SEO Copywriting > In-house Content Marketing

Does your Website copy suck the life out of your conversions?

October 27, 2011 • written by

What’s scarier than zombies, witches and vampires combined?

Bad sales copy that sucks the life out of your conversions.

You may say, “Well, our sales copy is performing OK – I check our analytics.” And that’s good. But I want to teach you how to transform your “good” sale copy into “great” – and turn your sales up to a Spinal Tap 11.

And all it’s going to take is a little bit of time.

It’s easy to develop a blind spot around our Websites. Although we may see it every day, we probably aren’t looking at it very closely. Spending some time reviewing your site can uncover a huge list of opportunities – and help you decide what to tweak.

So let’s get started!

For the purposes of this initial review, focus on your top sales pages first. Then, you can repeat the exercise around other site sections (for instance, your blog or resource pages.)

First, you’ll want to read your copy as if you were a prospect.  Ask yourself:

  • Does the copy adequately explain what you do? If you were talking to someone in person, would you provide the same information in the same way?
  • Is it so stuffed with keyphrases that it detracts from the flow?
  • What if your prospects have questions? Is it easy for them to contact you?
  • Does the content address common prospect questions (Note: If you keep hearing the same questions from prospects after they’ve read the content, the answer to this would be “no.”)
  • Does the copy pop off the page? Or is it so-so?
  • Is your sales copy the same as other sites (this is especially important if you’ve been using content provided by the manufacturer.
  • Are the benefits still important to your prospects? Or, are your prospects responding to different benefit statements now?
  • Does your content even have benefit statements? ;)

Next, you’ll want to go through the ordering process as if you were a prospect. Here are some things to consider:

  • How easy is it to take the next conversion step (usually making a purchase, or contacting someone for more information?) Do you have to hunt for a “contact us” or “order now” button?
  • When you place an order or make contact, is there a confirmation email or page? What does it say? Does it manage expectations (when the order will ship and/or when you will contact the prospect.)
  • Does your follow-up information help or hurt your brand? Is it written well, or was the copy quickly thrown together?  (Here’s more information on why your marketing collateral is so important.)

Finally, it’s time to look at your page from an SEO perspective:

  • Is the content optimized for keyphrases? Or was it written without them?
  • If your copy does include keyphrases, when is the last time you conducted keyphrase research? A keyphrase focus that was applicable one or two years ago may not be applicable today.
  • Does the copy read like it was overoptimized? If you’re not sure, try reading your copy out loud. If it sounds like “keyphrase, keyphrase, keyphrase,” your answer is “yes.”
  • How are your pages ranking in Google currently?
  • Do your pages have original, keyphrase-rich Titles? Consider if you need to rewrite them for better positions and click-through.
  • How are your meta descriptions (this is a HUGE opportunity for many sites.) Consider if you need to rewrite them for Google’s new sitelinks format.

If you’re feeling stuck, see if another team member can review your content and make suggestions. Or, if your internal team is “too close” to the content, consider hiring an expert consultant to help. An SEO content consultant can quickly point out your successes and challenges – and then your team can make all the necessary tweaks. It may cost your company a little bit of cash, but the results (and the improved sales) will be well, well worth it!

 

 

Photo gratitude goes to mollystevens

 

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

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Sell more stuff using the principle of scarcity

October 20, 2011 • written by

Are you looking for a way to prompt your prospects to “buy now?”

Maybe you should make your product or service less available.

In today’s “I can get anything I want anytime I want it world,” an approach like that seems counter-intuitive. Yet, the psychological principle of scarcity is alive and well online – and many top retailers are making lots of money from it every single day.

What’s the principle of scarcity? According to Robert Cialindi, author of Influence: Science and Practice, we are more sensitive to potential losses than potential gains.  That is, if an opportunity is less available to us, we want it much, much more.

(If you’ve ever turned down someone for a date – and then found that person more attractive when they started dating someone else -  surprise! That’s scarcity in action.)

Online retailers use this all the time. For instance, I was searching for comforters online. I surfed to Overstock and saw that they were featuring something similar to what I wanted! Joy! Here’s the picture:

Here’s what was going through my head the second I saw the picture: “Wow, this is only available for a limited time. Maybe I should snap it up now.”

