Rock Solid Writing » SEO article http://www.rocksolidwriting.com Bolder words. Polished prose. Concrete results. Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:00:42 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 This isn’t your daddy’s SEO http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/this-isnt-your-daddys-seo/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/this-isnt-your-daddys-seo/#comments Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:37:06 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=772 Life is change. Yeah, yeah. Blah blah blah.

No. Really. It is. And Google is proving it again. They have changed their search algorithm to yield better, more relevant, more useful results for searchers. The bottom line here is that it is more important than ever to focus on the quality of your content. In her article New SEO Rules: See what you are missing Sharon Tisdale Rice writes:

The days of producing lots of content for content’s sake are over. Now content quality matters. Content must be thoughtful, well-researched and unique. Ranking is also affected by whether the writer is judged as an authority on a topic or not. Consequently, you do best by creating truly original content that is not scraped or paraphrased from other sites.

Many subject matter experts don’t like to write, don’t have time to write or just don’t feel that they are very good at putting their thoughts on paper. So when you absolutely positively must create the best content possible, partner up with a skilled writer that can listen and then craft the content that will inform and engage the reader. If it grabs your readers, it will grab Google.

]]> http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/this-isnt-your-daddys-seo/feed/ 0 Standing out in the marketplace http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/standing-out-in-the-marketplace/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/standing-out-in-the-marketplace/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:14:58 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=767 It is axiomatic — everyone knows that every business must have a website. The trends are clear that more and more people are going to the web to engage in the market place. If you want customers to find you, if you want to effectively call out to them and be heard, you must begin with a website. If you don’t understand this, see my post on Google’s e-book Zero Moment of Truth.

I say “begin with a website” because that is only the start. There are search engine optimization tactics and traffic driving strategies. There are inbound marketing tools and email list building. All of these methods are simply ways to attract potential customers and then engage them.

It’s like a farmer’s market. Exciting displays of the freshest produce, colorfully spilling over the crates stops you from wandering by. It looks so good! You are overcome by the desire to squeeze and sniff the fruit, to fondle and thump the cantaloup. Then you ask the farmer “how much…?”

That display is your website. The keywords help them see you. Your content is the bushels of beautiful fruit that entice potential buyers to stop their mad clickfest and actually learn about the value that your company offers. The single common key to making this whole thing work is CONTENT. People come to your website for the useful and clear information – just like shoppers stop by your stall for the freshest fruit and vegetables.

Your content could be video, audio or photos. But the type of content that will do the bulk of the heavy lifting is your writing. The copy. The text. The words.

Your visitors will quickly size up your website and make a decision about whether it offers them the information they seek or not. If your content is clear, compelling and accessible, there is a good chance they may spend a few minutes listening to what you have to say.They will watch your video, look at your photos. They will spend the bulk of their attention on your text. If they like what they read, then you have an opportunity to continue to engage their attention. This is where you offer twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. This is where you provide free articles in exchange for their email. This is where they may even pick up the phone and call you. Perhaps they will even act to place an order there and then.

It all starts with the usefulness and clarity of your content.

It ends there too, because it’s the rest of the content that continues to move them down the buying path.

Invest in quality content. Spend good money for the best writing possible — writing that informs, excites and most of all, writing that sells.

 

]]> http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/standing-out-in-the-marketplace/feed/ 1 The Copy Judge – Clear and Compelling Headlines http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/the-copy-judge-clear-and-compelling-headlines/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/the-copy-judge-clear-and-compelling-headlines/#comments Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:49:29 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=738 Perhaps you don’t write copy, but…you do evaluate copy. If you are going to pay someone to write copy for your website, advertising or marketing materials, it had better get results. So I offer some advice on how business owners, marketing directors and anyone dealing with freelance commercial writers can recognize and evaluate the quality [...]]]> Perhaps you don’t write copy, but…you do evaluate copy. If you are going to pay someone to write copy for your website, advertising or marketing materials, it had better get results. So I offer some advice on how business owners, marketing directors and anyone dealing with freelance commercial writers can recognize and evaluate the quality of your copy.

If you find it valuable, please pass these on to others who might benefit. All I ask is that you include the blurb at the end so people know where to find me.

