“How do you move a mechanical mentor relationship into a personal mentor relationship?”
My answer was simple…. Be human.
You see… People want to connect with other people. That’s how we were designed. We weren’t designed to be isolated and unconnected.
The same goes in our business environment. We look at our clients as businesses or consumers. But in the end, every client you deal with is human.
That’s why I want to say good-bye to the terms B2B vs B2C marketing!
It’s time to welcome in this new term H2H.
Say Hello to H2H: The New Marketing Paradigm
In business writing, we’re often told to write from a business point of view to another business or a consumer. And while that’s dandy, it takes the personal touch out of the relationship.
And copywriting is basically building a relationship between you (i.e. the writer) and your reader (i.e. your prospect)!
When I meet with entrepreneurs every day, their “why” and purpose for why their business exists isn’t to make money (although that’s part of the motivation). The purpose is so much deeper than that, and may include:
Creating full conversion campaigns so that you can take care of your sick family member
Designing jewelry that female entrepreneurs can feel confident wearing because you didn’t have that sense of confidence when you were younger
Documenting client’s processes because you know what’s it’s like when the founder of the company dies and left no documentation
Advising clients on their finances because you came from an impoverished country
Coaching spouses who co-own a business because you battled with your own spouse to get on the same page
This list goes on and on… And those are examples from just this past month!
B2B vs B2C Marketing
Business to business or B2B marketing is in the name itself. It’s businesses marketing their services to other businesses with the hope of solving their client’s problems, or at least making themselves appear more desirable.
The marketing style that most people are familiar with is typically business to consumer. Ads sporting a B2C style look similar to catchy fast food billboards, quippy sparkling water ads, or even eye-catching electronic commercials. While they all may fall under different industries, they all have one thing in common in that they are designed for you – the likely consumer.
Take a look at this chart below to compare key differences between both marketing strategies:
B2B
B2C
Targets Other Businesses
Targets Consumers
Has Fewer Customers
Has a Larger Number of Customers
Effort is Often Put into Speaking to a Smaller Group(s)
Effort is Put into Speaking to a Wide Variety of People
Have High-Value Orders
Have Lower-Value Orders
Decisions to Buy Take Longer
Decisions to Buy Can Be Immediate
Produce Longer Lasting Relationships
Produce Shorter Term Relationships
While this chart may not apply to every single business out there, it’s the typical pattern that we see when comparing B2B vs B2C marketing.
Why There’s Room for Change to H2H
The problem companies are running into with these two channels of marketing is that at the end of it all, there is a human behind the curtain making the important decisions. And unless you have robots for employees, there is a natural desire for copywriters to want to connect on a human-to-human basis with their audience.
Let’s put it this way… Customers can only hear the same auto reply responses and receive the same corporate-structured interactions so many times before they start to become frustrated with your intentions. And you may not even know it!
Consider if you were your own customer…
Do you think your business would be tackling the true pain points of your buyer in a meaningful way?
If not, there are a few things you can do to shake up the copy so that it relays a more relatable message.
Changing Your B2B Copy
The idea behind bringing up your potential customers’ pain points is to offer them a tangible solution. For businesses, pain points may look like this:
“I’m tired of using the management software I have because I feel it takes away from everyone’s productivity.”
Instead of responding or advertising something that immediately talks about your own business, think about why their problem may be frustrating to them. The reasons could include they:
Want their employees to feel productive and valuable
Would like to reduce the stress their employees feel using a malfunctioning software system
Would like to use a software that offers real-time human interaction when there are problems
Want to buy from a company they can trust because they’ve been burned before
If you truly feel that your business can give them what they’re looking for based on their pain points, feel free to tell them that rather than burying your value in the copy.
Changing Your B2C Copy
For consumers, pain points may look like this:
“I’m bored of my morning beverage, and I’m looking for new coffee blends to try that aren’t Starbucks.”
Again instead of diving into your own business right away, reflect on the customer’s feelings and attempt to get to the root of the issue.
They’re bored! Maybe their morning cup of coffee gives them the jolt they need to get through the day, no matter what that looks like
Deep down, they may feel guilty by not supporting local brands
They might also want to buy from a supplier who they can connect with
They may want to consider eco-friendly and ethical businesses to buy from
It’s important to connect to the human who is having these problems, acknowledge their concerns, and then offer solutions if you have them.
Be honest. Nobody enjoys being swindled.
Let’s Chat About Your Copy
As a business owner, do me a favor, take a step back and ask yourself these 2 questions.
“How am I connecting with my clients? Is it working?”
If the answer you came up with is unclear or you’ve come to realize it isn’t working for you, then it may be time to turn to the experts. There’s nothing wrong with needing help writing for your business. In fact, we’re happy to do it! Contact us, and we’ll work together at connecting with your clients in the new way to write — the H2H way.
Focus Your Copy On
Conversation & Conversion
Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Blogging is certainly not dead – especially when it comes to B2B blogging. Some 700 million blog posts are published each month on WordPress alone.
Today’s web users can hop online and find a blog on pretty much any topic you can imagine.
Searching for a step-by-step guide on how to perform an oil change? There’s a blog for that.
What about finding the perfect chocolate cake recipe? Yep, there’s a blog for that, too.
More often than not, the blogs with sufficient information may eventually lead you to an expert within the field of what you’re searching for.
This is excellent news for businesses – boasting numerous benefits for writing business blog posts.
5 Benefits for Writing Business Blog Posts
We could go on for hours listing the benefits for writing business blog posts, but we picked these 5 benefits because they directly impact your bottom line. At FocusCopy, we would never recommend anything that doesn’t produce sales or makes your company more efficient (and thereby more profitable).
1. Blog Posts Provide Social Media and Email Content
You want to keep your audience engaged, right? If you’re like us, you’ve been subject to opening a marketing email only to hit close as soon as you scan it (even if you get that far). One way to positively use the blogs you’ve written is to include them in your marketing emails paired with a catchy headline or phrase to draw your audience in. By doing so, you keep readers engaged with relevant content to your business, boost your click rate, and improve website traffic…. Ultimately generating more qualified leads for your business (paired with a few other things).
Plus, with so many tools available like MailChimp, Campaign Monitor, and so on, you can use these platforms to help monitor your email marketing performance, making it easy to see which emails featuring your blogs tend to outshine one another. You can then plan and strategize additional content to work better for you and your business in the future.
In line with sharing blogs to your email efforts, you can pad your social media calendar with shareable posts featuring your blog. All it takes is a simple graphic, engaging copy, and a link to your blog to quickly get better engagement on your social media platforms. With almost half of the world’s population using social media, you really can’t go wrong by creating some buzz around your blog posts using Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other social-sharing software.
2. Blog Posts Boost Search Engine Optimization
According to OptinMonster, “Companies who blog get 97% more links to their websites.” That statistic alone should be convincing enough to start blogging.
The bottom line is that more traffic to your website means more potential sales. Writing a blog and sharing its content any way you can help build the number of visitors who end up on your site. As you consistently continue producing relevant content written with SEO in mind, you’ll see your SEO performance build and improve over time.
Chances are, someone who conducts a search on Google looking for a how-to on best business practices during COVID will likely run into a few high-ranking blogs covering this topic. As a result, the business blogs that appear on the first or second page are likely to see improved engagement and viewers on their website.
As long as you have an individual or team member regularly creating, publishing content, and monitoring your results, there is no reason your SEO and, in turn, your business shouldn’t see some improved engagement.
Case Study: Publish Consistently Now
As a new business, we consistently published weekly blogs from August 2019 to April 2020. This was a critical step to start building the SEO snowball.
Then between April 2020 and September 2020, our blogging became a little more inconsistent because… Well, we were too busy writing for our clients. Yet, our traffic was still growing.
In October 2020, our blogging became non-existent through the remainder of 2020. We were simply too busy to even schedule posts on social media! All our focus was on our client’s copy and their marketing.
