Archive for Writing Great Blog Content – Page 5

7 Content Marketing Questions to Ask
BEFORE You Write a Word

By Patsi Krakoff
Wednesday, May 15th, 2013

QuestionsHere are some key marketing questions to ask and answer before you write a single word of content, if you want to get good content marketing results.

When you outsource writing for your blog, newsletter, video or any type of content marketing, be very clear about your content marketing goals. In fact, it doesn’t matter if you’re outsourcing to another writer or doing it all yourself.

1. What do you want your visitor to do after reading or viewing your article, blog or video?

For example, do you want them to buy a product? Call a phone number?  Register on a form with their email address? You should have a specific action you want your visitor to take after reading your article or watching the video.

2. Who’s your target market or audience?

Be very specific here, for example you could say, “My target market is new real estate agents who want to generate more leads.”

3. What makes you better than your competitors? Read More→

Categories : About Blogs, Article Ideas, Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Writing Great Blog Content, Writing Great Copy
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Online Content Marketing: Let’s Put the “We” Back Into Weblog

By Patsi Krakoff
Wednesday, March 27th, 2013

Follow-MeI get calls from small business professionals who want to start a blog or an e-newsletter. They’ve usually invested money in a nice website, and then suddenly realize that something’s missing… like customers and leads!

They’re genuinely surprised that with the money they spent on their website, no one is coming to see it, indicate they like it, let alone pick up the phone and call.

As for LinkedIn and Facebook, they’re baffled why people don’t interact with them. It doesn’t take a genius (and I’m no genius), but my guess is they have a “me-site,” a “me-blog,” and “me pages” on social media sites.

Instead of generously sharing information about their field of expertise, they share “me-formation.” There’s an “I” in information, but that doesn’t mean you should always talk about yourself. Content should be focused on readers, not you and your business. Sure, people want to know about you, but actually they want to know what you can do for them.

Start everything you write online with a focus on customers and the problems that you can solve for them. Then follow up with building trusting relationships with your readers that lead to sales.

Here’s how online content marketing works for small businesses:

  1. Relationships: Whenever you write content (blog posts, e-newsletter articles, emails), keep the focus on what problems you can solve for your customers. What are their struggles? What do they most desire? Connect with them by writing for them and about them. Read More→
Categories : About Blogs, Attracting Clients, Content Marketing, Online Marketing, Social Media Stuff, Writing Great Blog Content
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4 Common Blog Writing Stumbling Blocks

By Patsi Krakoff
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013

Business-Blog-BlocksThere are many reasons to have a business blog but the most important is that it’s great for retaining clients and customers. Business blogs offer insights into your services, product updates, and compelling relevant content that solves the problems of your clients.

However, blog writing can be tougher than you might think. It’s important to keep posting fresh new content, in order to get readers coming back (thus increasing your visibility and site traffic). Here are some potential stumbling blocks that you might come across on your road to building a successful business blog, and their solutions:

1. Problem: Not enough time in the day

You may find that you just can’t carve out time in your busy schedule to write blog posts. Or, you don’t have a designated day or time to do your writing. This can lead to sporadic posting and going too long between posts, causing readers to lose interest.

Solution: Consider setting aside a specific portion of your day to dedicate to your blog. Think about when your head is most clear and you can focus. This will allow you to simplify the process and save you valuable time.

2. Problem: Figuring out the right schedule to publish

How often should you publish posts on your blog? If you don’t post often enough, you risk losing your reader base. Posting too frequently can also be problematic, as you may overwhelm your readers and yourself by constantly having to come up with new content. (Hint: It depends on your field or industry: some require daily postings, but others only once or twice a week.) Read More→

Categories : About Blogs, Content Marketing, Writing Great Blog Content
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Content Marketing with Blogs:
6 Steps to Writing Awesome Fresh Content

By Patsi Krakoff
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013

Blog-by-renjith-krishnanWhat private Hell do you go through to write fresh blog content? How do you pick a blog topic that will score with search engines AND solve a problem your target audience frequently has? Do you scour the dungeon of your mind for new slants on old stuff?

