Why should I write a blog?

Content for content’s sake is a waste of time. If you want to get a return on investment you need to think about why you are writing it. There are many good reasons to blog so make sure you are clear about your intent and desired outcome before you start.

Think through your goals and build your content around those. These are the outcomes I am looking for when I write my blog. You may have others but once you have decided what they are you can brief your copywriter with real purpose.

Improved brand awareness through thought leadership

My clients often ask, ‘does blogging increase brand awareness?’ A good blog provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and views on your area of specialisation. Brand awareness can be a slow burn but over time it works. If you consistently deliver useful insights, you will become the go-to person in your industry.

New leads through my website

So you want to generate more leads on your website? Then you need to publish content that will grab enough attention to inspire a click through. You need strong calls to action and you also need to make sure that your messages will resonate with the people who hang out on the platform you are posting on. For example, as a general rule Facebook is more suited to consumer products and LinkedIn for professional services. It is also worth putting a few dollars into boosting your posts if you want to gain traction on Facebook. LinkedIn works on a more organic formula.

Improved search rankings for targeted keywords (SEO)

What will people be searching for if they are looking to purchase your product or service? SEO and copywriting go hand in hand, but it needs to be well written and look seamless. Simply stuffing a bunch of keywords into your copy doesn’t work. If the article is clumsy and hard to read, you will lose your potential customer. This is a great reason to engage a professional copywriter!

Competition is fierce: choose your words wisely

Have you taken a cool, hard look at your website content lately? Competition is fierce. Targeted, purposeful words will put you one step closer to engaging your customers and closing the deal (good design helps too). 

You don’t want punters clicking away to your competitors because they can’t understand what you are saying.

Your copy needs to be persuasive, not informative. It is worth asking yourself, ‘does this copy make my business look good and does it inspire action?’ If not, it may be worth investing in a wordsmith to sharpen it up.

Find a copywriter that understands marketing 

Good copywriters are able to put themselves in your customers’ shoes.  They can speak to your audience and demonstrate how you are solving their problems. Through the power of persuasion, they can motivate people to act. Often the less is more approach is the way to go.

Brand story and tone of voice are important

When it comes to business your brand is your personality.  We all like to do business with people we like.  A good copywriter will work with you to hone your tone of voice so that it is unique to you and relevant to your customers or stakeholders.  

Return on investment

Truly persuasive copy will be attracting attention (website visitors), engaging and converting - a solid reason to invest a few dollars in this area of your business.

 If you would like to know more, please email me amy@amyclarkecontent.com.au

What does a copywriter do?

“So what sort of work do you do?”  - a time tested ice-breaker in social situations, when you are meeting new people.  Quite often I am met with a blank look when I say I write copy. 

I explain a little further…. “I write copy for websites, blogs and e-newsletters – that sort of thing.”  That usually helps and then people say, “Oh I need help with that.  I just don’t have the time and I am not a wordsmith.”

The thing about being a copywriter is that it is so much more than WRITING. 

What you are paying for:

• Writing
• Research
• Interviewing
• Editing
• Proofreading
• Project management
• Sourcing of images
• Planning and implementing marketing plans

If you are looking for a copywriter, you need someone who has a marketing head.  Being good with words is not enough.  Your client will have an agenda, usually to promote a product, educate, demonstrate expertise, tell a story.  Your writer needs to be able to put themselves in the customer’s shoes so that they can influence them to act.

My favourite clients are those that have a clear vision on their key messages. They know who they are as a brand and what problems they are solving!  Brand personality and a consistent tone of voice are golden tools for the copywriter. They are also key to you establishing your point of difference in a cluttered market place.

Copywriters have to be versatile and quick learners to keep their clients happy!  They also have to make edits that not only keep the client's marketing department happy, but their legal, sales and brand police happy too.

