Successful Blog

Beginnings and Endings

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By James Ellis

There are really only two hard parts to writing effective marketing pieces. If you’re thinking about your email, web pages, or direct mailings, it doesn’t matter.

Sadly, these two things are the beginnings and endings. Do those properly, and you barely need a middle.

The job of the beginning is to get your target interested. The job of the ending is to tell the target what to do next. Yes, it really is that simple. If I was running your marketing department, i’d rather have killer beginnings and endings rather than all the great middle content you can stuff in a web page.

Yes, the beginnings and endings are just that important. Think about it. Once you’ve got someone interested, the only thing that can happen is that you can either close the deal and convert them, or you can say something stupid or unappealing and lose them. Why take that chance? Once you’ve got them interested, tell them what to do next. Don’t waste your target’s time (trust me, they will appreciate it) and get to the point.

Please note that I never said how long the beginnings or endings need to be. The perfect email isn’t necessarily just a subject line and a call to action link. But if you can get their attention in ten words, and the link is the offer, what else is there to talk about?

The beginning isn’t just the subject line and pre-header, but those are part of the beginning. The beginning isn’t limited to the structure of the medium (subject line in emails, headlines in web sites, etc), but whatever it takes to achieve the goal: gain interest.

The beginning of Moby Dick isn’t “Call me Ishmael.” It’s a hundred thousand words that explain the relationship between a man and a white whale, or really the nature of obsession. All those words are needed to get our attention because simply saying “An old sea captain lost a leg to a whale and wants revenge” is not attention-getting; it’s an idea in need of supporting detail.

On the other hand, what else do I need to know beyond “50% off all our most popular products” except what to do next?

It doesn’t matter if you use emotion, loss aversion, numbers, relationship reminders, or sensational quotes. Just be intentional about getting their attention.

So once you have their attention, you need to do something with it. Don’t tease, don’t dawdle, don’t wait. Get to the next step. Click the link, call for an appointment, sign up for a subscription, whatever it is, just get to the point.

It’s crucial that you make sure that the beginning aligns with the ending. If you get my interest by saying “Free beer and pizza” the ending can’t be “Sign up for a subscription” because I won’t understand why they go together. I’ll smell something fishy and bolt.

This is the basis of all good marketing. Making it more complicated than that just clouds the issue. Nail your beginning and ending. The rest takes care of itself.

Author’s Bio: James Ellis is a digital strategist, mad scientist, lover, fighter, drummer and blogger living in Chicago. You can reach out to him or just argue with his premise at saltlab.com.

Stories sell and facts tell

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By Elaine Love

Information, information everywhere, but so much of it is such a “yawn” that readers glance and move away. If you want your prospects to become enthused about you and your company, tell them a story. Whether you tell the story orally or in writing, make your message come alive.

Paint a picture

Stories come alive and allow the prospect to see themselves enjoying a better life. Telling a story about when your product or service helped another person solve a similar problem gives them encouragement that your product or service can solve their problem. The more your make the story come alive, the more they see themselves in the successful outcome.

5 Senses

You can say, “You will be able to take that beach vacation you’ve talked about once we solve this problem.” Or you can tell a story.

“Picture yourself relaxed on the pristine warm white sand with the sun’s rays gently caressing your tanning body. Feel the soft ocean breeze on your face and catch the scent of tropical foliage as it drifts by on the breeze. Taste the cool beverage at your side and hear the soothing sound of the waves rolling up on the beach.”

Putting the five senses in your scene allows them to feel the relaxing pleasure and become part of the scene.

Adapt the success story to fit your individual situation. Different people have different learning styles and different triggers which appeal to them.

5 C’s method

Perhaps your particular situation works better with the 5 C’s.

  • Characters
  • Conflict
  • Cure
  • Change
  • Carry Out Message

Describe the current situation with another client as the main character.

Add the conflict (problem) which the customer was facing and build it up to a “need to fix” situation rather than a “nice to fix” situation.

Detail the cure provided by your product or service. Tell what the product is, what it does and how it is able to solve the problem.

