November 23, 2011

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Why would I buy from you?

November 18, 2011 By Usha Sliva

Even if it’s grammatically horrendous, visually unappealing, and intellectually draining, all websites will have some kind of written content on them. But when it comes to your own website’s copy, ask yourself this question, is it working for me?

Most new businesses are in such a hurry to get their websites up and running, they fill them with endless fluff and wasted space, where fluff is defined as ‘content not worth the reader’s attention’ Without effective marketing copy, how can you expect the reader to stay on the page and engage in sales? So if that’s not working, what’s your next best option?

Certain not copying your competitor’s website! If the wheel’s not broken, why fix it, right? If the copy for your competitor’s website works for him, why won’t it work for you?

Like other elements that go to make up a successful campaign –web design and social media marketing solutions for example -web content too needs to be unique. It’s precisely this difference that attracts an audience of targeted potential customers or repeat customers and keeps them long enough for you to sell to them.

Online Purchase

How about SEO? Does your site need to be filled with keywords? Keyword stuffing is considered not only a poor marketing strategy, but one which may backfire on you. In fact, hare two great reasons why stuffing is great for your turkey, but not for you content:

Google is a strict monitor! In an earlier article I wrote entitled How to Use Google’s Crackdown to Your Advantage, I  mentioned that Google did clampdown on high revenue earning sites like Ezine articles and Demand Studios. If they are not immune to Google’s cleanup procedures, why would any site be?

Your clients are not stupid! Anyone can spot an article stuffed with keywords. Those are the ones that repeat, repeat, repeat, and repeat the keyword endlessly, making it hard to focus on the real message at hand. No one likes un-readable copy.

So when creating copy for your website, ask yourself these questions:

Why does it matter? If you’ve created a home page that rambles on about your company values, ask yourself –why does it really matter? Would the client prefer dealing with us because of our values or because we offer comprehensive packages at affordable prices?

Have I made myself clear? This kind of ties up to the earlier point –do my customers get what I am marketing? Have I covered all the services I offer? Have I clarified the purchase and shipping process? Is the customer aware of my ‘holiday discount packages’?

Have I included a call to action? I’ve outlined all the details, but have I invited my readers to make a purchase, fill out a subscription, or take the survey? Will visitors know where to buy what I’m selling? Do I have a strong sales message and buttons or links to my shopping cart?

Have I included SEO keywords, filled out tags and Meta descriptions, and provided a strong header? While stuffing is unacceptable, your content does need SEO to gain visibility and ranking. You can use simple tools like Google keywords to search for appropriate keywords to include.

Filed Under: Web Copywriting Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

7 Hot SEO Tips for eCommerce Websites

November 8, 2011 By Usha Sliva

As seen in one of our earlier posts, Keyword Dense Data Feeds for Higher Shopping Engine Rankings, keyword density is important when it comes to Shopping Engine Rankings –creating and tracking keywords through a website like Google AdWords allows you top optimize your content and gain targeted rankings.

Sites like The Fanzoo have understood it correctly. Their ecommerce website sells sports memorabilia, and is categorized and the content written based on their audience’s search parameters.

The Fan Zoo

But while an ecommerce site might drown in SEO content, it is also important that the content is created and marketed in a sellable way. Here are a few tips an ecommerce site might consider:

Tip # 1 Creative product description: Do your descriptions make customers grab their credit cards and fill their shopping baskets, or do they make them gag and head for the nearest exit? Boring, standardized descriptions might work for some products (I really can’t think of any!) but in a highly competitive online sales environment, your descriptions need to stand out from those of your competitors.

Tip # 2 Easy SEO keyword tracking systems: A few years ago, a client requested that I fill out a simple excel sheet with the keywords he had selected for me to use in his blogs. As you can imagine, it was a tedious process and I was often tempted to write the article and leave the keyword insertion for later. However I persisted in filling out the form while writing each post, and after a few months, I began to appreciate how simple, yet effective a solution this was. By keeping track of how many keywords you use, and how often you use them, you are given the chance to tweak, analyze, and refine all your campaigns -from blog posts to twitter updates.

Tip # 3 Treating each product URL as valuable: With an ecommerce site, you are given the opportunity to place plenty of URL’s within a single page. Each URL represents an SEO opportunity, so create them using keywords instead of numbers or ineffective tags.

