Articles
Stop Writing for Google’s Approval. It Will Make Your Blog Stronger.
“Write like Google isn’t watching, because most of the time… it isn’t.” Writing for Google’s approval is like feeding a slot machine. Instead of adding tokens, you publish “helpful” content. In time, your posts will inch up the search rankings, until one day, you hit the top-spot jackpot. This is the conventional advice bloggers receive ... Read more
How to Nail the Content Brief
Content briefs are easy to overlook and overthink. Without a reliable content brief, the creation process will stall. Writers, not having a mandate, resort to guesswork. Editors, not having a reference point, ask for revisions. Costs rise with delays. Quality suffers. Morale declines.
Why Your FAQ Page Needs an Authentic Voice
Is the company FAQ page redundant? It depends on who you ask. Some business writers, like the one linked to from a posting in the Big SEO subreddit, say it is. However, upon inspection, her complaint seems to be against a certain type of FAQ page. A type of page that no good copywriter would ... Read more
Do You Have an Accurate View of Product Testimonials?
Product testimonials are some of the most valuable and versatile assets a company owns. They can be used in every stage of the marketing funnel to drive conversions. Capturing quality testimonials should therefore be a top priority for content marketers.
How to Expand the Market for a Single-Use Product
By any metric, rockers AC/DC have had a phenomenal career.They sold tens of millions of albums and packed stadiums the world over for decades. But their marketing efforts also provide us a warning.You see, they probably worked too hard for their success.Here’s what I mean. The band’s signature sound — chugging rhythm paired with screaming riffs — ... Read more
How to Reduce Competition with Comparison Chart Copy
(Watch a Facebook video of this post by clicking this link.) A comparison chart that includes competitor brands can be a tremendously effective addition to your product’s sales page. Naturally, introducing readers to other brands carries risk. This is true at each stage of the content marketing funnel. It’s also true when the features of ... Read more
How Missing Ad Copy Sunk a Rock Band Reunion
This is a story about missing ad copy. Ad copy that, by its absence, blew a crucial opportunity to drive ticket sales for a rare and expensive public event… a rock show. The story takes place in Seattle, early summer 2016. That morning, as I was crossing the street, a bus drove by. On the ... Read more
Will Reading the Tabloids Make You a Better Copywriter?
(You can watch a video of this post on Facebook by clicking this link.) The world’s largest newspaper doesn’t get much respect. Critics scoff: “Not real news,” “Celebrity fluff, ” “Pure trivia.” But unlike other newspapers analyzed in a recent Pew Research Center report, the Daily Mail does do ONE thing very well… … make money. Hand ... Read more
