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Global Vision, a Canadian technology company producing automated proofreading solutions, recently announced they would be showcasing a new line of equipment and software at the upcoming Total Processing & Packaging Exhibition in Belgium. Their new line of products is designed to scan labels and marketing materials to look for missing graphics, incomplete text, and other errors.

Although the packaging and processing industries is abuzz with excitement, and understandably so, professional copy-editors and proofreaders need not be concerned. The capabilities of automated proofreading systems are rather limited.

Similar Technology for Copywriting

Global Vision’s technology works by analysing the information it scans and then comparing it to a database that helps it catch mistakes. The limits of this technology can clearly be seen in the fact that automated computer systems can only perform according to programmed data. They cannot take into account the intent of the human being that actually produced the content.

Similarly, another technology was introduced a few years back that automatically generates copy by taking the data input by users and using it to create complete sentences and thoughts. The creators of the software demonstrated it by having it produce articles regarding the weather, sporting events, and general news. Even Forbes used the software to create an entire blog post explaining how the technology works.

Humanity Still Required

Despite the benefits that this sort of automated technology offers, it is not a workable replacement for human writers and proofreaders. Why? Because it can only account for raw data. Business-to-business or business-to-consumer copywriting is about more than just presenting impersonal information. It’s about using the written word to evoke a response in readers. As such, the copywriter may use any number of literary tools including sarcasm, alliteration, personification, and so on.

Automated systems cannot deal with these sorts of literary tools. There’s no way for a computer to judge the intent of the copywriter based on information found in the database. Maybe someday that could be possible. For now, it’s not. The need for human copywriters and proofreaders is still without question.

Why You Need Proofreading Services

With all of that out the way, let’s talk about why you and your business need proofreading services. We’ll start by quoting recent comments made by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on his weekly radio show:

“If you don’t speak good grammar – English with good grammar – you’re not gonna get the kind of jobs that you want. You can make an argument that it shouldn’t be the case, it’s not fair, whatever, [but] people judge each other by how well-spoken they are.”

We couldn’t agree more. However, does the principal only apply to how well a person speaks? Of course not. It also applies to the written word. If you or your business releases blog posts, marketing materials, or other written text rife with misspellings or grammatical errors, you will be perceived as less than capable.

To be fair, there are lots of excellent speakers and writers who still have trouble with proofreading. That’s because proofreading is an art in and of itself. The professional proofreader and copy-editor must be able to read a document word-by-word, with enough discipline to avoid skimming. He or she must also be able to understand the intent of a writer so that, in addition to grammar and spelling errors, he/she can deal with syntax and issues of context. Proofreading and copy-editing is a special skill that not everyone possesses.

Carman Online Content Publishing is proud to offer our clients thorough and competent proofreading and copy-editing services. Our professional proofreaders can handle your project, regardless of its size or scope. We will review each and every sentence to make sure it is grammatically correct, free of spelling errors, and conveys your message properly. When we’ve completed your text, you can rest assured your readers will be more than impressed with the quality of your work.

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Here are this week’s offerings from across the web of all things related to the content publishing world.

I WAS THE ENEMY: ON WRITING FOR AN ENTERTAINMENT TABLOID

I spent the past several months working for the entertainment department of one of the most widely read news websites in the world, a sprawling behemoth with over 100 million users.

 

Professors Awarded the 11th Annual Jerry S. Cohen Memorial Fund Writing Award

Three professors today were awarded the prestigious 11th Annual Jerry S. Cohen Memorial Fund Writing Award for the best antitrust writing of 2012 that is also consistent with Jerry Cohen’s concern for economic justice.

 

New platform to help journalists monetise long-form content

A new platform is to launch which will allow journalists to publish long-form content and charge for individual articles.

 

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Every day an army of copywriters sits in front of its collective computer screens finding new and creative ways to discuss a limited number of topics. Whether we’re talking about business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-customer (B2C) copywriting, the issue is the same: how do you get your point across in a way that is both understandable and presents a professional image?

According to two recent studies from the Nielsen Norman Group, it’s not done by filling your web pages with industry jargon. Despite what many business professionals believe, no one is impressed with fluffy and meaningless business terms like:

• system metrics
• vertical
• reaching out
• core competency
• synergies
• price point.

As a matter of fact, if you just Google a simple phrase like “stupid business jargon” you might be surprised by the number of business consulting firms telling companies, in no uncertain terms, to stop using such ridiculous verbiage. Yet it persists.

Investor Relations

Nielsen’s studies looked at two groups of Web users, the first of which is the investor looking for new opportunities or the business manager looking to establish new relationships. As business professionals, the readers in this grouping are looking for facts and figures when visiting a website. They hate copywriting that sounds like marketing.