Yet, our traffic grew and grew. This is the power of publishing business blog posts. This is what we refer to as the SEO snowball effect.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
Chinese Proverb
3. Blog Posts Educate Your Target Audience
There is a ton of information out there online. But you’re the one who knows your business best, so who better to talk about it than yourself? People want to know accurate and readable information that will help them. Don’t be afraid to give your blogs everything you’ve got and go into as much detail as you can in an organized format that flows with ease.
A simple benefit you can add to your blogs includes graphics, videos, and photography to help users visualize the discussion topic. It’s not entirely necessary, but for businesses who offer intricate services or products, these elements can break down some more technical content in a digestible way.
(P.S. We’re experts in capturing your brand voice, learning your story, and communicating it with SEO and your target audience in mind. Want to learn how we make your blog production easier? Schedule a call with co-founder Lauren Jefferson today.)
4. Blogs Posts Position You As a Brand Authority
As the expert, you want to let others know that they can turn to you for the information they need now or might need in the future. With each blog post, you build brand authority for yourself and become a reliable resource for your audience to turn to.
One way of serving as a brand authority lies in sharing information backed by reliable resources, data, or reports. You can also rely on the professionals around you to get the latest industry updates and material to improve your content. Finally, you can answer some FAQs in depth through blogs that are both requested and informative. Each of these factors sets the tone for your blog and provides a safe space for others to turn to when they need trustworthy information.
5. Blog Posts Create More Opportunities to Sell
If you have your sales process down, blog writing may be the solution you need to pour more leads into your funnel. You see, the more content you produce backed by appropriate facts and figures, the more people will be geared towards your website and brand. As users get to know your brand better and become more familiar with who you are, the more likely they are to use your product or service.
According to Hubspot, “Marketers who prioritized blogging received 13X more ROI than companies that did not in 2019.” Hubspot’s findings make blogging one of the most useful marketing tools out there on top of creating other inviting digital content.
How to Start Writing Blog Posts for Business
If you’re tired of being left behind in a digital world, get started today on setting up a blog for your business with just a few quick steps.
Figure Out What You’re Going To Write About
Where do you start? Understandably, you may have a lot to say but don’t know where to begin. Whether you use your smartphone, laptop, or pen and paper, you should kick off your blogging venture by jotting down your best blog ideas. Some components to think about include:
Timeliness. Is what you want to write about pertinent to right now?
Substance. Is there enough to talk about when discussing a specific topic?
Benefits. Will your blog be able to highlight something that your business has to offer to help its readers?
Content. Is the content being discussed relevant to your business?
If you’ve answered “No,” to any of these questions, it may be time to discuss more openly with your team about what would work when it comes to blogging for your business.
Decide How Frequently You’re Going to Write Blog Posts
Some websites will tell you you should blog twice a week, once a week, or once a month. Depending on your business, you may want to post more or less. If you don’t have the bandwidth to start posting numerous times a day, work on getting your posts written and provide yourself with a bank of blogs you can rely on when you’re ready to start publishing.
“Blogging frequency has a direct and significant impact on lead generation.”
We take a little different approach when it comes to choosing frequency. At FocusCopy, we want to see consistency in your marketing. If that’s every week, go for it! But if you can only manage one blog a month, that’s great. Start building that rhythm so you can produce more content down the line.
Determine Who Is Writing Your Blog Posts
I you are considering starting a blog, think no more. Get your blog up and running with a content writer who knows the ins and outs of blogging, wordplay, and adapting to your company’s work model, style, voice, tone, and attitude.
We get it! You may not have the time for blogging. Lucky for you, we’re the experts you need in that department. FocusCopy offers content writing for your business – bringing your brand to center stage for the audience you crave.
Who said writing high-converting copy has to be hard?
Probably someone without a swipe file!
If you’re stuck in a creative block trying to write compelling and high-converting copy for your business, it’s time to learn about the shortcut you’ve been missing. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel and stand on the shoulders of giants instead.
Here’s the secret… The most successful copywriters get on-demand inspiration from the best that’s already out there by creating swipe files for their business.
What is a Swipe File?
A swipe file is a folder full of examples of copy that:
You love
Made you buy
You want to emulate in your business’s copy
The purpose of having a swipe file is to have examples to refer to when your creativity well is dry. For instance, many visual artists use an inspiration or mood board to help guide their creative process. It’s a collage of visual ideas to help guide them along as they work. Referring to a mood board can help creatives:
Plan more clearly
Save time and energy
Keep inspiration high
Remind them of the end-goal
Swipe files are the mood boards of copywriting, and they come with similar benefits.
The Most Important Rule of Swipe Files
The first and most important thing to know about using swipe files is that they are a collection of examples to work from – NOT copied. You should never plagiarize what someone else has created. Not only is plagiarism unethical, but your website could potentially be flagged for its unoriginal content.
Swipe files are a resource to learn from and to improve your skills. Many of the best artists, athletes, and business leaders learned from previous ‘greats’ to improve themselves and their chance to surpass them. Simply trying to pass others’ work off as their own wouldn’t have helped them at all. The concept is the same when it comes to swipe files.
Why Businesses Need Swipe Files
If your business isn’t using swipe files, you may be at a disadvantage. Not only will it take you more time to write, but your writing probably won’t reach its full potential for conversion and engagement.
Stay in the loop about the latest copywriting strategies
Bypass testing by using copywriting that is already proven to work
Produce copy that is attention-catching rather than stale and dated
The Beginner’s Guide To Creating Swipe Files For Copywriting
If you’re ready to start refilling your creative well and get to writing better copy more quickly, here is what you need to know about establishing and maintaining creative swipe files.
Understand What Types of Copy You Need
If you’re trying to build a car, looking up cake recipes won’t do you any good. In writing, if you’re trying to create copy for your website homepage, looking up examples of email newsletters can only get you so far — no matter how amazing the copy might be. In this case, if you are unsure where to start, it may help to understand that there are two kinds of copy, each trying to accomplish a different goal.
Homepage copy will be short and sweet above the fold (i.e., it speaks to either new or existing clients and will probably direct visitors to your primary services). In contrast, newsletter copy can be longer and is often used to speak to existing clients. It typically encourages your audience to engage with your latest content. Now that you know how to pinpoint your business’s goals and decipher what types of copy you need, it’s easier to get going.
Here are a few types of swipe files you might need:
To get the most out of your swipe files, include examples that:
Are within a similar industry. You’ll learn about what pain points are identified for your particular audience to use in your writing.
Have a similar goal. Are you trying to get email newsletter sign-ups? Find some copy that made you eager to enroll in a newsletter recently!
Identify and Read Copy That You Love
Once you determine what type of copy you need and find some examples you love, the next step is to dig in and read!
While you’re reading, keep an eye out for things like:
Catchy or attention-grabbing copy
Callouts to a problem and solution
How the audience is addressed
Placement and value of call-to-action buttons
Ways the copy focuses on the client
How it describes benefits and features
Word count, sentence structure, and reading ease
Style, format, and fonts
And these are just a few!
Pinpoint Why You Love That Copy
After you’ve given it a critical read, pinpoint what it is about the copy that you love. Ask yourself, what stood out?
Create some notes below a screenshot of the copy in your swipe file so that you can refer back to it later or share it with your copywriting team. You can also make notes about what you would change or improve. Many businesses even use swipe files when developing their brand voice. This way, they have tangible examples and inspiration to guide them.
Organize It and Tag It
Creating swipe files works best for your business when you can quickly pull up examples when you need them. The purpose is to save you time, not waste it frustratingly searching through files trying to find that one example you love.
The key here is to make sure your files are organized. Put all of your swipe files in one storage location. Then, use tags on each file to indicate what that file contains. You can tag each file with the type of copy and the industry. By following this method, you can easily pull up the swipe file examples you need according to your current goal.
Here are some organization platforms that have tagging features:
Creating swipe files will help you get creative with your copy, and we all know that getting creative means being open to experimenting!