Let the prospect feel how their life will change for the better by solving the problem in this way.

There must be a change in at least one character for the solution to have been a success.

Use a call to action as your carry out message. Create the urgency to act on the solution.

This story method adapts itself very well to selling a product or service in a non-confrontational and pleasing manner.

Now, then and how

You may have been using a portion of this technique without even realizing it. Describe how much better a customer’s life is now that they have used your product or service.

A young man is giving keynote speeches at $10,000 per keynote address and traveling all over the world. His business has expanded from a bankrupt solopreneur to employing twenty full time professional assistants. You may think he was a natural, but not so. He started out as a stand-up comic on open microphone night. His first time on stage, his hand was shaking so badly that he could not read his note cards. The only laugh he received was when he uttered a frustrated comment at the time he blew the punch line on a joke. What made the change from total disaster to successful professional speaker? He hired a professional comedian to coach him. Professional coaching brought him from disaster to success. (This story is used to sell my private speech coaching programs.)

Stories sell and facts tell

Numerous story telling techniques exist. Select the one which works for you. Adapt it to the precise situation for each individual customer.

Stories connect emotionally. You only have to connect with a person emotionally if you want them to remember you and what you said.

Author’s Bio: At home in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Elaine Love writes about small business and the mindset for success so essential for an entrepreneur. She is the author of Emotional Ice Water. Find her on Twitter @elainelove44 or Elaine4Success.com

How To Create Good SEO Content That Stands Strong

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By Carol Wales

Content

When it comes to search engine optimization, people all around the world prefer Google; It is one of the most popular and efficient search engines. Google used to favor websites that had more links to high page rank websites. In other words, a website could have a better ranking if it had more high PR links. This was considered as a vote of confidence in terms of the content of the website. Over time, there have been changes in the ranking criteria of Google; however, the prime focus is still the same – providing the best information to people. The new Google algorithm is based on quality signals and social media presence. Having informative and valuable SEO content is the key for developing a successful website or an online store. This is a tried, tested and a sure way of generating traffic and thereby driving sales.

How to create good content? Just keep these points in mind while you are creating.

Uniqueness

When you are creating content on any topic that is already present on many other websites, you must be creative with it and try to find a way of presenting this information in a unique way. Even if you see content on the same topic, research the other websites and check which points they have missed. You can incorporate new information, images and videos to enhance readability. You can also consider presenting the information in some other forum, for instance you can use an eBook instead of posting it in article directories or blogging websites. If you are operating a website, make sure it provides the most relevant information. The content can be added in the internal blog or in article directory or any other blogging website. Make sure that there is something different in the content published by you.

Right Keywords At The Right Time

Research and finalize the keywords you will be using. For creating good SEO content, it is essential to use the relevant keywords. Research commonly used keywords pertaining to your industry. You will come across many online software tools for finding new keywords. Google keyword tool is one of the most efficient tools that provides information on the global and local monthly searches of the keywords along with a wide range of keyword variations. Once you finalize the keywords, start using them in the content; however, make sure that it looks natural.

Precise

Web users normally have a short attention span. You must come up with short, precise and informative content that will hold the attention of the reader.

Headline With Keywords

Your headline is one of the strongest attributes of your content that creates the first impression in the minds of the readers. The title provides the users with an idea about what can be expected from the post. It also appears in the email newsletters, social media shares, RSS feeds and ofcourse in the search engines.

Highlight The Important Aspects

If you have written a long, in-depth article, there is no doubt that it will provide value to the users. However remember that brevity is most important. At times readers only scan pages for some important and interesting information. Highlight the crucial aspects through the use of a table of contents, headline and sub headings along with the right keywords. Preferably make use of short paragraphs so that it is easier to read.

Use Simple Language

When you are setting up a website for a global audience, using simple English is advisable so that it is easier to read and understand the information given. Also try to put yourself in the shoes of the reader so that you will know which information must be presented to them.

Accuracy

Make sure that whatever information you are providing is accurate and is up to date. If you are taking the information from somewhere, ensure that it is an authoritative resource.

