The Perfect Home Page

The home page is the front door of a web site. It’s the first page most visitors see. So, it better be compelling to keep visitors on site long enough to perform the most desired action (MDA).

Home page text focuses on the needs and drives of site visitors who landed on the site for a reason. They need or want something. Prices, product descriptions, free consultation, information – they need or want something.

Home page text meets the needs of site visitors. Here are the elements of a well-designed home page in sequence, from top to bottom.

The Headline

The headline is half the job. The headline focuses on the needs of site visitors. Describe “the problem” in the headline.

NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT – AGAIN?

DEBT IS A BUMMER.

DON’T BE A LOSER: THIS YEAR’S STOCK MARKET WINNERS.

Headlines.

The Problem

Expand on the problem in a short paragraph, citing examples visitors recognize. Describe the impact the problem has on the site visitor’s health, family, finances, business – whatever – in 300-500 words. Use negative space to simplify scanning.

The Solution

How does the client company fix the problem? Keep it general. Keep it simple. Keep them reading.

In some cases, the solution can be described in bullet-point format to facilitate a quick scan of the home page. 

Benefits

What are the benefits of engaging the company behind the website? Benefits sell. Hype doesn’t.

A money-back guarantee, 30-year warranty, free shipping, 20% off, state-of-the-art design, an expansive service area – all potential benefits to site visitors.

Use a bullet list to describe each benefit.

Incentives

Coupons, a free ebook, a free consultation, a free website audit, discounts – all of these enticements encourage the performance of the MDA, whether it’s to call the company or place an order.

The Call To Action

Close out home page text with a strong call to action that, not only encourages the performance of the MDA, but also tells site visitors HOW TO PERFORM THE MDA.

ORDER NOW SIMPLY BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW

AND START ENJOYING BETTER HEALTH FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

A strong call to action that urges the reader to order, tells the reader HOW to order, and provides a reason to place an order – family health.

Create home page text using these elements, in this sequence, to create home pages that improve conversion rates and make clients happy.

Need help with your home page. Visit www.webwordslinger.com for all contact info.

Later,

Webwordslinger

Five Ways to Make Money Online: It's NOT Just About Adverbs

5 Ways to Make Money Online:

It’s Not Just About Adverbs

Yep, this is a freelance web writer blog, but all of us are in the business of business – earning money to pay the bills, or at least trying to.

So, because we’re freelance web writers, we focus on selling words. Sometimes a few words. Sometimes a 250-page ebook on the dry cleaning industry. Writing is writing. Work is work.

However, there’s more ways to earn a few bucks than just selling words. These work for me.

Sign up for Adsense. Google places its little blue cube adverts on your blog or website page, and every time a visitor clicks on a Google ad, you get a few pennies.

You won’t get rich, but you don’t have to do anything except sign up.

Why add Adsense?

• ads provided by Google; you control add placement on site

• customized ads

• ads in text and/or motion formats

• ads are contextual based on the keywords entered by the search engine user

• you control which ads appear on your site or blog, i.e., no competing sites or sites with questionable subject matter

• you get paid each time click-throughs reach $100

• it’s FREE

Take on a couple of affiliates. Affiliate marketing is a money maker. You display ads for affiliates on your website or blog, and collect some cash each time a visitor clicks on the INTEL ad shining in the right column.

Affiliate agreements are different for each company so read the fine print. Choose affiliates related to the services you offer. For example, your web writer website will see more click-throughs for ads on web hosting, electronics, software and other products related to creating a website.

Sell proprietary products. Stuff you write once and sell over and over again.

Some of our members sell lists and reviews of bid-fer sites. Good idea. At least one member sells mentoring services to noob freelances. Write it once, then sell it as a download, a course, a webinar, or rent space at the local hotel and hold a seminar on building a successful website.

You bet they’ll show up.

If you write it, you own it, and if it generates revenues for years to come – BINGO! – you’re earning money for something you wrote 10 years ago.

Provide consultation. Most new website owners don’t know a landing page from a landing strip, but you can teach new site owners all kinds of useful information – and you don’t have to charge a bundle because it’s usually a few phone calls.

Do remember that you’re paid, in this case, for what you know. It has value. Write up a short doc on website design and ecommerce as an “ethical bribe” for signing up for a consultation.

Create a referral system. You’re a writer, or maybe a coder who writes or a writer who codes. In any case, chances are you don’t do it “all.”

Create a contacts file of companies and individuals who can deliver the services you don’t, won’t or can’t. Your Rolodex should be chock full of numbers for everyone from voice-over talent to HTML coders who have the patience to hand-code a website.