You might not be used to writing in a specific style or using a particular copywriting technique. But there’s no better time than the present to try it out and see where it takes you and your writing.
After all, your audience is bombarded with so much content each day. You’ll have to do something new and creative to capture their attention. Don’t be afraid to get outside of your comfort zone and discover a new approach to your writing.
If you’re ready to start thinking outside of the box, subscribe to our weekly email newsletter where you’ll find plenty of refreshing, catchy, and creative copy to keep you inspired!
Why don’t you write more value-added content for your audience?
It’s not because you don’t know how to write in a specific format.
And it’s definitely not because you don’t have the knowledge. After all, there are plenty of resources out there for you to use and learn from – including a bunch from FocusCopy!
The reason why many people – maybe you – tend to get stuck when writing content is because they are battling a little thing called… Imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is when a person doubts their accomplishments and skills, and as a result, becomes afraid that they aren’t good enough.
This is one of the most common roadblocks that prevents entrepreneurs from being consistent (especially in their content production). They fall into thinking they are not smart enough to be an expert in their story and become frozen with fear of being inadequate or being called out as a fake.
I’m a young copywriter, have only been in the business for just over a year, and are working with 30+ year old businesses. By all means, it would be easy for me to see myself as an imposter – except that I know my skills and what results my skills they can provide my clients.
We all experience imposter syndrome at one point or another in our careers. But if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, face it head on and defeat it before it defeats you!
Practical Methods to Defeat Imposter Syndrome
Here are some practical methods to defeat imposter syndrome, so you can start regaining your confidence to write more content consistently.
1. Identify What the Lie is
The first step to overcoming imposter syndrome is to identify what the lie is. What is the lie circling your thoughts that is holding you back and making you feel like an imposter?
These can be thoughts like…
“I’m not the best [insert your profession].”
“Who am I to say I’m an expert? I’m not an expert.”
Figure out what you’re telling yourself, and write it down.
2. Figure Out If That’s Truth
Once you’ve identified those imposter thoughts, interrogate them! Figure out if there is any truth in them.
For example, my lie could be… “I am not really a copywriting expert.”
Yes, there are thousands of copywriters around the world. However, I’ve been studying copywriting for 5 years, digital marketing for 6 years, business for 7 years, and have loved writing since I was in elementary school. I also know that my clients are pleased with my work and my team’s work. In client meetings, I’m able to give advice without struggling to find words to say.
There will always be people in your field that are “better” than you; however, your experience is yours. No other person can buy your experience and use it as theirs – it’s yours and yours alone. That’s what makes you an expert.
Ask yourself:
Do you have clients that are paying you right now?
Are you working hard to improve your skills?
What does your client expect from you, and are you meeting those expectations?
The truth is, most of the time, your clients don’t need you to know everything. They just need someone to listen and give them a solution.
Look for examples of how you have done that in the past and how you continue to put in the work to improve those skills for the future. Then you’ll have the evidence you need to know that you’re not an imposter.
3. Preach To Yourself The Truth
Now that you’ve unveiled the truth behind those pesky imposter syndrome lies, you’ll have to make sure that you don’t forget it.
Write it down on a post-in note, and stick it to your computer monitor.
Recite it to yourself every morning and every time those lies sneak into your mind.
Ask your colleagues, friends, or family to remind you of the truth.
Over time, you won’t need that post-it note; your success will reinforce that you are not an imposter. You are the real deal.
Tackle The Lies Imposter Syndrome Tells You
So now that you practically know how to defeat imposter syndrome, it’s time to tackle the lies imposter syndrome tells you.
Other People Have Had More Success.
Yes, other people may have had more success than you. But you don’t know the number of failures they worked through to get their success. You cannot compare your story to another person’s story.
Instead of comparing successes, compare your personal and professional growth. Where were you a year, 5 years, 10 years ago? Have you grown?
Truth: Our success comes from our ability to overcome our failures.
Think about Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb… Few people consider Thomas Edison to be a failure. But when asked how he felt about his lightbulb tests failing 1000 times, he simply retorted “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The lightbulb was simply an invention with 1,000 steps”. He didn’t consider test failures as a reflection on him and his work, simply as steps to the final solution that worked.
Do People Really Want To Hear What I’m Saying?
One of our clients built an incredible digital course in the health and wellness arena this year. There are many other courses in her specific arena, yes. But I kept reminding her that her background is so unique and she has a message she needs to share with the world.
Truth: Someone wants and needs to hear your story; no one else can copy your stories.
There are 7 billion people in this world!! Not everyone is gonna click, but SOMEONE will. YOUR approach to it and the knowledge you bring is completely different and unique!
What If Something Bad Happens?
Something bad will happen. Already in 2020, we’ve experienced (and are still experiencing) a pandemic, a social revolution, and a hurricane season that’s ravaged many communities.
In all these “bad things”, you may also respond wrongly. You’re going to respond poorly at something. No one is perfect. And as long as you release those perfectionist tendencies, you’re going to break free of your imposter syndrome.
When those moments happen, are you willing to own up to your mistakes and right your path forward?
Truth: Bad things are gonna happen, but it’s how you respond that’s going to make an impact.
People don’t necessarily want to see people who have it all put together. They are tired of the put-togetherness social media paints for them. They want to see the carpal tunnel from writing too much, bags under eyes, owning to up mistakes, and messy buns. That stuff is inevitable and REAL. For even more tips, check out my blog post on how to ease anxiety during content production.
Is your website leaving the right first impression with your audience?
First impressions are the key to sparking interest in your brand. When potential customers stumble upon your webpage, their decision to stay or leave will happen in seconds… And it all relies on your above the fold website copy.
In this blog, I’ll go over what needs to be above the fold on your site to grab your audience’s attention, make a great first impression, and increase your engagement and conversion rates.
Above the Fold vs Below the Fold
The concept of above the fold website copy stems from the pre-digital era of communication – back in the days when everyone bought newspapers. Since newspapers were folded in half and put out for sale, passerbys would only see whatever was above the fold. The content above the fold had to entice people to buy the paper, without even picking it up. It had to convince people to buy with just a quick glance.
Above the Fold Definition
So what is considered “above the fold” when it comes to your web content? Above the fold website copy is any content that appears on the top half of your website when someone first arrives at the URL, without any scrolling or clicking.
Here is an example of what our website looks like above the fold:
As you might imagine, what content falls above the fold depends on screen size. Not everyone has the same sized computer monitors. Plus, people are accessing the Web through tablets and smartphones now too.
Here is what website visitors see above the fold when they are viewing on mobile:
So how can you figure out what falls above the fold on your website?
You can get a good estimate by using your website’s analytics program to find out what the most common screen dimensions are for your visitors. Then, you can use the average screen height as a guide for where the website “fold” is.
Below the Fold Definition
The majority of your website is below the fold. This is anything that is not initially visible when someone first arrives at your site. Visitors will only get to see it once they start to scroll down the webpage.
For instance, everything that is below the red line here wouldn’t be seen unless the visitor was curious enough to keep exploring the webpage.
Since a majority of your content may be below the fold, you want to lead your customers there! Let’s talk about how you can take full advantage of your above the fold website copy to do just that.
4 Requirements for Above the Fold Website Copy
To capture your audience’s attention, the above the fold copy on your website needs to:
Target the customer
Identify the problem
Introduce the major benefit
Call to action
1. Target the Customer
When it comes to making a powerful first impression in the real world, eye contact and addressing the person by name play a huge role. To achieve the same effect virtually on your webpage, make sure your above the fold copy targets the customer.
So what does copywriting that targets the customer actually look like?
Call them out. The most straightforward way to target the customer is to acknowledge them by name in your copy. For example, Scalable opens with “Attention all Founders & CEOs”.
Speak their language. Use words and phrases that your target audience is familiar with. Don’t be afraid to use jargon or slang if your target customer knows the terms. It shows that you’re speaking directly to them in their own language. For example, Wilson Murphy Law’s about page perfectly addresses what her audience knows – that they don’t want copycats or poachers. This isn’t language that you would see leaving an attorney’s mouth. And that’s okay. Speak your audience’s language.