The study demonstrated that such professionals want to find pertinent information without having to dig for it. They want to know how long the company has been in operation, its size, where it is located, etc. If they have to dig, they are not likely to stick around for long.

Journalists

The other group surveyed by Nielsen can be classified as journalists. Under this grouping, you could also include just about any user visiting a website for research purposes rather than sales. Journalists are the ultimate fact finders, so they tend to scan web pages for important chunks of data rather than reading things through thoroughly.

This strategy makes them understandably annoyed with useless fluff. Like business professionals, if they cannot find the data they are looking for quickly, they move on to the next resource. If there’s too much jargon, they feel as though their intelligence is being insulted.

Business Customers

Although Nielsen did not survey website customers, we believe it’s relevant to include them in the mix. After all, there are some things common among all people, regardless of whether they are investors, researchers, or casual readers. In the case of copywriting, that common thread is a natural aversion to industry jargon.

We believe you could make the argument that customers are even savvier than investors or journalists in this area. They know when they’re being played by writers trying to dazzle them with big words and phrases that say nothing. They are just as likely to move on to websites that present information in a simpler and more easily understood manner.

Why They Still Do It

Knowing what we seem to know about copywriting, it seems puzzling that writers still weigh down their articles with excessive jargon. Could it be that these writers are trying too hard to impress clients with their word choices? Or perhaps it’s a case of business executives who do not understand their audience; executives who mistakenly believe lots of industry jargon is what’s necessary to make the sale. Whatever the reason, it’s not necessary.

The writers at Carman Online Content Publishing understand this dynamic clearly. We specialize in providing B2B and B2C copywriting that presents a professional image without making your company look like it’s filled with stuffy executives who like to hear themselves speak. Our expert writers can present your information clearly, succinctly, and in a way that is most appealing to the widest audience.

Regardless of your copywriting needs, we invite you to get in touch with us today. We want to do what we can to help your website and business succeed in today’s highly competitive world.

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Here are this week’s offerings from across the web of all things related to the content publishing world.

Content marketing: why brands are becoming publishers

The big buzzword in the marketing world right now is ‘content marketing’.

9 Tips on Becoming a More Creative and Productive Writer

“I hate writing. I enjoy having written.” Don’t we all? We love the end result, the feeling of accomplishment and creative fulfillment.

Book Self-Publishing: Five things to keep in mind

Now-a-days almost every writer in self-publishing their book, rather than dealing with the hassle of a publishing company.

 

Why You Should Blog to Get Your Next Job

Think of the word “blog” and what comes to mind? Mommy bloggers? People posting funny cat videos? Well, no more. Today’s savvy job seekers are putting their skills to the test and blogging their way to success and job opportunities.

 

Treat Content Publishing as a Privilege by Sharing the Awesome

Nowadays, any brand can become a content publisher, but we sometimes forget to treat content publishing as a privilege.

 

11 Ways to Turn One Piece of Long-form Content into Dozens More

If brands want to engage with information-hungry consumers, they must be doing content marketing. They must have a strategy for creating content that is meaningful, authentic and strives to add value to the consumer’s purchasing decision rather than “sell to them.”

 

Twelve Tips for Law Firm Blogging Success

When it comes to law firm marketing, establishing a legal blog with quality content is a great way to showcase your insights on legal trends, updates, case outcomes and impacts, as well as your legal advice that is geared toward your current client base and client prospects. If you’re not sure if blogging is worth the effort, think again.

 

12 Reasons Why Hitting Publish is Only the Beginning of Content Marketing

Most of us think our job is done after we hit the “Publish” button on WordPress.  We take a deep breath, sit back in our chair, and congratulate ourselves on another article well done.

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MedeAnalytics, a business intelligence firm focused on healthcare, just published a brand-new white paper entitled ‘The Challenge Facing Clinical Commissioning Groups: Reducing Variation in Use of Resources‘. It is an important white paper on many fronts, not the least of which is the fact that it has identified potential savings of up to £1.6 billion for the NHS.

The white paper identifies eight key areas of hospital practice in which more consistent performance among healthcare facilities could generate significant cost savings while maintaining or improving patient care. The paper lays out all of the data gleaned from a combination of MedeAnalytics’ research and expert analysis.

Although this particular white paper has nothing to do with Carman Online Content Publishing directly, I chose it as the focus of this post as a means of demonstrating the power of the white paper. As an information-disseminating medium, the white paper does things other forms of written communications cannot.