I was primed to make a purchase even before I read the ad copy. Wow.

I almost fell for the principle of scarcity.

And yes, you fall for this too. Ever snap up a Groupon because buying it tomorrow would be too late? Or a pair of shoes from Zappos because there were only two pairs left in stock? Some retailer business-models, like Gilt.com and Wines Til Sold off, completely revolve around the principle of scarcity.

Now, let’s talk about how you can make it work for you.

  • Are you running a sale? Make sure that you clearly state the sale’s expiration date. This helps build a sense of urgency. Otherwise, your prospects may think, “Well, I’m not ready to buy now, but I will. Soon.” And they’ll completely forget.
  • Are you offering a Webinar with limited seating? Consider including something in your ad copy like, “Over 75% sold already! Sign up now so you don’t miss your spot.” You may even want to get more specific, and share that there are only “10 seats left.” Just make sure that you update the page to reflect the new signups.
  • Are you a popular consultant that offers very limited consulting hours? Mention that you only work with X consulting clients a week, and you’re already booked Y weeks in advance. When prospects read this, they’ll be more apt to sign up now – after all, for every day they wait, it could be another month before they get to talk to you.
  • Do you sell products?  Take a cue from Zappos and warn customers when there are just a few items left. If someone was on the fence about making a purchase, knowing that they may not be able to buy it at all can help them pull the trigger.

 

Filed under In-house Content Marketing,SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques,Tips by Industry,Working with clients

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Why content optimization is key – thoughts about the InboundWriter report

October 13, 2011 • written by

Recently, InboundWriter released a report called The Impact of Real-Time Content Optimization: Does Access to Search and Social Intelligence Make You a More Effective Writer?  Of course, you can guess that I’d be all over an SEO content writing study, so I definitely had to check this out.

The report discusses three different content scenarios – category landing pages for eBeanstalk.com, a new blog network (Link Orbit,) and new and rewritten blog posts on Jay Baer’s Convince & Convert. Users were provided InboundWriter’s tool to help them optimize Web content, and the results were measured over a certain period of time (the report outlines the exact methodology and study steps.)

The results were impressive…

Just a quick snapshot of a few statistics from the report shows some impressive results. ebeanstalk.com saw a 29 percent increase in their search engine rankings, and their time on page increased 153 percent. Link Orbit’s readers spent 112 percent more time on the content-optimized domains. Even Jay Baer’s posts got higher search engine rankings and an average 33 percent traffic increase. It’s important to note that none of these pages were optimized prior to the report, so the users were starting the optimization process from scratch.

…but were the results that surprising?

Well, no. If you’ve been in SEO for more than five seconds, the results make perfect sense. Adding keyphrases to content is a basic SEO step. Of course the pages saw higher rankings (and more search engine positions.) That’s exactly what good SEO content optimization is supposed to provide. The tool just facilitated the process.

Additionally, the time on site increase didn’t surprise me either. SEOs have been talking about “search scent” for a number of years. The concept of search scent grows out of information scent, which was developed by scientists at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC.) Kevin Lee says in a 2007 ClickZ article:

The research illustrates that humans forage for information on the Internet in much the same way animals follow scent and visual cues to find food. Scent is essentially an application of user interface optimization best practices, and search scent is a specific niche based on the fact searchers are even more wedded to a particular information-gathering mission than surfers or casual browsers.

Say a searcher is looking for blue widgets. If the landing page has the words “blue widgets” in the copy, as well as pictures of “blue widgets,” searchers should engage with the page for a longer period of time.  If a page doesn’t have this “search scent,” readers will hit the back button and boogie out. Shari Thurow wrote about this in a 2009 Search Engine Land article.

On a website, orientation is a behavior where searchers determine their position with reference to another point, establishing a “sense of place.” In other words, searchers quickly establish whose website they are visiting, and what section of the site (if any) they are viewing. If searchers do not believe they have “landed” in the right place, they will leave the website. Web searchers orient very quickly, sometimes within 1 second after a page loads.