I don’t know any business professional who doesn’t struggle to keep up a fresh supply of awesome content for their readers. It’s part of content marketing with blogs, but it can be easier and more fun if you make it so.

Here’s my typical blog writing experience: Up early when brain is freshest, check ESPN for tennis matches. Watch a 5-setter at Australian Open. Drink two large mugs of coffee. Check email. Find a blog feed that could interest my readers (small business professionals who do content marketing with a blog). Seek inspiration, find it, and start writing directly into WordPress blog platform.

First paragraph focuses on the problem using keywords important to my readers. Second paragraph either expands on the problem, or diverges off into a small story or personal anecdote. By the time I get to a third paragraph, I’ve often sparked a memory or an idea that could be useful to my clients. Then I make a list of solutions or suggestions.

Then the last paragraph is a call to some sort of action. I may ask readers a question or suggest a ‘next step.’ This may include a link to contact me or call me or download a special report. Read More→

Categories : About Blogs, Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Writing Great Blog Content
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5 Reasons to Hire a Content Marketing Writer for Your Business

By Patsi Krakoff
Wednesday, December 26th, 2012

Content Marketing-Hire-Writer-for-your-business“Content is king.” Bill Gates said it, so it must be true.

Gates uttered this one-liner way back in 1996, but the flurry of updates to Google search algorithms during 2012 has ensured that his words still resonate.

Most businesses (be they blog owners, start-ups, or established brands) now know that if they want a competitive advantage, they have to keep information-hungry customers in a ready supply of fresh, relevant, and interesting content. Depending on the type of the business, content might also be expected to be awe-inspiring. No pressure, of course.

One of the biggest problems with content is finding someone to write it. Even if you’re a great writer, or have people on staff who are, it takes time and skill to craft an article, blog or newsletter appropriate for both your audience of potential customers and the search engines.

Could the answer be to outsource the writing to a freelancer?

Let’s consider the benefits of doing so: Read More→

Categories : Content Marketing, Writing for Others, Freelancing, Writing for the Web, Writing Great Blog Content
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Blog Writing: 5 Tips to Break a Blogging Rut

By Patsi Krakoff
Wednesday, November 7th, 2012

Business blog writing is tough. No matter how long you’ve been writing on your business blog, sooner or later, you’ll find yourself in a blogging rut. How do you break out of blogger’s block?

There are many reasons that people blog – the most important being to convey their personal message in a clear, concise way.

Here are other key reasons blog writing is key for your business:

  • Building an online base of targeted customers
  • Reaching customers on an individual level
  • Improving your “findability” through online searches

Whatever your blogging motivation, one thing is vital for traffic improvement – blog writing consistency.

Posting content for a business blog on a regular basis sounds easy enough, but seasoned bloggers know that it is tough to keep posts fresh and meaningful to their audience. Sometimes there is just not enough motivation – or coffee – to get the creative juices flowing and break writer’s block.

Instead of staring blankly at a computer screen, or giving up completely, give these ideas a try to keep your business blog writing consistent: Read More→

Categories : About Blogs, Content Marketing, Writing Great Blog Content
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Better Blogging: Messages that Inspire Desire…

By Patsi Krakoff
Wednesday, October 31st, 2012

Better-blog-writingWhy should you be writing and publishing blog posts and Web content for your business? No, it’s not because of search engines in order to get indexed and found. That’s important but it’s a side-effect of doing Content Marketing right.

The only reason “you should be blogging” is to get your message across to the people who need it. All the other reasons pale in comparison:

  • My business needs a good website/ blog to look professional
  • My company needs to build credibility and trust
  • A good-looking professional blog or website will build a marketing list

What’s your message? How can you inspire desire? I suggest that your blog messages should focus on what truly matters to your target audience of potential clients. What’s their beef? What problems do they encounter that your product or services can solve? How will you make a difference in their lives? Read More→

Categories : About Blogs, Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Writing Great Blog Content
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5 Steps to Quality Business Blog Writing

By Patsi Krakoff
Wednesday, October 10th, 2012

One of the most frequent question small business owners and coaches ask me is “What should I write about on my business blog?” It’s not as daunting as you might think, if you follow a few guidelines. These five steps will help you master business blog writing with quality content that attracts readers every time.