Purpose of the White Paper

The white paper is a document specifically intended to explain all aspects of a given issue so that readers can understand it for purposes of making decisions or finding solutions. As such, it is put together with a focus not found in other kinds of writing. In other words, for white papers to be effective they must concentrate the reader’s attention on the topic at hand, offer an understandable explanation, and steer the reader into the various options available.

The nature of white papers requires a skilled writer who can put things together in a way that is detailed yet easy to digest. A paper long on verbiage but short on usable information is one that is useless. A white paper must leave the reader without questions at its conclusion if it is to effectively do its job.

Who Uses White Papers

The distinct objectives of the white paper limit its usability for everyday written communications. As such, white papers are typically reserved for government interactions and business-to-business transactions. For example, one government agency may use a white paper to explain why it does what it does to a related agency. A business may use the white paper to present the benefits of a given product or service to a vendor.

Business sectors using white papers frequently include:

• healthcare delivery and manufacturing
• pharmaceuticals
• banking and financial services
• information technology
• informatics and data analysis.

Bear in mind that a company does not need to be a large corporation in order to make use of white papers. Even a small business may find the medium effective when trying to market products or services to government agencies and other businesses. Wherever there is a need to explain a product or service in detail, a white paper is appropriate.

Businesses might also find white papers useful in presenting future plans and visions. This is important for keeping shareholders up to date, imparting a new vision to workers, and letting business partners in on a new direction a company might be taking.

If your business could benefit from effective and well-written white papers, we invite you to get in touch with us. Carman Online Content Publishing offers professional white paper services from experienced writers with the skills necessary to present your ideas clearly and concisely. We are confident we can produce a high quality white paper that will more than satisfy the needs of your company.

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When social media first came onto the Internet scene, MySpace was the place to be. However, these days, having a MySpace account is practically irrelevant given the overwhelming appeal of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. But are the big boys beginning to fade themselves? Possibly.

According to the Financial Times, a survey commissioned by YouGov shows the social media habits of younger Brits are changing. The data shows that most people are spending less time using social media today than they were just a couple of years ago. More importantly, Internet users are increasingly more willing to pay for certain types of online content.

While this may sound troubling on the surface, it shouldn’t be completely unexpected. One need only look at the abysmal failure of Facebook’s IPO last year to see the big picture clearly. Social media has reached that critical mass where new business models will decide whether the platform succeeds or fails. I won’t be so foolish as to predict the collapse of Facebook and Twitter, but it seems to me they will continue fading until they end up like MySpace.

Still Important for Marketing

In the long-term, social media is still an important investment from a marketing standpoint. Even as its popularity does shows signs of waning, there’s no denying that people have built their entire online presence around social media. So while they may not spend 5 to 6 hours per day on their favourite sites, they still make a point of visiting throughout the day to check messages, take a look at the news, and so on. That means social media will remain a viable marketing platform.

That said, the trend in purchasing online content tells us something about where social media is heading. Perhaps Facebook truly was on the cutting edge when it began talking about a paid model some years ago. Not that Facebook will ever go to a fully paid subscription service, but perhaps new sections of the website will be added containing features only available to paid subscribers. It would make complete sense.

If this is where we are headed, subscribers willing to pay for enhanced features are the very types of people markers should be concentrating on. They are the ones willing to spend to get what they want.

Right now, the curse of social media is that it is awash with the masses always looking to get something for nothing. So while social media helps companies stay in touch with their customers, it is not very adept at converting casual users into those who spend the money. But a paid content model will change all of that.

The YouGov survey does not sound the death knell for social media in the immediate future. However, it should serve as a wake-up call to online marketers to pay attention. Social media is evolving and, if markers are to keep up, they must evolve too. If they don’t, social media will leave them behind.

At Carman Online Content Publishing, we can help you make the most of your online presence by providing you with quality social media content. If you need creative Twitter posts, we can do that. If you are looking for a company to provide updates to your Facebook page, you can count on us. No matter what your social media content needs are, we have the writers to get it done for you. Please contact us at your earliest convenience for more information regarding our social media content services.

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All across the developed world newspapers are fast becoming dinosaurs reserved only for older readers who still prefer that method for getting their news. Throughout the last 10 years, most of the world’s prominent newspapers have been electing to include online editions in order to attract younger readers. Yet even the online model is not helping to shore up revenues. So now newspapers are looking at another source to help the bottom line: e-books.

Yes, you read that correctly. E-books are the latest trend being adopted by newspapers looking for new streams of revenue. Unfortunately, the news alone is no longer cutting it. While it’s true that newspapers and other news organisations only have themselves to blame, it is still good they are looking at new ways to reach younger customers in a changing world.