Landing pages should always validate searchers’ scent of information, both textually and graphically. For example, if an online shopper wants to purchase a pink Burberry cashmere scarf, then the product landing page should contain a product photo of a pink Burberry cashmere scarf. The product page’s title-tag content should contain those keywords as well as other on-the-page text.

So, does this study tell us something we don’t already know? Not really. Does it help validate how important content optimization is to a site’s success? Definitely.

SEO copywriting isn’t just knowing how to write well

There’s one thing I love about this study. For folks who still don’t “get it,” or who don’t want to “ruin the content with keywords,” this is a fantastic wake-up call. If your company has held off on SEO content optimization, this study proves that you should jump in with both feet – and jump quickly. Otherwise, your unoptimized content is costing you money, no matter how fantastic your content is. After all, If Jay Baer saw a rankings and engagement improvement when he “SEO’ed” his blog posts, so will you.

As one of the authors of the study said:

“Good writing is a necessary but not sufficient ingredient for increasing content reach and engagement,” said Pelin Thorogood, managing partner at Schulman + Thorogood Group, a business consulting group. “What we observed is structuring an article or webpage around the words readers use while searching and sharing increases content relevance for both search engines and target audience – resulting in significantly higher online visibility and reader engagement for the writers who participated in our study.”

This makes perfect sense. Think about all of the fantastic sites out there with great content – but those sites are almost “invisible” in the engines. If you want to play the SEO game, that means optimizing your content. It’s as simple as that.

Here are some things to consider…

Of course, InboundWriter’s angle is that their content optimization tool is simple to use – so writers can produce the content faster and easier. At the same time, I would argue that any writer with access to reliable keyphrase research (and who understands the SEO copywriting fundamentals.) can achieve the same (or better) results without a real-time content optimization tool. Having said that, if InboundWriter helps you optimize your content, cool. I’m all for it. I’ve checked out the tool, and I can certainly see how it could help someone master the basics – especially someone who doesn’t know much about SEO.

Secondly, any tool – even one that’s easy to use – isn’t going to suddenly transform bad content into high-performing content. Or a so-so sales page into a top-converting superstar. It’s still important to work with talented writers who can make your site shine.  If your copy doesn’t connect with your readers before the optimization process, adding keyphrases isn’t going to make it any better. Or, as my father used to say, “you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.”  A recent Vertical Measures blog post by Barry Feldman discusses this very point:

Forgoing copywriters is not the answer. It’s a formula for failure. Copywriters specialize in persuasion. You can make the case (as many spectacular authors have) that in the inbound era effective marketers wisely choose not to cram their content full of product-centric messages. However, if building a relationship or connecting with the customer trumps generating an immediate sale, you’d be crazy to suggest persuasion is disposable. Or at least you’d be wrong.

At the end of the day, it’s all about providing your readers high-quality, relevant content. If using a tool like InboundWriter makes sense to you and your team – go for it. At the same time, a tool will only get you so far. If you want to rock the search engines and get people talking about your content, you need good writers, engaging content and an air-tight strategy. It’s as simple as that.

 

 

 

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

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Your client is wrong. Now what?

October 6, 2011 • written by

Sometimes, it’s not so fun to be right.

Recently, Search Engine Watch ran a great post called, “How to Help SEO Customers Who Aren’t Always Right”.  If you’ve been working as an SEO consultant or SEO copywriter, you’ve come across this issue. Your client insists that you should do things one way. You know that it’s not a good idea. And suddenly, you’re faced with a dilemma – how can you burst your client’s SEO bubble and still keep the gig?

I’ve had clients insist on keyphrase density percentages, specific word counts (1,000 words for a product page…really? REALLY?) and poorly-designed site structures. A few people insisted that they were right because they “read about it in a forum” or “learned about it in a class.” Still others believed that they could somehow game Google with their sneakiness.  I still hear folks saying things like, “I just had this great idea. What if the text was the same color as the background”

It’s so tempting to say, “Hello, 1995 is calling and they want their SEO technique back.”