Tip # 4 Key content visibility: Decide before-hand what the key content you want to showcase is. If you have a variety of categories, select the ones which are ‘hot-sellers’. These are the ones you want to place in as visible a position as possible –consider linking them to your home page or your page that has the highest ranking.

Tip # 5 Reviews and testimonials: An ecommerce site is a great place in which to ask for testimonials and product reviews. Make it easier for customers to rank products, leave comments and add testimonials by including a form that’s easy to complete.

Tip # 6 Inbound and outbound links: As much as possible, include links within product descriptions, especially popular ones. This way, you can create a traffic churn that allows for better rankings. A tip when it comes to links – don’t create links with vague terms like click here or view more. Instead use keywords such as a product description –in the above example of the Fanzoo, it would be a ‘Pele Autographed Jersey’ or a ‘Bob Nystrom Autographed Frame’.

Tip # 7 Image optimization: eCommerce sites tend to contain plenty of pictures and images. It’s a great opportunity to optimize them with keyword descriptions.

Filed Under: Web Copywriting Tagged With: , , , , ,

Understanding Your Website’s Conversion Rates

October 25, 2011 By Usha Sliva

As a copywriter, one of the first questions clients with established websites tend to ask me is, ‘Can you help me improve my conversion rate?’

What is a Conversion Rate?

Your conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who arrive at your landing page, who complete the task you want them to. This could be clicking on a link, subscribing to a service, or making a purchase. A conversion rate is calculated over a set time period, usually a week, though it could be tallied over a day or a month. Some websites will look at multiple conversion rates based on a variety of tasks they need to get the visitor to complete. In most instances, creating a dedicated landing page will help you acquire and analyze conversion rates.

The simple logic behind this, is when you make your landing page more persuasive through copy and graphics, you increase your conversion rate. But there’s more to this and we’ll see why.

Why is a Conversion Rate important?

As a business owner, you want to increase your conversion rate to meet your bottom line, which can be increased sales, increased client donations, or increased website referrals. You can do this through pay per click advertising, affiliate marketing, or social media marketing. These do cost money, but the results are well worth the investment. You can also of course turn toward a well-designed landing page. For a small business owner, the latter might indeed be the starting point to gaining higher rankings and a stronger conversion rate.

A small increase in your conversion rates could have a large impact on your profits and while it’s preferable to hire the services of a professional company to help you with this, for starters, you can see the impact your conversion rate has on your business by using Google Analytics or a similar tool.

Upward arrow to show conversion rate increase

 

What factors impact a Conversion Rate?

While you might wonder what a good conversion rate is, it really does depend on a number of factors. Many marketers will tell you that you must have a 2% or a 2.5% conversion rate, but agree to disagree until you’re sure they’ve understood your entire business. Take the following into consideration before you settle on a figure you’re comfortable with:

  • Your website design and copy
  • Ease of navigation
  • Your current rankings
  • Your industry competitors
  • Your marketing plan, including products, positioning, and pricing
  • Other incentives or special offers on the table
  • Your call to action

Optimizing your conversion rate is as challenging as it is exciting. Really simple differences, like a color or font tweak can make a big difference. Clients have known to see their website audience numbers grow when they changed their headline copy or reworded their guarantee so do not underestimate the power of professional assistance. Your first point of contact for research will be your customers, followed by your competition. Include industry tested best practices, which are tried and true techniques that get results.

What’s your end objective?

In most instances, your end objective will be to increase sales and make a profit, be it through promoting an ezine or getting clients to make a direct purchase. As you fine-tune your website, you’ll find it easier to achieve these end goals by getting clients to do what you want them to do; your conversion rates get higher and you see more profits. Can conversion rates be used in isolation? Marketing is a team effort and you’ll find you reach profitability in all areas as soon as you begin to combine two or more marketing elements – for example an SEO website with a PPC campaign, or linked articles with press releases.

Is your conversion rate increase viable? Of course it is. Should those who do not convert be dumped? Most definitely not. In fact while some marketers focus only on conversion rates, it’s important to make a note of those who have not responded. They might not be part of your current customers, but they do have the potential to convert at a future date.