Many clients need additional services. Refer them to one of the professionals in your contacts file and get a little “finder’s fee” when your associate lands the job.

Only refer clients to people and companies you’ve worked with, or know personally. Don’t charge the client a fee. It comes from the provider who designs a brochure for your client, using the content you wrote. Win-win-win.

Hey, drop me a line to learn more about ecommerce, web design and how to market products or services online. It ain't rocket science.

Webwordslinger

editor@webwordslinger.com

5 Easy Tips to Keep Them On-Site Longer

It takes a lot of time, energy and, sometimes, cash to lure visitors to a client’s site, so once you get them there you want to keep them there as long as possible.

Why? Well, the longer visitors stay on site the more likely they are to perform the most desired action – from subscribing to a newsletter to calling your client on the phone.

Second, time on site is something search engines value. More time on site per visitor is better.

1. Use teasers. Visitors are often looking for information. Use short paragraphs that ask questions visitors want answered. Follow this text with a CLICK HERE link.

This pulls visitors deeper into the site. And, if you provide good information, and answer visitors’ questions, they just might explore the site. More time on site. More page views. Search engines like page views, too.

2. Create a compelling headline. The headline is half the job. It’s the first thing visitors see, it’s the first thing they read, and you use it to capture their attention. “7 Tips to Improve Your Family Finances” is the kind of headline that’ll keep readers reading.

3. Use embedded text links. These links appear within a specific context of the site content. So, if the text reads, “Every family should have life insurance coverage” and “life insurance” appears in the traditional blue font, visitors looking for information (or prices) for term life insurance are likely to click on that link, pulling them deeper in to the site.

4. Keep navigation clear, simple and consistent. If visitors have trouble navigating a client’s website, they’ll go to another website that’s easier to navigate.

5. Use incentives. Create links on the home page, and all landing pages, offering a 20% discount, free in-home service, free shipping, a free consultation – something that delivers immediate benefit to visitors.

These links pull visitors deeper into the site, pique interest and increase conversion ratios because everybody likes FREE.

Good, useful content keeps visitors on site longer. Stop selling. Start helping, and watch your client site rank higher thanks to you.

Webwordslinger 

www.webwordslinger.com

How to Write The Perfect Home Page

Give Site Visitors a Reason to Buy

The home page is the front door of a web site. It’s the first page most visitors see. So, it better be compelling to keep visitors on site long enough to perform the most desired action (MDA).

Home page text focuses on the needs and drives of site visitors who landed on the site for a reason. They need or want something. Prices, product descriptions, free consultation, information – they need or want something.

Home page text meets the needs of site visitors. Here are the elements of a well-designed home page in sequence, from top to bottom.

The Headline

The headline is half the job. The headline focuses on the needs of site visitors. Describe “the problem” in the headline.

NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT – AGAIN?

DEBT IS A BUMMER.

DON’T BE A LOSER: THIS YEAR’S STOCK MARKET WINNERS.

Headlines.

The Problem

Expand on the problem in a short paragraph, citing examples visitors recognize. Describe the impact the problem has on the site visitor’s health, family, finances, business – whatever – in 300-500 words. Use negative space to simplify scanning.

The Solution

How does the client company fix the problem? Keep it general. Keep it simple. Keep them reading.

In some cases, the solution can be described in bullet-point format to facilitate a quick scan of the home page.

Benefits

What are the benefits of engaging the company behind the website? Benefits sell. Hype doesn’t.

A money-back guarantee, 30-year warranty, free shipping, 20% off, state-of-the-art design, an expansive service area – all potential benefits to site visitors.

Use a bullet list to describe each benefit.

Incentives

Coupons, a free ebook, a free consultation, a free website audit, discounts – all of these enticements encourage the performance of the MDA, whether it’s to call the company or place an order.

The Call To Action

Close out home page text with a strong call to action that, not only encourages the performance of the MDA, but also tells site visitors HOW TO PERFORM THE MDA.

ORDER NOW SIMPLY BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW

AND START ENJOYING BETTER HEALTH FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

A strong call to action that urges the reader to order, tells the reader HOW to order, and provides a reason to place an order – family health.

Create home page text using these elements, in this sequence, to create home pages that improve conversion rates and make clients happy.

Later,

Webwordslinger

editor@webwordslinger.com

www.webwordslinger.com

  

Website Jargon: From Site Launch to Landing Page

Language evolves, and one of the driving forces of linguistic evolution is jargon.

Jargon has a bad reputation. Sure, it’s exclusionary – keeping the outsiders out, but it’s also a convenient shorthand that efficiently conveys definition to insiders. Ask your spouse about conversion optimization and, chances are, you’ll get a blank stare, but experienced web writers know the term and the principles that underlie the term.