An article recently published by Poynter reveals something else about this trend that we never would have expected: newspapers embracing the e-book philosophy are not using their creations to report news. Rather, they are creating e-books to publish short stories, compile archived material, and create research materials.

In terms of fiction categories, they are using e-books to reach younger readers with specific genres that do not get much exposure through traditional e-book channels. In a world where young people seem to be going out of their way to avoid traditional paradigms, this strategy is proving very successful.

For example, an American newspaper known as the Minneapolis Star Tribune published their first fictional novel in e-book form and promoted it to young people as part of their summer reading series. It was so successful they are now preparing the launch of their second e-book to coincide with this year’s program. Officials at the Star Tribune were sceptical at first, but now they are sold on the idea.

E-Books for Your Business

The lessons learned by the newspaper industry should be adopted by other businesses as well. Among those lessons is the fact that today’s mobile technology has radically changed the way younger people gather information. But you probably already knew that. What you may not know is that younger people are looking for e-books worth reading. They are not all about streaming content exclusively, as some reports would suggest. A business owner willing to explore the possibilities might be pleasantly surprised.

There are many ways businesses can incorporate e-books as marketing tools. For example, let’s say you are a business owner whose company sells sporting equipment, with a specific focus on bicycles. You could bring in an author to create a fictional story with cycling at its core. Turn that story into an e-book to be distributed as part of your cycle promotions. A well-written story can become a great marketing tool to sell your bicycles to new customers.

E-books are also useful for compiling product data, case studies, and even user manuals that can be easily reproduced and distributed to customers. The best thing is that it is all electronic. Once the author is paid for his or her work, a company can freely reproduce the e-books at no additional cost.

At Carman Online Content Publishing, e-book creation is just one of the many services we offer. Our writers have the experience necessary to create the e-book you or your business need. Whether you are interested in a fictional story, a product manual, or compilation of important data, we can make it happen.

Just let us know as soon as you are ready to get started. Our team will get right to work to share your message with the world!

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Conversion rates. They are the Holy Grail of web marketing in a world where lots of traffic to a given website does not necessarily translate into better sales numbers. Webmasters, marketers, and SEO experts now pursue conversion rates with all the zeal of football fans at the World Cup. And one of their greatest tools for increasing conversion rates is speed.

The idea that fast data connections and page load times decrease user dissatisfaction with websites is not new, but recent data from Google’s Steve Souders confirms that nothing has changed in this arena over the years. Websites that take too long to load are the same sites with low conversion rates and sales numbers. Web users simply do not want to wait when there are literally millions of other options under search engine results.

According to Joel Hruska of the Extreme Tech blog, the need for speed is causing browser developers to rethink their software in order to maintain fast page download times in the midst of changing website content. In a recent blog post Hruska talked about things like updating how JavaScript is executed and how embedded video are displayed.

The driving force behind this seems to be a new paradigm for web content. Where written text is still extremely important, developers are increasingly using other types of content including embedded video, sliders and scrollbars, flash objects, and other elements that can most definitely slow down page load times. Browser developers have to adapt their code in order to keep up with these elements.

According to Souders’ data, when Mozilla cut the average page download time by 2.2 seconds it resulted in increased conversion rates of roughly 15.4%. The opposite is also true. When page download is interrupted by a server delay of just 2 seconds, conversion rates also drop. Souders’ data shows a subsequent revenue drop of about 4.3%.

What This Says for Business Owners

None of this might make sense to someone who is not experienced in website development or SEO practices. However, it is important for business owners to know nonetheless. Without at least a rudimentary understanding of how the modern Internet works, a business owner may have no idea that he or she is not getting maximum results from their website.

Today’s business owner must insist that their website contain not only the necessary elements to drive traffic, but also the speed and features needed to convert casual users into paying customers. If greater speed increases conversion rates, web page content must be optimised for speed as well.

Website developers and SEO experts have a part to play as well. It is our responsibility to understand that browser developers are doing their best to keep up via code changes. Nevertheless, we also need to develop websites that take advantage of where browsers are today. Webpage content must be created with an eye on what current limits are so that speed can be optimised. Creating pages that look pretty but take forever to load only hurts our customers.

At Carman Online Content Publishing, we specialise in creating web page content that maximises the benefits of your website. In terms of written text, we can provide you with blog posts, white papers, website copy, and anything else you need. Rest assured that everything we do is with the success of your business and website in mind. Please contact us today for more information about our website content creation.

