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5 Website Content Writing Tips

Your website represents your company. If your writing is sloppy, bloated or confused, you’ll frustrate customers and lose sales, no matter how good your products or services are. On the other hand, great content can help you across the board, getting more shares, picking up backlinks and earning the trust of visitors.

Good content is your best employee. In fact, a recent Salesforce/Pardot survey found that consumers consider trust in a company’s content to be 3 times more important that trust in the brand’s actual employees. In addition, 97% of the same survey respondents also said that bad content negatively affected their trust in a brand.

Most businesses understand that they need to consistently produce good content. However, just wanting to do better won’t make you a great website content writer, and the difference between strong and weak content can have a significant impact on brand perception, website traffic, and conversions.

Here are a few tips to help you produce better content for your website.

1. Always start with keyword research for search engine optimization

Before you even write the first word of a page or post on your website, you need to know what you are writing about. Keyword research is the most important part of digital marketing. SEO keyword research tells you what topics Google, and your target audience, finds relevant. It lets you peak into your competitors content strategy and highlights the strengths and weaknesses in your own. Knowing what keywords to use in your content helps you bring in more traffic to your website.

2. Drive toward powerful calls to action (CTAs)

What desired action do you want readers to take with the content you create? Your goal should never be to just have a reader consume the content. The ultimate goal of every piece of content you create should be to convince your users to take action. Before you even start writing, you need to know what your call to action will be, and you need to make your content compelling enough that readers want to perform that action.

Here are a few examples of calls to action you can incorporate:

  • Desired action: download a resource – Download our free guide for more expert tips.
  • Desired action: subscribe to a newsletter – Sign up for exclusive resources in your inbox each month.
  • Desired action: schedule a demo – Schedule a free demo to see how many hours you can save each day.
  • Desired action: share content – Know someone who could use these tips? Share this article and tag your friends.
  • Desired action: make a purchase – Click here and use offer code “CONTENT” to save 30% on your purchase.

When writing calls to action, put yourself in your reader’s shoes. What would it take for a company you’ve never heard of to convince you to do something?

3. Make the reader feel something

There are many factors that go into viral content. Promotion is a huge factor, and brand identity, timing and plain luck all play a role. But almost all viral content shares one thing in common: emotional impact.

In a recent article, Hubspot interviewed three different marketing experts on why content goes viral. All three emphasized the importance of creating content that evokes an emotional response in the reader. The next time you are developing a piece of content, ask yourself, “What is good about this story? How can I make this content have more of an emotional impact on readers?”

4. Give your readers a reason to care

Good intros are hard to develop. It can feel quite unnatural to skip right to the point. Human nature is to provide some context, warm up your readers and then work your way into the main topic. But by that point, your reader is long gone.

Your website isn’t literature, and visitors aren’t there for your slow, measured flow. They want to get information or solve a problem quickly. Your job is to provide answers and then lead them to your call to action. And if you don’t give them what they are looking for, they are going to move on and get that information somewhere else.

In your intro, tell your reader why your article is important, using emotion if possible, then remind the reader why they need to read your article. Every piece of content you write should tell your reader why they should invest their time in reading what you have to say. Give them a reason to care and tell them what they can accomplish by reading your content.

5. Provide added value

Your content writing should always offer value to the reader in terms of insightful ideas and actionable tips. However, if you really want your content to earn repeat traffic and an increase in search engine performance, give your readers a parting gift. It doesn’t even have to cost you anything. It could be a link to a free webinar, a template, a worksheet, or even an opportunity to signup for your newsletter where they can receive more quality content from you.

Good content is good business

The key to a successful website is great content. Therefore, you should commit time and resources to not only creating content but learning how to improve your content writing skills. Including excellent copy on your website is one of the easiest ways to grab the attention of new visitors and keep them coming back for more. With enough discipline and practice, solid web content writing skills are within anyone’s reach.

 

Want more tips and how-to articles to help take your business marketing to the next level? Please subscribe to get future editions of our newsletter, “The Edge.” Stuff you need to know, delivered once a month. No SPAM, no bull, unsubscribe at any time. Sign up at http://eepurl.com/gdjrIj.