Focus on them. Make sure your above the fold website copy is focused on the customer rather than your business. To check how well your copy does this, see if you use “You” about twice as often as you use “We”. Notice how Elementor doesn’t talk about themselves – they talk about “you”.
2. Identify the Problem
Targeting the customer will grab their attention. After that, you’ll only have a few seconds to engage their curiosity by identifying a problem they are experiencing.
Sometimes, your customer won’t even realize they are experiencing a problem until you bring it to their attention. Once the customer realizes the problem (and if the problem is important enough to them), they’ll continue to scroll down your website to find your solution.
What kinds of problems is your target customer experiencing?
According to Harvard Business Review, customers have 4 main kinds of problems they need solutions for. Let’s talk about the two major problems most businesses should address in their above the fold website copy: functional and emotional problems.
Functional Problems
Functional problems are the most common type of challenge your customers will experience. These are problems that have an impact on their practical day-to-day functioning.
This can include things like:
Not having enough time to accomplish a certain task
Not making enough money
Something is too complicated or unorganized
A product or service they currently use lacks quality or variety
Emotional Problems
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that your customer is human! It may seem obvious, but so many businesses overlook this crucial fact. Because you’re writing for humans, you can also address emotional problems that they might be experiencing, like:
Experiencing heightened anxiety
Missing the past or feeling nostalgic
Feeling exhausted or burnt out
Now, your above the fold copy doesn’t have to include every problem that your target customer is facing. In fact, it shouldn’t! You only have a limited amount of space and a short amount of time when it comes to above the fold content. Instead, your above the fold website copy should highlight the main problem that is most disruptive for your target customer. Then discuss the solution your company offers.
3. Introduce the Major Benefit
Once you’ve targeted the customer and identified their problem, you can’t stop there! The next piece you have to include is an introduction to the major benefit your company offers to solve the customer’s problem.
Here are some strategic ways to introduce the major benefit to your customer:
Stand out among competition. Introduce a benefit that is unique to your company by creating a unique selling proposition. What does your company offer that others don’t?
Use your brand voice. When you’re introducing customers to the major benefit, you’re also introducing them to your brand. Make sure your above the fold copy reflects your brand’s personality by creating a brand voice.
Show the stats. Quantify just how much time and money they’ll save, or how much variety/quality they will gain. Try using infographics that are eye-catching and easy to read at a glance.
Tap into emotions. Think about how you want your customer to feel after they have access to your product and reflect that in your writing.
4. Call to Action
Finally, your above the fold website copy won’t be complete without a call to action.
If you’ve structured your above the fold content with everything we’ve discussed so far, your target customer will be ready to (at the very least) learn more about your products and services.
Make it as easy as possible to do that – without any scrolling or navigating by adding a call to action button above the fold.
Here are some call to action ideas to include above the fold:
Free offer. Offer free content, sample products, free trials, or consultations in exchange for an email sign-up.
Learn more. Link to a page where customers can learn more about your products or see a demo of your services.
Get started. Lead your customers directly to your product/service description page where they can sign-up, enroll, or make a purchase.
Let’s talk. Take your customers to your contact page or a place where they can schedule an appointment with someone from your team.
Feel free to get creative with the words you use in your buttons/links/call to actions.
When choosing a call to action, keep your website visitors’ familiarity with your brand in mind. If you’re a new company and visitors might not be familiar with your brand, opt for a free offer or a link to learn more.
On the other hand, your call to action should look different if you’re a well-established company and a majority of your website visitors are already familiar with your brand. In this case, you’ll do better to have a call to action that gets customers started or puts them in touch with your team.
Start Writing Your Above The Fold Copy
With all of these guidelines in mind, remember that the space above the fold on your website is limited. Many companies struggle to fit in all of the key elements without overcrowding the space. If you want help writing clean and effective above the fold website copy that reflects your brand, FocusCopy can help with that! We help businesses increase their conversion rates just by adjusting their copy. For more copywriting tips, subscribe to our Insider’s List here.
When Was The Last Time You Updated Your Home Page?
Answer these 6 questions and spruce up your home page in 15 minutes (or less).
Over the weekend, FocusCopy celebrated its 1 year in business (August 15, 2020).
And it’s been one heck of a year!
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that approximately 20% of entrepreneurs fail in their first year of business. If it’s a first-time entrepreneur or a woman-owned business, then the success rate dwindles even further. Additionally, COVID-19 has put many companies out of business (over 60,000).
Theoretically, it should have put us out too.
But with the odds stacked against us and with our incredible clients and partners, we’re standing here today – stronger than when we started and looking to grow further.
If you’re a first-time business owner or a serial entrepreneur, don’t be bound by those statistics.
6 Lessons We Learned In Our First Year in Business
Here are a few lessons that we learned in our first year of business that are too good not to share with you.
1. Surround Yourself With Other Entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurial loneliness is a real thing, and I’m so thankful that I learned that lesson during my time in the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship. Very quickly after launching FocusCopy, I surrounded myself with clients and partners that were truly invested in my and FocusCopy’s success. It made all the difference in the world.
When I had a question about anything, they had answers.
They found opportunities for us that we didn’t know existed.
When I needed emotional support, they encouraged me.
They wanted to see me and FocusCopy grow and succeed.
2. Celebrate Every Win.
At every milestone (even the most seemingly insignificant ones), we celebrated. Because I acknowledged and celebrated every “win”, I woke up more energized to surpass my client’s expectations. It made working 12-16 hour days a walk in the park. Celebrating every win allowed me to be grateful and sustain ourselves in this marathon that is being an entrepreneur.
What were some of our wins?
Signing the first client
Seeing that first check hit the bank account (even if it was only $50)
Closing our first out-of-state client
Having to order more business cards because I ran out of the first 1,000
Seeing one of clients have their 2 best months ever in business after their worst month ever due to COVID
Hiring our first employee
Find it. Mark it. Celebrate it.
3. Say “Yes” Then Figure It Out Later.
From the very foundation, this was one of our company values, and it still rings true today. When a client asks for something, always always say “yes”. You never know what it’s going to lead to – a bigger deal, a lesson learned, a new business partnership.
Create a willingness to just say “yes”. Yes, it will be scary. Yes, you may be in uncharted waters.
But if you never say “yes”, then you’ll never know what could have been.
4. Hire a Bookkeeper.
Thanks to one of my favorite “bosses” and mentors Jim Wilkinson, I learned the importance of accounting early on in my career. Our bookkeeper has been the biggest blessing to FocusCopy’s growth (and to my sanity). Find a bookkeeper – no matter what your size – they can help you keep your books clean, help you celebrate your growth, and find your opportunities to optimize your financials.
If you aren’t an expert in a particular area, outsource it. Just like a bookkeeper isn’t an expert in copywriting, a copywriter doesn’t need to be an expert in or do their own bookkeeping. In the same way, a copywriter doesn’t need to be a graphic artist or vice versa.
5. Work With Clients Who Want To See You Succeed.
We have the best clients! I say it all the time. One thing that I didn’t expect starting my own business is that my clients would be as invested in my business as I was in theirs.
Every meeting, my clients would ask (and want to know) how business was going.
They would even refer business to us because they knew the value we bring and they wanted both their colleagues and us to succeed.
To my clients, thank you for your unending support and love! It means the world to me and my team!
6. Listen Closely.
Keep your ear to the ground and listen for what’s happening – in the world, with your clients, and with your client’s clients.
A mentor once told me to look in the most unlikely places to find what you need to be a great entrepreneur.
This advice is what I attribute our ability to pivot so quickly after the quarantine to hit. As a result, we were able to not only grow ourselves, but help clients come back from their worst month ever in business or come back from what should have looked like bankruptcy. Every single one of our clients are not only surviving, but truly thriving!