Filed Under: Web Copywriting Tagged With: , , ,

How to Develop a Successful Social Media Content Strategy

September 27, 2011 By Usha Sliva

Your marketing plan should include social media in it. But for most business owners, getting your audience to like, tweet, comment, and forward your posts can be downright difficult. In the end, it all boils down to content. And when you have 140 characters or thereabouts to work with, creating a fun, playful, and memorable message can get tricky.

Not to worry. Here are some tried and tested recommendations that will get your fans raving about you and your customers queuing up to comment.

1. Inject a bit of color into your headlines. Sure you can retweet a headline someone else has posted. But that will fail to differentiate you from the hundreds of others doing so. Instead, try and personalize it with a unique heading; one that references your brand or headline. This becomes all the more important if you are creating your own content. Take M&M’s for example. They are known for their fun, quirky one-liners and their posts this, all while selling their brand and promoting sales.

 

2. Build your strategy around connections, not sales. I know, it’s a crazy thought, not to promote your product via social media marketing. But relationships built on trust and respect earn you more sales than those built on self-promotion. Your content should inform advice, engage, and entertain. In fact, it’s recommended that for every 20 messages posted on social media channels, at least 18 should perform one of the above mentioned functions. A good example is Jet Blue which uses twitter to respond to clients and offer industry related news, along with promoting their contents and packages.

 


3. Stay relevant and focused. It’s easier than ever to use social media to promote multiple campaigns, chat on diverse topics, and in general, stray off the marketing path. No matter how random tweets and posts may look, successful businesses will always follow a marketing plan, even for social media. This would include aligning their business goals with their communication objectives, optimizing their content so it gains rank, releasing timely promotional material to coincide with searches, and using appropriate tools to generate more leads, stimulate engagement, and track click-through conversions.

4. Engage the appropriate channel for the appropriate task. Though there are millions of combined users for facebook, YouTube, twitter, and LinkedIn, each channel functions in a slightly different way and performs better in its own niche area. LinkedIn for example is a great B2B tool, while facebook is an excellent B2C channel. Use tools like Google Alerts and TweetDeck to see where you audience hangs out, and once there, provide them with the means to directly access your customer service, participate in online contests, or simply refer you to others.

Once you’ve got the hang of social media, don’t forget to constantly measure results. Use keyword analysis to see if your audience is participating in the conversation and track comments, retweets, and traffic back to your site. The great part about social media content is that it’s fun to create. The important part is that it needs to be consistent in order to see results.

 

Filed Under: Social Media Marketing, Web Copywriting Tagged With: , , , ,

How to use Google’s Crackdown to Your Advantage

August 23, 2011 By Usha Sliva

In Feb 2011, Google announced it would begin its cleanup process, clamping down on companies that manipulate the system using questionable means to get higher SERPs. What is simply meant was that content farms, those companies which crank out cheap copy by the page-full, would need to revise their tactics to stay in the game.

For years now, marketers have sought to get their products showcased on Google, only to find they are sidelined by companies who overstuff their content to get ranking. As a communications writer, it’s frustrating to click on a link, and be faced with poorly researched copy filled with keywords in every, yes every, sentence. There are only so many ways you can insert the word, ‘funeral homes’ into an article on memorial services, without sounding repetitive. So not cool, writers!

Google didn’t want to mention the sites it was targeting, but Ezine articles, Demand studios, and Associated Content did feel its wrath. And while people questioned the legality of a site like Google to judge content, the fact remains it is about time legitimate sites get their rankings acknowledged.

Quality content, whether it’s B2B or B2C, takes time and money to produce, but the results come through in your ranking. When writing copy, try to strike a balance between keyword and readability, and put a little thought into what the viewer really wants to hear (something else content farms fail to ‘get’).

An example is our client, Moringa Source. Check out their website and you’ll know what I’m talking about. If you ever wanted to learn about Moringa (it’s a plant with many health benefits incidentally), you can find information here. The site aims to be a comprehensive resource for the product and is generous about the information it shares.


