http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/writing/copywriting/writing-effective-content-for-your-website.html http://www.articletrader.com/writing/copywriting/writing-effective-content-for-your-website.html Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:39:35 -0500
Content needs to describe as much as possible about who, what, where, when, and why on every page with very specific key words and phrases to connect instantly with site visitors including search engines. Avoid technical terms in your website content writing that only those close to your industry understand.

Key word research is the best way to understand what people really put in the Google search box looking for your product or service. Guess when writing content for your website and your competition may have the edge capturing site visitor attention and converting them to buying customers.

Those key words should be inserted in website content in addition to each page title, description, key word list, and page headlines or subheadings, also. Including photographs or graphics will help convey the message beyond text, so a gallery or showcase can help quickly communicate website content details and create a more positive first impression.

When you use quality photographs to insert in pages, those pictures tell what 1000 words cannot. Your message when writing effective website content needs to be communicated based on real world website visitor behavior. People land anonymously on a website unlike visitors met face to face, so the decisions are different than walking into a brick and mortar business.

People instantly notice graphics and the overall professional look, and then scan headlines and perhaps a few words in the first sentence of website content in each paragraph. The majority will rarely read your text verbatim. Headlines, bullet lists, and graphics attract attention more than narrative, and that critical first impression is what will get them to stay and perhaps buy after they explore details later.

It's important to touch a nerve in the first 5 seconds to convince people to stay on your website. All they care about learning from your website text content is "What's in it for me if I buy here?". Initially, site visitors don't care about the details of features until they are convinced of the benefits, and that message needs to be presented in shorts bits that can be understood instantly.

The strategy for writing marketing material content for consumers is different on the internet, and similar to listening to a joke or reading a novel, people want to know the punchline or ending up front.

Rather than writing website text content that presents your introduction, features, and then benefits in that order like a regular marketing or sales pitch, writing for the web is more effective when you reveal the benefits and outcome first. This writing strategy for online marketing emphasizes the importance of catchy headlines that capture and hold interest quickly.

People will skip over paragraphs on your website that have more than 2-3 sentences, so write content and then edit to eliminate poetic or flowery speech and any unnecessary adjectives. By all means, do not exaggerate.

Keep in mind people go online for one thing: information. Website visitors rarely will buy on the first visit. Most will visit several websites searching for the right mix of content that best answers "What's in it for me?". Present benefits in the introduction, and you can still use the formula of introduction, features, and benefits to enhance your skills for writing effective website content.

Site owners who track visitor statistics probably notice the bounce rate mentioned earlier. The majority of visitors land on a page and leave immediately without fully exploring your site. Stating the benefits twice on each page will strengthen your marketing message. Maintaining a consistent message on every page can result in more business by writing effective content for your website.

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Jim Degerstrom, owner of Custom CMS Design LLC, offers custom cms web design services and proven seo advice for search engine optimization with custom cms web designs that allow website owners to add, edit, or delete content in plain text without technical skills.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/internet/seo/multimedia-and-search-engine-optimization.html http://www.articletrader.com/internet/seo/multimedia-and-search-engine-optimization.html Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0600
Exceptions might be photographers or graphic artists showing high resolution versions of their work, or perhaps a recording studio with sample music or videos. The average small business owner does not need autoloading multimedia.

Here is a response to the email from the site owner previously mentioned who was considering flash:

"Why would you want to add a flash scene to your site? In my list of "Don't do this" for website design, flash is at the top of the list. It has zero SEO value, and the file size is intolerable for people on dialup. With more than 50% of internet users still on dialup you cut off half your potential visitors by having flash. Unlike videos that allow visitors to make a choice of play or not, flash loads automatically and cannot be avoided. People visit commercial websites for information. Flash is "entertainment" and most people want answers to problems, so my advice is stay focused on text content that search engines can index."

Let's consider audio and video next. Another client wants background music to play automatically when a visitor arrives at any page of her restaurant website. This is an intrusion of the visitor's expectations and privacy, and could actually get them in trouble. Imagine a visitor at work with their speakers turned up, and searching for an area restaurant to visit that evening. The embarrassment of being caught engaged in non-work related surfing on company time could get them fired. Giving visitors a choice with a play button would be more appropriate.

The real question for any small business owner is deciding if music or video in their commercial website design will enhance the sales of their product or service. If the value is strictly entertainment, don't do it. Another client insisted having flash content on their site, and stated their average sale is $500,000 and they were confident their target market all use high speed internet access. That seems appropriate at first. However, a site done entirely in flash has zero content when it comes to search engines. A 100% flash website will not get traffic driven by search engines, so the owner's success depends on direct marketing and driving visitors to the website.

