Be a Better Writer Blog

Get to the Point Already: Concise Writing with a Purpose

Rachael Priest — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:15:00 GMT

Word counts: They are the bane of my existence. It isn’t because I have a hard time reaching them, either. It’s quite the opposite—I usually have much more to say than I can fit into the words allowed. Oh, sure they’re handy when you have to create a compelling piece about something like the anatomy of a tropical fish. In general, though, I find that I almost always have to cut down my writing to fit within a given range.

I love to talk and tell stories. I like to use stories and analogies to make a point. My problem is that I tend to ramble—a lot. I had a client once who diagnosed me with a disorder: “inability to write emails under 1,000 words.” She said she wouldn’t even open my messages unless she had a full cup of coffee because it would take her that long to read them. But let’s get to the point.

Concise Writing is Essential for Online Marketing

I tell you all this about me so that you will understand: there was never a writer who needed to learn to be concise more than me. I can quite easily turn what is supposed to be a 500 word article into a 2,000 word white paper before I’ve even realized I’ve done it.

For most Internet content, however, it’s vital to keep word counts low. Generally, you want blog posts to be somewhere in the 350 to 500 word range. Occasionally, you can get away with 750 to 1,000 words, but rarely will you be able to succeed with anything longer than that.

Internet readers have short attention spans. They want the information they are after quickly and in easy to understand terms. So, while I could write an ebook about the best methods for potty training a toddler, something of that length would only frustrate the mother who is looking for a few quick tips in between accidents. She doesn’t have time to read about the psychology of a toddler or theories as to why her little one resists the potty. She is only interested in what she can do to encourage success right now.

How to Get to the Point While Keeping it Interesting

I am a firm believer that content that relates to a reader on a personal level is more effective than bland, impersonal writing. Content that is conversational with a little personality is more fun to read and creates a sense of camaraderie between you and your reader. It is also extremely easy to get lost in. You can find yourself rambling and veering away from the point very quickly if you aren’t careful.

The need to make a piece more concise doesn’t mean that you have to take all of the personality out of it. You can be brief and interesting at the same time. Here are some of my tricks that have allowed me to stay in this business despite being a marathon writer:

· Ask yourself if you really need that sentence. Many times, I will find that I have sentences that are simply not necessary to make the point. While they aren’t technically repetitive, they also don’t offer much in the way of information. Any sentences that are purely narrative and can be removed without affecting the clarity of the content should be cut from your piece.

· Keep an eye out for unnecessary words. This may be one of my biggest challenges. I can use the word “however” in every other sentence and be perfectly happy. Occasional use of those types of words are fine, but be aware of how often you are using them. More often than not, you can shave down your content by eliminating words that do not contribute to the meaning of the sentence.

· Stay aware of the direction your piece is going. When I am writing, I stop every paragraph or two to read what I’ve written. I compare that with the title of the piece and ask myself if I’m sticking to the point. I also assess whether I could achieve my goal without something I’ve written. Even if it’s a brilliant paragraph that is somewhat relevant to the point, I’ll cut it if it’s taking me too far off course.

Remember, too, that short writing is not equivalent to concise writing. The key for any length piece is to make your point effectively, understandably, and interestingly. Cut what you absolutely do not need and save the rest.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Delivering Quality Content When You Have Writer's Block-Part 2

Rachael Priest — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:53:00 GMT

I’d like to continue our discussion today on how you can produce quality content despite any case of writer’s block. If you haven’t read Part 1 of this post, I highly recommend you doing so now so that we’re all up to speed. In the last post, we discussed ways to generate topic ideas when you feel like you’ve written everything you can about a subject. Today, we’re going to talk about getting through the actual writing process when your mind just seems to go blank.

Getting Through the Doldrums

If you’re a writer and you haven’t experienced the horror of writer’s block yet, you are either very blessed or haven’t been writing for very long. It happens to the best of us. When you’re writing for personal satisfaction, writer’s block is more of a nuisance than anything. When you’re staring down the barrel of a rapidly approaching deadline, however, writer’s block is more akin to a giant anaconda slowly squeezing the life out of you.

The single most important thing to remember when this happens to you is to not panic. Panic produces stress, which tends to result in even more block, which will then cycle into this all-consuming downward spiral of non-creativity. Ok, well maybe it’s not always that dramatic, but it can be. No, the appropriate response to writer’s block is to take a methodic approach. Here’s three methods you can try:

1. Go Back to Writing 101 with an Outline. Some writers always use an outline. Personally, I find the process of outlining tedious, time consuming, and counterproductive—on normal days. For me, when I’m in a good groove, the words just flow. When I’m not in a groove, though, I have found outlines to be my saving grace. Outlines allow you to build a foundation when you simply don’t know where to go with a topic. You can step away from trying to be creative and let your technical side do the work for you.

In most cases, once you have a blueprint of where an article needs to go, filling in the details is easy. It doesn’t have to be fancy, nor does it have to be accurate in the academic sense of formatting. My outlines typically consist of a title, a few subheadings, and a couple of short notes about what each subheading should cover. Once that’s in place, I usually find that I have more to say than my word count will allow—but that’s another problem for another day.

2. Write Gibberish Until Something Cohesive Starts to Form. Sometimes you just need to be silly to make your creative side come out of hiding. If you need to write a highly technical article about the chemistry of baking, but all you can think about is doughnuts, then start writing whatever comes to mind about doughnuts. You can even turn it into a short story if you need to. This process doesn’t technically get you where you need to be, but it does help your words start to flow. Once the faucet is turned on, you’ll find yourself more able to tackle the real task at hand.

I think professional writers sometimes get so wrapped up in what they have to do that they forget how much they love writing just for writing’s sake. I have found that taking half an hour to just write for the fun of it does more good for my professional endeavors than anything else I’ve tried. Think of it as a warm-up exercise—much like stretching before a long run.

3. Scratch What You have and Start Over. On occasion, I’ll come up with what I think would be an awesome angle for a topic, only to find that I’m reaching for straws 100 words in. Sometimes, it really is a good angle, but it isn’t enough to build an entire piece around. In these circumstances, it’s often better to file away that thought for use in a list-type piece and reassess the angle you’re taking for your current piece. The simple act of switching gears can do wonders to get you where you need to be.

If you are dealing with a client who has given you the angle and is rather insistent about it, talk to him or her. Explain the challenges of taking that approach and offer some suggestions for meeting the goal while also maintaining quality. You’ll find that, more often than not, a client is willing to be flexible for the sake of quality.

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Delivering Quality Content When You Have Writer's Block-Part 1

Rachael Priest — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:02:00 GMT

As a writer, I have had occasion to meet all sorts of different types of clients. While each, of course, is unique with their own set of goals and needs, I have discovered that you can divide clients into two basic categories. You’ll find those who have a very firm grasp of what they want and when they want it, and then those who depend on you to be a more involved partner of sorts in advancing the success of their venture.

There are certain advantages and disadvantages to working with either type. With the first, you get a steady, ready-made supply of topic ideas and direction. This can be a dream because all that you really have to worry about is the actual research and writing. On the other hand, these clients typically know exactly what they want and it can be difficult to make them happy at times.

With the second type, you get to enjoy a great deal of creative liberty and freedom, which is also nice. These clients typically trust your expertise and are more than willing to accept your ideas and insight. The downfall here is that you are solely responsible for the generation of topic ideas, which can become rather challenging after some time has gone by.

Topic Idea Generation in Any Situation

This post will be part one of a two part series. While we will explore all aspects of creating quality content despite writer’s block, today’s post will focus on topic idea generation. This information will be helpful if you are creating content for your own blog, or if you are working with the second type of client discussed above.

No matter how much you love a subject or how knowledgeable about that subject you are, there will invariably come a time in which you simply have nothing in the way of ideas. These times can be particularly troublesome, especially if you are facing tight deadlines and high expectations from your clients. The good news is that there are many resources for triggering topic ideas, no matter how bad your writer’s block is or how much you’ve already written about a subject. Here are three strategies for getting your creative mojo working again:

1. Revisit Previous Posts. There is almost always a unique angle that you can take on a topic previously explored. Let’s say, for example, that you’ve written a piece of content about overcoming common challenges in cake decorating. In that post, you discussed how to get your icing the proper consistency for different tasks, using the flower nail properly, and the importance of keeping water away from your icing.

You think you’ve gotten all of the juice out of this topic that you can, but if you’ll think a little harder, you’ll likely find inspiration for a completely new post. In fact, you’ve got the basis for three completely new posts, simply by exploring each tip in more detail. For the flower nail, for example, you could write about how there are different nail sizes that you might consider using depending on the size of your cake. You can discuss how to lift and transfer your flower off the nail without damaging it, and everything else related to the subject that you can think of.

2. Find Out What People Want to Know. If you’re not quite ready to start recycling ideas, you can look to outside resources for inspiration. Browse through forums that relate to the subject you need to write about. Look to see if there are questions being asked about a specific topic. Even if it seems like a fairly straight-forward concept, ask yourself if there is a post there. If there isn’t enough to make a complete post, you may be able to use the question in a tips or list style post about a larger picture.

3. Keep Current on Niche Events. When all else fails, you can simply look for news about your subject on current blogs and news sites. You can cover a current event with your own unique spin, or use the news as inspiration for deeper insight on the subject. In keeping with the cake decorating example, let’s say you read a news story about how the price of sugar is expected to rise due to a natural disaster. This would be a perfect opportunity to discuss how current events touch every aspect of our lives, including our hobbies, and explore options for obtaining decorator supplies despite the new challenges.

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5 Secrets To More Productive SEO Copywriting

Marianne Pratt — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:42:00 GMT

For content marketers and copywriters, it can be tough to stay focused while working simultaneously on projects for multiple clients. It’s not simply a matter of moving from one project to the next.