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Weak headlines make weak copy. Strong copy is infused with strong headlines that grab the readers’ attention and compel them to read on.

Newspaper headlines are familiar to us. In journalism, a good headline transmits the key idea of the story in brief form, and makes you want to read the rest of it. Form marketing copy, the theory is similar but the purpose is different. Journalism informs. Marketing headlines are about selling.

Headlines must be compelling

The first job of a headline is to grab attention. Your reader is likely skimming quickly through your material. Therefore your copy must quickly and efficiently deliver core of the message. The best headlines use words that are simple and direct, simple subject predicate constructions with strong active verbs.

To grab attention, a good headline focuses on benefits. Rather than a headline that merely describes the product, the best headlines highlight what your reader (your customer) wants. If you are writing for a B2B company, you may want to highlight increasing profit, reducing expenses or saving time. If the copy is for a B2C company, it could be about whiter teeth, fresher breath or greater sex appeal.

Headlines must be clear

Clarity is far more important than being clever. Don’t us use a headline simply to amuse or to display clever word play. There is a danger that the joke can completely distract from the main purpose. Use puns and double meanings sparingly if at all. Construct them carefully so that the reader is in no way confused or distracted. If it does a BETTER job of grabbing attention and a BETTER job of communicating the story, then go ahead. Just make sure it’s not a private joke.

It’s all Headlines

Finally, good copy is infused with headlines. The headline is not only that single line of large print on top of the story. It is each subheading that compels you to read the next section. It is the first sentence of every paragraph. If every sentence is as brilliantly lucid and forceful as a good headline, you have some fine copywriting in front of you.

A final note — headlines for print advertising differ from online headlines. In online articles and stories, keywords have become more important and length is less important. Using the right keywords in your headlines and headings will make it easier for searchers to find your web page, article or blog post, so consider SEO when crafting your headlines. Also, since online items do not have the same kind of space restrictions that the print media must deal with, you can use more space to get those keywords in without worrying about it as much.

As the old saying goes, “Eschew Obfuscation.” Good headlines make it easier for the reader to make sense of the story. Make sure your copy makes good use of them.

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This article is written by David Denis of Rock Solid Writing. Visit the website at http://www.rocksolidwriting.com
David is a freelance writer for hire offering powerful web content,marketing copy,sales letters,white papers,case studies,newsletters,sales scripts,and more.
To learn more,or request a free consultation click here or visit http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/schedule-your-free-copy-consultation/

]]> http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/the-copy-judge-clear-and-compelling-headlines/feed/ 0 Copy Writing Advice from the Old School http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/copy-writing-advice-from-the-old-school/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/copy-writing-advice-from-the-old-school/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:00:47 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=714 Principles are principles, regardless of the era. The media may change from ink on paper to flashing photons on a screen but the fundamentals remain. That which is badly done in one medium is badly done in another.

Here are some tips on effective copy from a journal The Graphic Arts, published in 1915. I [...]]]> Principles are principles, regardless of the era. The media may change from ink on paper to flashing photons on a screen but the fundamentals remain. That which is badly done in one medium is badly done in another.

Here are some tips on effective copy from a journal The Graphic Arts, published in 1915. I lifted a few quotes from an article titled “Conspicuous Features in Advertising.” by Henry Lewis Johnson. He writes about advertising when this meant print advertising, and print advertisement of that time seem dense and clumsy to our eyes. Nevertheless, the fundamentals remain.

Consider how these ideas apply even today to copy written for the web.

Write the way your readers talk:

The theory of straight talk is the theory of colloquial English. It is the rule of thumb that bids you talk in advertising, the same language the wise salesman speaks to his customer—forceful, direct, definite. In other words you use the words we speak rather than the words we write, and employ the vocabulary used in conversation

Once they find you, for goodness sake, give them something worth reading:

The element of surprise is almost wholly lacking in advertisement literature. Much display line text is clever about attracting attention, but it frequently happens that little remains to hold the attention when once it is gained, besides a bold statement of fact regarding the article advertised. Most advertisements read like stories where plots were given away in the introduction. After the first sentence, no novelty awaits the reader, no memory-haunting phrase, no deft comparison, no unexpected turn in the thought to induce the reader to keep on.