It’s easy to replicate Moringa’s success no matter your line of work. There are no shortcuts and by investing into a marketing firm that understands copywriting, you are better assured of your rankings.  Websites that want naturally higher SERPs need to incorporate the following elements:

Meaningful existence: Begin by knowing why you are creating your website – is it going to function as an ecommerce site? An educational site? An entertainment guide? A news site? What your site acts as will determine the audience it attracts. A clever marketer knows that people come to a site for two main reasons – to be entertained or to solve a problem. Work with either of them and you’ve hit on a winning formula.

SEO content: Google wants its readers to get what they ask for. When they type in a search, relevant results must pop up; hence the content on your site needs to be authoritative and unique. Search engines pull rank on content that has appropriate keywords and inbound and outbound links. The more you can create keyword relevant, linked content, the greater your chance of gaining Google attention. Beware of keyword stuffing though, which can work against you and pull you down in the SERP for all keywords. Google can also recognize the difference between a website, blog post and press release for example, and each are issued their own algorithm. Ensure your writer knows the difference when creating copy for each, and uses ShortTail and LongTail keywords without over saturating the site.

Website coding and formatting: Websites need certain elements in place – tags, metatags, image tags etc. – before they can be considered for top natural placement. Valid coding of these elements enables search engine spiders to crawl through the site without error. It also helps you test out your pages, provides stronger user experience, allows for cross browser testing (extremely important and often forgotten) and helps you analyze your marketing efforts.

And finally, once your site is up and running, don’t forget to integrate your marketing efforts. Build your content and people will find it is no longer applicable. With the growth of social networking and social media, there are diverse marketing elements that need to be incorporated in order to gain wider exposure. Work on the above recommendations and you should be on your way to seeing higher page rankings in Google and other search engines.

Filed Under: Web Copywriting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

7 Easy Ways to get Your Content Shared

July 27, 2011 By Usha Sliva

With the advent of social media, businesses large and small have jumped onto the bandwagon, with a single aim – to expose their content to as large an audience as possible. Writing blogs and publishing YouTube videos are a wonderful way to get started, but unless your content goes viral, the chances of attracting the right audience and building a fan following are slim.

It’s understandable when celebrities like Justin Bieber and Ashton Kutchner gather huge Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube followings. But if your brand is just being developed, how do you get your content out to millions? And how does the average Joe like Gary Brolsma (his Numa Numa video has gathered over 40 million hits on YouTube alone) do it?

Humour might help, but when you can’t be funny, here are some tactics which do work:

1. Tap into the viewer’s ‘me time’: Your audience will surf the web looking for specific content (which is when keywords and content rich articles come into play). But they will also engage in sites like twitter and facebook when they are bored and have some me-time to indulge in. Create content that is light, fun, and engages viewers, and if they enjoy it, they’ll be sure to pass it on.

2. Create content that is truly different: Why be the same when you can be different? Different can mean bold, controversial, funny, and if appropriate, even silly; but you must appeal to your audience. The Numa Numa video for example, is not the funniest video out there, but it taps into people’s desires to enjoy silliness in others.

3. Get interactive: People love to play games, do quizzes, scratch their heads over puzzles, and earn rewards. Give your readers something they can engage in, either individually or in groups, and they’ll be sure to share it with friends and colleagues. Our client, MyDealBag, discovered this when it offered subscribers a chance to win points and earn rewards. What better way to get subscribers to share their facebook page with others?

4. Keep it length appropriate: A long post works really well if you have plenty of valuable content to share, such as a how-to feature, or a Top 100 list. But if you don’t have much to say, a shorter post with a strong heading, or a bold image, can just as easily attract attention, get reacted to, and get passed along.

5. Publish at the correct time: Research the correct time to publish your content. A 5pm Friday blog post may catch a few people, but you would be missing out on those who have switched off their computers for the weekend. On the other hand, if you are targeting a younger crowd, your weekend tweets might just be the answer.

6. Make it easy to share the love: Don’t be afraid to explore various options in addition to twitter, facebook, YouTube, MySpace, and LinkedIn.  RSS feeds for example allow viewers to receive your content straight into their inbox or Google reader, getting them to read and share content this way. Similarly, appeal to people’s need for something different, by converting a boring article into a fun PowerPoint presentation, which you can share on slideshare.

Sharing content via social media

7. Include a strong call to action: All your efforts will go to waste if you don’t include a strong call to action in your piece. Your message must compel people to act now, whether it’s to buy your product, hire your services, or pass on your message. It can be a simple – please retweet (RT), please comment, or even, please share. By asking, you reinforce a person’s desire to spread your content, virally.