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It has been a long-standing rule within the SEO community that links embedded in press releases should be avoided because they do not really help improve page ranking. In fact, Google’s own Matt Cutts has gone on record multiple times as saying the world’s most popular search engine pays no mind to press release links. It turns out Cutts may be dead wrong.

According to a May 8 (2013) post by Search Engine Land’s Barry Schwartz, he and others have tested Google’s assertion and found it to be untrue. One of the tests involved SEO anchor text that linked back to Matts Cutt’s blog site. That anchor text was completely nonsensical, but within just days of the press release going out, Cutt’s blog ranked number seven for that anchor text.

The test was in no way designed to make Google or Cutts look bad. Rather, it was to demonstrate that Google’s algorithm does indeed pay attention to links in press releases. Those links are analysed right along with the rest of a page’s content in determining rankings.

As to what impact this news will have on the SEO industry, it’s hard to say. A good number of SEO companies have been embedding links in their press releases for years, knowing full well that they indeed do help. However, there are some who have avoided the practice to date. They are likely to get wind of this news and begin adding links to their pressers.

It is assumed the general rules still apply despite the fact that we’re talking press releases. In other words, no more than two links per 500 words, links need to be to established pages with relevant content, and the companies responsible for those pages should have a good reputation. If the rules are followed, adding links to press releases should help improve page ranking.

Don’t Ignore the Content

Now that we know links will help in press releases, there will be a temptation for undisciplined SEO professionals to put undue weight on those links. Experts warn, however, that the original intent of the press release and its content are still the most important factors.

Press releases are intended to provide a gateway to important company announcements, new products being offered, or industry news. They are not intended to be promotional pieces or all-out adverts. The links an SEO professional chooses to use must be in line with these two principles.

If the press release writer abandons quality and content in favour of a few pieces of anchor text and its subsequent links, it could potentially do more harm than good. Far better to have a quality press release with no links than a shoddy one with links.

It will be interesting to see how both Google and the SEO community respond to the recent tests involving Matt Cutts blog site. Perhaps this will lead to something big; perhaps it will lead to Google changing its algorithm yet again in order to ignore links in press releases. But for now, it’s nice to see that something many of us have believed for a long time actually turns out to be true.

Here at COCP we offer a press release service. To find out more just click on the relevant link under the “services” tab in the footer of this page.

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Now that we’ve turned the corner on 2013, there will be many companies re-evaluating their marketing strategies and charting a course for the New Year. It is now more important than ever for online businesses to reassess given the competitive nature of Internet marketing. To that end, prSpeak published a great blog post earlier this week talking about various public relations strategies. Among those strategies is the practice of using press releases.

According to prSpeak, press releases are still important for 2013. They provide a great vehicle to announce significant changes within your business or to promote new services and products. Yet they are but one of the tools companies should be utilizing. Alongside press releases should be blog posts, article marketing, and more traditional PR practices like public media gatherings and promotional support for related events.

When press releases are used in conjunction with all of these other strategies, they fit nicely into the overall package so that they appear purposeful rather than contrived. And according to public relations firm Harvey & Hugo, press releases that appear contrived are one of the best ways to kill interest in your business.

Harvey & Hugo asked the question, “What makes a good press release?” in a blog they posted January 7, 2013. There’s no need to go through the entire post here, but I do want to hit a couple of highlights. The first is the fact that those who write press releases must first ask the question of whether or not the topic offered by the client warrants news-type coverage.

When a topic is not newsworthy, you end up with a press release that is contrived and forced. For example, if you started a brand-new business to sell widgets to the general public, an appropriate press release might say something like “XYZ Company Making Widgets for General Consumption.” Such a press release would be appropriate because your company is brand-new. However, if you’ve been in business for five years the fact that you make widgets is old news. That type of press release would be inappropriate.

The second highlight of the Harvey & Hugo post can be found in a single word: journalist. The blog post uses this word pretty innocuously, but there is a subtle implication that is not to be missed. According to the post, a journalist will not cover just any old story that comes across his desk. It needs to have a newsworthy angle to make it worthy of coverage.

Press release writers in the SEO world need to adopt the same mentality. Not every topic that comes across our desks is worthy of a press release. And in fact, some topics are so banal that a press release may seem like mockery. If our goal is to truly help our clients maximize their exposure and thus, the profitability of their businesses, we owe it to them to be honest and upfront about press releases. We do not help them by creating a press release about a topic that is not newsworthy; we hurt them.

Carman Online Content Publishing is proud to offer your business quality press releases designed to enhance your online presence and your public relations strategies. Please contact us for all of your press release and SEO writing needs. We are confident our team of skilled writers can produce the content you need; quality content your business deserves.