Be direct. Clarity trumps cleverness every time.

There should be no magic or mystery in this business of copywriting. If the advertisement writer would cultivate the faculty of direct appeal and the characteristics of brevity and simplicity, he would achieve half the secret of the craft. It is when he strives for effect, becomes forced instead of forcible, that he begins to flounder and unwittingly falls into a line of talk which is not understood…

Bottom line: weak copy reduces the chance that your reader will buy your stuff. They knew about that 100 years ago. That’s one fact that never changes.

The good news is that good copy, strong copy, compelling copy will trigger buyers to do their buying thing. It doesn’t get in the way — it makes buying easy.

If you have something to sell (and who doesn’t?), that’s worth the investment.

 

]]> http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/copy-writing-advice-from-the-old-school/feed/ 0 Read. Feel. Act http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/read-feel-act/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/read-feel-act/#comments Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:17:14 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=679 What causes people to shell out good money to buy something, even something expensive?

It’s not necessarily because it makes sense — although that is important.

The point of decision (buying) is motivated more by emotion than logic. If not skillfully targeted at the right kind of emotion, most appeals will fail to convert into [...]]]> What causes people to shell out good money to buy something, even something expensive?

It’s not necessarily because it makes sense — although that is important.

The point of decision (buying) is motivated more by emotion than logic. If not skillfully targeted at the right kind of emotion, most appeals will fail to convert into action.

So if you rely solely on overwhelming logic to close sales, you may find that your revenue is not keeping up with your vision. If you keep waiting for people to see the light of your unassailable logic,  you will still be waiting long after the cold dead corpse of your business has been picked clean by the buzzards of the auction. What you need to do is light the fire.

Dan Heath of FastCompany explains that emotion, not logic, facts or statistics, is the key to moving people to change. He uses examples of helping people change direction and adopt new habits such as healthy eating or saving money. Imagine, on the other hand, what this means applied to selling YOUR product or service.

Simply put, you cannot merely list features or facts and expect people to make the connections. You must connect those facts to the strong emotions that motivate people to take action. The formula is simple: First people see what they want. Then they feel the need. Then they change.

Applied to writing copy, that formula can be translated as Read-Feel-Act.

That’s the signature quality of truly effective copy.

If your copy needs to create action, rather than simply inform, you must write to touch the heart as well as provide  necessary information. One of my mentors put it this way, “People buy (act) based on emotion, and then they justify their action with logic and facts.” Humans act because they want something (love) or wish to avoid something (fear). If your writing taps into either of those primal emotions, you have a much better chance of getting the result you want.

So when it comes to creating your marketing materials or your website, find a copy writer that understands how to really sell you, your company and your products. The best writers get inside the head of the prospect and write copy that throws gasoline on their personal emotional woodpile and tosses on the match. It’s touching that emotional flashpoint that gets things jumping when it comes to your prospects deciding to buy.

That’s why buzzards hate bonfires.

]]> http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/read-feel-act/feed/ 0 Google Says Content is Most Important SEO Factor http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/google-says-content-is-most-important-seo-factor/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/google-says-content-is-most-important-seo-factor/#comments Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:19:12 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=673 I am not making this up. Honest!

Google has published this really nifty, absolutely free e-book called Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide. Stop spending hours trying to guess what secrets are hidden deep within the inner sanctum of the Google algorithm. This easy to read guidebook spells it all out for you.

Of course, it [...]]]> I am not making this up. Honest!

Google has published this really nifty, absolutely free e-book called Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide. Stop spending hours trying to guess what secrets are hidden deep within the inner sanctum of the Google algorithm. This easy to read guidebook spells it all out for you.

Of course, it doesn’t hack the algorithm itself, but the way I see it Google is spelling it out for you step by step. Here is what you need to do if you want high search ranking results.

It covers all the basics like page titles, meta tags, urls, navigation in the first 10 pages. Then the next 20 pages are about…content.

That’s right. Content!!!