You’re like a carnival juggler – one of the really amazing ones that can juggle a variety of items at the same time. Your writing assignments can be vastly different from one another in terms of topic, length and marketing objective if your clients are a widely diverse group with distinctly different audiences.

Yet each piece you write has to resonate with the intended targets. What’s a writer to do? Here are five common challenges and some suggestions to make you a more confident juggler.

Challenge #1: feeling overwhelmed.

Multiple clients and projects can leave you feeling swamped unless you get organized. Let your deadlines be your guide and develop a routine so you don’t waste time thinking about what comes next.

Just sit for a minute and think about the client before starting a new article. I keep a file for each client with resource materials, content ideas and other special notes I can flip through before beginning a new project.

If you have several related assignments for a client, write them one right after the other, while you’re tuned in to that client’s audience and voice, to avoid having to “switch horses” so often with other clients’ work.

Find your pace. Some people sit and write till they’re done, then move to the next project. Not me. Dividing each project into segments allows me to come up with additional ideas or insights and return to the next step with fresh eyes. This approach is also good for those occasions when your brain just stops functioning altogether. Or maybe that never happens to you.

Challenge #2: saying it their way.

You have to get in the zone – their zone. Who is the audience? The tone of voice and words you choose have to be appropriate or you’re not doing your client any favors. Skip the jargon and overwriting, because every audience, especially business people and super-busy CEOs, dearly appreciate concise writing.

Refresh yourself and tune in by revisiting the client’s website for a minute to remind you of their voice and “feel.” If you’ve written on this topic before for this client, look through past articles to make sure you don’t repeat yourself but also to see if there’s a particular point you do want to reiterate. Then let your mind wander around the topic for a few minutes to compose your thoughts.

Challenge #3: minimal feedback about content details.

Don’t you hate it when clients don’t give you any feedback? Presumably they like your work, or they wouldn’t keep hiring you. You can always ask, but you can do your own reconnaissance, too. Look at your posted pieces to see what changes they’ve made – do they routinely edit out certain words or phrasing? Or do they retain everything as is?

Challenge #4: feeling like part of the team when you’re remotely located.

Sometimes it feels like you’re writing in a vacuum. You’re building a relationship with each client, but it’s harder when you’ve never met them or even spoken with them on the phone. It’s certainly a different dynamic. So you have to be more overt. And fight complacency.

Stay current with their website, whitepapers, etc. Blog articles, too, unless you’re the only one writing them.

Make yourself useful beyond simply fulfilling writing assignments. Everyone’s always on the lookout for fresh content ideas so offer up some. It shows you’re paying attention to their issues and that you care.

Challenge #5: keeping the juices flowing.

Sitting at your computer hands poised over the keyboard can be mind-numbing. Inspiration-numbing. Besides, do that all day and you’ll wind up with what older generations used to unkindly refer to as “secretarial spread.” Seriously, sitting slows your circulation, literally dulling your senses.

Get up and move around. I like baking or taking my dogs for a walk along the river, always with a little notepad and pen at hand of course. You never know when that sterling insight or turn of phrase might strike.

Juggling multiple clients isn’t hard if you’re well-organized, stay focused and remember to treat each client like they’re the only one. Just be glad you don’t have to do your juggling while riding a unicycle!

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

4 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Marketing Copy

Rachael Priest — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:19:00 GMT

A content writer’s job isn’t easy. Sure, it can be fun and it’s easier for some than for others, but at the end of the day, it’s a mentally draining job that can leave you downright exhausted. Even so, I love it—including the challenges it brings.

Every writer, at one point or another, will experience a period in which the words just don’t come as easily as they normally do. Whether it’s burnout, writer’s block, or just being tired, these are the times that it is more important than ever for us to pay special attention to the quality of our work.

Even when things are going great and you’re on a roll, though, you can still ruin a stellar piece of writing by not paying attention to certain details. Despite what we’d like to believe, no writer is perfect and we are all susceptible to making mistakes. Here are four of the most common writing stumbling blocks that can take what would have been a five-star piece right down to a three-star one:

1. Using False, Inaccurate, or Incomplete Data. Most writers would never purposefully use inaccurate data in their writing, but it happens. Generally, the most common way for that to happen is simply using unreliable resources for your research. If you are going to claim something as fact, you must be sure that it is indeed a fact and not just a supposition from someone else who was lazy about research.

Whenever possible, you should stick to .gov and .edu sites for the bulk of your information. Many .org sites are also wonderful, but you do have to be more discriminating about these, since some are designed to be aggregator sites or money-makers. That isn’t to say that you’ll never find sound information from .com or other sources, just that you’ll want to fact-check before using it.

Good old-fashioned books are also a wonderful resource for specialized topics, as is the client you’re writing for themselves. If you can’t find substantial evidence to back up a claim you’re wanting to use, then don’t use it. You can have a perfectly written piece of content, but if the facts are wrong, it strips all credibility from your writing no matter how eloquently it reads.

2. Confusing the Proper Use of Homophones. This is one that I see a lot of, and have even done myself on occasion. There, their, and they’re are by far the most common offenders, but certainly not the only ones. You have compliment vs. complement, principle vs. principal, pair vs. pare, and a whole host of others.

Some of these are so obvious that it’s hard to imagine someone confusing them, but don’t fool yourself. Some homophones are so similar in spelling and meaning that they can be incredibly tricky, even if you do know the difference. You also have words that are spelled differently but sound similar, such as affect vs. effect, that can really ruin a good piece of writing if they are used improperly. When in doubt, take some time to do a little grammar research and preserve your reputation as an A+ writer.

3. Failing to Proofread Your Final Copy. Read this very slowly: No writer’s first draft is perfect. Even best-selling fiction authors have editors. So, the notion that you can sit down and write a perfectly acceptable piece in one sitting without ever going back to proofread is nothing more than a practice in self-delusion. Your first draft may be very, very good, but it’s not going to be completely free from error.

To illustrate, I type relatively quickly. I’m not the world’s fastest, but I'm not what you'd call slow, either. When you’re typing fast, you’re going to slip every once in a while. For me, it’s usually typing “is” where I meant to type “it” or putting a “d” or “s” on the end of a word that shouldn’t have it. If I were to submit a piece without reading back over it, I’d completely miss these and it would tarnish the piece. Always, always proofread.

4. Chasing a Rabbit. This one is my personal Achilles’ heel. I like to tell stories and I love giving details. It is incredibly easy for me to start rambling and quickly forget the point of the piece in the first place. Don’t chase rabbits when you’re writing. Stop every couple of paragraphs to make sure you’re staying on topic, or will at least get back to the point soon.

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Creating A Popular Blog: What Does It Take?

Flora Richards-Gustafson — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:34:00 GMT

Perez Hilton has one, so do the creators of the LOL Cats—a popular blog. For those who have ideas, antics, pictures, crafts, recipes, videos or anything that they want to share with the world, having a popular blog can be more coveted than a book deal. Gaining popularity in the blogosphere, however, take more than wit, luck, good SEO (search engine optimization) and even better content. It also takes a combination of the following ingredients:

Time

Unless you’re already a celebrity, your blog will not be a hit overnight. First off all, as Warren Wooden shares in a post for the site Business 2 Community, it takes more than a day to gain recognition across the World Wide Web. With time and regular posts, your blog will rank higher on search engine, be shared through social media and gain followers. If you’ve only had a blog for a month, it’s still relatively new; don't panic. If six months have passed and you only have a single-digit following, it’s time for a change.

A Purpose

If you can’t tell someone what your blog is about in three words or less, it probably doesn’t have a clear focus. Popular blogs feature a specific topic. For example, Perez Hilton’s blog focuses on celebrity gossip. The LOLs Cats blog has funny pictures and videos of cats. The focus of these blogs is silly, but thousands of readers eat up the content daily.

If your blog is about random topics, writer Natasha Tracy recommends that you narrow it down to one. A simple way to do this is to look at your blog’s statistics to see which posts are the most popular. Do these posts have anything in common? There’s a good chance that do. So, for example, if you write about anything and everything, but your posts about craft projects have the most hits, blogging about crafts may be the answer.

Information about You

More often than not, people won’t care about what you say if they don’t know who you are. Blogging guru Neil Patel shares that readers want to know who you are so they can make a personal virtual connection. When readers feel like they know you, they’re more likely to write comments and share your posts. To make yourself known, add an “About Me” page that includes a (real) picture of you, a bit about who you are and a way to get in touch. When you write your bio, keep it short and simple; tell the reader who you are and share some of your life experiences and interests. As far as your contact information, provider your readers with an email address and a contact form that they can fill and submit.

Your Blogging Voice

Your blogging voice is your writing style—the unique way that you communicate. To establish your own blogging voice you have to know who your readers are and know the personality that you want to convey. You can learn more about your readers by examining your most popular posts and determining if they appealed more to hobbyists, people looking for entertainment or those seeking expert advice. When you write, it is generally best to be yourself because this is the simplest way to consistently write using the same blogging voice. If, for example, you want to have a snarky writing style, but you aren’t naturally snarky, you risk sounding fake or as if you’re trying too hard to sound clever.

Audience Building

If you don’t tell anyone about your blog, they won’t know it exists unless they find it by accident. The simplest way to build an audience is through social media and participation on other blogs. Promote every post by providing a link to it on your social networking accounts, and create an account or “page” specifically for your blog.

While using other blogs to promote your own can seem backwards, it works. If, for example, you have a blog about recipes that you invent, leave a comment on a complementary blog, like one about home décor. Comment about how delicious your dish would look (insert link) with the featured table setting. Another option is to write guest posts on complementary blogs, which will expose you and your blog to a new set of readers.

Once you get your mojo going, remember to blog regularly. Once you have a popular blog, your readers will anticipate your next post like a cat with baited breath. Don’t make them wait for more than a few days.