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How-to: 5 Free Keyword Research Tools

Let’s face it, researching keywords as part of your effort to improve search ranking isn’t exactly at the top of your list of fun things to do. Just figuring out how to start can be a daunting task. Here are a few free tools that can help you in your search for great keywords:

  1. Google Trends. Google Trends visualizes how search trends change over time. It also has a built-in tool to help you see related searches for a chosen keyword. Simply enter a keyword and you will see the relative popularity of that search term over the past 12 months.
  2. Google Correlate. Another useful tool from Google. It finds search patterns that correspond with real-world trends, and can help you find terms that may not have been obvious to you.
  3. AdWord and SEO Keyword Permutation Generator. This tool takes multiple lists of keywords and organizes them into every possible arrangement. Add your keywords to the three lists and it will arrange them into combinations you may not have thought of.
  4. Wordtracker Scout. A Chrome extension that pulls out the most relevant keywords on a page. This can help you identify prominent keywords on pages that are performing well. Use the extension while browsing any site and it will give you a word cloud of the keywords used on that page.
  5. Keywords Everywhere. This is another free add-on for Google Chrome that gives you stats for search volume, CPC and competition data. This turns your casual browsing into keyword research. Every time you search, it shows data related to your search term.

Yes, keyword research takes time and effort. However, it is time well spent that will help your website perform better in search engine results. These free tools will help you choose the best keywords for your website. Look for more tips in our next edition.

 

Want more tips and how-to articles to help take your business marketing to the next level? Please subscribe to get future editions of our newsletter, “The Edge.” Stuff you need to know, delivered once a month. No SPAM, no bull, unsubscribe at any time. Sign up at http://eepurl.com/gdjrIj.

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Search Engine Optimization Checklist for Small Business

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become an increasingly complicated and time-consuming process. If you don’t know where to begin, just thinking about SEO can be daunting.

SEO is not a big mysterious phenomenon. With a little planning, a little effort and consistent work, you can achieve measurable results. We’ve put together a quick checklist any small business owner can use to improve search engine placement.

  • Build content that is relative to your business and the consumers of your products or services.
  • Create/Update your Google My Business Page. Google My Business (GMB) is a free service offered by Google that lets you claim and update your business information at any time. GMB is different from Apple Maps Connect and review sites such as Yelp in that it allows you to upload photos and videos to enhance your listing. This gives you coverage in regular search, photos and videos for all search engines. Make sure your content, address, phone number, business hours and website link are all accurate.
  • Get coverage through local businesses, blogs, organizations and events. Choose places that fall in line with your brand. Local newspapers or media outlets may run stories on your business. Local bloggers with small followings in your area is another option. The idea is to get locals interested in your business and keep your name circulating online.
  • Catch customer attention by using compelling title tags and descriptions. Include your target keywords in your titles and bulleted lists.
  • Research Keywords and update your content. You should be analyzing how people find your site regularly. Knowing the keywords people use to find you gives you the ability to target your content for those search terms.
  • Fix technical issues on your website such as page load speed, broken links, duplicate content, site responsiveness and security.
  • Optimize your images. Every image on your site should be optimized to load quickly, named appropriately and include alt tags with keywords.
  • Use subheadings, such as H2 and H3 tags in your content. They break your content down into easily scanned blocks and give search engines structure for your site.
  • Check your competitor’s websites and make improvements. Find out what search terms they are ranking for, what content is getting attention and the quality of their website structure. Use this research to improve your content and structure.
  • Get reviews. Reviews were one of the leading local search ranking factors last year. You can improve your search engine performance and conversion rate by getting quality reviews and feedback from your customers.

Search Engine Optimization is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time and consistency, but your effort will be rewarded with an increase in high-quality traffic to your website.

 

Want more tips and how-to articles to help take your business marketing to the next level? Please subscribe to get future editions of our newsletter, “The Edge.” Stuff you need to know, delivered once a month. No SPAM, no bull, unsubscribe at any time. Sign up at http://eepurl.com/gdjrIj.

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5 Easy On-Site Search Engine Optimization Tips for Your Business Website

If you run a small to medium-sized business, you probably aren’t really concerned with dominating global search results (yet). Instead, the local community you serve is probably the lifeblood of your business, and showing up at the top of local listings is important for bringing in new customers.

Search engine optimization can seem like an overwhelming task, but showing up for the right cities or state should be one of your top priorities for growing your business. Thankfully, there are a few easy things you can do to boost your local online visibility in Eastern North Carolina or anywhere in the country.

Small Business Tips for Better Local Search Engine Visibility

Potential customers have so many choices when looking for products and services. But it is possible to stand out in a sea of competition. Here are a few actionable tips you can implement today.