Words are what you will get in the end, but we spend a significant part of our time researching, interviewing, thinking, tweaking and formatting.  These are seemingly peripheral tasks that take TIME – and they are essential to achieving a quality result!

If you need help get in touch.

How to use a conversational tone of voice

Conversational writing is a bit of a buzz at the moment. It is a great way of connecting with your audience because it feels real and human. Of course, it is not always appropriate, for example it won’t work in a medical white paper. It will make you look like a complete goose and leave you with zero credibility. But in many instances it is a great tool. It is accessible to the average bear and this means more people are likely to read it and engage with your brand – and potentially decide they want to do business with you.

Use words people can understand. Don’t be an intellectual snob. Showing off with fancy, uncommon words mostly puts people off!  Use specific, technical words only when completely necessary.

Use ‘you’ and ‘I’. These words make people feel as if you are directly chatting to them. It brings you one-step closer to your audience than the traditional third person approach which is more formal.

Tell stories. We all love a good story. People hate being sold to. Stories are an indirect way of getting your message across. I have spoken in previous posts about why storytelling works. Weave your business solutions into a well told tale and you will keep the reader engaged for longer.

Use short sentences. A short sentence is easier to read. Long and convoluted ones can be tiring.  Your reader may lose the thread before they get to the end of it. ‘Too hard’ says the short attention span as they click off to the next thing.

Break the rules. A conversational style of writing means you can throw a lot of rules you learnt in school grammar out the window. Have fun with it. Write as if you are chatting to someone in the coffee shop!

Humour is good. We all love a good giggle. In the right context it can be very useful and anything funny tends to have a higher recall rate which is a plus if you want people to come back to you down the track.

*warning – be sure to keep your audience at top of mind.  If a conversational tone is not in alignment with your brand don’t use it.

How to make a great website

In my job I read a LOT of websites. 

It has come to my attention that there are some great websites and, I am sorry to say, some dreadful ones out there.  You know - the one that looks like it hasn’t been updated since 2002?  It is clunky, hard to navigate and has acres of complex text.

What do you do when you find one of these?  I know what I do.  I shut it down immediately and go on to the next one on my search list.  Now that’s an easy way to lose a customer!

Here are a few tips on how to make sure your website makes a good impression.

Start with clear navigation

Name your website pages logically and use standard terms.  Don’t keep your visitors guessing with ambiguous menus.  Attention spans are short and you will lose them!  A clean, simple and organised website bodes for a good user experience.

Make it readable!

First impressions count.  Make them good. 

Pay attention to the written word and break it up.  Reading from a screen is slower so you need to break your text up into digestible chunks.  Good graphics and pictures help with this too.

Use a conversational style of writing and keep your paragraphs short - about four sentences is sufficient.  Short sentences are also good.  Avoid industry jargon that won’t mean anything to your customer. Speak directly to your website visitors and use the word ‘you’!

Know your audience

Be clear about who you are speaking to and engage them!  Show empathy by demonstrating how you can solve their problems.  What are your products and services? Tell them. If your visitors can’t quickly see what’s in it for them you will lose them!

Use trust building content

A blog that positions you as an expert or opinion leader in your field is worth having.  It also provides material that can be repurposed in social media and e-newsletters.  This will drive more traffic to your website.  And, don’t forget to let everyone know about any awards or accolades you have received.  It all adds to your credibility.

Think about calls to action

Each page should compel the reader to want to do business with you.  Give them a reason and include call to action links such as ‘get in touch’, ‘contact us for a quote’, ‘buy now’.

Spelling and grammar count!

Poor writing and spelling mistakes make you look like an amateur.  If writing is not your thing it is worth investing in a professional to help you articulate what you want to say.

Make it easy for people to contact you.

Getting in touch should be as simple as one click away.  Avoid long winded contact forms and make sure phone numbers and email links are correct!

If you think you need help email me at amy@amyclarkecontent.com.au

Why should you hire a freelance copywriter?