As web writers, we’ve developed a matrix of insider jargon, and we use it to exchange information quickly with each other. That’s a good thing. It boosts our productivity as a profession.

Minimalist Jargon:
The Symbol for an Open Node

If we had to define SEO every time we discussed it we’d still be talking about a better term for the activity. So, we talk about SEO from a variety of perspectives, but we all know the term “search engine optimization,” and most of us have a catalog of tactics to optimize client sites. So, I can post this piece without explaining SEO from the beginning.

Web writers love jargon. CPC, bounce rate, CTR, HTML – we’ve created an impenetrable wall of words to keep clients calling for help with their CRM. Heck, we even make up stuff. (See the buzz words thread on the discussion board for examples.)

Certain jargon enters mainstream speak. It wasn’t that long ago that “blog” was a curiosity, even among web workers. We didn’t have a blog, and we didn’t know that blog was short for web log. The 2004 US presidential conventions spent time introducing all of us to the new phenomenon of blogging.

Today, blog is mainstream speak. So is blogging. It’s a noun and a verb and, chances are, you have a blog, and you know a lot of other freelancers who maintain blogs. From “What’s a blog?” to “Read my blog” in 10 years. Today, my Aunt Tillie has a blog.

Can jargon be overused? Considering the downstream consequences of a business model and CTR, the application of jargon can impact everything from drill downs to placement of the email mod. Yeah, of course jargon can be overused, and it is. There are even websites that “unsuck” corporatese to make it understandable. Jargon, for the sake of jargon, is just paddling the corporate model up integrated revenue streams.

When used judiciously, and with purpose, jargon is a great tool. Hey, we all had to learn the language so, even some of the exclusionary aspects of jargon are positive. Keeps out wannabes, but rewards those dedicated to learning how it all works.

When used for its own sake, jargon is a stumbling block. Word glitz. It sounds good but clear communication isn’t always the purpose of stuffing a piece with jargon.

I love jargon. I study it, steal it, re-work it, apply it to other aspects of search engine marketing (SEM), I collect it and try to work it in to as many pieces as I can until is goes mainstream. Then, it’s not jargon any more.

Any way, drop me a line if you want to see Tillie’s blog. I’ll send you the link. 

www.webwordslinger.com 

SEO Client Retention:

The Key to Long-Term SEO/M Business Success

Building a successful SEO/M consultancy is hard. There’s a lot of competition and a lot of snake oil, SEO voodoo floating around the web, so building a solid reputation – one that leads to referrals and repeat business is essential to long-term business growth.

Keep 'em coming back

Once you have a client, you have to keep that client coming back because of the quality services and opinions you offer. You have to build a client base of happy clients. They come back for more. They’re also your best salespeople.

Here are some suggestions for keeping the customer satisfied.

1. Go through an extensive discovery phase. Determine such things as the target demographic, market competition, unique selling position, client objectives, challenges – a top-down analysis of what needs doing. A few hours more at this stage will save days of re-dos in the weeks ahead.

2. Prepare a written SOW. A statement of work describes the work to be undertaken (usually in chronological order), approval milestones, payment schedule, who’s going to do what. The more complete the SOW the more accurate the client’s expectations. Clients hate surprises so get on the same page early.

3. Give a stake to the client. No client is going to quibble with a strategy or design that s/he proposed. Instead of presenting finished pages and data analysis, engage the client and incorporate his or her suggestions into the final product. As best you can, let the client “own” the project.

4. Go proactive. In everything. Offer suggestions and counsel beyond the expectations of the client. If you discover an error you’ve made, call the client to let her know you’re on top of it.

5. Communicate. A lot. Not just approvals, though they’re essential to increased productivity, but also discuss implementation strategies, guerilla marketing tactics and opportunities for future growth of the client’s business.

6. Fix it. If the client ain’t happy, fix it. Period. A happy client will talk you up through his network. An unhappy client will bad mouth you to anyone who will listen. Rely on your SOW only as a last resort. Keep the client happy – even if it’s a loss leader for you.

Growing a stable of regular clients takes time and trust building. It’s an on-going process. But once your regulars are making up 75% of your work time, you don’t have to constantly worry about where the next job is coming from.

editor@webwordslinger.com
webwordslinger.com

Just What IS Good Copy Writing? Savvy Clients Want To Know

                            TREAT READERS RIGHT

Writing good site text is a complex mixture of defining benefits and keeping visitors interested, i.e. enhancing the on-site experience with good information that’s short on sales hype, long on useful tips and suggestions.

