Thoughtful, strategic selection of SEO keywords
Whenever I’m working on a website copywriting project, I ask my client to fill out a questionnaire that helps me understand their business. This enables me to write copy that truly represents the client’s company, mission, and goals.
One of the items on the questionnaire used to be “Please list any keywords related to your website or business.”
I quickly found out that very few small business owners understood what I meant by “keywords.” Sometimes, they would jot down something like “use your best judgment.” Usually, they’d list a few keywords, but it was clear that they weren’t researched keywords for search engine optimization (SEO). They were simply words and phrases that represented the products and services that the client offered, and they had been selected at random. Read More >>
Online marketing: think like your customer
With all the available outlets for online marketing, many small business owners are confused and overwhelmed. There are blogs to post, social media profiles to update, and newsletters to send out. Coupons, directories, search engines, ads. The online marketing strategies you’re supposed to be engaged in never end.
To make matters worse, small business owners have a hard time latching on to a clear and meaningful message. Their websites are full of industry jargon that customers can’t relate to. Their tweets are self-indulgent braggery (we’re number one!) or pleas (please buy from us!). They’re increasingly being seduced by wily SEO firms that promise “Number One Ranking for Over 500 Keywords!,” a promise that may be fulfilled but is unlikely to bring new customers to the business. Read More >>
Grow multiple income streams
Most small business have established an online presence. They have a website and are running ad campaigns and using marketing strategies to draw targeted traffic to their sites. But some small businesses are missing online opportunities for diversifying their income streams because their efforts to draw traffic are too targeted or their offerings are too limited.
Think Outside the Box and Beyond the Zip Code
Take, for example, a small nursery with a simple website that provides their location, hours of operation, and listings of plants and flowers that are in season. The only customers they’re targeting are people who live within a reasonable driving distance and who are interested in gardening or landscaping. They have an online presence but are not doing business online — yet. Read More >>
Get custom website copywriting.
A few months ago I launched a quest to find a new dentist, and it was not an easy task. My last dentist, while trying to poke around inside my mouth, informed his assistant that I was a hypersensitive patient (and sent her off to fetch the nitrous oxide). I’m sure that had something to do with the fact that I was maniacally clutching the armrest while burrowing my head into the dental chair. Oh yeah, and my mouth kept closing all by itself every time he lunged at me with a sharp instrument.
A few dental procedures gone wrong had made me wary, if not downright fearful, of dentists. So I need a professional who is compassionate toward patients with dental phobias and anxieties. I’m looking for a dentist with an extra-special skill set.
Since I’m one of those technology-savvy generation Xers and because I am also an internet professional, I launched my search online. Google gave me plenty of options, and I got busy perusing the many dentists within a fifteen-mile radius. Within minutes I had about a dozen potential dentistry websites opened, and I got busy reading through them to see which one would tell me what I wanted to hear: We are sympathetic to your fear of dentists. We won’t hurt you. Read More >>
Business blogging ideas.
Have you ever thought about adding a blog to your business website?
The benefits of business blogging are many, but there are obstacles that you must overcome, problems you must solve, and challenges you must face before you can launch a business blog.
For starters, you need to have a solid content development plan. What topics will your blog cover? Just news and announcements about your business or industry? What else could you possibly write about on a business blog? Read More >>
Tips for choosing the right website manager
Many small business owners find website ownership to be frustrating, which is understandable. After all, not all entrepreneurs are IT professionals, website designers, or marketing experts.
These business owners encounter problems with web design projects and have to overcome challenges presented by technology, not to mention the increasingly murky waters of online marketing.
They just want their businesses to succeed, and they know that a website is mandatory. These business owners often ask: who is responsible for my website? Read More >>
Seven tips for your small business website design
Your website is your number one marketing tool, and it is a premium opportunity to communicate all of your small business offerings.
When visitors come to your website, they’ll sum it up in a flash based on what they see. Content is important, but aesthetics are a close second.
Whether you’re designing your own website or hiring someone to design one for you, you should have a solid idea of how you want to portray your business. If you have already started establishing your identity with a logo and a marketing plan, then you’ve got the foundation you need for your small business website design.
However, there are still many considerations to keep in mind, and throughout the process of designing a new website (or redesigning an existing one), you will need to make choices about how your site will look and feel so that it represents your business appropriately.
Here are seven small business website design tips that cover the core components every website needs in order to succeed. These tips will help you make smart design choices so that your site captures visitors’ attention while maintaining the integrity of your company’s identity. Read More >>
Step one in web content development: brainstorming
Have you ever heard of the five Ps?
Proper planning prevents poor performance.
This saying is simple and easy to remember, and it conveys an important message: the best results come from a well-laid plan. That’s what smart web content development is all about — proper planning.
If done right, a good content development plan will ensure a stellar performance, one in which your website plays the starring role. This all starts with a blueprint, a map that you follow to take your website from concept to completion. Read More >>
Facebook marketing for small businesses
These days, small business owners are flocking to social media networks to promote their businesses. Social media marketing provides ample opportunities for businesses to strengthen customer loyalty, generate buzz, and attract new customers.
Social media is not difficult for anyone with basic computer and internet skills. However, there is a learning curve for each network. Twitter and Facebook don’t function the same way or share the same purpose. LinkedIn is targeted to a different audience than Pinterest.
In order to truly benefit from social media marketing, it’s crucial to examine each social media network and decide whether it’s a good fit for your small business before you establish a presence and start your marketing efforts.
Today, we’ll look at Facebook pages and examine how small businesses can leverage them for social media marketing.
Read More >>
SEO copywriting is harder than it looks.
When I first started working as a website copywriter, I knew relatively little about search engine optimization (SEO). I understood that keywords could open the door to search engine traffic, but I didn’t realize just how much effort was involved in successfully finding and implementing those keywords using SEO.
In hindsight, I entered the SEO copywriting niche almost by accident. Back then, I provided general copywriting services for online and for print. As I settled into my newfound profession and increasingly focused on web content writing, I noticed that I was receiving more and more requests for “keyword articles.”
The premise was simple: Write an article (or ten) and use a particular keyword or keyword phrase a predetermined number of times. Some clients wanted the keyword to appear five times in an article. Others specified that the keyword must appear in bold, headings, italics, or near the beginning of a paragraph. Often, the keyword also had to be included in the title. Read More >>
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