Keeping content interesting, relevant and up to date is crucial in today’s marketplace.  Yet actually producing it is the challenge most companies and marketers face.  Do you feel like you are drowning?  If any of these issues resonate it may be time to consider taking on a freelancer.

Lack of time

Quality writing involves research, an understanding of your objective, target audience, and tone required.  A good copywriter can keep you focused and take care of these things.  This frees you up to worry about other aspects of your business such as product development or sales.

Lack of resources

Often small to medium sized businesses don’t have the luxury of an in-house marketing team.   If you are a sole-trader, chances are you are not good at everything.  Not many people are! Paying a freelancer to get the job done is a less expensive option.   You can engage them on a needs basis.

You hate writing

Are you one of those people that gets stuck when faced with putting ‘pen to paper’?  Not all of us are blessed with the ‘gift of the gab’ and that’s OK.  Handing it over to a specialist who has the skills and passion to get your story out there will be a huge relief – and it is fun seeing what they come back with.  A good writer will listen hard and dig deep to find your stories.

You are not sure how to write for different social media platforms

A long academic article may be appropriate if your objective is to position yourself as a thought leader on Linkedin.  A 500-word blog post on your website may need to be edited and repurposed for a Facebook ad or e-newsletter.  Content producers understand this and can revise the words accordingly.

Lost for words? Some tips for creating great content.

Brainstorming is a great way to get started when building your content calendar.  As a creative, I love this technique as it allows you to throw all the wild and lateral ideas into the ring first.  Some of them will probably be ridiculous but you can cull them back to fit within a more strategic vision later! 

Dig up the good news stories.  Corporate philanthropy always goes down well.  Your customers like to see you giving back.   Or perhaps you have you won an award or hired a new staff member?

Give people the back story.  Behind the scenes stories are very popular.  People love to see how you create your magic! 

Share some (not all!) tools of the trade.  This is part of creating content that your stakeholders will value.  It is a great way of engaging them.  If they like what you give them they are more likely to come back for more.

Use humour.  In the right context, it is a great way of making a human connection.  We all love a good laugh.

Incorporate testimonials.  Happy customers will give you credibility.  Old fashioned word of mouth is still one of the most powerful marketing tools around.  Your brand is not what you say it is but what your customers say it is!

And, if you simply don't have the time or writing is just not your thing give me a shout out.  I can help!

By the way, these are not all my ideas.  I got some of these insights from a wonderful Content Strategy workshop hosted by Collective Hub and Carnaby + Company.   Sharing makes the world go around!

Why blogging can help you grow your business

So, you are in business and like any self-respecting entrepreneur your number one priority is likely to be growth.  I have news for you.  Blogging works and it is worth investing in it as part of your long-term content strategy.

It generates more leads

A regular blog is a very effective way of warming up your customers, giving them a feel for your unique personality and your brand.  According to Business 2 Community, regular blogging will generate a whopping 126% more leads.

It builds SEO

One of the greatest benefits of blogging is that it has the ability to drive traffic to your website through search engine optimisation (SEO).  You need to research and think about what your customers would be looking for when searching for your goods or services and include these in your blog and SEO tagging.

 It can position you as a thought leader

Blogging is a great way to connect with your customers.  It can humanise your brand and give them a greater insight into who you are and what makes you special.  Over time you will become a recognisable voice. 

70% of customers prefer to know a company through articles rather than advertising (Business to Community).

It provides you with content for social media and email campaigns

The days of writing a blog, parking it on your website and expecting things to happen are over!  The good news is that once you have written your blog you have the tools to share it with your audience via social media and email which will in turn drive more traffic to your website.  This all contributes to building your brand and relationship with existing and potential customers.

It is a great way to build your database

Ask your readers to sign up to your email newsletter at the beginning of your blog.   This is a great way of keeping track of people who are actively interested in what you have to say and offer.  Email is still a very effective marketing tool and you should be part of your blogging distribution strategy.