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Creative Content: When Marketing Meets Inspiration

Tracey Sandilands — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:32:00 GMT

Most business writers find coming up with ideas for original content the most difficult part of regular publishing. And even if they have the ideas, haven’t they all been done to death before? That’s the sheer beauty of the art of communication – with the (albeit large) range of words and phrases we have to choose from, there’s always a new way of saying something. So where can copywriters find inspiration for the marketing content they need, and how can they make their advertising copy more creative?

Let Life Lead You

This might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how often people overlook what’s right under their noses. Life! Right now, whatever your business is, you can “borrow” an idea from any one of a dozen trending news stories to connect to your marketing content, such as:

The elections (thank goodness that’s over!) – you can tie this to pretty much any industry.
Foodstuffs - the importance of hygiene in the food industry, courtesy of the Canadian meat processor’s recent recalls.
Health and fitness products - the obesity epidemic facing America, Lance Armstrong’s fresh disgrace.
Accounting services – the importance of keeping good financial records, citing the donations charities receive for the victims of natural disasters.

Take a positive approach, a censorious approach, a factual approach or simply use the news to give you an angle – the inspiration is there, all around you, yours for the taking. While this process has recently been dubbed “newsjacking” and its use is controversial under certain circumstances, it remains an accepted method among journalists of making peripheral information newsworthy.

Musical Metaphors

Ah, music. Few people don’t love music, and it has been a source of inspiration for writers throughout history. Poets and bards set words to music thousands of years ago; songwriters of the 20^th century created a huge repertoire of music to pull from. For anyone needing creative, figurative language that appeals to emotions, there’s inspiration to be found:

It’s the end of the world as we know it: Is SEO really dead?
The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades: Wow, our new product’s going to take you places.
Risin’ up, back on the street, did my time – took my chances: We’re back, stronger than ever before, and that means we’re here for you.

and of course, the all-time favorite from Gloria Gaynor: I will survive! Sure you will. You’re strong/ smart/ stunning and incredibly capable. With our product or service behind you, there’s no limit to what you can do.

Copy Competitors

You aren’t alone out there. Others have been before you – maybe even some of your competitors. So check out what they’ve done, and chances are good you’ll immediately see how you can improve on it, then do so. Troll their sites and see what’s working for them, and do it better. Or look for what they aren’t doing and do it yourself.

For example, choose the keywords that are meaningful to your industry. Type them into your search engine of choice followed by your competitors name and see what comes up. Then write your own piece about the same topic. No, we aren’t suggesting that you plagiarize – simply that you use what you find as inspiration. After all, nobody owns ideas. Do they?

Play Devil’s Advocate

Turning a topic on its head often gives you a fresh perspective – one that might not have been used before. Take a well-used angle and reframe it, approach it from the other side or take it a step further. The typical features vs. benefits argument is a classic example of this: “We offer a one-stop service for our customers” converts to “You can save time by getting everything done in one place.”

Ask “so what’s the point?” and see what answer you come up with:

Angie’s list: “Ridiculously reliable reviews.”

So what’s the point? You get good info here.
The benefit? By checking out contractors first, you can avoid being ripped off.
Turning it over? By NOT using it, you risk exposure to scam artists. Don’t take that chance.

Get the idea?

Find the Sweet Spot

Finding inspiration to help you be more creative is all about looking for a new way to use the available material. Whether you find it by looking around you, taking tips from nature, or letting the ideas of others spur you on, make it your own by doing it differently. Take what works for you, and then use it for all it’s worth. Hasta la vista, baby!

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

6 Powerful Tips For Link Building With SEO Content

Lori Pendleton — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:28:00 GMT

Great SEO content always stands out, not just because it's great, but because other content writers often link to it. Think of it as one content writer giving a "shout-out" to another writer..

If you want be featured on other people's sites, you have to know how to make it attractive to other content developers. That's easier said than done, but not impossible. Maybe you've never thought about content in the context of link building but doing so will turn you into a well-read, oft-cited content creator.

Here are six things you can do (or continue doing) to get more "shout-outs" for your content.

1. Use keywords.

This is the one piece of advice every content marketer gives, but it's also the most important. Without keywords, your content won't make a peep, but with the right relevant keywords, it'll rank high, get found, and turn into a great link.

Start by choosing keywords that are relevant to your topic and frequently searched. Then place them in the best locations, including your headline, top paragraph, and links. Use keywords frequently, but make sure they sound organic, or you could be accused of keyword stuffing.

2. Write killer headlines.

According to Copyblogger, only two out of 10 blog readers actually read the blog; the other eight only read the headline. The only way your content will build links is if your headline is catchy, quick, and says it all.

The most effective headlines tell you exactly what to expect: "Lose Weight in Five Steps," "How to Spice Up Your Marriage." These titles are clear signs for your reader, but they're also the very phrases they're searching on, so incorporating them makes your content that much easier to find.

3. Write evergreen content.

Are you going to follow fashion tips from 2010? Of course not, so why would you want to link to old news? Many things change over time, but some advice never goes out of fashion, and that should be the focus of most of your content.

You can still write timely content, but it might be less attractive to other content writers, so focus on what will outlast the season, the scandal, or the year. For instance, don't focus on the latest financial crisis; talk about what your readers can do to manage their finances and weather any sort of crisis.

4. Borrow (but don't steal) great ideas.

Even the masters of content writing need to do a little research once in a while. Whether you're stuck for a new idea or need to learn more about the topic, feel free to borrow from other content - just be careful not to steal it.

If you're writing a gardening guide, scan the web for idea on formatting, language, and even specific tips. But do something different with it. Write it in your own voice, add a unique spin, or look at the content from another perspective. You'll avoid sounding like everyone else - and sidestep accusations of plagiarism.

5. Let your readers participate.

What's more fun, watching something or doing it? The latter, of course, so give your visitors something they can do and not read. Content that offers more than blocks of text is more interesting and therefore more likely to be visited.

Create calculators that allow readers to estimate insurance costs, calorie counts, or other useful data. Write surveys that gauge interest or involvement in key areas like social media or technology use. Or produce videos that address the topic at hand and, subsequently, get the attention of bloggers looking for cool links for their own content.

6. Do some link-building of your own.

Notice how this blog talks about link building while also providing links to other link-building blogs? That's exactly what you want fellow bloggers to do with your website, and adding links of your own is a great place to start.

In the course of your research, you'll come across content that's especially informative or compelling. Add them to your own content, linking them to key phrases in your content. It could be the name of a person or business, a trending keyword, or some other phrase that tends to generate a lot of searches, which could bring in more website traffic.

If you want people to link to your content, you have to make it more linkable. Optimize your writing to make it more attractive to search engines, your readers, and other content creators looking for outside links.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SEO Copywriters: Are You Preaching To The Wrong Choir?

Rachael Priest — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:25:00 GMT

Have you ever seen a commercial on TV or heard an ad over the radio and thought to yourself how ridiculous, stupid, or irrelevant that message was to you? It may be that the ad really was stupid—after all, some of them are—or it may just be that you are not part of the advertiser’s target market and that’s why the message didn’t resonate with you.

Copywriting, in some ways, can be compared to these other forms of marketing and advertising. After all, the main purpose of copy is to speak to a particular audience, offer the advantages and benefits of a particular product of service, and then convince the person to take action. The problem is, you probably don’t have an entire market research department working for you to find out exactly who you should be speaking to and how.

No worries, though. You can create and send a powerful message to the people who are most likely to be interested in and take action with regard to your product or service, or your client’s, even without a research team. Here are five tips:

1. Identify Your Target Market. If you’re trying to sell ladies’ fashion boots for the fall and winter season, you can pretty much bet that your target markets will consist of females between the ages of 15 and 40, broken down into smaller markets based on lifestyle and purchasing habits. You don’t need to spend your time trying to create copy that speaks to 50 year old men. While there may be the occasional person looking to buy something as a gift, this is not your primary audience. Figure out the people who are most likely to purchase a product and then focus on those people.

2. Learn How to Speak to Your Target Market. Staying with the same example, you are going to speak to 16 year old girls much differently than you are going to speak to 30 year old women. Even though you are selling the same boots that are equally desirable to both people, those people are going to respond to different messages. The 16 year old may be more concerned with keeping up with the latest fashion trends and fitting in at school. The 30 year old, on the other hand, may be more concerned with the quality and longevity of a purchase she is making within a household budget. Your job is to figure out a way to speak to both demographics effectively without excluding the other.

3. Determine the Best Keywords. Spend some time in keyword research. To get started, think about what you might search for if you were looking for fall boots. Then think about what your target market might search for. Use a keyword tool to punch in those terms and then look through the related keywords that may also be helpful. You want to choose keywords that are relevant to your product or service, that have high searches, but lower competition. Mastering this is an art in and of itself, but when you choose the right keywords and phrases, you’ll find that your copy is much more effective.

4. Use Your Keywords Effectively. You may have discovered five or ten keywords that are highly relevant to your product or service and have relatively low competition. The innate temptation is to try to use every single one in every single piece of copy that you produce. Don’t. Google ranks individual pages, not entire websites. Choose up to three of your keywords to use per page of copy and optimize for those. You should choose the ones that are most relevant for the focus of your copy, which may change depending on which aspect of your product or service you are writing about. You can insert some of the others if they flow naturally, but don’t try to use them if they don’t flow. Remember, you need to write for your audience first and the search engines second.

5. Keep Your Copy Real. Yes, you do want to use language that speaks to your target market specifically, but don’t go over the top with it. You need to seem approachable and friendly, but you also need to maintain professionalism and authority. Use language that lets your audience know that you know what you’re talking about. At the same time, use language that doesn’t make you sound like some kind of anonymous corporate giant. Yes, you want them to buy, but you also care about their needs.