It’s been an absolute blessing to be part of that.
Year 2
We’re so excited for what the next year holds for FocusCopy. Plans are in place; now we need to execute them!
Be In The Know.
Starting August 24, 2020, FocusCopy will be sending out a bimonthly newsletter with what we’ve learned, what we’re seeing in the marketplace, and copywriting tips that will be a game changer for your sales growth.
Whenever you publish content, you’re putting your name on the line. And there’s no guarantee that your audience will love it.
For your business to thrive, you must improve your visibility and audience engagement through content creation and publication. Digital marketing is more effective now than ever, and there are many, many types of content you can create and use.
But how can you ease your anxiety during content production so you’ll be excited to create more?
Let’s start by facing the fears head-on.
Why Content Production Can Increase Anxiety
Has this ever happened to you? You’re talking with a business associate or friend, on your morning jog, or in the shower, when suddenly inspiration strikes. You arrive at the perfect idea for a new piece of content. You’re excited! You keep the idea swirling in your thoughts, but soon… weeks pass, and you still haven’t published yet.
If this sounds familiar, you might be grappling with content production anxiety.
Producing content is really exciting. But on the other hand, it can also be anxiety-inducing (maybe even a little frightening) – making it difficult to hit “publish”.
When producing content, anxiety can increase for any of the following reasons:
Getting started. For some, there is nothing more intimidating than staring at a blank page. When our content ideas are big, just getting started can be daunting.
Finding the time. If you’re like most business leaders and entrepreneurs, your schedule is packed to the brim with meetings and urgent tasks. It can feel overwhelming to have another huge item added onto your list.
Making mistakes. What if you say something in your content by mistake? It can be scary to make a mistake that will be online for everyone to see.
Judgement or criticism. After you put all the work into finally putting your content out there, what if nobody likes it?
If you’ve had any of these anxious feelings around content production, you’re not alone. So many content creators struggle with these things all the time.
7 Ways to Ease Anxiety During Content Production
The good news is, there are ways you can ease anxiety during content production. Here are 7 different strategies to try out:
Exercise your content production muscle
Voice record your stream of thoughts
Break up your content production in smaller subtasks
Hire an editor
Schedule the content to auto-publish
Focus on the end goal
Celebrate your wins
1. Exercise Your Content Production Muscle
Getting started on something new can feel daunting. When you start a hard workout or a new sport, your body needs to get used to that exercise. Writing is the same. You need to train your brain to produce content every single day.
Here are some training exercises that you can implement in your daily routine:
Write for 30 minutes a day – everyday
Read blogs (or whatever type of content you are producing) for 20 minutes a day
Carry a notebook with you to jot down any ideas, sentences, or phrases that come to you spontaneously
Most people can talk faster than they can type. If you want to make even more use of your 30 minutes of content creation a day, speak your ideas instead of typing them. You can record your thoughts on a voice memo or brainstorm about them with someone on your team.
In an hour, I can crank out content for about five full blogs when I’m talking about my ideas instead of typing them. And then, it’s time to finally put thoughts on paper, you’ll be able to listen back on every detail.
3. Break Up Your Content Into Subtasks
If you’re anxious about finding time to create content, you don’t have to stress any further. It can be easy for an entrepreneur, business owner, or marketer to keep up with a weekly content creation schedule!
Break up the content production into subtasks. For example, here are subtasks we use to create our blogs:
Outline blog
Draft blog
Edit blog
Check SEO
Finalize blog
Schedule blog
These 6 simple subtasks can even be done on different days. This allows the content production process to happen in bite-sized pieces, not overwhelming the writer at any point in time.
(We’ve created this process to catch all the potential risks, ranging from not sounding professional to releasing something that isn’t valuable. When approaching your subtasks, make sure you avoid these 8 major oversights too.)
4. Hire an Editor
The next way to ease your anxiety during content production is to hire an editor – whether that’s someone on your team or someone like us that you outsource.
An editor can take on 3 of the 6 subtasks listed in the previous strategy. That way you can create your content quicker with less stress.
If you can, have not just one, but two other people review your content before publishing. They can check for the overall quality and value of your content. You’ll be able to avoid anxiety around errors or audience scrutiny when your content has already faced constructive feedback from an editorial team.
5. Schedule The Content to Auto-Publish
Once you have the content written and edited, it’s time to press “publish”. This is where we commonly see authority leaders pause. They begin to question if it’s valuable enough, clear enough, fill in the blank enough. That’s why we schedule our content and our client’s content out. It takes the anxiety out of seeing it go live immediately. If you use WordPress, learn how to schedule a post on WordPress here.
6. Focus On The End Goal
If you don’t know where you’re going to end up, it’s difficult to know when you’ve got there and how to tie a bow on the content. You need to define an end goal before you start to write the content.
For this blog in particular, we know that our clients experience anxiety when producing content. Some of our clients have told us that they spend over8 hours on a single blog (and are still not pleased with the content). So, it never gets published.
We help our clients skip through that by ensuring that every piece of content we write for our clients is valuable, and we both know the end goal before we start writing.
7. Celebrate Your Wins
Finally, you need to celebrate your wins! A mentor told me when I started FocusCopy that I needed to celebrate every win – somehow. The first dollar, the first hundred dollars, and so on. We even celebrated the first blog, the first comment, and the traffic that we’ve gotten from our most popular blogs. You, too, need to celebrate your wins – including publishing content. Instead of it being a fearful task, it becomes an exciting task that you want to complete.
Ease Your Content Production Anxiety About Outsourcing
Like we previewed in strategy #6, we encounter a lot of stress when we talk with prospective clients. Producing content can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. FocusCopy partners with entrepreneurial companies, just like yours, to produce your content and save your time. This allows you to stay on top of your content schedule while managing a more-balanced workload. Learn more about our copywriting services here.
If you have any questions, drop them in the comments section. We are here to make content production a more joyful and beneficial process.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for content marketing.
The type of content your website should provide to your customers should depend on what they want to buy and how much time they want to spend reading your site before they buy or move on.
In today’s digital age, the opportunities to sell are endless. There are so many different types of content that you can create and offer to your audience. In this blog, we’ll focus on the content that targets individuals or businesses that…
May not be aware of their need for your product or service
Need to engage more with your brand before they click “buy”
But first, let’s talk about how this audience is different from others you market to and why they require different kinds of content.
Why Offer Different Types of Content For Each Stage of the Sales Funnel
Each customer that will eventually buy your service or product has their own journey that starts at awareness of your brand and moves to being an active promoter of your brand.
In marketing, this customer journey is called the sales funnel. It has three stages:
Top of funnel
Middle of funnel
Bottom of funnel
Top of Funnel (TOFU)
Top of funnel (or TOFU for short) is the stage where prospects become aware of their problem and your solution.
They must become aware that you exist.
You want them to engage with your content.
And to get them to do that at this stage, your content should be freely available.
In other words, it should be ungated – while still havingthe option to provide their email for more information.
Middle of Funnel (MOFU)
Middle of the funnel (or MOFU for short) is the stage where prospects become customers. It’s all about conversion here! At this stage, content might look like providing a free resource in exchange for your customer’s email or selling your customer a product or service.
Bottom of Funnel (BOFU)
Bottom of funnel (or BOFU for short) is the stage where customers become excited about working with you. By this time, they will:
Ascend through your different offerings
Be ready to buy higher-value content
Advocate/promote your brand to their network
The Purpose of Top of Funnel Content
The value and purpose of content needs to change at each stage. And the first stage, TOFU has the widest audience. The goal of top of funnel content is to build, connect, and interact with your audience.
In dating terms, this is making eye contact and asking that person out for coffee. It’s safe and non-committal. It’s just expressing interest and seeing where it takes you!
Different Types of Top of Funnel Content To Offer
Here are some different types of top funnel content that will help you make a great first impression with your audience.