Here are some tactics that have worked for my clients:

1. There are three topics about which most readers are interested: health (nutrition, fitness, diseases, etc.), family (how-to’s, relations, child-rearing) and finances (aka money. How to make, save, spend or stretch it.) Choose a topic in one of these areas. Combine two interests, as in “10 Ways to Improve Family Nutrition.”

2. Engage the reader. Befriend the reader. Encourage the reader with good, useful information. Don’t make the reader angry.

3. Write like you talk. Don’t write words to be read, write words that are heard in the reader’s brain. You don’t say, “I am going to the kitchen.” You say, “I’m going to the kitchen.” Pretend there’s someone sitting next to you. Talk to that figment and type what you say. Then, clean it up for grammar, spelling and punctuation.

4. Readers don’t want to learn, they want to discover. Learning connotes homework. Discovery connotes excitement. Don’t teach, create a map with words that leads to a helpful, interesting or funny discovery.

5. Use short blocks of text, like this post. Layout is important to eye scan and web readers rarely read, they scan and small blocks of text are more easily scanned. That’s why it’s a good idea to use titles, headers and sub-heads to raise the curiosity of the reader. To intrigue. It’s a pleasant discovery. (See point 4.)

6. Practice writing in a number of voices so you can take on any writing job. A corporate white paper uses different wording than a quick how-to written for parents. A business plan has a different tone than a piece on oddities in Nebraska. The more voices you develop, the more readable and engaging your writing.

7. Respect the reader. S/he takes the time to read what you write so keep it interesting, on point and short. No extra words.

8. Eliminate qualifiers. Not: We strive to achieve client satisfaction. Strive and you might fail. Eliminate the qualifier: We achieve client satisfaction. Not “Our widget CAN increase production by 300%.” Eliminate all qualifiers: “Our widget increases production by 300%” This gives writing authority and confidence.

There’s more, but that’s a start. The one thing you don’t want to do is anger readers. Or annoy them. Or push their buttons. Be straight with them and they’ll read what you write. 

Paul Lalley
editor.webwordslinger.com

7 Tips To Cut Research Time

7 Tips To Cut Research Time

As copy writers we have to learn a lot of stuff, from quonset hut fabrication to urology to the biases of the Japanese university system, and that means a lot of research. Innate curiosity goes with the job’s territory, but research time costs money and we’re in the business of learning stuff fast, writing about it and cashing the check.

Here’s how to cut research time down to size.

1. Google the heck out of it. Don’t just use primary keywords, conduct searches using secondary key words and key words SE users enter into query boxes.

2. Use industry specific search engines. We all know Google, Yahoo and Bing but there are more than 4,000 search engines crawling the web. To find the latest on “smart doors” use a construction industry search engine. A good place to start is http://www.searchengineguide.com.

3. Use local search for local businesses. If your client has a service area of 25 square kilometers, enter your search term and the zip (postal) code where the client is located. You’ll see the competition, local news, local attractions and features of Westport 06880. 

4. Skip the academic treatises, white papers and in-depth analyses. Someone has already read them and synthesized key content into a 1,000-word piece. Find the breakdown piece and save time.

5. Use forums. There’s a forum for everything. Need to know the latest on Caribbean vacations? Here’s the link to a forum: http://www.fodors.com/community/caribbean-islands/. Forums are sources for quick information and highly-specific info. Post a question and get a few dozen answers in a few hours. And the FAQ sections are up-to-date with the most current topics.

6. Read. Learn the language of the trade or industry so you use it in your writing. Every industry has insider jargon. Reading a lot of short articles also provides a list of what insiders are talking about. Join a LinkedIn group associated with your research topic and get up-to-the-minute information on what’s happening.

7. Spin it. Spinning has a bad reputation but, let’s face it, we all spin content. We have to. How much can you say about pre-fab concrete? And the news isn’t all that exciting in the cement sector, either.

Learn the basics, learn the concerns, learn the jargon, and you not only become a better copy writer, you know stuff that you can sell again without a lot of research time.

Anyone want to know the eight advantages of pre-fabricated metal buildings? Drop me a line at www.webwordslinger.com.

Later,

Paul 

Web Writing:

Know Your Demographic

If you’ve been writing professionally for more than two weeks you know what the demographic is. For the rest of you, the demographic is the sweet spot of your client’s market. It’s your target audience.

And the better you understand that target the more effective your writing. It’s all about pushing the right buttons to compel the site visitor to perform the MDA – the most desired action.

Who Are You Selling To?