Audio, whether voice or music, may be appropriate. Video certainly provides an opportunity to introduce your business, demonstrate a product, or provide advice as a tutorial. As long as these do not autoload and the visitor is given the choice of listening or viewing, multimedia may enhance the experience and sales potential. A visual or audio experience may create a more lasting impression as long as it's not forced on the viewer. Weigh the pros and cons first.

Next, consider the marketing basics of matching target customers and their needs to what you offer, and then decide the most appropriate method of delivering your sales message. Multimedia is content that cannot be viewed or rated by search engines, so if search engine optimization and driving traffic to your site is important, be careful with multimedia choices for your small business website design.

Finally, people search the internet for information with answers to problems. Problems are perceived needs that visitors want to have solved. The goal is the same whether you call their motivation "information" or a "problem". If your website is optimized for people first, and then considers search engines, you are more likely to convert visitors to buying customers. People looking for answers are impatient. If your competition has a small business website that uses flash or other autoloading multimedia and you do not, potential customers are more likely to find answers quickly on your website.

Understanding what visitors to commercial small business websites really want, could give you the competitive edge.

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Jim Degerstrom writes small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including GM or President of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and graphic art design, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center and offers advice on his Small Business Advice Blog from Kissimmee, Florida USA.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/small-business/google-crawlers-and-stray-cats.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/small-business/google-crawlers-and-stray-cats.html Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Consider how many of your small business competitors have a blog. The majority do not. If you are a blogger, a weekly post could be the key advantage beating out the competition and attracting new prospects to your website.

Let's compare Google crawlers and stray cats with this fun analogy to illustrate the value of providing visitors with tidbits of advice compared to seeing a stray cat near your home and tossing it a small chunk of steak. Do it again each night for 2-3 days. Skip a day and do it again and eventually that cat will come back every day even if you toss the scrap of steak once a week. Search engines are no different. Fresh content, no matter how small, attracts search engines to your site more often.

Here's an example of the value of posting fresh blog content often. Search Google for tips shooting Moose+Maine and view results. As of the date this article was published, my personal blog was listed #3 and #4 on Google page one out of 353,000 results. It may be different as you read this, yet my Growin' Up in Maine bog is probably still on page one. Here's an explanation of why the results were exceptional which may relate to your small business website or blog because that personal site hasn't been around very long.

The storytelling blog was a test site for customizing templates and graphics for the new Blogger, and after a couple of weeks my plan was to scrap it. The topic is childhood stories and it ended up being fun, so I kept it online. The Google page one search results for the moose tips happened when the blog was less than 6 months old, yet by adding new posts at least once a week the new content attracted search engines with high ranking, and perhaps an occasional stray cat.

What's the moral of this story? Get in the habit of feeding Google crawlers once a week and your valuable posts with advice and expert small business content may just give you an edge. If your competition does not have a blog, the search engines are more likely to favor you and drive traffic your way.

Tip: Do not use your small business blog for personal posts with off topic subjects like your vacation, a great restaurant, or anything unrelated to your site theme. While perhaps cute, unrelated content may dilute search results when people search for your real product or service.

The most common mistake I see in new small business blogs is a lack of discipline, and misunderstanding of the true value of posting often. Some owners launch a blog and become distracted with day to day activities that bring immediate income. This is necessary from a tactical standpoint. Revenue means survival. However, blogging needs to become a habit in order to enjoy the strategic long term benefits. Post weekly and the value will continue to grow over time.

Writing may not be fun for you. It may not be your top priority. Once you make blog posting a routine, you may be amazed that writing actually becomes easier each time. Looking back at my posts I can see how the style and slant of my advice has evolved and improved. It can for you, too, and the seo or search engine optimization value makes the effort worthwhile, so do it.

In conclusion, the Google crawlers are no different than that stray cat. Feed them quality content often and they are certain to come back to reward you with results based on your contributions. Previous articles I wrote may help you jump start your blog and get over writers block, too.

Here's some final advice. Search using quote marks for "Small Business Blog Integration Advice" or "Small Business Blog Writing Tips" to find these articles I wrote that are published in a number of article directories. Blogging for small business is worth your time because it is a low cost way to add new content often with significant seo benefits to follow.

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Jim Degerstrom writes small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including GM or President of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and graphic art design, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center and offers advice on his Small Business Advice Blog from Kissimmee, Florida USA.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/small-business/brand-name-turnkey-website-advice.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/small-business/brand-name-turnkey-website-advice.html Sat, 08 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0500
This broker explained that for $25 USD paid monthly, or $300 a year, the agent gets a cookie cutter website. Each takes as little as 10 minutes to setup and then never changes. This recurring cost goes on forever which is why I question the value aside from name association with the parent brand. Here's an explanation of difficulties the site may experience attracting new business.