Blog Content
Highly competitive companies in nearly every industry incorporate blogging into their overall marketing strategy. Although it’s not an exact science, you can follow these simple guidelines to make very effective blogs. Plus, blogs are one of the most versatile examples of TOFU content. Here are some blog content ideas.
1. Company News
Your company is accomplishing amazing things that set you apart from your competitors. Blogs are the place to show that off! Celebrate your hard work, explain difficult decisions, and discuss your growth and major milestones.
If your audience is captivated by your story, they’ll want to learn more, engage, and cheer your company on.
2. Product Announcements
Speaking of company news, blogs are a great way to announce the launch of new products. This might include:
Software announcements
New updates
Added service offerings
A blog post lets you go beyond a general product description. It gives space for you to tell a story with more detail. How did you identify the need? What inspired its design? How will/have customers’ lives changed because of the new product?
3. Cornerstone Blogs
Cornerstone blogs are articles your audience will want to refer back to time and time again. Just like we pin important posts to the top of our Facebook pages, cornerstone blogs are substantial and noteworthy.
A great cornerstone blog will be:
All-inclusive of your entire process
Approximately 3 times the length of a normal blog (2,500 or more words)
Filled with crosslinks that lead customers to your other content
Everyone wants to use the best products and services possible. But the average person will not have time to do all the research themselves to find the right solution for them. Save your audience time (which they’ll appreciate) by doing a comparison blog.
For example, to write about “what’s the best project management software?”, you could:
Pick 2 of the most popular contenders
Compare and contrast product features
Note their reviews
Talk about ease of use and customer support
This is extremely common for software.
5. How-Tos
Comparison blogs aren’t the only way to save people time. How-tos are also really valuable for this! Give a quick and easy tutorial on how to do something. To make your post even more valuable, include screenshots or photos of the process and mention anything your company offers that can make it even easier.
6. Quiz or Survey
Nothing says engagement like an interactive blog post. Include a quiz or survey in your next blog. Here are some ideas for making it fun and useful:
Keep it short and sweet with 10 questions or less and 3-6 options per question
Include a text box on surveys where your audience can ask questions
Make it easy to read by pairing text responses with images
Provide a next step by including a call to action at the end
With a quiz, you’ll increase engagement and learn more about your target audience. It’s a win-win!
7. Q&As
Another type of blog that has lots of value is a Question and Answer (Q&A) post. This is where you go over questions your customer asks (or what you think they’ll ask). Here are a few ideas:
After you’ve collected survey results, duplicate that content by turning the responses into a Q&A blog
Create a Q&A blog from frequently asked questions about products or services – “6 Questions We Get About [Your Product]”
Conduct an interview-style Q&A with an expert from your team
Q&As help resolve common questions and draw awareness to your products and services.
8. Wikis
Wikis are a straightforward repository of useful information that your audience can turn to for facts and definitions in your company’s industry. While every type of blog content we’ve discussed so far should be written with your brand voice, Wikis should be written with a more logical tone. WikiCFO is an example of a wiki from The Strategic CFO.
Audio Content
Some people prefer listening over reading – they may learn auditorily. That’s where audio content comes in.
9. Podcasts
Podcasts are quickly gaining popularity and are a great way to fit lots of information into an easily digestible format.
Every email on your email list is not created equal. Some people who are in the top of your sales funnel might not make it to the middle. Email content helps you rebuild your targeting list by pulling in possible leads.
10. Email Newsletters
Keep your company visible by showing up regularly in your audience’s inbox with a roundup of content. Here are some best practices for making an email newsletter your audience will look forward to:
Don’t spam their inbox
Have an eye-catching subject line
Highlight your other recent content
Give email-exclusive offers
Well-crafted email newsletters have the power to bring people from TOFU through MOFU to BOFU.
Images
You know what they say… “An image is worth a thousand words”. Image content can communicate so much about your company with just one glance. Plus, get double the visibility by reposting images from your blog onto Pinterest. Here are a few kinds of image content.
11. Photos
It’s time for a brand photoshoot! Photo content can give your audience greater insight into the personality of your company. Take photos to:
Try overlaying an image with an inspiring quote – especially ones from your own brand! Your audience will start to picture you as an authority figure and leader. If you’ve been quoted, you’re legit and on a fast path to becoming an authority leader.
13. Infographics
Reading through a long detailed process description or trying to visualize complex stats is confusing and boring. Don’t be boring. Keep your audience’s attention with clear infographics instead. They’ll be engaged and ready to learn more. Here is an example of an infographic we created.
Learning Content
Does your company have expert knowledge that your audience will benefit from? Turn it into learning content through webinars or a video series.
14. Video Series
Create a company YouTube channel! There, you can post a series of videos where you teach your audience. To get the most out of a YouTube video series, include links to your other content in the video’s description and embed those videos into blog posts.
15. Webinars
Webinars are a more interactive type of learning content. Your audience will be able to tune in live, ask questions, and get specific feedback. Increased engagement means more opportunities for you to show the value of your products or services.
Video Content
Aside from learning content, video can also do so much more for your marketing strategy. Here are some different types of top of funnel content to create from videos.
Use videos that run longer than 10 minutes for more detailed story-telling like:
Vlogs (video blogs)
A case study or success story
Behind the scenes footage
To keep your audience’s attention, your video should get more interesting as it gets longer. Introduce at the start that something exciting will be revealed at the end. And then deliver on that promise.
18. Interviews
Channel your collaborative side by recording an interview with a team member or someone from your business network. Also look out for opportunities to be interviewed by other companies to get even more visibility.
Outside Content
Diversify your reach with outside content like magazine articles, press releases, and Q&A forums.
19. Magazine Articles
Being featured in a magazine article will build trust and recognition for your brand. Identify some popular magazines that get a lot of traffic, and then pitch your story!
Need some help pitching your story to magazines? Press releases can help grab the attention of journalists and media outlets so you’ll be more likely to get on their radar. Press releases spark curiosity in a broad audience and give them a reason to visit your website, find your other content, or try out your products.
(We’ve recently partnered with an incredible boutique PR agency that customizes solutions for each of their clients. If you’d like a warm introduction, reach out to us here.)
21. Q&A Forums
Establish your credibility as an expert and grow your community by answering questions in Q&A forums. Try out these 2 forums: Quora and Alignable.
Social Media
Now more than ever, people are spending an unprecedented amount of time on their social media. Take advantage of their undivided attention by showing up regularly with awesome content in their feeds.
22. Social Media Posts
Each social network has their own content style. With all that variety, you can post about the same topics on different platforms while still making it look like different content.
23. Facebook Group
Leverage Facebook groups to engage with your audience on a whole new level. Being part of a Facebook group helps people feel more connected to your brand and each other – making them one step closer to reaching the BOFU.
24. Facebook or Instagram Live
Interaction gets even better when the experience is happening live. Your audience doesn’t even need to leave their home to have face-to-face access to you. Show a live demo, interview, or Q&A! Host the live content with collaborators in your network to reach an even broader audience.
24. IGTV (< 5 minutes)
Instagram introduced IGTV last year, making it a hot new avenue to post your content. The best part is, you don’t need expensive professional equipment to shoot your content. The platform is meant to be made right from your phone.
26. Social Media Advertising
What most people don’t know is that when you do social media advertising, your ads can appear outside of social media networks. When you take out a Facebook ad, it can appear in the New York Times or Wall Street Journal. Take advantage of this extra visibility!
Website Content
Finally, there are different types of top of funnel content that can exist right on your website and require little to no updating. These are things like online calculators, product or services pages, and microsites.
27. Calculators
One kind of TOFU website content is a calculator – like the calculators found here. Many mortgage lenders have calculators on their websites. If done well, it can act as a lead generator to get a mortgage quote.
Does your website have seperate pages for each of its products or services? This is a great way to expand your content and make it easier for your customers to find you online. Check out FocusCopy’s tips for updating your website copy to make your products and services pages work well at the top of your marketing funnel.
29. Microsites
Microsites are great ways to capture more attention and direct them to your website. It’s usually a single page or cluster of pages meant to complement a specific activity.
