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Farming the Social Network Back Forty

We’ve all heard the murmurs about the power of social networks for marketing. If you do a little bit of searching you can find places where there is much shouting and hubbub over using Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn to promote your business. All the hot hip trendy business mags like Fast Company and Wired [...]

Does your Website Stink?

So you have a website. You paid good money for it. It has nice colors and pretty pictures. It has some words, maybe a video or something. It even has links and keywords. Mmmmmmm.

Now ask yourself this question.

Is my website actually doing what it’s supposed to do?

Copywriting Tip: Why Bad Writing happens to Good People

It’s called a POINT for a reason — it’s not dull.

Most people, probably you in fact, are scared by hard concrete words. We think that we must use safe language. Language with the teeth and claws pulled out. Language that is soft, squishy and fuzzy. We think sounding obtuse makes us sound smarter.

The urge to [...]

Copywriting Tip: Exploit the Curiosity Gap

What’s Your Copy Writing Secret Weapon?

The “Curiosity Gap” is the difference between what you know and what you want to know.  When used properly, there is no defense. Your readers will be unable to resist the lure and will come to your website over and over again to satisfy the itch of their curiosity.

It’s not [...]

Copywriting Example - Interim Management Solutions

Interim Management Solutions provides consulting for businesses in transition. As a business grows, it passes through stages where their old ways of doing things no longer serve them well. IMS can step in with solid advice that comes from years of experience to help guide businesses through the choppy waters of change.

IMS is itself going [...]

Seth Godin – Stop Interrupting and Stand Out

In this compelling presentation at a TED conference a few years ago, Seth Godin notes that the marketing ground seems to be shifting beneath our feet. For decades, marketing and advertising has been primarily based on interrupting people through mass media messages. MM is still out there, and still gets results, but it’s effectiveness ain’t [...]

The Copywriter connects SEO elements

Ask Kalena – A Search Advice Column is a pretty darn good blog about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).  Kalena offers a course in SEO/SEM that attempts to provide something close to certification in the field — a comprehensive course in best practices and how to.

Back in 2008 Sarah Parker quoted [...]

Using Technology Effectively in your Business

Is technology a blessing or a curse for your business?

Neither. It’s a tool. Like a screwdriver. Try driving a nail with a screwdriver. Not much good is it? But it sure is good for putting in screws. Using technology in your business is about using the right tool for the right job.

Technology has only 2 [...]

Google Likes Websites with Quality Content

I talked yesterday with Neil Burtt, CEO of You Promote in Concord NH. Neil observed that the Google search algorithm seems to be shifting, so that quality content is more important than ever for creating high search engine rank results. It’s not all about the header, the title bar, and the meta tags. Google likes [...]

Quality SEO content gets search engine results

The good folks at Danconia Media services note some recent changes in they way Google handles local listings. This may have some powerful effects on the internet landscape, especially for smaller businesses that depend on trade from their immediate area. This may or may not be a bad thing, but as the Danconia blogger observes,  [...]