Although each site is a sub domain of the parent company and will be treated by search engines as a separate website, the content for each agent is identical to all others except for contact information. Low cost cookie cutter website solutions may be practical for small business owners on a limited budget, yet having duplicate content that is just like 1000 other sites drastically impacts the value in seo, or search engine optimization

Search engines reward sites with fresh and original content, so the owner of a cloned site cannot expect major search engines to drive new business traffic their way. This may be okay if the realtor or mortgage broker is enjoying success, but if the business is struggling to make a profit, each agent must find new ways to market their business.

Besides the obvious methods with printed materials that include the sub domain website address, site owners will require more direct proactive marketing. Referrals will become extremely important, and should be utilized often. One option may be a standalone blog offering generic advice about their niche. The parent corporation is unlikely to allow use of their logo on an outside site, so the best the owner can do is provide value with news, reviews, and advice, and have links to their cloned sub domain.

This compromise in seo value by using an external blog violates my usual advice about blog integration for small business owners. The hosting options are either 1) external which is not integrated, 2) use a sub domain for partial integration, and 3) subfolder storage for full integration. With a fully integrated blog the search engines connect your blog as part of the main site, and the value for driving visitors to your site is enhanced.

In my conversation with the mortgage broker mentioned earlier, they stated revenue was sufficient to support their work as a full time job. Once they understood the downside, they agreed to consider the external blog for indirect promotion to help drive traffic to the cookie cutter site. Now that they understand their situation, the importance of direct marketing will receive additional focus with an emphasis on networking and referrals.

This is an important lesson in expectations. Once an owner has a realistic perspective of site performance, there's nothing wrong with having a site that simply contains more than could ever fit on a business card. Having a www domain printed on your business card and stationery shows evidence of sophistication. It could make the difference between you and a competitor who still hasn't gone online.

The ideal scenario for any small business is having an original site with fresh content added often instead of a cookie cutter clone. Integrate a blog and forum as appropriate and you create a search engine magnet, but that traffic is meaningless if your content is stale and only optimized for search engines. It is more important to design content for visitors who are more likely to stay longer and eventually buy when you provide quality information and value for money.

Finally, avoid the mistake made by some new small business website owners who buy turnkey websites based on late night television ads. You don't get rich buying a clone site and then sitting back waiting for the armored truck to show up each day with bags of money. Sub domains from well known brand names like mortgages or real estate are no different. Hard work and promotional methods whether online or by direct marketing are still the keys to success.

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Jim Degerstrom writes small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including GM or President of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website design and graphic art, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center and offers advice on his Small Business Advice Blog from Kissimmee, Florida USA.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/small-business/choosing-small-business-website-names.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/small-business/choosing-small-business-website-names.html Sun, 08 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0500
The real value in the name you choose from a search perspective is how easy it is to spell and remember. Of the two types of visitors to your site, the human visitors and search engines, the ability of a person to remember your domain name and spell it correctly to pass it on to others outweighs any SEO value. Search engines are robots and don't care.

Using words like "greatest", "best", or other exaggerated terms in your domain name is thought by some to be a disadvantage and penalized by search engines. Search algorithms change often and likewise that theory, and although you may not be penalized for using such words, consider the reaction of your human visitors. They may not stick around if they feel you boast without the content to back it up. For a serious small business commercial enterprise, my advice is avoiding adjectives in the domain name entirely.

In some cases new clients approach me to redesign an existing website, and it surprises me that some of the basics are overlooked. For example, a commercial enterprise in business for profit should not select a dot ORG domain simply because the dot COM was taken. This was the case from a conversation with a client interested in a site makeover. Their ORG version was online for two years with little or no backlinks or serious indexing from search engines. The mindset of getting one particular name should be reconsidered especially if it's your first online venture.

Here's a breakdown of the most desirable domain extensions and the usual purpose of each:

COM - Commercial for profit enterprise
INFO - Information only related website
NET - Companies providing internet services
ORG - Non-profit organizations

Certainly there are many more like BIZ, US, WS, and others which are all reasonable choices, but for your commercial small business my recommendation is always acquire a dot COM www domain name. The client mentioned earlier did not realize a dot ORG was intended for a non-commercial enterprise, and they decided the poor website SEO performance was something that justified getting a new dot COM. We easily found an available www domain using their company initials and one key word about their target market which is medical. Despite my advice that they keep the existing site and simply change the theme, they decided to just let it go when it expired.

My commercial site choice was my first and last name, and very unique at that. Using your name is okay, and expected if you're famous. There is, however, little or no value as far as keywords in my www domain to attract visitors, so is that a mistake for search engine optimization? Certainly not. The fact that I have collected more than 100 screenshots of generic phrases relative to my business that made Google page one is evidence the content, not the domain, is key.