They lead that section off with this little hand grenade:

Interesting sites will increase their recognition on their own

Creating compelling and useful content will likely influence your website more than any of the other factors discussed here. Users know good content when they see it and will likely want to direct other users to it. This could be through blog posts, social media services, email, forums, or other means.

Organic or word-of-mouth buzz is what helps build your site’s reputation with both users and Google, and it rarely comes without quality content.

Shazam! If Google says it, it must be gospel

The publication goes on to explain how to optimize your text by properly using anchor texts, heading tags, specialized keywords, and so on. The fundamental principle, however, is that if you want to make the most of your website, your content must be useful and accurate at the very least. Unique and timely are even better. Better still, start providing fresh new content on a regular basis.

So download and reading the Google SEO Starter Guide. Save it to your hard drive for future reference. Post it to your blog and send the link out to all your clients. It can provide a powerful resource to help you explain one of the key building blocks of any kind of integrated marketing strategy.

And of course, if you need help generating all that content…you can always outsource it. Just ask me. I know a guy…


]]> http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/google-says-content-is-most-important-seo-factor/feed/ 0 What’s more important — The Cup or the Content? http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/whats-more-important-the-cup-or-the-content/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/whats-more-important-the-cup-or-the-content/#comments Wed, 03 Nov 2010 01:54:15 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=591 Which would you rather drink:

Fine wine from a plastic cup? Used bathwater from a crystal goblet?

Many businesses will spend oodles of noodles doing the keyword research and search engine optimization for their websites. They will dump a pile of dough on graphic design with slick flash animation and eye catching layouts. They will [...]]]> Which would you rather drink:

  • Fine wine from a plastic cup?
  • Used bathwater from a crystal goblet?

Many businesses will spend oodles of noodles doing the keyword research and search engine optimization for their websites. They will dump a pile of dough on graphic design with slick flash animation and eye catching layouts. They will dish out the bread when it comes to analyzing their menu structure and site navigation. And they are not wrong for doing so. These elements are critical to making your website a success.

Effective optimization for search engines means your customers will find you. Great graphic design instantly conveys important information about the kind of company you are. Clear site navigation removes obstacles that may hinder your visitor from contacting you or buying from you.

But that’s just the cup. Nobody buys a drink just for the glass. They want the drink.

When it comes to your website, the drink is The Content.

Quality Content – the Magic Elixir

Your visitor has a problem. They come to your site hoping to find that magical cordial that, when swallowed, will solve that problem. The keywords, the graphics and the menus are only the vessels that delivers the magic liquid. The solution to their problem will always lie in the content – and the quality of your content can make or break the site. One taste will tell them whether your site contains Aqua Vitae or dirty water.

This is why it may be a mistake to skimp on your content. Trying to get off cheap may actually be the most expensive solution.

Home Brewed or Made by Masters?

Think twice before delegating the content creation onto members of your staff who already have too much to do. Consider carefully whether your own skills and talents really lie in the area of selling with words. Be very cautious about simply copying all your old marketing material and dumping it into a file you send to your web designer. While you may actually have the in house talent to pull this off, home brew may not be the most efficient and effective option.

Hire a professional to write your web content – but only if your most important criteria is results.

Your writer doesn’t have to be an expert in your industry. He knows how to obtain background information from reading and interviews with subject matter experts. He knows how to listen and consult with your team to deliver the message the way it needs to be delivered.

Hire a writer because your writer will have one goal: to craft the content that will get results for your website. No office politics. No overtime. No distraction from your business. Hiring a writer lets you and your staff do your business while she does hers.

If your writer is any good, his services won’t come cheap, but nobody ever went blind from drinking real champagne. Your customers deserve the best you can give them. Skip the rotgut content and break out the stuff that’s made from the finest words, by the best writers. Your business will thank you.

]]> http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/whats-more-important-the-cup-or-the-content/feed/ 0 Epicurean Tea Company Goes Live http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/epicurean-tea-company-goes-live/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/epicurean-tea-company-goes-live/#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:29:17 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=539 Last week, one of my clients published a new website for her small business.

Brenda Martel is refusing to participate in the recession. She is creating her own business selling high quality tea and tea related products, targeting people who are willing to invest a little more to enjoy a far superior experience. A [...]]]> Last week, one of my clients published a new website for her small business.

