Entries from August 2013 ↓

It’s every blogger’s and content writer’s worst nightmare.

It’s something that happens far more frequently that they would like.

What is it?

A blank mind.

They know they have to generate great content quickly to satisfy the insatiable appetite of their readers, but sometimes, just sometimes, the ideas simply won’t come.

Why does this happen?

Probably because of poor writing techniques:

• Sitting in front of a blank screen in the hope that inspiration will strike
• Writing well to start with and then heading off in a long-winded tangent that ends up being deleted, returning them to the blank screen stage
• Constantly distracted by their Twitter feed, Facebook and emails
• Editing and formatting as they write

This doesn’t make them bad writers, far from it, but they are distractions that can seriously block creative flow.

Here’s how you can get around the problem.

1. Ideas

Most writers are at their height of creativity first thing in the morning, before their brains get clogged with client work.

That’s the time to sit down with pen and paper and brainstorm ideas. Think about what’s happened that week, conversations you’ve had with clients, articles you’ve read in the papers or news stories you’ve seen on the TV. Draw from everything you can think of and come up with a list of title/outlines for your articles.

2. Choose and plan

Once you have your list, pick the one that really jumps out at you.

But, before you start hammering the keyboard, take 10 minutes or so to write a plan. Whether it’s a list of points you want to cover, a mind map to help you visualise the way the piece will be structured or a general outline, this will help you keep focused and your writing on track.

3. Silence

Once you have your plan, you’re almost ready to get started.

Before you start typing though, switch off Twitter, log out of Facebook and close down your mail client.

It’s essential nothing distracts you so you ideas can flow freely.

4. Check

Once you have your first draft, read through it, refine it and check it for typos and grammatical errors.

But only when you have a first draft – checking as you write will stifle your workflow and clog up your creativity.

Plus, make sure you set the first draft aside for a while before you edit it.

5. Format

Now your article is written and you’re happy that it’s error free, you can go back and format it. Add in any bold headings you want, italics and hyperlinks. And make sure your paragraphs are flowing, short and easy to read.

These 5 simple steps will help you avoid wasting hours sat in front of a blank screen.

Keeping a pen and paper with you at all times will help you record ideas as they come to you (you can also record voice memos on your phone), so you’ll always have a supply of great content ideas.

Give it a try and see how you get on.

Author: Sally Ormond, Copywriter and MD at Briar Copywriting Ltd. Follow her on Twitter and Google+

Is that the decision your company’s come to?

Why do you think that?

Are you not getting the results you think you should be getting?

That’s probably because you’re not going about it the right way.

You see, content marketing is not about churning out loads of articles, sticking them on various websites in the vain hope of receiving a shed-load of valuable back links.

But don’t worry; you’re not the only one that feels like that because lots of companies are getting it wrong.

Why content marketing isn’t working

These are the main reasons why your content isn’t working.

1. Keywords

These little suckers count for 2 of the mistakes you may be making.

The first is that you’re focusing on high value keywords. If you’re trying to compete for a term such as ‘writing skills’, it’s unlikely your content will be found because it is highly competitive. It’s best to concentrate on something more specific, such as ‘website writing for the fashion industry’ or something along those lines. The more niche your term is, the less competition there is likely to be.

The second is that you’re using your keyword too often in your content. Do yourself a favour, stop counting the number you have in your text and just write naturally.

2. Going for quantity rather than quality

Many companies believe that more is, well more. Well, they’re wrong, because less is most definitely more.

Churning out loads of poor quality content will damage your business – fact.

But, investing in a smaller number of high quality articles will elevate your business to the heights you want to reach.

It’s far more important to produce high quality writing that adds value to your readers.

3. Over optimisation

For this one, less is definitely more.

Stuffing your keywords into your tags, descriptions and text will make the search engines groan and, in all probability, ignore your page.

Don’t try to play the system, because you will get found out and your rankings will suffer.

4. Be blinkered by rankings

Rankings used to be the be all and end all when it came to working out how successful your content strategy was.

Not any more.

Now, the search results you see depend on whether you’re logged into your Google account or not and your location. So, if you do a Google search on one of your keywords and see your content, there’s no guarantee they are the same set of results someone 100 miles away will be seeing.

It’s far more important to look at other metrics when gauging the success of your campaigns.