The Target Demographic

Believe it or not, many of your clients won’t be able to describe their target audience. Let’s say you’re hired to write website content for a brick-and-mortar hearing aid retail outlet somewhere in Montana. (It could happen.)

The owner of the store may have had a lock on a 25 square mile service area – the only hearing aid dispenser in the region. So, dropping a quarter page advert in the local newspaper was all it took to create a profitable business. And the store owner never gave more than a thought to who she was trying to reach.

So, during the discovery phase you ask, “What’s the target demographic?” Your likely to get an incomplete answer: “People who need hearing aids.” However, that’s a broad demographic so a little research might produce a better return for your client.

Research the Demographic

Hearing aids. So you’re likely to immediately think of the over-50 crowd. Probably right. Nerve deafness goes hand-in-hand with aging so trying to hit that over-50, Baby Boomer demographic bubble may be just the way to go.

But, what do you know about this particular group, other than what you know about your grandparents and the 60-year-old neighbor next door? These people don’t make up a large enough group to actually define the needs and preferences of people over 50.

For example, a little research reveals that the over-50 crowd:

• Are less likely to use computers at home
• Are less likely to comparison shop for products on line
• Don’t make as many on-line purchases
• Are less familiar with local search engine options
• Scroll less than their younger counterparts
• Spend less time on line altogether
• Are not as tech savvy as younger computer users

All of these factors create a clearer picture of who you’re targeting with your writing. For example, if you know that seniors don’t scroll as much as younger people, all of the important stuff must be at the top of the page.

Use the Language of the Target Demographic. Jargon Sells!

What do these people want and need? What information do they require to make an intelligent buying choice? How do they talk to each other? Your writing should use the language of the target demographic.

Let’s say you’re writing a user manual for a mainframe computer company. (It could happen.) You better know what a trouble ticket is and what downstream consequences are. You can quickly learn the insider jargon by visiting websites that sell mainframes or service them.

There’s jargon in every profession. It’s a form of shorthand. But it’s also exclusionary, keeping out those who are NOT members of the gang. So, the use of the demographic jargon (1) enables you to present information in shorthand form and (2) makes you a member of the exclusive group of mainframe computer administrators.

The best place to look for industry-specific jargon is on websites and blogs designed to provide solutions to the specific demographic. These sites detail what the demographic wants so to cut down on research time, cut to the chase and go hang out with the people you’re trying to reach.

That’s the best way to learn the lingo. And deomographic wants and needs, as well.

What Does Your Target Demographic Want or Need?

Increased productivity? Faster shipping? A baby-soft maternity gift? If you don’t know what the target market wants or needs you can’t push the right buttons to induce the site visitor into taking the MDA. In other words, your text missed the mark.

Before you write a single word, know to whom you’re writing. Know how they talk then talk right to them.

Know what they need or want. Then meet those needs and wants.

Don’t rely on your client to give you the goods on the target demographic. Most of these people are focused on business matters. It’s up to you to hit that bull’s-eye sweet spot with your writing.

And if you do, guess what? You just added a regular to your client base – a buyer who will come back for more without any effort on your part.

And repeat buyers are the basis of success for any freelance web writer. So know to whom you’re speaking when you write. Take aim at that bull’s-eye and fire away.

The more times you hit the mark, the more of the client’s problems are solved. And the bigger your client base grows.

editor@webwordslinger.com

7 Ways To Lose a Client: Mistakes I’ve Made

I’ve been a freelance copy writer for more than 38 years and, oh boy, have I made mistakes. In fact, I think I’ve made every mistake a freelance service provider CAN make.

She'll Be Back

Fortunately, I learned from these mistakes and applied them to my business (and personal) life. There are lots of ways to lose a client. There are even more ways to keep a client happy and a part of an expanding, stable client base.

1. Oversell.

I’m proud of what I do. And, frankly, I’m a show-off. So, even after the deal is closed, I’m still selling my services. I once had a client tell me that I made him nervous with all of the sales hype I threw at him whenever we spoke.

Now, I provide just enough information to let the client know that I have some authority as a copy writer. Then, I shut up.

2. Take it personally.

This is a tough one. When I write something – anything – it’s my baby. I think it’s perfect, so when a client comes back asking for revisions I used to take it as a personal affront.

Over the years, I’ve been able to separate my self-esteem from my work. I know it’s good. But if the client wants to make it worse, s/he gets what s/he wants. I don’t debate clients any more. I tell them that I think they’re making a mistake, I tell them why I think they’re making a mistake, then I write that “Black is white” because that’s what the client wants. I get paid to deliver what the client wants, good, bad, or indifferent.

3. Put your interests before those of the client.

Another sure fire means of driving clients to distraction.