1. Research the Best Keywords

Writing blog posts, landing page content and social media posts are important to get more attention online. And that’s a great start. But adding targeted keywords for each product and service can make your efforts that much more effective.

For example, if you provide amazing, delicious coffee like one of our clients, you might post coffee specific content with keywords like “coffee in Kinston” or “coffee shop in Kinston.” Slipping in keywords with location will help Google and other search engines index your content more accurately.

Need help with researching keywords? Check out Google’s Keyword Planner Tool and this helpful post from HubSpot on how to find long-tail keywords to include in your content.

2. Keep Cranking out the Content

One of the most beneficial ways to boost your visibility in search engine results is to consistently create fresh content with targeted keywords. Blogging is an easy way to do this.

Providing helpful information to your readers and slipping in valuable keywords for search engines to index will help boost your results in local search. The more your post, the more often search engines index your site, and they more valuable they will consider your website to be.

A good tip is to setup a blogging schedule, complete with ideas and keywords you want to target.

Other ways to introduce fresh content with a local focus include:

  • Local case studies
  • Highlighting local customer success stories
  • Commenting on local news
  • Location-specific landing pages for product and service offers
  • New product and service pages

3. Perform On-Page Optimization of Important Pages

Optimize the most important pages on your business website to improve local search visibility by using the main keyword in important locations. These include:

  • Title
  • URL
  • Meta description
  • Introductory paragraphs
  • Headings

4. Create Specific Location Pages for Your Website

If you have more than one location, consider creating a unique page for each location. Each page should have different content, including different keywords based on your keyword research.

5. Consider the Responsiveness of Your Website

The majority of visitors to your website will be using a mobile device. How does your website look on a tablet or smartphone? Do visitors have to pinch and expand to view your content. If so, you are losing potential customers and hurting your search engine placement.

Search engines give priority to mobile-friendly websites because they are considered to be more helpful for users.

Final thoughts on Search Engine Optimization for Local Business

There’s no one and done solution or magic formula for getting great search engine placement. It is hard work that takes effort, planning and continuous fine-tuning. However, by employing a few of the easy steps we’ve covered here, you can see measurable results in your search engine position and a boost in quality traffic to your business website.

Need help optimizing your website for local search? Edge360 Creative specializes in providing local website optimization services.

 

Want more tips and how-to articles to help take your business marketing to the next level? Please subscribe to get future editions of our newsletter, “The Edge.” Stuff you need to know, delivered once a month. No SPAM, no bull, unsubscribe at any time. Sign up at http://eepurl.com/gdjrIj.

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Improve Search Engine Placement and Conversion Rates with Faster Page Load Speed

Google factors page speed into its indexing algorithm and the time it takes your website to load can have a significant impact in your search engine ranking results. Ranking better in search engines means more traffic and more conversions for your business. In addition to better search engine optimization, a fast website is better for user experience. It is clear that making your site as fast as possible is important.

How much of an impact does a few seconds have on your site’s performance and search engine placement? Let’s take a look at some recent research. According to Google, the average time it takes for a mobile landing page to load is now more than 22 seconds. The average visitor decides if they want to stay for your page to load within 3 seconds. See an issue there? And while page speed is very important for search engine optimization, it is even more important for customer experience and conversion rate.

Research shows that the chance of a bounce (a visitor leaving your site) increases 32% when the page load time goes from 1 second to just 3 seconds, and a bounce rate of 90% if your site takes 5 seconds to load. If your site takes 10 seconds to load, the chance of your visitor leaving increases to over 120%! Those numbers are alarming and prove that page load time is extremely important for increasing engagement and conversions.

Search engines view better performance as a sign of a healthy website that pleases visitors and they reward faster loading sites with higher search engine rankings.

There are a few simple things you can do to speed up your site and increase search engine visibility. Work on improving your page load speed by eliminating overbearing sliders and videos of possible, optimizing images, compressing code, and loading fewer scripts and external links. You should also leverage browser caching and enable gzip compression. In addition to all of this, it is important to host your site on a fast server that is configured to serve up websites quickly.

If you are struggling with improving your page load speed, getting better search engine placement and improving your website’s conversion rate, let us know. We’ll be glad to help.

 

Want more tips and how-to articles to help take your business marketing to the next level? Please subscribe to get future editions of our newsletter, “The Edge.” Stuff you need to know, delivered once a month. No SPAM, no bull, unsubscribe at any time. Sign up at http://eepurl.com/gdjrIj.

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