5. Social media fail

Using social media to boost your content marketing doesn’t equate to sending out a link and then forgetting about it. Instead you must use it in different ways, such as tweeting the link, running an opinion poll about it on Facebook, asking for feedback etc.

How to put your content marketing right

The main thing to remember is that you’re not writing to get links or rankings, you’re writing to benefit your readers.

Here are our top 8 tips to help you get on the right tracks:

1. Content calendar – this will make sure you have a constant stream of quality content
2. Add value – make sure everything you publish adds value to your readers
3. Practical – offering practical advice and tips will help your readers and make them more likely to come back again (think about also adding videos and images)
4. Optimise – not to excess, just make sure your title tags and meta descriptions are written to market your writing (i.e. write them to make the searcher want to visit your website)
5. SEO – always check your SEO, for example for instances of duplicate content that will damage your rankings
6. Images – not only is it important to use great images, it’s also essential you optimise their ALT tags
7. Quality over quantity – rather than churning out loads of poor articles for links, publish a smaller number of high quality articles that will earn you genuine links
8. Social – use social media A LOT

Try them out and see the positive effect these simple techniques will have in the success of your content marketing strategy.

Author: Sally Ormond, copywriter. Connect with her on Twitter and Google+

Whether you need someone to work on an off line or online project, it’s essential the copywriter you choose has certain qualities.

The ability to write is obviously right up there, but being an effective writer goes a lot deeper than being able to string a few sentences together.

Creative

Really? OK, a copywriter rarely gets involved in design, but they must have a creative side to be able to look at your project from a number of different angles. They must be able to come up with concepts that will make your project stand out.

A bit of nous

Because copywriters usually are not industry specific, it is imperative they have the ability to grasp a subject quickly. Frequently, copywriting projects only last a few weeks or months (especially when it is in relation to website copy or brochure content), so they have to get up to speed with your product/service PDQ in order to write about it in an intelligent, coherent and persuasive manner.

Understanding

You’ve undoubtedly heard many copywriters talking about ‘speaking to your audience’. But to make their copy resonate with your customers, they have to show empathy for the issue they have (and the reason why they need to buy what you’re offering). Only when they place themselves in the shoes of your customers can they create copy that will deliver the emotional connection needed to make the sale.

Great listeners

Although your copywriter knows how to write to sell, it’s important they also listen to your goals. After all, riding roughshod over your ideas is hardly going to ingratiate themselves to you.

A good copywriter will listen first, weigh up the project and then provide feedback. After that, the collaborative process begins so a mutually approved course of action if determined.

Organised

Not only do they have to be able to work to deadlines, they also must be able to follow direction, manage multiple tasks and be completely focused on the details of your project.

The last thing you want it to have to be constantly chasing them up to see how far along with the project they are.

Your copywriter should drive the project through to completion.

Not afraid to stand their ground

A copywriter won’t bully you (a good one, anyway), but they have to manage your expectations, so, should you want to take the project in a direction they know won’t work it’s important they have the guts to tell you.

After all, if they follow your instructions like a sheep knowing it’s not going to work, the project will be doomed. And, because they wrote it, it’ll be seen as their fault.

Therefore, any professional writer will point out when you are wrong and tell you why. Listen to them; they know what they’re talking about.

Simple

That needs a bit more explanation. Simple, as in writers of simple language. They’ll steer clear of any jargon or technical mumbo-jumbo and create content that is clear, concise and easy to understand.

They are not there to make you look intelligent by littering your content with long words no one understands.

Consistent

They will also produce content (especially if you commission them for multiple projects) that is consistent in voice and tone, keeping your marketing materials on brand.

Unassuming

When you’re a copywriter there’s no room for ego. Everything you write is for others, so it’s essential it follows the customer’s style and brief. It is essential your write can cut and edit the material without any emotional attachment to it. Its purpose is to sell, not gain kudos for the copywriter.

Understand the web

If your project is an online one, it’s also essential your copywriter understands how to write effectively for the web. That means they understand the use of hyperlinks, internal linking structures, search engine optimisation and how to cultivate a persuasive momentum that will keep the reader hooked.

Other than that, it’s also important you gel with your copywriter. Give them a call and have a chat to get a feel the type of person they are and whether you can work together.

It’s really important the client/copywriter relationship works to get the best out of your project.

Sally Ormond – Briar Copywriting Ltd, Twitter and Google+