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6 Tragic Website Copywriting Blunders That Kill Leads And Sales

Marianne Pratt — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 14:19:00 GMT

Good website content is informational yet always geared toward making the sale. Even the most flawless design work is all dressed-up but going nowhere if the spokesperson -- your copy -- fails to captivate people and keep them interested. A good website copywriter knows that, deftly avoiding blunders that can cost clients leads and sales.

Here are six faux pas every website copywriter can easily avoid.

1. You lose sight of your audience.

When you’re writing for a variety of clients, it can be easy to forget which one you’re working for right now. As a website copywriter you have to stay “in voice” and maintain the tone and style each client wants. Smarty-pants or breezy content won’t engender confidence in the C-suite audience that expects a highly professional tone.

Presumably your client has provided talking points or some general direction about their prospects and customers and what their “hot buttons” are. Without that you can’t write well-targeted copy no matter how hard you try. But it’s up to you to “speak” in the language of each client’s audience.

2. You don’t know your client.

You can’t write – well – in a vacuum. A good website copywriter is a collaborative working partner, not just a hired hand. Don’t make assumptions. If you aren’t sure what the client wants, ask. Discuss the project with them, and go the extra mile by making suggestions to make their website even better.

Typically searchers are looking to solve some problem. Your job as a website copywriter is to explain how your client can help them. But if your client provides certain kinds of services, then personalizing the message and the client may be important. Selecting a dentist is very different from selecting carpet.

3. It’s a conversation, not a dissertation.

I once worked with another writer who had a little sign on his wall that said: Why use a one-syllable word when you can employ two or utilize three?

Tongue-in-cheek, yes. But oh, so true.

Website copy is really just a conversation with customers and prospects, and online readers take in information differently. So write as if you’re speaking, not drafting a term paper. When we talk, we use contractions. Phrases instead of sentences. Less-than-perfect grammar. Slang. Be careful with slang and jargon, though. You may need to use industry-specific language, but too much jargon makes you sound arrogant, and too much slang just sounds sloppy.

4. You don’t get to the point.

A sea of type is off-putting, no matter how well-written. I started out as a journalist, excellent training for a website copywriter. Journalism is all about making your key point(s) first, then backing them up. That’s critical if you’re going to score with time-starved website skimmers.

You don’t have to tell them everything, you want to whet their appetite. Use tricks like these to keep things visually interesting, especially if you simply must include a lot of detail:

Sub-heads give readers the skeletal gist of page information.
Bullets make multiple points quickly.
Numbers and statistics can underscore your point and your credibility, too.

5. You don’t tell them what to do next.

Different website pages have different purposes, of course. But the goal is to get visitors to take a next step. That means every page needs a call to action. An obvious one. Don’t assume it’s obvious, tell them what to do:

Call.
Click.
Come in.
Learn more now – get this free download.
Sign up for insider tips or next month’s discount.
Watch this short how-to-video.

If they get confused or frustrated, they’re gone, and your client suffers. Next time they’ll hire some other website copywriter.

6. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Websites exist to provide information, but let’s face it: unless visitors are truly desperate they won’t keep reading if you bore or frustrate them. Most searchers aren’t ready to buy, they may be only barely teetering on the edge of your client’s potential sales funnel. Your copy has to both attract and keep their attention. Use a strong page headline – instead of “We Offer Extermination Services,” say “No More Disgusting Bedbugs.”

If writing isn’t crisp and on-point your client will look unbusinesslike or even sketchy. Always keep in mind that as a website copywriter you’re just the medium, channeling your client but in a specifically-skilled way. Avoiding copywriting blunders will make you most valuable, helping clients gather meaningful leads and convert them to customers.

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5 Tips For SEO Content That Takes A Website To The Next Level

Sarita Harbour — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:41:00 GMT

The world of online marketing is full of opportunities for SEO content writing experts.

Search-engine-optimized content refers to website information created using techniques that increase the odds of it being found by search engines. When a search engine finds content, it indexes it to later present to online users in search results.

Those inexperienced with creating web content may not realize that writing for an online audience is very different from writing for print media. SEO writing techniques are a critical component of attracting readers to your work, whether you are writing for your own website, or for a client.

Improved SEO content means better web content. This can result in an increase in website traffic, better user engagement and a higher search engine ranking. Use these tips and tricks to elevate your online writing techniques and impress your clients and their site visitors.

Write for the online reader.
While websites differ in content and typical users, all online readers process information differently than offline readers. Most online users have short attention spans, at least temporarily. Your content must grab their attention quickly. Incorporate the following into your writing.

Use short sentences, no longer than 25 to 30 words.
Keep paragraph length to five sentences or fewer.
Arrange text into easily read information blocks with appropriate headings.
Organized sections with bulleted or numbered lists where appropriate.
Incorporate images and infographics where suitable.
Avoid the passive voice and use active writing.
Include call-to-actions, and invite comments and social media shares.

Identify and understand the client's typical user.
A key to effective SEO content writing is understanding your target audience. Who will read your work and why? What question is the reader asking that you can answer? What tone or voice in writing will appeal to them? How can you show them that you understand them, and that this website is the best place for them to find answers? (Hint - use internal links to lead them to more useful content.) If your client hasn't given you some direction, browse their site to find the answers.

Create quality content.
Quality content is original, valuable, sharable, and easy for search engines to locate and index. It results from skilled SEO content writing and a desire to help the reader. Focus on regularly producing the best quality content possible. Review all blog posts, articles, and website pages to ensure they are free from grammar and spelling errors before submitting them. Ask yourself the following:

Is the subject matter easily identifiable by search engines?
Would readers find it valuable enough to share with others via social media?
Will this content appeal to the typical site user?
Does it provide useful information to help readers solve a problem or answer a question?

Don't overuse keyword phrases and call-to-actions.
Your SEO content writing ability is an important tool in your client's online marketing strategy. Email and searching remain the top two activities of online users, and the search engines that index and produce search results can direct users to your content if it includes phrases they will likely search for.

Overusing or "stuffing" your content with keyword phrases can result in a lower search engine ranking, reduced traffic and an unhappy client. Instead, focus your SEO content writing on creating content containing specific keyword phrases and useful subject matter that will appeal to a typical reader.

If you are tasked with choosing a keyword phrase, avoid broad generalizations, and try to include a variety of synonyms in the body of work for various phrases in your topic. If possible, include the entire keyword phrase within the headline and first paragraph of the blog post or article.

Create compelling SEO-friendly headlines and sub-headings.
When writing for the web, it can be easy to mistake SEO content writing as writing for the search engines. That is wrong. If you stick to creating excellent content, the search engines will find your work.

You are writing for the reader, who may arrive at your content via the search engine. Therefore you must create a compelling headline and subheadings that grab the reader's attention immediately, making them want to click on your link in the search results.

Choose your headlines carefully, and don't forget to put yourself in the reader's shoes. Search for your keyword phrase and compare your headline to the top three results. Who has the most compelling headline? Keep revising until you can honestly choose your own. Finally, keep the headline less than 72 characters long so the whole thing can be seen in search results.

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Good SEO, Bad SEO: Do You Know The Difference?

Sandy Mitchell — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:51:00 GMT

SEO, the art and science of making your Web writing attractive to Google and other search engines, has gotten a bad rap lately. There's little doubt that the rules have changed in the last year with the new Google Panda and Penguin algorithms. However, SEO remains a vital tool for making your Web content valuable to online marketers and getting their products visible to Web browsers amid the deluge of other information. You just need to know the difference between good and bad SEO copywriting.

What is Bad SEO?
You probably know it when you see it. Bad SEO is written so that the content is compromised for the sake of using a keyword multiple times. In other words, it's trying to game the search engine system. In bad SEO writing, there may even be intentionally-misspelled words in an attempt to capture Web searchers who aren't sure how to spell the keyword. Most writers cringe just at the thought of such an assignment. We've all been there, taking a writing job that focuses more on keywords than content. I've even been asked to add keywords that have no relation to the topic of the article.

What is Good SEO?
Not all SEO efforts are bad. Done well, SEO content isn't spammy; it tells readers (and search engines) what a site is about in a succinct and interesting way. Say SEO consultant Eric Enge on Stone Temple Consultants.com, "trying to figure out how to beat the search engine system is a waste of time." As a writer, I couldn't agree more.

All good SEO writing has a few, key traits.Use them to make your writing more valuable to your online marketing clients.

Relevant. Good SEO uses text that describes the purpose of the page and the site.
Content-driven. Good SEO focuses less on keywords than on the total content.
Web-friendly. Good SEO copywriting includes relevant titles, headings and anchor text. According to Bill Slawski at SEO by the Sea, approximately 17 percent of Web pages lack a title. Don't let your otherwise good efforts fail because you didn't add a title. Keyword-targeted headings not only let search engines know what your content is about, but they make it easy for the reader to scan.

The Bottom Line
SEO, used properly, is a great way to insure that your copywriting gets read, and can introduce your client's products and Web site to millions of potential customers who otherwise wouldn't know his or her company existed. So-called article marketing, the placing of articles around the Web that talk about a client's product, is still a good and effective SEO tool. Just remember to concentrate on the content, not the keyword.

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5 Clever Ideas For Beating Writer's Block

Lori Pendleton — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:21:00 GMT

You're a great content marketing writer because you know exactly what's hot in your field. At least you used to; now, all you can do is shrug your shoulders because you have no idea what to write. You're not really out of ideas - you're just suffering from writer's block, a treatable condition.

It's happened to everyone who ever wrote for a living, but not all cases are the same. In fact, the types of writers block are wide and varied:

Some people run out of ideas, while others have too many at once.
Some get stuck at one stage, but others have no idea what the next stage is.
Some start to hate their work; others worry their readers will hate it.