I don’t, though. I restrain myself from making snarky comments (which is always a challenge for me.) But I do address the issue. If you’re facing a similar challenge, here are some tips on how to handle it:

  • Treat your client like you would treat your partner or spouse. Would you tell your partner, “Not only are you wrong, but you are so incredibly wrong that I’m questioning your intelligence?” Sure, you may think it. You may mutter it to yourself. But (hopefully) you don’t say it.  Instead of popping off, take a deep breath and keep your mouth shut.
  • Let your client explain their strategy without interrupting.  I know. It’s really hard to keep quiet while your client waxes poetic about a 7.3% keyphrase density. Just let them talk. If you start interrupting them with “Yes, but,” and pointing out all the ways that they’re wrong, your client won’t feel heard and she’ll go on the defensive.
  • Listen for the real reason behind the stupid strategy. It could be something like, “We don’t want to change our code, and this strategy means that we don’t have to.” Or, “it’s going to cost a lot to do it your way. This way is cheaper.” Giving your client an opportunity to “talk it out” helps you figure out what to say next.
  • Acknowledge their real concern.  Saying something like, “I hear that you’re worried about the cost…” goes a long, long way. It helps the client feel “heard” – and it puts you and your client on the same page. Then, follow up your acknowledgement by…
  • ….showing your concern and providing a solution. This is when you can share how their strategy isn’t workable (but in a nice, friendly way.) You could say something such as, “I’m concerned about the keyphrase density percentage, as many sites lost their search rankings because of content like that – and it typically doesn’t convert well. I know that driving traffic is important to you. Here’s what we could do instead…”
  • Spend some time educating your client. If your client was set on a certain strategy, it will take some time before they’ll see the light. Take some time to explain Panda, best practices and solid strategies. Then, back up what you’re saying with articles and case studies. That way, the client understands why you’re suggesting an alternative and can learn more about your solution.

What should you do if your client insists on their suspect SEO strategy after you’ve tried to talk them out of it? You may want to walk away from the gig. Or, if the strategy isn’t too bad, you could still work the gig and do your best. The way you deal with it will depend on the client and the situation.  It’s never an easy decision to make – especially when you know that your options are “walk away” or “I’ll never be able to include this work in my client portfolio…”

What situations have you faced where the client’s SEO strategy was completely off base? What did you do?

Want to read more? There’s a similar discussion in the LinkedIn SEO Copywriting group! Join the conversation (and the group, too!).

Filed under In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques,Working with clients

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Want better conversions? Get specific with your benefit statements

September 19, 2011 • written by

Welcome back! This Monday’s SEO copywriting how-to video post is about how specifics in your online writing help you sell more. Heather developed this piece in response to a reader question about how to increase the effectiveness of their web copy. In looking through the reader’s web content, Heather realized that one of the opportunities the copywriter could leverage was to make their marketing copy more specific.

While the general reader benefit statements were powerful, honing them to highly tangible and specific ”what’s-in-it-for-me” language is what this copywriter needed to do to improve their conversions. So for those of you who have been struggling with writing better sales copy and are looking for any advantage you can find, you should find this most helpful:

1. So these are so-so benefit statements. (Let’s make them better…)

  • Boost your revenue!
  • Let us help you save time!
  • Save money!

The challenge? People have different ideas about what “boosting revenue,” “saving time” and ”saving money” mean. The web copy doesn’t paint a picture. This is where the specifics come in…

2. Specifics take a good marketing statement and make it sexy

  • Boost your revenue by 30%!
  • What would you do with an extra hour every day?
  • Slice your expenses by $2,000 a month!

So you can see how these highly specific benefits, expressed in such personalized, concrete and precise terms, can be something simple to leverage…

3. So what does this mean to your online writing?

  • Track how you’ve helped your customers – what specifics can you uncover?
  • Try to back up any “general” benefit statement with an exact number or percentage.
  • Don’t feel compelled to “round up.” If you’ve boosted profits by 27.6%, it’s OK to use that stat.

If you haven’t yet asked your customers for testimonials, now would be a great time to start. Ask them if they can provide you with any precise specifications in terms of numbers and percentages. Studies have shown that accurate, factual spec’s (e.g., 27.6% as opposed to 25- or 30%) are found to be more credible by prospects. And besides, it’s the truth of the matter!