With practice, anyone can start and finish writing a blog post in under an hour. It may take longer to add an image, link keywords and edit, but aim for 30 minutes and 300 words and you’ll soon become good at it.

Most small business owners recognize that fresh content published on a blog is simply a required marketing tool. I like to point out that an online business blog is the smartest way to get found, get known, and get clients.

People – your target audience of ideal customers – want to know what you stand for and what you can do for them. A blog is your platform for establishing your business as trustworthy.

That said, I know not everyone loves writing, and as a business owner, you have a lot of plates to keep spinning in the air. Whether you write on your own blog, outsource to a ghost blogger, or have a designated writer on staff, you are still faced with a content marketing strategy for your business blog.

Here are five tips to simplify the process and save you valuable time.

  1. Get started, pick a topic.Getting started is often the hardest part, because there are a lot of choices. It’s never a good idea to start by staring at a blank screen. Keep a list of categories or major keywords that are important to your ideal customers. Here’s the way I do it. Read More→
Categories : Content Marketing, Writing Great Blog Content
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Quality Content: How to Write Great Blog Posts Every Time

By Patsi Krakoff
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012

How do you create quality content that attracts online readers and yet works to promote the growth of your business?

Creating great content for your business blog is a what and how issue, as in what constitutes “good” content, and how does one produce that content so that it brings in the readers that a business blogger wants. Quality content stimulates reader/ customer engagement.

Here’s what quality web content looks like: It’s short, sweet, smart, and funny.

  • Content has to be short to accommodate the average reader’s attention span and need to scan quickly.
  • Sweet because it has to attract readers to your article (think arresting titles).  You want to hit that sweet spot right in the center of their curiosity and desire to know more.
  • It has to be smart to stimulate the reader to think, tell them something they don’t already know, and trigger them to join in on the conversation, to share or comment.
  • And finally, the content needs to be funny or at least clever to hold their attention and trigger good feelings. (Note: an alternative would be to be outrageously negative, which also stimulates comments and sharing.)

Without any of these factors, you risk losing readers to boredom. It’s click and bye-bye!

How do you keep readers interested and coming back to your blog?

Read More→

Categories : About Blogs, Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Writing Great Blog Content
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Using a Business Blog:
Are You Hard to Find on the Web?

By Patsi Krakoff
Friday, June 29th, 2012
Have you ever tried to find yourself on the Web? No, I don’t mean by searching for your name or the name of your business – that would be too easy. Try searching for a solution to the kind of problems your business solves, using keyword phrases your typical client might use. (Image: Freedigitalphotos.net)

Search for your business the way new prospects would search for you, without knowing your name.

When you do, you’ll know that it’s difficult to be found on the World Wide Web, because there are a lot of people and companies doing what you do. Okay, maybe not as brilliantly, and granted, maybe they have bigger marketing budgets than you, but the thing is, those search engine robots don’t care who’s big or small or even who is a qualified professional doing great things.

That’s right, search engines like Google and Yahoo only care about words and links. I know, cold and cruel, nasty little algorithms, but that’s life on the Internet. A business blog is the most common publishing platform that smart professionals use to get found on the web.

So what do the others (not-so-smart) do? Some people have found success by using expensive web site designs and hiring Search Engine Optimization experts, but there’s only so much Google juice they can get out of a site. You still need content and lots of it.

What’s needed in the online search world is a lot of content, using keywords, published frequently and attracting inbound links from other people and connections. This is why a business blog is what successful people use to get found, get known, and get clients.

I don’t want to confuse you, so let’s cut to the chase: what’s needed is for you to publish 2-3 times a week on a business blog, writing about the problems you solve for people. Oh, and it helps a lot to have some video. …And to update social media sites about what you’re blogging about. Read More→

Categories : About Blogs, Attracting Clients, Content Marketing, Online Marketing, Writing for the Web, Writing Great Blog Content
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