Brenda Martel is refusing to participate in the recession. She is creating her own business selling high quality tea and tea related products, targeting people who are willing to invest a little more to enjoy a far superior experience. A really good cup of tea is one of those pleasures that costs little, but offers great benefits in enjoyment, relaxation and health. I think Brenda may have timed things just right.

The design of the website (by You Promote llc) is intentionally simple — easy to navigate and read. The copy focuses on the lifestyle benefits of fine tea, with a touch of education to help readers view the site as a good place to go for information on tea. We hope to add more educational material as the business develops.

Keywords include many variations on the term “tea” so that search engines read the words in a relevant context. It will take a little time for the website to start reading high on search rankings, but if it’s like other You Promote websites, it should do just fine.

Word has it that the website is already generating some good business — and that’s the whole point of the exercise.

]]> http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/epicurean-tea-company-goes-live/feed/ 0 Copywriting Tip: Why Bad Writing happens to Good People http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/copywriting-tip-why-bad-writing-happens-to-good-people/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/copywriting-tip-why-bad-writing-happens-to-good-people/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 16:00:08 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=347 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 [...]]]> 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 de-fang strong direct sentences is a powerful one. The fear of offending someone, or excluding something makes us queasy.  We are afraid to write with words that poke at, or strike, or (God Forbid) even explode upon the reader’s consciousness.

Listen to what Dan Heath from Fast Company says about this, as applied to the writing of Mission Statements.

This is not just about your mission statement. It’s about your website. It’s about your brochures, tear sheets, email campaigns and print ads. It’s about any message you put out there to promote your business that sucks because you were too scared to say it outright and let it go at that.

Stop trying to sound like a PhD in Blabology (unless of course you actually are a PhD in Blabology). Start writing and talking like a real flesh and blood human being with a beating heart and a brilliantly electric brain. Your readers will respond with cheers and hoots and hollers and probably more than one standing O. Why? Because they like reading things that don’t sound like they were penned by a moron.

Got it? Good. Now go do it. I dare you.

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David is a freelance writer for hire offering article writing, sales letters, training manuals, speech writing, seo content, sales writing, blog articles, copy writing service, sales scripts and business name ideas.


To learn more, or request a quote visit http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/freelance-writer-quote/

]]> http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/copywriting-tip-why-bad-writing-happens-to-good-people/feed/ 0 Copywriting Example – Interim Management Solutions http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/copywriting-example-interim-management/ http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/copywriting-example-interim-management/#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:31:17 +0000 David Denis http://www.rocksolidwriting.com/?p=321 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 [...]]]> 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 through some change. They want to upgrade and improve their website so that it does more than passively profile their business. It should give a visitor valuable information, promote IMS as the best solution, and sell their business.

IMS is working with Neil Burtt over at You Promote LLC on their website upgrade. Neil specializes in creating promotional websites for small and medium sized businesses – websites that get results without breaking the bank.

The first step in the transformation of the IMS site is rebuilding the home page, starting with the copy. Neil called me to see if I would work on it.

The original copy was descriptive, but unfocused and a little bogged down with management book jargon. After a half hour interview with Ed Jaferian, one of the owners, I crafted some strong copy that is much more accessible so that the reader will quickly grasp what IMS does. These descriptions will ultimately be linked to other pages where the visitor can get more detail and see and offer for consultation.

As I told Ed, when I write copy for business sites like his, I target three major areas:

  • Eliminating jargon and using plain English
  • Using direct, strong, simple language in the active voice.
  • Writing with short well-structured paragraphs that can be easily scanned and understood.
  • Promoting and selling your business with benefits and regular calls to action.

Ed was so happy with the result that he wrote me an email, saying, “You have done a great job in capturing the essence of what I have been struggling to say.”

We are exploring improvements to the rest of the website as well, including fresher graphic design, stronger copy for the other pages, and search engine optimization. In particular, we are suggesting an email capture feature, where IMS will offer a useful report or “white paper” in exchange for the email of the visitor. This is the beginning of Relationship Marketing, a model that I think has huge potential for IMS down the road.

Be sure to click on the Link to view the current home page of IMS.

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