Online Marketing for Local Business
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Tips to Becoming a Better Becoming a Better Web Content Writer
12 years
by jhaynes
in Uncategorized
There are always many business owners, marketers and others who wish to improve their writing skills as they create and distribute their web content online, and even for those that don’t plan on making writing a profession, there are still good ways to hone your skills to become more effective with your ability to communicate via the written word. Here are 3 good ways to evaluate your writing skills.
Write the Article, Then Come Back in 2-3 Days
A great way to know if your writing is at the highest level is to write about a topic that you’re passionate about, and then step back and leave it for a bit. Come back later to review what you’ve created two to three days later. You can’t truly evaluate the quality of your written piece if you review it right after you finish writing. The tendency to be emotionally attached to your own web content writing is too strong at this point, and can affect your judgment on the piece. If you write a blog, publish your article or essay, and then come back to it when your emotional connection has subsided. This can allow you to be in a better position to make an honest evaluation of your work.
Take Your Direction From Search Engines
Search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing can help to make a rough evaluation of your web content writing kills sometimes. Recent search engine algorithms on all major engines are now equipped with the ability to determine relevancy and quality of web content. Their spiders are constantly sweeping the web to index sites and rank them according to the quality of their online content. When you receive a good Google ranking or Yahoo, Bing ranking etc…this is an indication your content is gaining favor from both readers AND search engines.
Post Content on Social Media
Share your web content with friends and contacts, and gain the extra exposure it brings on sites like Facebook and the many others. If it gets a lot of “Likes” and “Shares”, you can be pretty sure that your article or post is well-liked for its information, quality, and substance.
Objectively Evaluate Your Work
Try not to judge your work as “good” or “bad”, because it can blind you to areas that need improvement. Make an objective evaluation of your work instead. Set a criterion where absolutely flawless equals 100. Then deduct points from every error that you find. These results can assist you in measuring your improvement as you travel along on your web content writing career.
Also remember, being a good writer takes practice! Which means, you need to exercise the “brain muscles” that create your wonderful content often, as you would any other muscle. Sticking to a very regular and frequent publishing calendar for web content creation and distribution can be challenging, for sure. But in the end your business will prosper because of it, as will your confidence in your own writing abilities over time.
And of course, if ever you decide that you’d like a partner to assist you with your web content writing/creation, there are many resources available to you, including Hat Trick Associates of course but also many other experts as well.
And if you do decide to be your web content writer on your own, remember that practice makes perfect. Or maybe we shouldn’t say perfect, as mentioned above…since there is always room for improvement as you continue your journey as a writer!
4 Steps for Selecting Topics for Blogs and Articles
13 years
by jhaynes
in Uncategorized
One of the most critical components of publishing blogs and other articles online for marketing purposes is the proper selection of topics. Topics are such a vital factor in online article marketing because they play such an important role in attracting the right kind of traffic to your website and business.
Traffic is the primary source of potential revenue for any online business. The need to attract quality traffic through web content writing is the key reason why you need to publish useful and beneficial information for your target audience.
The attractiveness of your topics determines the volume of traffic – and thus revenue – they will generate, which are the real measures of success for your online marketing campaigns. So you should select them wisely.
Here are four quick steps of for choosing article and blog post topics that will catch the attention of your target audiences:
1. Identify Need
The main purpose of selecting a great topic is to give your audience what they are looking for. If you can correctly identify their wants and needs, you are on the right path to offering content that they just can’t refuse. One simple way to identify what your target market wants is by researching the most popular keywords they utilize when searching for information using Google and other search engines. One handy way to do this is with the help of a keyword suggestion tools, such as Google’s Adwords Keyword Tool.
Almost everyone now runs to the web for answers to all of their questions, potential solutions to their problems, and lists, tips and procedures for doing something properly. Give them what they want and they will give you their attention.
2. Topics Need to be Related to Your Business
Writing web content to promote your business online will give you a chance to showcase your knowledge and expertise on that niche. Your articles should be directly related to what product or service you sell. This establishes you as “the expert” on your subject or in your field. This can also help build your company’s credibility and win the trust of your readers. These are critically important elements of any business relationship.
3. Research Fresh Issues Related to Your Niche
People are naturally curious, and they will always want to be the “first to know” new and interesting information. This is why fresh, relevant information is so attractive to readers. Take advantage of this by starting a routine of researching the latest issues, trends and developments in your industry or field. Authoritative sites are often your best sources of these, and you should check them out regularly in order to become one of the very first to relay the info to people who share your interest.
4. If You Run Out of Topics, Write a “Tips” List
Tips and “Top 10” lists and how-to guides are still the easiest and most attractive types of articles and blog posts to write if you run out of other fresh topics. People love these types of articles because of their usefulness and power to assist people in doing things on their own. This post itself is one good example of this style of web content writing. And if you need additional ideas, or help sticking to a publishing schedule there are resources that can help you, with Hat Trick Associates just one of your many options.
The Many Benefits of Content Marketing
013 years
by jhaynes
in Uncategorized
Content marketing is becoming one of the most widely used forms of promotional strategies on the web today. It is cost-effective way to reach a wide audience base, yet it is not as easy as submitting a simple pay per click ad.
Content marketing is relatively cheap compared to most other options, but it requires you to invest your time, effort and a lot of patience before you can reap its returns. This is one of the reasons why many people are not sold to the idea that using content online is a good way to market their products and services. For those that do understand the true long-term value of web content, they have found ways to create it themselves or work with someone who can.
For those who are still uncertain about the advantages of content marketing, here are five factors that make content marketing such an effective online marketing strategy:
It’s cost-effective
Other forms of marketing need you to invest your fortune. In content marketing, it only needs time and effort to have your website, products or services promoted online if you are doing the work yourself. Working with an outside writer to create your content can also be very cost effective.
It lasts FAR longer than other advertising methods
On top of its being economical, your content stays on the web for an indefinite period, and continues to drive traffic long after your content has been published. Other methods of marketing get exposure as only for as long as you have the finances to support it. This is huge benefit when considering ROI for your marketing dollars.
It helps to build credibility
By consistently sharing helpful information on the web, you are actually making your content work for you because it gradually builds your reputation online. Over time, people will see you as an expert in the field that you are writing about. As your credibility grows, you will be able to establish trust. Trust is a big thing in business, as credibility matters very much in marketing.
It attracts traffic
Content marketing is intended to attract an audience with a certain degree of interest on your niche. These people will also be the ones who will visit your website to know more of what you have in there for them. Content which is focused on facts and solutions pertaining to the products or services it promotes will surely attract traffic.
It builds up your site’s SEO
By consistently publishing content, you are actually attracting search engines too. Search engines are always on the lookout for fresh content they can rank. Content which are infused with effective keywords will always catch the attention of search engines, moving you up in the rankings and bringing quality visitors interested in your services and products to your website. Great content also creates good links back to your site as other people share your information.
These are the primary reasons that web content marketing is so effective in promoting your business.
If web content writing and posting isn’t something you can (or want to!) do for yourself, consider hiring someone who can help you build your online content to reap the many rewards detailed above.
Contact me if you’d like to know a bit more about the potential content solutions that we provide, or conduct your own searches and see what options are available to you.
Whatever route you choose, for the health of your business – begin creating and sharing high-quality web content today!