Here's some advice to help you when choosing a new dot COM small business website domain name.

Start out with a list of about 10 domain names that you would like to have. Next, make a list of market related single word terms about what you do and the customer base you service. If your market is localized, consider geographical terms that relate to where you sell or provide services. Spend 30 minutes brainstorming to come up with the initial names and additional lists of single word terms. You may want another list of significant initials.

Next, search for "WhoIs" in Google to find free online services that keep a database of available domain names, and follow the link in the search results. Each database has a search box which allows you to input the domain name and extension. Begin with your first choice and work down the list and keep track of available names for review later. It may not be easy, so try combinations of the key terms as you continue to search, and keep in mind you want a domain name that is easy to spell and remember. By the time you're done you should have a half dozen or more available names, so take your time and select the best one, and then register the name immediately.

Tip: The domain name may not be significant for search engine optimization, but the length of your registration can be. My advice is registering domains for 2 years minimum, and 5 to 10 years if that's in your budget. Search engines consider that the length of your registration reflects your commitment to be online long term, so at today's prices 5 years is practical and should cost less than $50 USD.

There's nothing wrong with getting the dot COM domain name you want, and then registering the other major extensions that are available for the same name. If you are highly successful in your online venture, having the other extensions registered in your name prevents others from attempting to take advantage of your reputation by association. In conclusion, the concept that all the good domain names are taken is a myth. You may not get exactly what you want, but practical options are available with a little research and due diligence.

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Jim Degerstrom writes small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including GM or President of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and graphic art design, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center and offers advice on his Small Business Advice Blog from Kissimmee, Florida USA.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/small-business/small-business-unique-sales-proposition.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/small-business/small-business-unique-sales-proposition.html Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Start with a list of the things you do well, and include factors for price, quality, and service. Some of my real estate clients struggle differentiating what makes them unique. When faced with local competition and potential customers have 1000 choices, some realtors think they are just like everyone else. They are not which is a surprise to some. No matter what product or service you provide, if you are 1 out of 1000 suppliers, it could be that the only thing unique is you! Add personal characteristics about you and your staff to your list of things you do well.

Next, take your list and think like a customer. Reorder the list by taking the most important benefit enjoyed by people who do business with you, and then continue recreating the list from most to least important. Keep in mind your perspective is prejudiced because everything so far is based on your vision of your business, what you do, and what it means to customers. Now comes the fun part.

Select a few trusted customers and ask them for feedback about your list. Maintain a neutral position and refer to your list as random in no particular order, so no numbers please. Providing your written list will make this easier to recruit willing participants. Ask them to review the list and have them number each one in sequence by importance with #1 being the top factor. Invite them to add benefits that you may have forgotten. Finally and perhaps most importantly, is asking them to list one additional thing "we could do better to enhance your experience as a customer".

Evaluate the new lists to see how each benefit lines up. From the new sequences and the added benefits that need improvement, you should be ready to define your USP. Your success depends on customer revenue, so take no offense to their input because this is reality. Take the time to use this feedback and write a narrative summary with just a few paragraphs and answer who, what, where, when, and why in the first paragraph. If that sounds like a news story, it is. To promote your business your "news story" needs to be circulated, and your USP becomes the centerpiece of your marketing strategy.

Next, create a condensed version of your Unique Sales Proposition that you can memorize and state in 15 seconds, or less. In marketing, this is sometimes referred to as your "elevator pitch", or the equivalent of how to introduce your business to a complete stranger when you only have 15 seconds between floors on an elevator.

Knowing why you succeed based on customer feedback, and then utilizing this information in marketing materials, you will be able to attract more customers looking for the benefits that you offer. Consider the areas for improvement and how to implement these ideas into your USP. Practice your elevator pitch and look for opportunities to put it in action. Time spent waiting in line at the bank, post office, or even social situations will allow you to make a quick introduction to people who show interest. Unlike long winded sales pitches, your elevator pitch and a business card will impress people because it is concise and respects the value of their time.

Finally, if you do not have a company motto or slogan, consider the strengths you offer that are now documented in your Unique Sales Proposition. Why not extract the best points to come up with a single short sentence or phrase? It should be easy to develop a concise slogan to add to your corporate identity and then consider including the slogan on your website and printed marketing materials.

In conclusion, evaluate your strengths and then get customer feedback to fine tune the list of benefits doing business with your company. Formulate the list content into a narrative Unique Sales Proposition with several paragraphs, and make the first paragraph read like a news report. Condense the USP into a 15 second version elevator pitch, and finally craft a company motto or slogan to enhance your corporate identity.

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Jim Degerstrom writes small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including GM or President of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and graphic art design, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center and offers advice on his Small Business Advice Blog from Kissimmee, Florida USA.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>