Whatever the reason for your block, don't let it go on. Get out of your rut and try one of these five block-busters.

Listen to outside voices.
It's easy to get stuck in your head when trying to write great content. After all, writing is a lonely profession. But there's only so much you can create, so let someone else fill your head with great ideas.

Ask a friend to rattle off a few writing prompts. Read a newspaper or magazine for interesting words or phrases. Watch a TV show or a movie and listen to someone else talk. Writers block can make your words sound like a jumbled mess, but listening to someone else's words just might un-jumble them.

Write aimlessly every day.
Years ago in my creative writing days, I read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. The one tip I tried was the "morning pages" exercise. Every morning, I wrote three pages of whatever popped into my head in the hopes of generating new story ideas.

I can't say I got any ideas out of it - most of it was illegible, and it read more like therapy than brainstorming - but it got my brain moving for the rest of the day with new ideas and improvements on old ones. If there's one thing a content marketing writer needs, it's ideas, and a freewriting session can help generate them.

Write what you don't know.
No disrespect to my clients, but writing the same things over and over is boring. No matter how much you know about a topic, you exhaust all the possible angles. Content marketing writers can break the monotony by writing about something they know nothing about.

For instance, if you know everything about bridal gowns and nothing about motorcycles, try writing something about motorcycles, such as an FAQ, a definition, or an introduction. This wakes up your brain because you're learning something new, and you might find new ideas that you wouldn't find within your usual areas of expertise.

Look at the little picture
The devil is in the details, but sometimes so is the big idea you're reaching for. As a content marketing writer, you have to come up with killer topics, but maybe you'd have better luck if you focused on the little things instead.

Say you write about consumer products, specifically new product launches, product comparisons, or news from industry giants like P&G or Johnson & Johnson. Get away from the big stuff and think of something small., like the last time you did your laundry. What did it smell like? How did the washer and dryer sound while running. You'll get a few new ideas out of the exercise, and at the very least you'll turn a slice of life into a new and different blog entry.

Do Nothing
Did you ever stop to think that maybe you're writing too much? Have you stopped to think at all? Writing is a mentally intense exercise, and yes, brains can cramp if you don't give them a rest once in a while. So give your mind a rest and do nothing with it.

Remember that stream of consciousness from your freewrites? They also happen when you're doing nothing, so do nothing now. Jog, rest, play an online game, stare at the ceiling; it doesn't matter as long as you;'re not writing. Before you know it, your mind will relax, and like a rested body, it'll be ready to work out again.

Writers block isn't fatal, but it can kill your productivity, so act quickly. Try one of these tips and get your content - and your sterling reputation as a content writer - back on track.

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Does Your Website Content Writing Have A Purpose?

Rachael Priest — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:43:00 GMT

As a content marketing writer or website owner, the last thing that you want people to believe about the message you send is that it’s meaningless. Web content may be somewhat less formal than a business letter or proposal, but it is still business writing. Moreover, it is business writing that should convince people that you are worth doing business with.

Your Business Book

Think about it like a book. You have the entire book, then you have chapters, then paragraphs, sentences, and finally the individual words. Every word, sentence, and paragraph has a purpose: to create a bigger picture and tell a story. Even as a reader completes each individual chapter, he or she knows that it’s all coming together for a purpose.

Your website content is similar to this, only on a much smaller scale. The goal is the same, but you have much less time to make it all come together. Each piece of content must leave the reader feeling satisfied that his or her questions were answered. At the same time, each future piece of content should complement the last—much like a book series.

Discovering Your Purpose

For the content marketing writer, purpose can seem elusive. If your client understands the message that the company wants to send, determining the purpose is much easier. If you are not so fortunate, follow these tips to get there:

Establish your target market. If you don’t know who you’re writing to, it is going to be very difficult to figure out what to write.
Determine the needs of that market. Ask yourself if there is a common problem that customers may share or if there is a lack of information surrounding a particular aspect of your client’s service.
Address the problem. Work with your client to uncover the answers to questions or solutions to problems. Keep a computer document or physical notebook with this information handy when planning out your content strategies.

When you understand what the customer needs and wants, you have discovered what the purpose of your content should be. Sure, an article about basic skin care may be easy to write and contain useful information, but those articles are a dime a dozen on the web.

On the other hand, an article that offers step-by-step instructions on safely performing an over-the-counter chemical peel at home is less common and gives you the opportunity to provide the reader with in depth information.

Making it All Work Together

You’ve determined your purpose and you are armed with information. Now it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty of being a content marketing writer: writing. Create articles and blog posts that are easy to read, but don’t talk down to the reader.

Offer factual, interesting information that tells the reader exactly what he or she needs to know in order to solve their problem or fulfill their needs. Make it to the point and easy to digest. Analogies and brief stories are ok sometimes and can be very helpful in demonstrating a point, but don’t get stuck chasing a rabbit; your reader will lose interest.

Stay on topic. If you find yourself veering away from the original point of your content, make a note of your ideas. You can use them later to create a whole new article and both pieces of content will make sense. Trying to cram too many ideas into one short post is frustrating for everyone.

Get Found Online

After you’ve poured all of this time, thought, and energy into creating web content with a purpose, it would be a shame for the world not to see it. Optimize your content with white hat SEO practices such as lightly infusing the work with well-researched keywords and links to other reputable sites online.

Share your content on social media sites and encourage others to do the same. It is helpful if you keep tips for creating shareable content in mind as you write the article so that others are willing to pass along the information. Aside from what’s mentioned above, try to create catchy but relevant headlines and stay focused on the reader.

A content marketing writer does so much more than simply write. You have to be a marketing expert, an SEO guru, and a social media master. Taking the time to go through the entire process and produce content that actually has a purpose, however, will leave you with one happy client who comes back to you time and again.

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5 Steps To Turning Your Zerys Articles Into a Winning Portfolio

Gwen Richardson — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:28:00 GMT

If you've been writing for Zerys on a consistent basis for any length of time, then you've submitted dozens of articles on a variety of topics. Thanks to the Zerys system, all of the articles you've written are archived within "Manage My Jobs" in the section titled "Approved By Client."

Once you've written at least 100 articles, this collection of submissions can be developed into a winning portfolio that will enhance your credentials as a professional writer. There are five steps to developing a winning portfolio:

1) Identify all of your five-star articles. You'll want to put your best foot forward and these articles represent your most outstanding work. They will represent the core of your portfolio and capture the attention of potential clients.

2) Group the articles by subject. When you identify writing opportunities, these potential assignments will be within specific industries. Group your articles on that basis. For example, keep all of the business articles together, those that relate to search engine optimization (SEO) or web content, those focused on health/medical matters, travel related pieces, computer/technology articles, and so forth. Be sure to date each article based on the approval date or published date. Grouping the articles by subject, and creating separate folders on your computer for each subject, will make it easier to submit them to the potential client for review.

3) Group the articles in sub-categories based on those that are blog posts, where you are identified as the author, versus those that are ghostwritten. Blog posts that have been published and identify you as the author demonstrate solid evidence of your writing abilities. Include accompanying online links to those posts. However, those articles which you have ghostwritten can also be used in your portfolio if you are able to locate them online. Periodic Google searches of text strings within your articles will enable you to locate the published ghostwritten articles as well.

4) Create a Word file for each individual article in your portfolio indicating the title, your name as the author, submission date to Zerys and the online location where the article was published. Use a readable font, such as Arial or Times Roman, within the Word file.

5) Identify markets, potential clients or services where your writing skills can be used. Submit your portfolio, follow up, and watch your writing career soar!

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Do You Have Industry Experience? Write About It!

Marianne Pratt — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:20:00 GMT

Write about what you know.

That’s the number one recommendation always given to aspiring novelists. But it’s just as applicable to writers of non-fiction. Freelance content writers, for instance.

It makes sense. There are advantages for you and also for potential clients.

When you have industry experience, you know what you’re talking about. You’re comfortable with the subject. Sure, you’re probably a great researcher and given a little lead time you can learn and write about virtually anything. But if you’re trying to make a living, remember this: the more time you spend researching simply to understand your new client and their industry, the longer it will take you to complete their project, therefore the less you’re pulling in per hour.

Writing within your comfort zone means you can get more work done. Better. Faster.

You’ll be doing clients a favor, too.

When you write about what you know, there’s no learning curve. Believe me, clients do not want to train you. If you can’t readily grasp their topic and write in language that speaks to their audience, you are not the answer to their problem. As John Henderson so aptly puts it, “You can’t engage with people you don’t understand.”

You can’t expect them to pay for writing that’s off the mark, either factually or in voice. Their readers can detect if you’re unsure of your topic, especially if you’re writing something that’s detailed or technical. On the other hand, if you sound like one of them, you’re an insider. They’ll be more comfortable with you.

But it’s more than knowing the right words – the technical terms, abbreviations and jargon. Writing about what you know shows you understand the industry or profession – the players, the trends, the best practices and the issues that keep them up at night.

The lack of learning curve means you already have the knowledge to quickly sort information to identify what’s most important and what’s off-point or totally irrelevant. That means you can more easily and reliably meet deadlines. You can even become more of a working partner, offering your clients advice and suggestions about valuable content topics.

You know more than you think you do.

Attracting writing clients is like looking for any job. So think “transferrable skills.” If you have experience with accounting or strategic planning, that knowledge translates to any type of business, not just the one you worked for.

Think about your areas of special expertise – professional, but also personal. What you know isn’t confined to previous jobs you might have held or industries you’ve worked in. What about the rest of your life? Your hobbies, your family, your personal experiences.

Industry knowledge can give you a real boost for B2B writing, but for B2C subjects, the rest of your experience is just as important. You’ll have an easier time – and do a better job – if you know what you’re talking about. If you don’t know nothing about rock climbing, for instance, pass on that job blogging about climbing gear.