Try these suggestions and watch your conversions improve!

Thanks for tuning in and please drop Heather your question  at askheather@seocopywriting.com. See you next Monday!

 

 

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

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Easy ways to Panda-proof your content

September 15, 2011 • written by

Panda is everywhere! I’m here at SMX East, and “Panda” is definitely the hot conference buzzword. My argument? Google’s Panda update forces marketers to go back to basics – that is, quality, original content that speaks to their prospects and tells a story. The update is a good thing and provides quite a bit of opportunity. It’s just understanding how to leverage it and make it happen.

Yesterday, I discussed how to “Panda-proof” your content – and how to develop content that can be repurposed across different marketing mediums. If you’ve been struggling around, “How can I find the time to create the quality SEO copy that I know I need,” check out my slides from SMX East.

How to Panda-proof your SEO content

Want more Panda goodness? Check out the live blogging writeups from the wonderful folks at aimClear, SEORoundtable and Outspoken Media. Enjoy!

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

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Life lessons learned after September 11th

September 8, 2011 • written by

This Sunday, September 11th, I’ll be heading to NYC on an American Airlines flight.

And yes, I do feel the significance of flying on that airline on that date.

I’m not much for anniversaries, but there’s something about the 10 year anniversary of September 11th that can’t be ignored.  Like so many people around the world, I was glued to the television that day as I watched the events unfold. Two months later, I was in NYC for the first time with Anthony Muller, Disa Johnson and Jill Whalen. I still remember the lights around Ground Zero as they cleared the wreckage. And the way people were just a little bit kinder to each other.

It was a terrible and beautiful time to be in the City and it will stay with me forever. Like so many people around the world. I learned some incredible lessons that day – many of which shaped how I run my business. Here are just a few:

People are good. In today’s “you must practically disrobe before boarding a plane” mentality, it’s easy to see evil around every corner. You hear stories about businesses being ripped off by clients who won’t pay – or mortgage companies kicking folks out of their homes – and it’s easy to believe that the only person we can trust is, well, ourselves.

Once upon a time, I was on yet another American flight. My dog was dying, and I needed to make it home that night so I could spend just a little more time with her before I took her to the vet the next day. My seat was in the back of the plane – and my connection was tight. The stewardess said that I wouldn’t get off the plane in time to make my connecting flight. I was devastated until…

…A wonderful gentleman in first class heard my story and volunteered to switch seats with me (he must have been an angel, because no-one voluntarily gives up their first class seat for a middle coach one). I was the first off the plane – and the last on my connecting flight. Because of that man, I was able to spend my last hours with Corky the Corgi. I’ll never forget him.

There are incredible stories about how people are helping others. Kickstarter is a fantastic example of complete strangers coming together to help someone reach their goal. Conferences have charity parties (SMX East is holding one for breast cancer research.) Churches and community groups help people every day. You can choose to focus on what you read in the paper (which is usually negative,) or focus on the light you see in people. I prefer to see the light.

Don’t judge others. Six months after September 11th, I was rudely pushed out of line as I was boarding a plane. Imagine my chagrin when the “pusher” was my seatmate – and for half the flight, I was stewing over what I saw as a personal affront. Then the man started talking. He was back in NYC for the first time after the attacks. Not only did this man lose many of his friends in the World Trade Center bombing, he told the story of holding a woman who watched her husband die. By the end of the flight, we were both bawling like babies – and I realized what I considered “rude” was just another human being trying to cope.

Consider if you find yourself judging people, and see how you can change your attitude. Do you step around the homeless man on the street with the thought “Get a job” bouncing in your brain? Do you see people who are more successful than you and think, “Well, at least I didn’t have to sell my soul to get where I am today.” Do you judge the writer who asks for too little – or too much – money? It’s amazing how much more clearly we can see others when we drop our preconceived notions and allow ourselves to see people for who they really are.