Editing

Once you are done writing the article, make sure to proof read and edit it properly. If you have completed the post, do not publish it right away. Read it and give yourself time to edit it. By doing this you will be able to improve on the content further.

Including Images And Videos

An article with images and videos surely has an edge over just a plain article. When it comes to videos, add them only if you think they can provide value to the users. Images can perfectly synchronize with your post; whatever topic you are writing on, you can always find relevant images. Make sure you use high quality images that can also be viewed on mobile devices.

The content creation tips mentioned above are simple and can be implemented right away. You can count on these points in terms of creating the most impressive, efficient and readable content.

Author’s bio: Carol Wales specializes in writing on topics related to technology, search engine optimization and prominent web hosting platforms like Cloud Web Hosting, VPS and Dedicated Server UK. Her aim is to provide users with the most authentic information that can be utilized by them in the best possible way. She believes good content will always be the king and therefore she strives for the best.

How to Make It Stupidly Easy for Readers to Love You

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Adam Costa

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The #1 Mistake Bloggers Make Which Kills Results and Slashes Productivity

I’m afraid this message might upset you.

Why? Because it exposes the number one mistake content marketer are making right now, and will continue to do so for years to come.

But I don’t want to alarm you. This problem can be solved.

Better still, understanding this problem will force you to rethink your whole content strategy. In a good way. You’ll view your content in a radically new framework, one that even the largest publishers haven’t caught on to… yet.

The following story will illustrate what I mean…

It began with an argument.

Over a bottle of Veuve Clique, my beautiful strong-willed wife and I discussed what our new travel site should be.

My point of view went something like this:

“We should build a large, content-driven site about exciting destinations around the world. Then we can include traveler reviews, maps and even a forum where they can share their best tips! What do you think, huh, baby?

Darcie, swirling her champagne, coolly asked:

“So you wanna be Lonely Planet?”

“Um… no. Well… maybe like Lonely Planet but… you know, better.”

“So how will we be better?”

“Well… our content will be better.”

“How?”

“Ummm…”

“And what about size? How will we compete with a site that has hundreds of thousands of pages?

“Well…”

The conversation declined from there.

And let me tell you…

It was one of the hardest discussions of my life.

My wife Darcie always asks the hard questions. I’m glad she does… because I never do. I’d rather just charge through an idea, without asking how and why it will be different, better, etc.

Sure, we could compete on quality (and I truly think we do) but we could never compete on quantity… the big boys operate at a scale we can’t even imagine.

And the sad fact is, a quality site with 1,000 pages is not as valuable as another site with 100,000 pages of equally valuable content.

It was time to change the conversation…

… from “how can we match the competition’s content in terms of quantity and quality” to “how can we organize our content to make it more valuable to our users?”

This is a subtle difference.

The first question concerns the content itself… while the second adds the delivery of that content into the conversation.

In other words, we realized “quality content” was just the beginning.

We had to package it differently.

Quantity x Quality x Organization = Value

Quality is still the most important factor here. But the quantity and organization of valuable content is more important than ever.

Let’s use two sites as an example.

Site A has fifty pages of quality content.

Site B has five thousand pages of equally valuable content.

Which is more valuable?

The answer is… it depends.

If those five thousand pages are buried deep into the site, with no discernible way to access it, their value plummets.

In fact, if no one can find it, their value disappears.

Now let’s look at the fifty page site. If there are ten categories – each with five pages of content – then every single page is easily found.

Let me say that again. Every page is valuable.

Relying Solely On New Content Is A Fool’s Errand

It’s short-sighted, and fails to take full advantage of your existing content.

How to Make It Stupidly Easy for Readers to Love You

Blogs are excellent at displaying new content… but they’re notoriously bad at showcasing old content.

Remember that gem you wrote three months ago? Gone. Buried deep into your archives, where only a lucky few will stumble on it ever again. Or what about that post you wrote last year or (gasp!) back in 2006? It’s still valuable today, but who will ever find it?