Talk about what you know.

If you’re hoping to attract more writing work, you have to let prospective clients know what you can do for them. That includes making sure they understand all the areas of expertise you have in your experience arsenal.

Tell them about your varied writing experience, too. After all, they are hiring a writer. If you’ve written lots of different types of material – advertising copy, marketing brochures, website content, reports, whatever – that demonstrates your ability to convey information in different formats, in different tones.

And if you’re good at presenting technical content to non-technical audiences, tell them that, too. Years ago I worked for a niche-market electronics manufacturer. When I rewrote their user manuals, distributors all around the country called to say thanks, because customers could finally understand the instructions that came with their equipment.

You’re writing for the Internet. And what do we know about the Internet these days? Building relationships and building trust are key. How better to lay the foundation for that than by demonstrating that your experience and insight relate directly to your prospective client’s industry? Experience counts. If you have the experience, they can count on you.

So what are your areas of expertise?

5 Tips For Crafting The Perfect Email Newsletter

Sylvia Arce — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:56:00 GMT

Sending email newsletters is a great way to stay connected with your prospects, nurture leads and leverage your marketing efforts. However, some people are bored with newsletters that are generic and of the fits-all-sizes type. What do prospects want to hear and what’s in it for them? Certainly not your latest company news that has nothing to do with the product or service your prospects are looking for. Nor your long-winded lecture that sounds like an academic research paper.

Crafting a successful email newsletter is both an art and a science. It should be as pleasing and entertaining as it is informative and insightful, as personalized as it is business-like. Striking this delicate balance may not be easy because each prospect is unique. The most important thing to remember is to put your prospects in the center of your newsletter. This is for them, not for you.

When crafting your newsletter, consider the following tips:

1. Impress your audience with your subject line. Your subject line is the gateway to your newsletter. In not more than 50 characters, it should be able to elicit excitement and create a sense of urgency. Give your readers reason to make them want to read more. While keeping it short and specific, be sure to include the most vital information you want to convey. Asking an intriguing question, challenging your reader to make a choice or veering away from conventional knowledge are good ways to engage your audience.

2. Focus on a specific goal. A newsletter is most effective when there is a clearly defined purpose. While you may have unlimited options for topics to communicate, avoid crowding a single newsletter issue with a chaotic mixture of product promotion, company news, press releases, case studies and white papers. Focus on a specific material and stick to it. This way, readers can better absorb and process what you want them to know one topic at a time.

3. Involve and engage your prospects. Newsletters can be as effective as blogs and social media. Make your readers feel that they are a part of the content by appealing for their participation in user-generated content like answering questions or giving feedbacks and comments. Most Internet savvy searchers frequent social media channels. You can use your Twitter account, for instance, to announce your latest newsletter and provide a sign-up tab and a link to a web version of that newsletter.

4. Prepare a customer-centric newsletter. Again, this newsletter is not for you but for your customers. It should clearly address their needs. It should, thus, be written from customers’ perspectives. Know what is important to them. This can be determined from their previous downloads or subscription sign-up profiles. They can be busy company executives, working mothers, professionals or students who can be reading from an office computer, laptop or a mobile device.

5. Write a compelling call-to-action. After reading your newsletter, your readers should not leave wondering “what’s next”. Lead them to your call-to-action button that contains a short and clear instruction like “Request Appointment”, “Contact Us” or “Request Quote”. Avoid too many options because they confuse readers. This should be positioned in a visible location in an attractive design and vivid color. The bottom line is that it should be easy to locate and click.

Measuring user engagement is critical in understanding the usefulness of newsletters. Not everyone reads newsletters and if you find out that a mere 10% of your targets are reading them, something must be wrong somewhere. You can then redesign your strategy until you are able to craft the perfect email newsletter.

How To Create Mobile Content With Big Impact

Anita Oye — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:40:00 GMT

Creating effective mobile content is very different from website copywriting because when mobile users read content on-the-go, they’re far less likely to comprehend or remember what they read.

In a study conducted by R. I. Singh, et. al. at the University of Alberta and described in the article Mobile Content is Twice as Difficult, researchers tested subjects using cloze-tests to compare comprehension of material viewed on small screens versus standard computer screens. Results showed that comprehension of content viewed on a mobile screen is only about half of that comprehended when the same content is viewed on a computer screen.

Mobile content is more difficult to comprehend perhaps due to screen size; however, your on-the-go audience is likely dealing with more than just a small screen. They’re probably dealing with noise if they’re in public, bright lights if they’re outside after dark, slow bandwidth, and sometimes unreliable reception on their smartphones.

Mobile users are surrounded by constant distractions and interruptions, are often rushed, and are unwilling to scroll through paragraphs of content. They scan content and quickly move on. Here are some how-to guidelines for writing to the on-the-go audience:

Create a Template in Your Word Processor

To approximate the width of a typical smartphone screen, set your page width at 4.4-inches and font size to 15-points. This allows you to view your copy and see how it will fit on a typical mobile screen. A content layout with these dimensions is also mobile CMS ready for your clients.

Keep Copy Top-heavy

As a copywriter, you’re accustomed to skillfully crafting introductions to entice your reader to finish the entire article. However, for mobile content, the most valuable information on the page is listed first.

Mobile content must be "top-heavy" much like the inverted pyramid model for writing in journalistic style. No introduction is used and the most important information is delivered first with strong headlines or your easily distracted reader is lost and not likely to return.

Use Headlines to Grab Your Mobile Reader’s Attention

You only have a few seconds to gain your reader’s attention with effective headlines. Readers are focused on a task, and just want to find the information they need quickly.

Try to envision exactly what task your reader is trying to accomplish and make sure your headlines clearly state exactly what’s found in each section. A mobile audience is typically scrolling for information and with a quick flick of the thumb, they’ll be at the bottom of the page.

Keep Total Word Count to a Minimum

Since your reader will only see the first 80 to 90 words on their screen and even fewer when images or call-to-action buttons are added, keep the word count for mobile content at 75-110 words per page.

Create Concise Content With Bulleted Lists

Use short, concise summaries interspersed with bullet lists. Bulleted lists are the best way to get important points across to an on-the-go audience. Concise content increases the likelihood that distracted viewers will comprehend and remember what they read.

Use a Strong Call-to-action

Mobile content is a conversion tool for your client. Use strong, clear, and precise language when placing your call-to-action at the top or bottom of the page and if possible, place a call-to-action in both positions. Always use appealing, persuasive language when you create links.

Use Simple, Readable Fonts

Scan reading is searching for keywords that match a desired task and because mobile audiences are scanners, it’s essential that mobile content be easy to read; readers will probably only give it a briefly glance. Since readers are viewing your content on small screens it may seem counterintuitive, but the font size for mobile content should be larger than the fonts you use for website content. You can use 13-pt for less important body text, but stick to 15-pt for headlines and bulleted lists.

The following are mobile-safe fonts:

Verdana
Trebuchet MS
Times/Times New Roman
Arial/Helvetica
Courier/Courier New
Georgia
Comic Sans MS
Arial Black
Impact

Shifting Creative Gears for Creating Mobile Content

When you create mobile content, all the creativity you use for website copywriting must be focused on writing attention grabbing headlines and developing precise language. A typical mobile About Us section only contains a brand’s promise or an organization’s mission statement, followed by a concise explanation of a product or service. There’s no room for anything else. To create mobile content with big impact, it's a matter of shifting creative gears to the create clear and concise content that on-the-go readers comprehend.

How To Write Web Copy That Connects With Readers

Mary Chris Hines — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:11:00 GMT

Effective web copywriting takes some planning to convey the right message in the right way. Readers coming to a web page will immediately view the content and will then have to make the decision whether or not to stay and read it.

Your mission, should you care to accept it, is to make that copy interesting, to keep them on that page and reading, and then ultimately to convince them to buy the product or service being offered. Although some may think so, it really isn’t “Mission Impossible.”

Accomplishing Effective Web Copywriting

Making a connection with visitors to that web page means grabbing their attention. You can do this in a number of ways. It can be accomplished by:

Proper formatting of text
Having powerful content that appeals to their emotions
Promoting the benefits of any product or service being sold
Giving a call to action
Editing your copy so perfect

Formatting Your Content

When your web copywriting is in the proper formatting, you’ll find readers more inclined stay on the page. The headings should contain a clear and concise message that will pull the visitor into the following copy. You should only have eight words or less per heading, and your main keyword or keyword phrase should be included in the first heading.

Following each heading, you can have two paragraphs, three at the most. Paragraphs should contain no more than four sentences each. Three is better. Each of those sentences should only be 15 to 20 words in length. This is much more effective than a huge block of text that is almost impossible to read. One bulleted or numbered list in each article is a must.

Write Powerful Content without being Pompous

This is where you create an emotional connection with the reader. When you direct your communication to the reader personally and show passion for the subject you are writing about, you will elicit an emotional response from the person reading your copy. You don’t have to show your passion by using elaborate phrases or showing off your extensive vocabulary. Short, simple and to the point, with all the passion you can muster - that is all it takes.

You should write in a tone that is proper for the company you are representing. If the business is one that sells stocks and bonds, you will be writing in a different tone than for a company that sells music for the younger set. You can determine your tone by reading over some quality copy written by other similar sites on the web – the kind you may wish to emulate. (Don’t copy; just mimic the flow of words.)

Promote Benefits, Benefits and more Benefits

When your web copywriting is meant to sell some service or product, you will want to inspire the visitor (or potential customer) to actually want the service or product. How do you create this want in the reader? By describing all the benefits they can have by obtaining it!

Features and benefits are different. Features describe the item. Benefits are what the person gains from using that service or product. In other words, not “These vitamins have gelatin capsules,” but “These vitamins make you feel strong and full of energy.”