You can make a difference in someone’s life today. There doesn’t need to be a worldwide incident for you to be the change you want to see in this world. Write a thank you note to someone who has made a difference in your world (I just wrote one to my high school English teacher – and damn, it felt good.) Help a stranger just because you can. Donate to a wonderful cause (Disa Johnson is running for AIDS research and is searching for donations.) Be a mentor and help someone’s career. Heck, even being friendly to your local Starbucks barista (rather than being on your phone and barking your latte order) can make a huge difference.

Other ways you can help right now:

- Answer a question in Linked In or Quora.

- Speak  at your local high school or college.

- Help someone launch their business.

- Volunteer to help a non-profit.

It may not seem like much to you, but spending just a little bit of time can mean a tremendous amount to someone else.

Life is short – live it. In the two years prior to September 11th, I had lost both my father and my husband. Since then, I’ve lost two other friends – one to an accident, one to cancer. What have I learned? I tell my friends that I love them. I cherish every day and take nothing for granted. I live life on my own quirky, eccentric terms. And I hold nothing back. I would rather give whatever I’m doing my all and fail spectacularly (although there’s really no such thing as “failure,”) than do a half-assed job and hope that no-one notices me.

If you’ve been holding yourself back, it’s time to break free. Screw the fear! It does nothing but hurt you. That could mean…

- Quitting your day job and starting your own business.

- Trying your hand at public speaking.

- Raising your rates.

- Trying something new – a new sport, reading a new book. Even listening to new music can pull you out of your comfort zone.

This September 11th, let’s take the time to celebrate ourselves – and each other. After all, we are the change that we’ve been waiting for.

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

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Are you a bad guest blogger?

August 25, 2011 • written by

Who doesn’t love guest blogging? You get to write about what you love. You can reach brand-spankin’ new readers. The exposure can’t be beat. :) Not to mention, being asked to guest blog is an incredible honor. Someone is telling you, “I love your stuff so much that I want to share it with my readers.” What a huge compliment!

But you know how some folks take a compliment and throw it back in your face? There are some “bad bloggers” who (perhaps inadvertently) do the same thing. Because of their blogging missteps, they make themselves look bad, drive editors insane and cause all sorts of extra work (assuming the post runs at all.)

Here are 5 of the most common “bad guest blogger” types…

    1. The “My Muse took me in a different direction” guest blogger. It’s true that a writer’s Muse can be extremely fickle. One second, a post idea will sound absolutely fabulous. The next minute – not so much. It’s OK to be Muse-driven – but it’s not OK to switch gears and turn in a whole ‘nother post than what you discussed with the editor. Once you’ve decided on a post topic, you need to stick with that decision. Going in a different direction may seem like you’re “writing in the flow,” but the blog editor will see it as “changing your mind and messing up her editorial calendar.”
    2. “The “nobody’s perfect” guest blogger.  Sure, we all make mistakes. Typos happen. But “making a mistake” doesn’t mean “turning in a blog post full of grammatical errors, disconnected thoughts and funky typos, costing the editor one hour of her life cleaning it up.” Just because you’re blogging for exposure doesn’t mean that you can turn in so-so work. If you know that your writing style can be a tad..challenging…hire an editor to check your work before you send it out. Or if you don’t have time to write a really good guest post, wait until you have the ability to focus and do it right. Besides, what would happen if the editor posted your article -  uncorrected -  just to teach you a lesson.  I wouldn’t take that chance…
    3. The “look at me” guest blogger. Don’t be too sexy for your own blog post. Like the slimy guy at the singles bar, every word this blogger writes is geared to gain attention…to his own stuff. There’s rarely a shred of useful information. Instead, it’s all about him – how smart he is. Who he knows. Other fantastic posts he’s written. The sad thing is that nobody really cares – and pushing a “look at me” post screams “I don’t have anything worth reading.” Here’s a tip – if your bio is longer than your blog post, you’re a “look at me” guest blogger. Dial it down, dude.
    4. The “share the love” guest blogger. This person thinks, “I’ve written such a fantastic blog post. Why shouldn’t I syndicate it everywhere I can, as soon as I can.” Yeah, that’s a bad idea. According to the super-smart Ann Smarty in her article, What Guest Posting Is Not: Getting It Right, “DON’T do it. You’ll just screw the relationships with powerful bloggers and influencers in your niche and achieve nothing.”
    5. The “deadline, what deadline” guest blogger.  This is the scariest type of blogger. This person promises “Yes, I’ll have your post by noon on Friday.” When noon on Friday rolls around, this same blogger is surprised that the blog editor is upset that there’s no post – and a big hole in her editorial calendar. If you’ve promised a blog post by X, treat it like you would treat a client gig and don’t miss the deadline. Remember, the industry is small – and people do talk. Missing deadlines is a sure way to mess up a valuable connection.