Even though your content gets shared, it might not receive the immediate reaction you predicted, or the kind of feedback you hoped for. Having said this, if you do plan your message, mode of delivery, and copy correctly, the chances of a huge positive response still stand very high.

If you’d like to learn more about how to create copy that gets shared, drop us a line or give us a call.

 

Filed Under: Web Copywriting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Does Direct Mail still work in a Digital World?

March 18, 2011 By Usha Sliva Leave a Comment

Fans of direct mail campaigns continue to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars each year into mailing out customized pieces to their client base. Those who indulge in digital media scoff at what they believe is an old-fashioned approach to enticing the modern customer. So, does direct mail (DM) really work? And if so, how can you leverage it for your own business?

The answer to the first question, is yes and no. If you believe DM to be a cheap way to target the masses, then you are far better off going digital. The number of times I have thrown away DM pieces without even looking at the content is innumerable. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Strategy, Web Copywriting Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Secrets to Successful Web Writing

February 2, 2011 By Usha Sliva Leave a Comment

Yesterday I was browsing travel websites with the aim of planning our summer vacation. Our travel agent had recommended a site, so I clicked on the link. And within 5 minutes, I had exited it and moved onto something else.

The reason for this? Extremely long articles. Now I don’t know if these articles were newsworthy, or if the site would give me the answers I was looking for. What I do know is that I had to write this post and didn’t have the time to spend reading really long copy.

Web copy is different from print copy – it targets a different audience, with shorter attention spans and a greater access to variety. If your content doesn’t keep them engrossed, they have the means to switch over to that which does.

In addition to being educational or entertaining, web copy may also serve a more specific purpose; that of getting the reader to perform a task – place an order, call a number or fill out a survey. Bearing this in mind, let’s look at some tried and tested rules to creating copy that’s riveting and specific to purpose. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Web Copywriting Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Top 5 Simple Email Marketing Tips

March 23, 2010 By Sarah V Bundy 1 Comment

There are so many factors to consider when planning your email marketing campaign. Here are 5 of our top, easy-to-do tips for your next campaign:

1. Personalize: use email marketing software where you can automatically insert the recipient’s name into the email. It makes your readers feel like you are addressing them personally!

2. K.I.S.S.: Keep it simple and short. We’re all busy people so stick to a few key ideas and clearly organize them in the email. Provide links back to your website for readers to “learn more” if they want.

3. Opting In/Out: Make sure you have a clear opt-in and opt-out link in all your email marketing. Give the user the choice whether to continue receiving emails from you.

4. Schedule them: Stick to a regular schedule for your newsletters. Don’t send too many as you may be viewed as a spammer. Set clear expectations so your readers know what day to expect your email.

5. HTML & Plain Text: Many people don’t download images in emails automatically. Use email marketing software that creates both an HTML and plain text versions of your email so everyone is happy!

The general rule of thumb is to make your customers happy by giving them choices: subscribe or unsubscribe, view HTML or Plain Text, click through to learn more. Let them know you care about their business by personalizing your email marketing as much as possible.

What other simple email marketing strategies have worked for your business?

Filed Under: Web Copywriting Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Importance of Increasing Marketing Efforts During a Recession

June 19, 2009 By Sarah V Bundy Leave a Comment

Great article by the SEO and Link Building team at MatrixMT in San Diego:

In a recession, marketing tends to be the first victim of budget cuts when, in reality, it is the most important tool a business has during this difficult time. With the current economic downturn experts are predicting a recession. This leaves many businesses wondering where they can cut costs. Studies and experience prove marketing should be last on the list.

In 1979, Meldrum & Fewsmith conducted a series of studies analyzing the way companies marketed themselves during the two year recession from 1974 to 1975. The studies concluded that “companies which did not cut advertising expenditures during the recession years (1974-1975) experienced higher sales and net income during those two years and the two years following than companies which cut ad budgets in either or both recession years” (emphasis added). In addition, Senior Vice President of Meldrum & Fewsmith said, [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Strategy, Pay Per Click / Adwords, Search Engine Optimization, Shopping Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Web Copywriting, Website Usability and Analytics