Call to Action

When you have a call to action in your content, you are really connecting to readers. In fact, this is the whole purpose of web copywriting. You must point them in the right direction, get them to take action and let them know they must be quick about it. You want to compel them to buy, sign up or… You are, after all, selling something here so you want them to get it, whatever it is.

An example of a call to action is – “Buy this book in the next 24 hours and you will get a powerful free report that outlines all the right ways to build the perfect website. This offer expires in 24 hours so act now.”

Editing Your Content before Submission

Now you have finished your web copywriting assignment and are ready to turn it over to the client. But wait! Have you read it over a few times? Have you double-checked all grammar and sentence construction? Have you done a spell check? You can never review your copy too many times. Read it aloud. Read it backwards. You’ll find errors to fix. Fix them. You want perfect copy. And you will have it if you follow the above tips.

5 Ways That Your Website Copy Can Go Terribly Wrong

Travis Moore — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 12:59:00 GMT

Being considered a great copywriter is always good for the ego. When you are considered an expert, you now have to meet expectations like never before. As long as you follow certain steps, you are sure to please any client, creating more value to yourself for online marketers.

Of course, there are also ways to ensure that your work is ineffective. Here are just a few of the ways that your website copy can go terribly wrong:

No experience. Of course, anything can be researched. But sometimes you're going to get in over your head and try to tackle subject matter that clearly isn't your expertise. It usually shows. Starting out by writing what you have expertise in can teach you the ins and outs of website copy on your terms. You can focus on marketing techniques without worrying about if your content even makes sense. This will save you a lot of time and many revisions.

Unclear and irrelevant. You are always writing for a specific audience. If the message isn't targeted to them it is lost. So, deliver a message that is easy for them to apply to their own lives. Make it relevant to their needs.

Too wordy. Big, chunky text is intimidating. If you see yourself going off on tangents, or being too wordy, you're probably going to lose your reader, too. When people see long articles, they automatically feel they do not have the time to read it regardless of how relevant it may be. Keep to the point and do not overdo the explanations.

What is the point? All too often, web copy is not formatted to catch attention or organized for easy viewing. Readers want to mentally categorize your points, so bold each point so they can skim through. This is beneficial for people to go back and understand what the content is really saying. You can do anything short of a firework show to attract the reader to main points in the article.

No chance for feedback. Okay, it's more about the client relationship, but the need to accept direction and criticism is one thing that separates the amateurs from the pros when it comes to web copywriting. And it ultimately makes you a better writer.

If you want to know where your strengths and weaknesses lie, take in what others say. You may not always agree, but in the end if they felt that way, then chances are many others do as well. You have to be humble and accept criticism in order to be a great content writer for your clients.

You have to do what it takes to create awesome website content for your clients. If you have researched and taken the time to do a good job, you will be successful. You can be a great teacher to your clients in this regard. They will continue to look to you as the expert.

SEO Copywriters: Don't Let Awkward Keywords Defeat You

Anita Oye — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 12:46:00 GMT

Sometimes working keywords into your content is easy. They relate to your topic, fit in well, and your writing flows. Other times, incorporating keywords is difficult and can make your content sound awkward and unprofessional.

When people search for information using a search engine like Google, they often don’t use syntax that’s grammatically correct. Queries often consist of a jumble of words people think will help them quickly find the information they need. For example, customers often enter a product or service along with the name of a city. As a result, this specific combination of words is often requested as a keyword phrase.

For the purposes of this post, let’s consider the phrase “professional dog groomer new york.” When written (or spoken) it sounds awkward, but that’s how people search on the Internet. As an SEO copywriter, your job is to incorporate keywords, no matter how awkward, so webpages are ranked highly by search engines.

These tips will help you work difficult keywords into SEO-friendly content that’s also reader-friendly, and sounds professional.

Mixing Word Order and Using Different Forms of a Word

You can mix up keywords either by changing word order or by using different forms of the same word. While word order is certainly important in writing, it isn't important to a search engine and has little to do with page ranking. A search engine isn't deterred by different forms of a word either, and will display variations of your keywords in bold text. A search for “dog groomer” will show bolded results for both “groomer” and “grooming,” so you can use different forms of the same word interchangeably.

Using Keywords in Subheadings

This is an excellent way to work awkward keywords into content without disrupting flow for your reader. Since subheads are given more weight by Google’s algorithm, using keywords in subheads also gives your content an extra boost of optimization. A subhead could read: “Finding a Professional Dog Groomer in New York.”

Using Punctuation Within Keyword Phrases

Proper use of punctuation is important to make your content reader-friendly and engaging. Since Google largely ignores it, punctuation provides a useful tool for incorporating difficult keywords into your SEO content.

Modern search engines crawl through a page to identify context, and punctuation like periods or commas won't effect page ranking. For example, this sentence would make a nice transition into a new paragraph about a professional's many years of experience: “Most dog owners appreciate the value of hiring a professional dog groomer. New York has many dog groomers, but look for one with many years of experience.”

Inserting Articles and Short Words

You can insert articles like “a” and “an” or even short words like “in,” within a keyword phrase. You can write, “It’s easy to find a professional dog groomer in New York.” The word “in” is considered a filler word and is disregarded. Google’s algorithm is intelligent enough to determine the context of your writing, find the keywords, and won’t lower the page's ranking.

Include Related Terms

The relationship between words shared by similar documents is a factor in page rank. Google determines this to interpret the context of a webpage. For example, if a page contains words like “apple” combined with “keyboard” and “mouse,” Google knows the page relates to Apple the company, instead of a fruit.

You can leverage related terms to help content with awkward keywords rank higher. Writing a sentence like, “N.Y. is a good place to find a groomer for your Poodle or Afghan. Given the difference in fur types, a professional groomer can groom both breeds to look their best.” Especially if you’ve used your exact keywords and phrases elsewhere in your content, Google will rank the page highly, and combining a contextual use of keywords with their placement in subheads will increase page ranking.

Google’s algorithm changes mean content that engages readers is the new normal for SEO. When readers disengage and hit the back button of their browser, Google notices, and the page gets lower rankings. There’s always a delicate balance between keyword optimization and content that engages readers.

If you've had experience with awkward keywords and have any suggestions, please share them below, we'd enjoy hearing from you!

A Practical Guide To Writing Awesome Email Copy

Karen Fabiane — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:26:00 GMT

Writing awesome email copy requires a different perspective than used for composing either traditional formats or those for social media, which rely on tweets and Facebook/LinkedIn-derived sources. What's important is understanding how emails work as a means of communication, and using that knowledge to reach your audience.

People online want dependable information delivered quickly. Although emails may occasionally need to be lengthy, keep messages short and to the point whenever you can.

For instance, regarding headlines, those for email tend to be shorter (ideally, 5 or words of less) and perhaps more specified (niche-oriented) than headlines for paper (newspaper, snail-mail) or even social media sources. And, after the headlines have been selected, message deliverability is an issue. Spam filters can keep email from reaching your audience but perhaps more of a barrier are the filters readers themselves use to determine whether they'll read your content. They will, if you generate copy sufficiently awesome to merit their attention.

Tips for delivering this truly awesome email copy include:

          • Think readability -- Emails that take too long making their point lose readers often intimidated by large blocks of texts; short paragraphs separated by blank lines work best. Awesome email copy demonstrates an immediacy of content that lets readers know what's going on. If the email is lengthy, bold your key-points, use underlining, italics or colored text to distinguish the central theme or major ideas of your message, in a way that stimulates reader interest and enthusiasm, as well as specifying for them keywords useful to any subsequent searches the message motivates

   • Create a Dialogue -- Especially when engaging in content marketing via email, the tenor of your message and the language you use to present it must be carefully considered. Subject matter largely defines how you tell your story. But, regardless of the message – educational, political, social – the tenor of your language can encourage further exploration or discourage readers entirely.

To this extent, creating a dialogue with readers (potential friends, customers, voters, etc.) not only engages an audience, but offers them the empowerment of response, which can lead to purchase, brand loyalty or just abiding interest in your subject matter. Awesome email copy inspires interest and commentary, and can frequently be based on both, as well.

Don't write in capitals only; this seems to readers like you're shouting at them and working too hard to make your point (a real turn-off). Conversely, all lower-case letters does not seem spontaneous and tantalizingly informal; rather it comes across as the musing of an unmotivated undergraduate. Write to readers' level, and as your equals. Creating a dialogue gets readers involved.

       • Encourage Personalized Response -- You'll want a hook that promotes reader response. Think the opening guitar riff of a great rock song, or a memorable chorus everyone continues singing internally after the number's finished.   Any sense of urgency you try to stimulate needs to be relevant from the subject line and maintained throughout the message.

Similarly, consistency of content establishes personalized response, particularly if it appeals to the distinct aspects of your audience's interests. You may need to divide your already segmented audience into further niches, and devise slightly different, more personalized messages designed to appeal to each one. This will require further brainstorming on your part. But it'll be worth the effort.

And remember: When it comes to awesome email copy, brevity and relevancy are key. Include only the most valuable and important text. This reduces the effort your readers must make to understand and decide upon the value of your message to them. Stay focused, and leave your novel for your editor.

Writing A Blog Series? Make It Great With These 7 Tips

Shannon Murphy — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 11:06:00 GMT

At one point or another you’ve been asked what you do for work. Perhaps you simply answer “blogger” or “writer” but did you ever consider content marketer? Your SEO knowledge, social media prowess and ability to engage a community make you a natural! As a marketer you always want to assist your clients. A blog series is a tool that allows you to:

Have highly targeted posts with more depth
Pull in repeat readers
Add page views / Increase pull on search engines.

What’s not to love?