It’s easy to be a great guest blogger. Turn in your blog posts on time (or early, if you really want to impress an editor.) Slice the self-promotion. Write a fantastic article. With just a little work, I guarantee that you’ll have more guest posts that you can handle – and editors will love working with you.

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

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How to turn your creativity up to 11

August 18, 2011 • written by

I’m often asked, “Heather, how do you write so much content without burning out?”

Um, good question. I could talk about how I’ve spent almost half of my life studying copywriting (ack, that’s scary to type.) Or how I force myself to write online copy, even when I don’t feel like writing. Or how I’m just plain stubborn.

But what’s the real secret of my success?

I force myself to take breaks – long, soul-renewing breaks – and let my creative juices do their thing.

I wasn’t always like this. Up until a year ago, I was working, working, working all the time. My day would start at 7 a.m. and end at 9 p.m. I’d finish one task and immediately move to the next one. I wasn’t taking vacations or many breaks during the day. Or if I was “taking a break,” I was playing on my phone or surfing on my iPad. Which, yeah, isn’t really a break.

I was intense.

During this time, I wasn’t really digging what I was writing. Sure, it was OK – but I wasn’t having those brilliant flashes of creativity that makes a writer’s life worthwhile. I wasn’t looking at my sentence structure thinking, “Damn, that’s goooood.” Was I feeling burnt out? Hell yeah. But I pushed through (sound familiar?).

In short, I wasn’t writing in the flow anymore – and that bugged me.

Then one day, I had to write a blog post after an acupuncture appointment. I thought I was “too relaxed” to write, but I sat down and did it anyway – part of that stubborn streak I have. What flowed (and yes, it flowed) was my “SEO copywriting tips in Haiku” post – and it remains as one of my most popular posts.

Aha! I made the connection. A more relaxed Heather means better writing.  When I’m feeling good, I can turn my creativity up to a Spinal Tap 11. Got it.

Turns out other folks are making the same connection. Scott Adams of Dilbert fame wrote an article about the benefits of soul-crushing boredom (props to @acteeple for the great link). The Huffington Post had a post today that discussed how “cyberloafing” at work can actually boost productivity. There’s even a National Relaxation Day on August 15th (Did you miss it and work instead? Yeah, me too.)

Plus, many writers report having their best ideas when they’re doing something else – taking a bath, enjoying a walk, or even just spacing out. Think about this in your own life. After all, have you ever had a brilliant flash of insight after working a 12-hour day?

Nope, didn’t think so.

Taking breaks actually encourages (and protects) your creativity. If you’re a freelance copywriter, Web designer, or do anything that’s more creative in nature, you NEED to chill out. You NEED to protect your creativity like a surgeon protects her hands.

Without our creativity, we’re lost.

If you’re feeling scrunched from all sides, building in some downtime could be just the ticket.  You may not be able to plan a 2-week cruise right now – but you can at least take steps to regain some work/life balance. For instance:

  • If you finish a task, take a 15 minute break away from the computer before moving to the next one.
  • Rather than fiddling with your phone when you’re bored, put it away and enjoy the moment. Even if it’s a boring moment.
  • Take time to do something “nonproductive” like walking, cooking or just staring off into space.
  • Spend at least one day a week away from your computer, iPad, iPod – you know, all those technological toys that we “can’t live without.” Guess what? You’ll be able to live without them.
  • Try something completely new. I love climbing into sensory deprivation float tanks and enjoying total darkness for 90 minutes. It sounds weird and scary – but damn, it’s been transformative.

This blog post lists other ways to step away from the screen give yourself a break.