There are days that, as writers, we’re more productive than others. Days when we feel like writing and days when every word is a struggle. Clients don’t care. They want their copy. NOW. So, even when the muse isn’t perched on my shoulder, I write. And I put the interests of my clients before my own. I deliver what was promised and I deliver it before the deadline.

4. Lose steam.

This happens a lot.

There’s always excitement and renewed interest when a new client comes along. But after a few weeks of writing about beekeeping, it gets kinda boring. And after a few more weeks, it gets to be work.

It may be difficult to stay enthusiastic after writing about beekeeping for two or three years, and as a result the quality of your writing slips. Can’t let that happen.

You’re the creative one so find new ways of approaching the beekeeping issues of the day. If you stay interested, your writing will be interesting. Oh, and your clients will stay in place and ask for more.

5. Ignore the client.

You may have eight projects all moving forward simultaneously, though at different stages. It’s common to work on the latest project to come through and let some of those older assignments collect dust.

Clients want to think that they’re the most important client you have. Pick up the telephone, drop an email, meet for lunch, connect on social media sites. In other words, pay attention to all clients and they’ll pay attention to you – with a check. That’s always nice.

6. Miss a deadline.

It’s happened, but only a couple of times. One time I came down with the flu from hell and was unable to work for a week. I dropped the ball, missed a deadline and lost the client.

I never blamed her for dropping me, even though I was on death’s door for a few days. I never even brought up the flu. Clients don’t care about your problems. They care about results, even when the flu has you bed-ridden.

7. Accept project creep.

It starts with a simple request. “Would you mind adding a short auto-responder to the list?” Of course, no problem.

Then, it’s another request and another and finally, you’re doing keyword research and making $3.00 an hour. At this point, it’s tough to put on the brakes since you’ve been so accommodating thus far.

Say “no” as soon as that first request comes in. Let the client know that your time is valuable, your experience and knowledge have value. Simply explain that this is your livelihood and you have to put your time to the most productive use.

Reasonable clients (there are some) will accept this and respect you for your courteous professionalism. And the cranks who think you’re holding back are clients you can afford to lose. They’re time wasters.

Today, I’m older, wiser and have a nice group of clients with whom I’ve built friendships. Most importantly, I’ve learned when to shut up and when to speak, when to accept and when to push back.

It’s a lot more fun and profitable working this way.

editor@webwordslinger.com

“What’s In It For Me?” That’s All Site Visitors Want To Know

“What’s In It For Me?”

That’s All Site Visitors Want To Know

As a site designer, SEO, copywriter or some other someone working in the web world, chances are you have clients – clients who have objectives.

Some want to sell something, or lots of different things. Some want opt-ins for a FREE special report. Others want visitors to subscribe to their insightful newsletters or fill out a form. These are the objectives of the site owner – your client and person with the checkbook.

Naturally, these clients want their sites to meet their objectives. If the client is selling a vitamin supplement, her objective is to sell more jars of the product. If the author of a newsletter on precious metals publishes an “insider’s report,” he wants more subscribers.

If the site is soliciting donations, the objective is obvious – more donors, repeat donors, generous donors. Therefore, the site copy on the home page and landing pages is usually written to meet the objectives of the site owner and not the site visitor.

And the fact is, the objectives of site owners and visitors are distinct and, at times, even contradictory. The fact is that site visitors don’t give a whit about your clients, their web sites, their problems or their clever turn of a phrase. They want the answer to one very simple question:

What’s in it for me?

Let’s look at a couple of examples of site text with snarky, visitor comments inserted:

Acme Pest Control is a family-owned business (who cares, I got bugs) with deep roots in the Tri-City Area. (I said I don’t care. Bugs are eating my house.) We offer a variety of services to manage your pest problems (Can you get rid of my bugs?) safely, effectively and completely. (Umm, okay.)

We offer the latest in pest control technology (Huh?) and we guarantee our work. (OK, that part’s good.)

Out technicians are trained in the latest pest control technology, they’re certified and they’re friendly. (I don’t care if he looks like Quasimodo, I just want somebody so get rid of termites. Now.)

That little snippet of text is all about Acme Pest Control and closing another sale. Naturally, that’s the company’s objective, but it’s not necessarily the site visitor’s objective, which is to find a solution to a termite problem.

So, posture the text to meet the objectives of the visitor, NOT the site owner.

Got bug problems? (Why, yes, yes I do.) Want to get rid of them today? (That’d be great?) Want to keep your family and pets safe? (Well, of course. I hadn’t even thought of that.)