Therefore, you need to make your existing content as accessible as your new content.

How to Better Organize Your Content (and Boost Revenue)


Use Taxonomies. Taxonomy is a fancy word for “organization.” It’s also what separates your average website with a truly great one.

Let’s use a simple example.

Let’s say you’ve got a website that reviews food and restaurants in San Francisco. Sushi, vegetarian, tapas… whatever.

Now you could organize the site by types of food: Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, etc.

Good. But what about location? Maybe I want Chinese food in specific neighborhood (Castro or Chinatown).

With a traditional category system, you can’t simultaneously search for two different categories (“Chinese” AND “Chinatown”) which makes it harder for the reader to find the content they want.

That’s where taxonomies come in. By creating two different taxonomies (e.g. “Neighborhood” and “Cuisine”) your readers can easily find the best Chinese restaurants in Chinatown.

Great. But let’s take this further.

Instead of two taxonomies, let’s add a third one for time of day (e.g. “breakfast, lunch or dinner”). Now your reader can find the best Chinese restaurant in Chinatown for lunch.

Pretty cool, right?

Can you see how much more valuable this site is? How changing one aspect of the site drastically improves the user experience? Just think how you could use this simple method to help readers find your content which is most valuable to them… why wouldn’t you want to do this?

Create “Resource” pages. Note: Here’s an excellent example to start with.

Chances are, your readers don’t care about all of your content. Sure, they may be in love with some of it… but the rest?

Meh.

Now instead of creating mere “category” pages which list all your articles (who actually reads those, anyways?) you create valuable “resource” pages which target your reader’s specific interest.

For example, someone visits your website about San Francisco food. At the top of the blog you list the major resources people would be interested in: let’s use neighborhoods. So when someone clicks on “North Beach” they go to a resource page which says something like this:

“The Ultimate Guide to North Beach Dining!”

North Beach is well known for Italian cuisine: family-owned delis serve cured meats and stuffed olives alongside gelato stores and bakeries, while the smell of roasted garlic wafts down Columbus Ave.

Here are 5 – 10 in-depth resources which highlight the best North Beach has to offer:

LINKS #1 – 5

Want to learn more about North Beach? Then grab our free eBook on North Beach’s best restaurants.

You’ll learn:

5 “to-die-for” restaurants no one knows about (yet).
A simple trick to save 20% on your next dinner.
7 delicious deserts… and the perfect wine for each.

There’s even a complete walking tour for “foodies” which showcases top restaurants in North Beach – along with a history of the neighborhood – and personal menu recommendations for each. You can grab this report by filling out the form below…

NAME

EMAIL

See What We Just Did?

We made it stupidly easy for readers to find what they’re looking for. They didn’t have to wade through your archives, or (god forbid) use your search bar. They found a lot of useful information, and all they need to do is subscribe to get your best stuff.

Readers get what they need. You get more subscribers. Win/win.

Life or Death

People are catching on to this whole “content marketing” thing. And while everyone else is competing on the quality/quantity angle, do the smart thing and organize your content in a better way.

Trust me, it makes all the difference.

What unique ways could you organize your content? Share your ideas below!

Author’s Bio:
Adam Costa is the co-founder of Trekity.com and Travel Blogger Academy which shows how bloggers can grow their travel blogs traffic.

Thank you for adding to the conversation!

Make Your Reputation Count When Searching for a Job

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With millions of Americans still searching for work, the stars in many cases have to align perfectly to land that coveted job.

While you can have years of experience, a desire to get the job done yesterday and not tomorrow, and the ability to work well with others, what could possibly be holding you back? Perhaps your reputation?

In today’s 24/7 Internet age, it just takes one unenviable image or statement to get online and cost you a potential job. As more and more companies turn to researching prospective applicants online, job seekers need to make sure their history is not something that will come back to bite them in the end.

Estimates indicate that more than 40 percent of resumes include false or altered information when they arrive on the desk or computer of an employer. Given that figure, is it any wonder more businesses are spending extra time checking out just who their next employee may be?