One of our favorite recent use of microsites is Tulsa advocating to Tesla to build a plant in their city. So they created TulsaSaysYes.com.
We had a great visit with @elonmusk yesterday talking @Tesla in Tulsa!
Oklahoma is the right place for Tesla and I thank all of the Oklahomans who have shown their overwhelming support. Keep it up! #Tulsa4Teslapic.twitter.com/eVhIeCIvwv
While this campaign only had a target audience of one, it was extremely effective and targeted.
What Types of Content Are You Working On?
These 29 different types of top of funnel content are just the start. There are so many varieties of content for different stages of the sales funnel. What kinds of content is your company working on now? Creating content consistently can be a lot to keep up with. If your team is looking to grow your visibility by outsourcing your content writing, FocusCopy can help.
Focus Your Copy On
Conversation & Conversion
Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Right now, your company needs to invest in SEO – especially if you’re struggling.
SEO stands for search engine optimization. And SEO is what improves your ability to grow your traffic organically (free traffic). After you have your traffic on your website, then it’s only a matter of converting that traffic into customers.
You don’t need to be an expert to start making improvements! In this blog, I’ll go over 12 tips for great SEO copywriting that you can implement without an SEO specialist.
What is SEO Copywriting?
SEO copywriting is a style of writing that prioritizes humans, while still keeping SEO in mind. It seeks to achieve the perfect balance between writing for visibility and writing to create genuine engagement with your audience.
SEO Copywriting vs. SEO
Why does SEO Copywriting beat out SEO when it comes to writing strategically online?
When writing purely for SEO, you will sound mechanical. It sends a message that you’re writing for an algorithm that places your copy higher in the search list rather than engaging with and selling to your audience.
Remember, Google doesn’t pay you – humans do!
Why SEO Copywriting Needs to be a Bigger Priority
So, if humans are the priority, why do we need SEO at all?
The truth is, well written content still needs to be found by search engines. And in order for that to happen, SEO should still be kept in mind while writing. Striking a balance through SEO copywriting will ensure that your content is valuable for your audience and easy to find.
Before we get into tips for SEO copywriting, let’s go over a few SEO strategies to keep in mind.
Types of SEO Strategies
SEO copywriting usually refers to on-page SEO; however, it would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the different types of SEO strategies that companies need to pay attention to.
On-Page SEO
On-Page SEO refers to the things that you include on a web page to drive organic traffic and increase visibility. This helps your audience find you more quickly through a Google search.
Strategic on-page SEO can help your web page rank high on a search engine results page (SERP). And there are two philosophies for getting there:
Black hat – stuffing keywords in a nonsensical way into your content just to rank. Avoid this like the plague.
White hat – including a typical amount of keywords into your content, but not overdoing it.
As the names suggest, white hat is the ethical approach to on-page SEO. Black hat methods might help your page get a higher SERP ranking, but your audience won’t stay on your page long if your content is nonsensical keyword soup.
On-page SEO requires extra copy development time to achieve and maintain consistency. If you’re starting from scratch, expect 3-6 month time lag before you see results. The best way to get started is to write content – like blogs – on a regular schedule (weekly or bimonthly).
Technical SEO
Technical SEO refers to your website’s backend settings that make it function optimally for the user. This ties into the overall experience that your audience has when interacting with your content.You are trying to make it easy for your audience to navigate your website.
If you ever clicked on a link because the headline seemed spot-on for what you were searching for, but then the website…
Took forever to load
Wasn’t optimized for mobile viewing
Was difficult to navigate
Seemed like spam because of the URL
… You probably left within seconds. The average user’s attention span is under 5 seconds per click (unless they find what they are looking for).
Even if the headline of a web page is a perfect match for your search, you’ll only stay if the website looks safe, easy, and organized.
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO refers to the things you do outside of your website to draw attention to it. It helps your audience decide if they can trust your website and determine if it is an authority among its competitors.
Think about how you approach hiring talent for your company. Many people might apply for the position with the skills you’re looking for. But an applicant with several beaming references and a successful work history will stand out the most, and you’d be more likely to trust them than Joe Schmoe.
Similarly, off-page SEO is like having “references” for your company’s website that helps build trust online.
12 Tips for Great SEO Copywriting That You Can Implement Without An SEO Specialist
Now that you have several SEO strategies you can implement without an SEO specialist, let’s talk about how to combine them with copywriting for an optimized SEO copywriting approach.
1. Genuinely Communicate With Your Audience
Prioritize a strong connection with your audience by writing genuinely – not robotic. Not only will authentic communication provide better value for them, but it can be beneficial for your company’s SERP ranking too…
“When you’re writing for humans, search rankings will rise because bounce rates will be lower and time-on-site will be higher. It’s all about the user experience.”
It’s a win-win. Search engines use metrics like bounce rate and the time spent on a given page in their algorithm to rank your website.
2. Don’t Be Spammy
If it sounds like spam, it probably is. Avoid writing content that looks like spam. If your content looks like spam, people will be less likely to stay on your site. Avoid using…
Black hat SEO approaches. Don’t stuff your content with keywords. Your audience can spot unethical approaches from a mile away (even if they don’t know what they are looking at), and this will reflect negatively on your brand.
Stock images in your blog posts. Instead, opt for images that are uniquely yours (e.g. photos of yourself, your products, or services). You can even include your own screenshots for how-to’s. Schedule a brand photoshoot to create your own photos.
Above all, if the copy sounds or looks spammy, change it.
3. Use Practical URLs
Another way to avoid having your content mistaken for spam is to use practical URLs. Best search results have URLs between 50-60 characters long and a top-level domain (TLD) of ‘.com’. Bypass gibberish symbols and letters; they can imply there is something shady or you are trying to hide something.
Instead, include logical, intuitive URLs that are associated with the content of your webpage. Not only will this help your website look more legitimate, but it will also portray your company as being logical and organized.
For example, the slug – the phrase that follows the domain in the URL – for this page is https://focuscopy.com/seo-copywriting-tips. You can expect to learn SEO copywriting tips in this blog. But if the slug was https://focuscopy.com/6&sct12, you would have no clue what to expect. It may be exactly the same as the first page, but it may also be a scam – you can’t tell.
4. Have an SSL Certificate
While we’re on the topic of URLs, another great SEO copywriting tip is to have an SSL certificate.
Users will see “https://” in the URL, which lets them know your website is safe with:
Secured user data
Ownership verification
Website authenticity
Plus, it might hurt your SERP ranking if you don’t have an SSL certificate. Google is about to stop ranking non-SSL sites and may flag them as “Not Secure”.
5. Cover Topics Comprehensively
Another way to practice effective SEO copywriting is by covering topics comprehensively. It increases the quality value that your audience receives from your content, helping you stand out among the competition.
Try using content splintering to be more comprehensive in your writing. When you’re more comprehensive about a specific subset of a topic, you will be more targeted and have more opportunities to crosslink to other blogs or pages.
Don’t worry – you won’t have to post everything back-to-back. In WordPress, use categories and tags to cross-link related content. This will logically organize your content together, even if they aren’t published one after another.
6. Use Keywords that Resonate With Your Audience
Ideally, you should use keywords that are broad enough to reach your target audience and specific enough to stand out from the crowd. Above all, make sure your keywords resonate with your audience.
For example, suppose you’re a CPA based in Boise, Idaho who wants to start marketing your services as tax season rolls around. Here are two keyword approaches you could take:
SEO: “tax CPA boise idaho”
SEO Copywriting: “tax and accounting help in boise”
SEO alone includes long-tail keywords with the goal of ranking top of an SERP.
On the other hand, the SEO copywriting approach includes keywords that your target audience would actually use in a search. You’ll maximize visibility while centering your audience.