Tired of calling around trying to find a solution to your pest problems? (Oh, man, I’m so tired. Can you help?) We solve all of your pest problems quickly, safely and now. (How do I reach you?) You want to solve a pest problem, call us at (123) 555-1234. (I’m dialing, I’m dialing!)

We’ll be there today to help you. Guaranteed. (“Hello, Acme Pest Control…”)

In this case, the site text isn’t about the company (your client) it’s all about the visitor – solving their problems and serving their needs.

Unfortunately, even gigantic, global conglomerates use site text that’s designed to meet their global conglomerate objectives, not the objectives of the site visitor. I’ll bet you 99.9% of all 122 million web sites are designed to meet the site owner’s objectives. And that’s why so many sites crash and burn.

It’s blunt but true: site visitors don’t care about you, your site, your corporate history or you cool new headquarters. Those are the objectives of the site owners – to brag a little bit and “sell” the site visitor.

Forget selling. Provide solutions in your site text, focus on the visitors objectives not your objectives or the client’s objectives (this may take a little explanation and diplomacy on your part) but the results will be there in higher conversion ratios.

Don’t design a site to meet the site owner’s objectives. They’re different from the objectives of site visitors. Instead, write copy the simplifies achieving visitor’s goals and the site will convert, the client will make money and parades will be scheduled in you honor.

Stop by the web site. Who knows? I may be the copy writer you've been looking for. See you over at www.webwordslinger.com. Let's talk.

10 Words and Phrases That Have to Go

Fingernails On a Blackboard

Like most web copywriters I spend more time in the 2-D world than in the 3-D world, aka The Matrix. So I see a ton of horrible (and I mean horrible) writing posted on big and small websites.

Now, I’m not a member of the grammar police and chills don’t run down my spine when a sentence ends with a preposition. But, folks, there are some words and phrases that are like fingernails on a blackboard.

So, my top 10 copywriters’ crutches that should never, ever be used again.

10. FOR FREE!!!! It’s not the word. There are two problems. First is the use of the word ‘FOR’. It’s not FOR FREE. It’s just FREE!!! The second problem is the formatting. Copywriters generate enthusiasm through the use of exclamation points – the more the better!!!!!!!! (Do you feel more excited?)

9. Absolutely Free. A variation on the above. It’s either free or it’s not. Absolutely free is akin to ‘somewhat pregnant’. You either are or you’re not.

8. As we speak. This annoying phrase began to pick up steam with mainstream media during ’07 and now is in common usage. Couldn’t you just say ‘now’.

7. Leading edge and variants: cutting edge, bleeding edge, ahead of the curve, et al. Come on, everything can’t be leading edge.

6. Amazing, which can be tied to any number of words: Amazing Product, Amazing Results, Amazing, SECRET Formula. Ummm, I don’t care how good it is, hand cream is NOT amazing. World peace would be amazing.

5. Discover, which is grossly overused by web writers because it sounds better than ‘learn’. What would you rather do? Learn the Secrets of Investing Success or Discover the Secrets of Investing Success. Discover has the whiff of adventure.

4. Best Business Practices. This utterly meaningless phrase appears on a lot of coaching and consultant websites. What the hell are best business practices? Same for ‘Reputation Management’, ‘C-Level’ and ‘outside the box’. Biz babble.

3. Completely Unique. Please see #9 above. It’s either unique or it’s not. This one is everywhere and it’s usually FOR FREE!!!!!

2. “Who Else Wants To Make A Million Bucks Before Supper!!!!! The bane of every copywriter’s existence – the long form, Dan Kennedy sales letter. Page after page of endless hype, changing type fonts and “testimonials” from Delores M., Los Angeles. Yeah, try to track down Delores to verify the veracity of her endorsement. Good luck, suckers.

And finally, the absolute must-delete phrase is:

1. At this point in time. It’s either “at this point” or “at this time.” Redundantly redundant and intended to, somehow convey importance. All it conveys to me is smiles at some other hack using this brain-piercing, ear-poking phrase. 

Hey, stop by the web site for contact information. I promise not to use any of these painful cliches in your copy. See you at www.webwordslinger.com    

Take Care Of Those Who Hold The Checkbook

Managing Customer Care:

“It’s easier to keep a client than find a new one.”

Yeah, it’s an old cliché, but it’s a cliché because it’s true. The key to long-term site success is an expanding customer/client base – repeat buyers of your goods or services.

Chances are, she won't be back

Keeping the customer satisfied, especially for web-based businesses, isn’t a walk in the park but there are things you, as webmaster, can do to manage client care, keeping the customer satisfied and coming back for more.