The Content Marketer’s Cheat Sheet: 7 Steps to a Fantastic Blog Series

Set up Draft Posts: Getting started, is of course, the most vital part of any writing assignment. A series can seem a bit daunting at first. I’ve found draft posts can be exceptionally helpful. Get each title into a separate document, list the keyword to focus on, any notes from the client and start drafting a barebones outline. What are the first thoughts that come to mind on this subject? Jot phrases, themes or sentences you like the sound of. Still no inspiration? Take a break or dive into some research!

Confirm a Publishing Schedule: Often your work rate can determine when blogs will be published. ProBlogger Darren Rowse suggests writing a post a day, but admits that other bloggers prefer to complete a whole project, releasing the posts over time. If a post a day seems a little too ambitious, go with the latter.

Develop a Series Arc: I get it, you are writing online content, not the next season of Downton Abbey. Yet, similar story telling rules apply. Each blog post should build on the last, present dilemmas, answer questions and culminate in a climax. Your final post can present a challenge to the reader, asking them to take a course of action. For clients dedicated to inbound marketing, this is the perfect opportunity for a bottom-of-the-funnel CTA (Call To Action).

Know the End Goal: When fulfilling a content order for a client it’s great to know the goal of the article. Clients concerns usually fall address SEO, traffic or community. Many times a customer will make this clear but if you’re not sure, ask!

Authority & SEO: Focus on a keyword phrase. This should be throughout the body of the blog and in the title.
Traffic: For an immediate lift, utilize newsworthy events. Ex, “How Authoring a Blog Series is like Competing in the Olympic Gymnastics All-Around.” Cheesy maybe, but a headline that will garner attention and is super shareable!
Community & Interaction: Pull from personal stories or pose questions to readers. You can readdress these throughout the series or get inspiration for additional blogs! In some cases controversy gets more comments. Choose a hard to defend stance and a sensational title.

Employ a Consistent Voice: Perhaps a bit of a no-brainer, but clients pay content writers for reliability. Utilize the same voice, whether professional, conversational or humorous, throughout. Employ CopyBlogger’s blogging formulas to stay on track. You’ll notice in Chris Brogan’s “How to Write a Blog Series,” he mentions also using consistent imagery in a blog series. His own came from Creative Commons. Personally, I have found creative commons challenging. A great work-around is finding a license which allows alterations. Simply crop and apply filters to all blog photography.

Create Interlinks: Not only is linking between interior pages just a good SEO practice. Interlinking in a blog series is important for UX (user experience). What if a stumbles on the fifth installment of your series? Cap off each blog post by linking to all blog posts in the series. You can write out the full title in a descending list, or simply state “Get the Full Series! Part 1 | Part 2 | Ect…” There are multiple options! Employ them all if you wish, just ensure the links are functional!

Announce Your Series: Ah sweet relief, your blog series is done! Supply your client with an introductory blog he can publish as a pre-cursor to the series. This will create anticipation. Additionally, you can craft “easy tweets” and LinkedIn updates for this company to post. These extra steps make the difference between a copywriter and a full-fledged content marketer. Which one are you?

7 Quick Tips For Writing Better Articles, Faster

Tae Sewell — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:30:00 GMT

What stops you from writing articles better and faster? Is it the thought of missing out on more lucrative writing assignments which puts you in a rush? Seeing the one or two day deadline? Whatever your reason--panic attack, instant need for a job change or (insert your personal experience here)--you’re about to find out the seven quick tips to writing faster and better.

1. Separate Research from Writing
Research and writing are two different, but equally important tasks. Some writers think they can combine both tasks. It’s possible. However, it won’t allow you to writer better and faster. Actually, researching slows you down. Imagine, you write a few sentences then stop to search for a statistics, fact or quote on the Internet. You’ve just wasted precious writing time.

Instead, research first. Researching, whether you use the Internet or other materials, does a series of helpful things. It helps you:

• Understand your topic

• Become excited about getting to your writing task

• Compose notes

• Think about what you want to include in your article

• Focus solely on writing when you’re ready

2. Write an Outline
Yes, you’ve heard this quick tip before. Some high school teacher or English professor probably told you to create an outline before writing. Heck, it works—especially when you want to improve your speed and quality of writing. It helps you know what you’re writing about and avoid staring at a blank screen because you’re not sure how to start.

This task you can combine with your research work. For example, make a list of subheadings to organize your article. You know when to stop researching and your article (non-writing part) is done.

3. Forget Your Deadline
Unless you’re a journalist who is not bothered by deadlines, the thought of having an article due within an hour or day can terrify you. The last thing you want is to do the hard work and miss out on money. However, do not let it control you. Keep track of the time, but put it out of your mind. If that’s easier said than done, try this: turn your deadline fear into a friendly reminder. Say things like “I have plenty of time” or “I’ll be done before that time” whenever you look at the clock.

4. Just Write
This is where the fun starts. This quick tip involves just writing without looking at notes or stopping. Act like you’re being tested on your topic knowledge. If you need to, set a timer for 10 or 20 minutes. Don’t worry about:

• Spelling

• Fragments

• Changing words

• Deleting sentences

• Any other grammar mistakes

This is your first draft and part of the process of writing better. When you write an article or blog one time and think it’s your final draft, you’re on your way to rejection or a low writing score.

Besides, you’re giving yourself the freedom to make mistakes and increase your writing speed when you just write. Any time you stop writing, you decrease your momentum. Talk to any editor and they’ll tell you the same thing. It’s better to overwrite than to underwrite.

5. Write in Short Sentences
Readers typically read in 25-word sentences or less. Long sentences are usually skimmed. During your revision process, see if you can trim down your sentences to less than 25 words. This keeps your article concise and to the point. It also makes you a better writer.

6. Write for the Web
Yes, you’re writing content. However, content appears differently than it does in a magazine or book. Thus, you must add bullet points and numbers to break up the text. It helps the reader avoid reading long, drawn out text.

Also, write in chunks. Have you ever seen a sentence more than 5 sentences long on a webpage? Did you read, ignore or skim it? Exactly. Keep your paragraphs to three to five sentences long and you can improve your writing. This tip creates structure for you and your readers.

7. Relax
Don’t treat writing articles or blogs as a mission impossible task. Instead, enjoy it. You’re telling people something they don’t know.

Writing isn’t something you’re born doing. It’s an acquired and nurtured talent. No writer is ever finished acquiring writing knowledge. However, when writing, remember these quick tips and you’ll be closer to writing faster and better.

The Writer's Checklist For Content Marketing Success

Flora Richards-Gustafson — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:22:00 GMT

Content is a reflection of professionalism. As a writer, you are a genius at making words come to life, explaining difficult concepts in a way that makes them seem elementary or have a style that makes your reader feel as if you are chatting face to face. However, if your content is sub-par, your target audience will miss your message.

Unlike writing, the world of marketing is not about perfection. It is about success. According to author Arthur Plotnik in a guest column for Writer’s Digest, successful content marketing makes readers curious, challenges misconceptions and lures people to your ideas. But content writing needs more than interesting ideas and thought—it must be enjoyable to the target audience, add value to whatever you are marketing and build trust.

The following checklist will help build a foundation for the success of your content marketing:

Know your audience. If you do not know who the end users are, you cannot tailor the content. It is simpler to grab and hold onto the attention of your target audience if they feel the words truly speak to them. As you write, keep your tone and points of view consistent throughout the copy.
Know the goal of the content. Marketing serves a variety of purposes—from selling a product to making an announcement to gaining more “Likes” through social media. When you keep the goal of the content in mind, your words will be more focused, effective and interesting.
Instantly make the message clear. You have a few seconds to capture the attention of readers. In those moments, you have to communicate the main message and hook the reader into wanting to learn more. If you fail to grasp a target reader’s attention, your marketing efforts may also fail.
Use a reader-friendly format. The content must look and be simple to digest. In an article for the website Copyblogger, Sonia Simone advises to make your content useful and entertaining to the reader. To make your content reader-friendly, write paragraphs so they are short, explicit and to-the-point. Opt for bullet points instead of a long sentence with several commas. Make the content progress logically and smoothly. Always write in the active voice.
Use keywords within the content wisely. The best way to make your copy look like spam is to overload it with keywords in ways that are nonsensical. Stick to a few keywords or key-phrases, and use the main word or phrase in the first sentence or two of your introductory paragraph. Then use the keyword, or keywords, throughout the copy as you would butter while on a diet—sparingly. No more than two percent of the copy should contain keywords or phrases.
Mind a client’s style guide. When clients provide their own style guide, follow it even if the guide does not make sense, seems incorrect or does not follow your preferred method. Keep in mind that the client is paying you to deliver a service. While it is okay to politely make style-related suggestions to a client, do not blatantly disregard their requests. If you are creating content for self-marking purposes, choose one style guide to follow and stick with it.
Keep your content secure. Whether you are writing for your own site or for a client, the loss of your work can be catastrophic to your content marketing efforts. Keep the scanning programs and site software on your computer up to date. If you are using a web host, verify that it takes security seriously so your site does not get hacked. Furthermore, regularly backup your work using an external hard drive or by uploading your documents to an online file-storage service.
Proof read. Read the content that you write out loud to test its smoothness and readability. As you proof your copy, watch out for the following:

The over-use of words
Adverbs and adjectives that do not add significance to the content (e.g., It is very hot.)
Inconsistent verb tenses
Disagreements between subjects and verbs
Disagreements between subjects and pronouns
Typos
Choppy or wordy sentences
Repetition and redundancies
The incorrect use of words (e.g., affect and effect)
Improper punctuation
Offensive language
Client-specific spelling requirements

Make this content marketing checklist your own. As you use it, add items that will help you improve upon the final product that you deliver. While this checklist is not a replacement for a personal style guide, it will help you be more thoughtful about your writing before the copy goes live or before it is submitted to your client.