For the prospective employee, turning to services such as Reputation.com allows them to acquire personal information discovered on different blogs, photo sites, news outlets and social networking venues like Facebook and Twitter. Remember, it just takes one bad comment or image to kill a potential job.

As an example, say you are college grad entering the workforce for the first time. Your grades were super, you did a variety of charitable functions during your four years in school, and you come highly recommended by your professors and even an employer or two where you may have interned or worked part-time. Think that the coast is clear?

Wait a minute…. remember that silly comment you made on Twitter a couple of years ago where you admitted to shoplifting something from a store? Remember the photo you had taken at a frat party that was more than just a tad compromising? Lastly, remember that innocent comment you made on Facebook last year about someone’s ethnicity? Any or all of these scenarios could doom you if a potential employer discovers them through a  simple background check.

To start the process of better understanding your online image, do a simple Google search of your name and see what comes up.

In the event there are issues to be dealt with, using a reputation service company will allow you to put out more positive information about yourself and how you can help a prospective employer. By doing so, such information will move to the front of search-engine results, while pushing the negative details down.

In a world where your reputation can mean the difference between a job and unemployment, don’t bank on assuming your online reputation is squeaky clean.

Photo credit: scoop.it

Dave Thomas has more than 20 years’ experience as a writer, covering news, sports marketing, SEO, press releases, social media and more. 

 

 

How to Rebuild Rankings after the Penguin Update

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B. Lyttle

cooltext443809602_strategy

The Penguin Update by Google came into effect on April 24th, 2012. Although it received its fair share of contradictory criticism and appreciation, it made one thing very clear – the webmasters trying to trick Google by finding loopholes in the system and indulging in spam will constantly be weeded out, sooner or later, with every algorithm update.

How to Rebuild Rankings after the Penguin Update

If you’re a webmaster who’s still trying to figure out ways to rebuild a new SEO strategy after the Penguin update, these tips will help you recover your site from the oblivious pages to the top rankings that receive all the limelight once again:

1. Remove Irrelevant Links – Sure guest posting is a great way to get some free content while adding value to your site and giving your readers a fresh perspective on things. But if yours is a sports website accepting guest posts related to a completely different niche like cooking or finance, you’re only paving way for your website to sink in murky waters. Get rid of all such links on your site that are not relevant to your niche.

2. Provide Quality Content on Your Website and Contribute Guest Posts to Relevant Sites – Buying backlinks is a quite popular SEO tactic and is gaining huge momentum these days but it doesn’t always pay. Instead, it can lead to a lot of trouble for you when these paid links are automated links. If you have any such links or have any spam websites linking to you, contact the webmasters of these websites immediately and politely request them to remove these links.

It is best that you earn backlinks only from the sites that are relevant to your niche. The best way to do this is, by providing good quality content on your website that encourages natural link building of your website, as well as contributing guest posts to other established blogs in your relevant niche.

3. Vary Anchor Texts – If your SEO strategy was using your 2-3 main keywords as your anchor texts, there’s no way your site could come through clean in the Penguin update because this clearly indicates spam links. And, Google’s Penguin update’s aim is to eliminate all spam.

While it is important that you are ranked for your main keyword, it’s very important that your linking strategy should look absolutely natural, according to SEO experts at Click Consult. Avoiding any kind of pattern, especially in the anchor texts can take you a long way in SEO and in restoring the rankings of your website.

Make your anchor texts look natural by varying your main keywords, using brand names as anchor texts and others. For example, a main keyword like “Halloween Costumes” can be made to look natural by using anchor texts, like “90s Halloween costumes”, “Halloween costumes for plus size men” and others.

Restoring your rankings after the Penguin update is not as difficult as it was at the time of Panda update. Though the Penguin update dropped the axe on a lot of companies, creating a spam-free site with quality and relevant content will help you climb the ranking ladder again.

Author’s Bio:
B. Lyttle is a SEO expert with over 5 years of experience under her belt. She’s a contributor for the site, Click Consult.com, the #1 SEO Company in UK.