7. Incorporate Relevant Headers
Relevant headers are a staple of SEO copywriting. They make your page easier for your audience to read and enable search engines to readily parse (understand) what your page is about. Make sure your headers are relevant by…
Incorporating keywords or keyword synonyms
Including calls to action
Making them readable
8. Optimize Your Website for Mobile Viewing
Today, many people access web content through their smartphones. Ensure their mobile experience is as effortless as possible by making your site mobile friendly. You don’t want your audience to lose patience trying to find what they need.
Optimize your website for mobile viewing by…
Resizing text and images
Restructuring page formats
Creating an easy-to-use navigation bar
9. Make Your Content Easy to Share
Make your content easily shareable to social media platforms with a customized preview image, SEO title, slug, and meta description. This is what it looks like when you use the Yoast SEO plugin.
For example, here’s what it looks like when someone shares a FocusCopy blog on their Facebook page.
10. Establish Backlink Equity
Backlink equity is an SEO Copywriting approach that leverages off-page SEO. It helps your site establish trust and authority online. Build a variety of backlinks. Examples of potential backlink opportunities include:
Publications on reputable .gov, .edu, or .org website
Press releases
11. Build a Backlink Network
Don’t stress out if you can’t get published on a large, reputable site. Try creating partnerships with other companies and build pages or posts to refer traffic to them. It’s all about building a backlink network.
Since COVID-19 has been difficult for many of our friends and clients, we wrote several blog posts to create backlinks to their websites. Check those posts out here:
Linking isn’t just an off-page SEO strategy. It’s also fantastic for on-page SEO copywriting too. Here’s how cross-linking works…
Imagine you have a huge mansion with many bedrooms, ballrooms, and more. But you walk in and realize there are no doors. You can’t explore the other rooms. So you turn around and walk right out – there is nowhere for you to go! The mansion is useless.
But you’re a smart person and put doors between each room. So your guests can come into your fancy mansion, go from one from one room to another, and get lost in the beauty and splendor of your palace.
The same is true of your website. Google and your audience needs to be captivated and get lost in the different sections of your site. Cross link your pages or posts so they can move around and even go back to places they’ve already been.
So there you have it – 12 great tips for SEO copywriting that you can implement without an SEO specialist. However, we understand that writing isn’t for everyone. If you’d rather hire an expert to do your content writing for you, reach out to our FocusCopy team.
Blogging isn’t just for beauty influencers and foodies. It’s 2020, and the most competitive companies in all industries have blogs associated with their businesses.
Never considered blogging before? Well, you might be missing out on some major growth opportunities!
If you feel behind in the blogging scene, don’t worry. I’ll go over the 8 major oversights content writers should avoid when blogging, so you can start blogging like a pro.
PLUS right now is an optimal time to invest in a blog for your business.
Why now?
Because many of us are at home, tuned into our preferred devices. Your audience is at attention. Strategically, if you’re looking for growth in the next 6 months, you need to start working now by investing in and increasing your organic traffic.
What is Blogging?
Before we get into the 8 major oversights content writers should avoid when blogging, let’s break down what blogging entails.
A blog is a collection of content available on a website or social media profile (like LinkedIn). It’s a log of a company’s insights, knowledge, experience, and tips for readers.
Encourages your customers to realize that you have something valuable to offer – Value-Added Information
Drives new customers to your company without paid advertising – Organic Traffic
Why is Blogging Important for Your Overall Marketing Strategy?
Whether it’s a written, video, or visual log, a blog is important for your overall marketing strategy. At its core, marketing is a way to warm up your prospects in order to convert them into sales. In the digital world, marketing is also what converts leads into customers.
A strong marketing strategy cultivates a relationship between your customers and your company. And this is essentially what blogs are built to do! They create trust and familiarity through consistent and valuable communication.
And it’s not just a one-way street. Blogging doesn’t just create an opportunity for your company to share insights and stories with prospects; it also allows your customers to share their stories and experiences too – through comments. In other words, you have the ability to advertise and conduct market research, all in one place.
8 Major Oversights Content Writers Should Avoid When Blogging
Now that you understand the value blogging will have for your business, let’s talk about how you can approach it like a professional. Here are 8 major oversights content writers should avoid when blogging.
1. Not Breaking Through Your Writer’s Block
Most clients come to us for 1 of 2 reasons:
They hate writing. Writing well can take time, and not everyone has the patience for it.
They take forever to write. Some people get stuck staring at a blank page or writing and rewriting things to no end.
To start a blog, you’ll have to write regularly. Many content writers don’t expect to run into writer’s block. If and when it hits, they’re stuck! Don’t give up. Breaking through writer’s block is a key skill for successful content writing.
Need some tips on overcoming your writer’s block? Click here to read our blog about it.
2. Not Editing And Proofreading Work
Although it might seem obvious to some, many content writers take editing and proofreading their work for granted. This is a major oversight that can reflect negatively on your brand.
Having content that is free of grammatical and spelling errors helps show that you care behind your content and ensures you’re communicating effectively.
Some writers just write in a flow. That’s alright, but if you want to write strategically, always start with an outline.
Creating an outline before you start writing will help you…
Write faster. Once the structure of your blog is there, it’s easier to fill in the blanks.
Organize your thoughts. You’ll avoid veering off course from your intended topic and ensure you’re not covering too much in one post.
Increase your SEO. When you have structured headings and subheadings for your blog posts that use similar keywords or SEO synonyms, it’s easier for search engines to detect the topic of your blog and direct people to it based on their search.
Here’s an example of what an organized outline can do for your final product.
The outline:
The final product:
4. Not Showing Some Personality
A blog post isn’t a formal document. People don’t want to read something dry– even if the topic is “boring”. They want to read something entertaining!
In the past, I’ve written blogs for CFOs about financial forecasting using an example of Hooters girls. Show some personality in your writing. It breaks the ice.
5. Not Narrowing Down Your Focus
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Likewise, a single blog post cannot be all-encompassing. Don’t try to solve every problem or address every topic in your individual blog posts. Pick one small topic and cover it extremely well. This will have more value for your audience and encourage them to come back and read more…
If you envision your company’s blog covering several topics, you can create a tagging system. This lets you cover a range of topics across several blog posts in an organized way.
First, identify one major-topic. Narrow down that topic even more. Then get even more specific. You cannot provide real value on a given major-topic with just one blog – there’s simply too much information for a reader to digest at once; therefore, you need to get specific. Remember, blogs are not novels or dissertations, they are intended to be relatively small, quick to read, and easily absorbed by their audience.
Here are a couple of topic progressions to get you started.
Overarching Topic
Key Areas in Major Topic
Sub-Topic of Key Area
Specific Detail Related to Sub-Topic
Coffee
Ways to make delicious coffee
French Press
French Press Best Practices
Content Marketing
Blogging
Launching a Blog
Oversights Content Writers Make When Blogging
6. Not Using Research To Defend Your Claims
An entertaining blog on its own might give your company some visibility. But when it comes to converting to sales, you’ll want to leverage some research in your writing.
As the saying goes, people tend to buy on emotion and justify the buy with logic. Compelling evidence to support your claims will underscore both the emotional and logical aspects of your pitch.
These can include…
Published studies
Striking statistics
Case studies
Testimonials
Easy-to-read charts and graphs
7. Flat Out Plagiarizing
This goes without saying – don’t plagiarize. Cite all quotes and sources. No one wants to come off as unoriginal or deceiving. Your company will lower its credibility when your plagiarism is discovered (and it will be!).
Giving others credit where credit is due is the right thing to do and can be really helpful for your SEO! Include outbound links to sources in your blog posts.
8. Perfecting It So Much It Never Gets Published
A “perfect” blog post is never published because it’s never done. At some point, you just need to press “publish”. If you ever want to change anything, all you have to do is edit that content and update it.
Put yourself out there and see how your audience responds. Remember, your audience is looking for consistent and regular communication. Don’t trade perfectionism for building a relationship with your customers. They’ll be happier to hear from you regularly. If you don’t include something in your current blog, you can always write about it in the next blog. Just keep the content and communications flowing to your followers and customers.
