of a SEO content development play, it means that the more places your (quality) content can “live” online, the better.  In a brilliant blog post by Dr. Rachna Jain, she explains,”this means you should syndicate your content widely and be out in front of your target audience every chance you get. As people see you “everywhere,” they start to pay more attention. And as they pay more attention, you become more familiar.”

What does this mean to your company? Two things:

  • Quality content is key. Although it’s tempting to kick out low-quality articles just to get search rankings in your virtual door, resist the urge.
  • Just because you’re everywhere doesn’t mean people will like you (hello, Jesse James.) They’ll only like you if you give good content.

NOW is the time for a SEO content development strategy. Not later. Not when you have time. But NOW. If you know that folks are clamoring for content that helps solve a problem – and they’ll “like” your company the more that they’re exposed to your content, isn’t it time to get moving? Like..now?

Good content is more than just “search engine fodder.” It’s about ensuring that your prospects see your brand when they are searching for a solution to their specific problem. The more your company is “out there” with compelling, problem-solving content, the more positively you’ll be perceived…

…Now, if you excuse me, I have some Vibrams to put on…

Filed under In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques

Comments (4)

Does your SEO copywriting sound like a bad date?

May 6, 2010 • posted by Heather

Before I entered the wonderful world of married bliss, I was the woman who always had the best (or would it be worst?) dating horror stories. Still lives with his mother? Check. Texting his ex-wife while sitting at dinner? Check. You name it. It happened to me. People thought I was cursed.

As I was remembering those “bad old days,” I realized that going on a first date is a lot like visiting a site for the first time. In that split-second before you hit the site (or you see your date at the restaurant,) there’s always an anticipatory moment of, “I really hope they have what I’m looking for.”

And then, sadly, there’s the letdown when you realize, “Oh no. They are obviously not what I want.”

For all those “bad date” Websites out there, please stop doing the following. Immediately. Thankyouverymuch.

  • Quit talking about how hot you are. Ever been on a date where your partner’s conversation was all about them? They’ll talk about their cool executive job, their latest trip to London and their high-powered relationships…but they never, ever ask a thing about you. People visit websites to solve a problem – not to hear about how wonderful your company is. Focus your content on your prospect, and explain how you can solve her needs. The more customer-focused your content, the higher your conversion rates will be.
  • Don’t expect an immediate conversion. You want to think that after a first date (or a first site visit) that the other person found you so spectacular that they want to marry you (or in the case of a website, contact you for more information or immediately make a purchase.) But guess what? It rarely happens that way. Your prospects may need to “date” you a few more times first. There are a few more micro-conversion steps to take. Hope for the fast conversion, yes, but make sure that you have other site content that’s more than “buy now.” Articles, blog posts, white papers and tweets are a great way to showcase your expertise – and move your prospect closer to taking the action you want them to take.
  • Don’t repeat yourself, repeatedly. Ever had dinner with someone who said the same thing, three different ways, over and over and over? If you’re shoving your page full of keyphrases to meet some magical (and totally bogus) keyword density percentage, you’re irritating your prospects and causing them to tune out. Quit repeating yourself and concentrate on creating really awesome content. It will be much more powerful than repeating keyphrases. Trust me.
  • Know your target audience. Once upon a time, a man (who I had known for awhile) took me to Dunkin’ Donuts on the first date. Outside of the obvious huge miss (Really, Dunkin’ Donuts? Really?) everyone knows that I’m a Starbucks kinda gal – except for this guy, who obviously didn’t know a thing about me. It’s the same with your web copy. Create a customer persona before you start writing, and follow it to the letter. Writing that “misses the mark” often has so-so conversion rates at best.
  • Don’t be a bore. We’ve all gone on dates where the other person is nice – really nice – but just a little…boring. We feel bad for not wanting to date them again, but we just… can’t. I know that marketers (especially in the B2B space) are often afraid of “punchy” copy. But baby, don’t fear adding a little bit of personality to your writing! If your copy is dull, you run the risk of your prospects finding another site that’s just as qualified to help – but sounds much more interesting to work with. Remember, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression – and well-written, interesting content trumps “boring, just the facts” every time.

Side note: Great minds think alike. After I wrote this, it was brought to my attention by @lisabarone that she had written a very similar blog post – and the original pic I had for my post was the exact same one as hers (and no, I hadn’t read her post!) I switched out my pic, and highly encourage folks to read Lisa’s expert take on the topic. Enjoy!

Filed under B2B SEO copywriting,Catalog/retailer,In-house Content Marketing,Small business

Comments (12)

Older Posts »