Taking a chill pill doesn’t mean that you’re being lazy (I can hear my father’s voice telling me to “Get up and do something” every time I take a break!). Nor does it mean that you’re stupid or you’re not working “hard enough” (whatever that means.)

It means that you’re taking care of your creativity.

And you’ll find that your creativity has been cranked way, way up to  11. Who can beat that?

Next year, I’ll be taking over 2 weeks off to raft the Grand Canyon. There will be no phone. There will be no laptop or television. It’s freakin’ scary to know that I’ll be that unplugged, but I’m also looking forward to the experiment. Who knows where my creativity will take me – or how life-changing unplugging will be. I may go nuts the first couple days, but I know the experience will be well worth it.

Now isn’t it time to step away from the computer and take a break?  But before you go, post a comment on your fave ways to “chill out” and rejuvenate yourself. You may spark an idea for someone else.

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

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SEO copywriting 101: A guide for clients

August 11, 2011 • written by

Whether you’re hiring copywriters in-house, or outsourcing to freelancers,  finding and working with SEO copywriters can be challenging – and a little bit scary, too.

First, you have to find the “perfect person” who will make your Web copy sing. Once you’ve found the perfect person, you have to give them direction, evaluate their content and make sure that it’s right for your site.

If you don’t know SEO, the entire process is confusing. How can you figure out who to hire? How do you get the SEO content quality you need?

If you need to hire a copywriter, this guide is for you. Here’s what to do.

How to hire the perfect in-house or freelance SEO copywriter

Looking for an SEO copywriter? Whether you’re looking to hire in-house or outsource, it’s tempting to ask, “How much do you charge,” and go from there. That can be a dangerous mistake. Would you work with an attorney because she was the cheapest around? Or a doctor? Heck no. Rather than focusing on price, focus on results and reputation. That way, you’ll find the right vendor (or employee) for your needs. (If you’re wondering how an SEO copywriter can help you, here’s a great resource.)

Many smaller businesses prefer to outsource their SEO copy. You can outsource to a freelance SEO copywriter, or sometimes your SEO company has someone on staff. Larger businesses – or companies that kick out a lot of content – may be better served with an in-house hire.

Questions to ask are:

  • What kind of experience do you have (here’s some guidance on working with a newbie and an intermediate SEO copywriter.)
  • If you’re outsourcing, ask the writer if she will be writing the content? Or will someone else?
  • What’s your process? If the copywriter doesn’t say, “I’ll need to start by asking a bunch of questions,” that’s a huge red flag.
  • Do you know how to write to sell (called direct response copywriting.) Or, are you primarily a blogger? There is a big difference between the two styles, so make sure you ask.
  • Can I see case studies and testimonials?

And here are some other questions to ask to get the best quote.

You also want to consider if you need a copywriter or a content strategist.  Here’s the difference between the two job descriptions. And if you’re wondering if hiring an SEO copywriter is really important (yes, of course it is,) here’s some additional information.

You’ve found the perfect copywriter? Great. Here’s how to get started…

If you are giving the SEO copywriter direction, you want to give them the right direction. Where a lot of good campaigns go bad is when the client dictates the article length and makeup based on SEO copywriting myths and misconceptions.

Beware the SEO copywriting myths, such as:

Plan to spend quite a bit of meeting time with your new copywriter so you can explain your unique sales proposition, your customer persona and what’s important to your customers. Your copywriter will also bombard you with a list of questions (here’s a list of 31 questions your copywriter may ask.)

This part of the process will take some time. You may be tempted to skip this step and think, “He’s smart. He’ll ‘get it’ and write great copy.” Don’t do it. Spend the time to get your writer up to speed. Your copy will be much better for it.

Your writer completed her first rough draft. Here’s how to evaluate it.

The most important question you can ask is, “Does the content make me want to buy?” If the answer is, “Meh,” that alone may dictate a rewrite. Whether your copywriter is writing sales copy or posts for your blog, the writing should showcase your benefits, be engaging and – yes – include keyphrases. Here’s some things to consider.

Now that you know exactly what to do, you can safely find the right in-house or freelance SEO copywriter who meets your needs – and start gaining benefit from well-written content. What could be better?

 

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

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