1. Maintain an accurate order tracking system.  If you use a delivery service like FedEx or UPS, you’ll get tracking software with your account. But, if you’re trucking 37 ceramic figurines to the post office every day, you’ll need an order tracking system – preferably one that can identify “downstream” problems like: “Hey, you’re going to run out of hula girl bobble heads next Thursday. Time to reorder.”

2. Stay involved. You may be using a drop shipper to manage inventory storage, shipping and handling, and it’s not always easy during the rush of the day to check tracking data – even if you’re shipping out of a spare room. Track all problem orders yourself.

3. Provide updates to the buyer. An auto-responder as soon as the problem is identified with an opt out box to cancel the sale. You may lose that one, but your straightforwardness and ease of use will make a positive impression.

Federal law requires that orders must be filled within 30 days, after which the buyer is no longer obligated to pay. Don’t ship without renewed buyer approval.

4. Provide US-based customer support 24/7. In this global marketplace, someone is always buying, and someone always has a question. Also, empower telephone reps to accept returns with the customer’s receipts. This saves on call-backs and significantly lowers buyers’ stress levels.

5. Use dynamic pages designed specifically for each visitor.  Best example? Amazon. My home page is different from your home page based on our past buying histories. All of this data is stored in Amazon’s database and when I log on, I’m bombarded with recommendations based on items purchased five years ago.

But Amazon stills calls me by my first name. That’s nice.

6. Last key point. Overdeliver. If prudent, drop a personalized email or even make a telephone call. People are really pleasant when the company CEO calls and promises satisfaction.

The whole point of quality customer care is to create word of mouth (WOM) viral marketing. Treat your customers or clients right, and viral WOM will do the rest in growing that client base bigger and bigger.

Hey, feel free to drop me a line about taking care of your copy and sales needs. Let's talk.

Webwordslinger

editor@webwordslinger.com

What You Don't Know About Google Can Hurt You

Making the Most of Google's SE

The world of e-commerce depends on Google. Even though there are more than 4,000 search engines available, including the biggies like Yahoo, AltaVista, Ask Jeeves, etc., the name people know is Google. Even the word itself has become part of everyday speak, as in, "Let me Google that." (a verb) or "I want the Google on our competition." (the complete picture). So, as a site owner or designer, it pays to get the Google on Google - more specifically, how potential visitors to your site might use this mighty SE with over 100 billion pages currently in its data base

In addition, Google offers a lot of search options that will enable site owners to see their sites the way the Googlebot sees them. Something as simple as revising your site's title tag can make a significant difference in how Google's SE picks you up, views your site, ranks it and, subsequently, places your URL on its SERPs - all in one-tenth of a second.

Most users simply log on to the Google site, enter their query (in the form of key words), hit the enter key and wait to see what pops up. This is called a default search and it will deliver all sites in which the entered keywords appear as part of the SERPs available to the user. In other words, the user will get pages and pages of search results that are only marginally associated to his or her search topic.

By using common symbols, the more sophisticated users can narrow their searches, isolating those sites that are truly relevant. For example, by adding a minus sign (-) in front of a key word, Google's SE will NOT show the results of that key word. So, let's say you're looking for a recipe for apple pie. The last thing you want is 118 useless SERPs about Apple, the company. So, you might enter: 'apple pie -Apple computer' to eliminate pages of information about Steven Jobs. The tilde (~) tells the SE to search for the entered keywords and synonyms of the keywords. Add quotes to key words and only pages in which quotes appear around the key words will be delivered to the user's screen.

All of these basic search techniques improve the quality of search results for users, making users happy and Google shareholders even happier. But then there are Google Search operators - in fact, specified keywords that the SE recognizes as directions rather than words to be searched. And some of these operators will be extremely useful to the owners of e-commerce sites by enabling them to optimize their sites while conducting e-espionage on competitor sites - and it's all free.

Here's a for instance: want to find out how many inbound links are pointing to your site? Try this: link:www.yoursitename.com. Obviously, type in your site's name where it says 'yoursitename'. You'll get SERPs with all URLs pointing to your site. And as most site owners know, quality, non-reciprocal links are like gold when it comes to improving your PageRank. You can also identify links that aren't helping your site. In other words, this Google tool allows you to control inbound links - an ability that's grown in importance now that Google heavily weighs inbound links in its ranking algorithm.

Want to know what the competition is doing? It's simple enough. All you have to do is enter: related:www.yoursitename.com and sites that are, in some way, related to yours, will appear. Not only is this a good means of tracking competitor activities, it's also a great way to find sites that might be interested in some link swapping - always a good thing, especially for the owner of a small or brand new site.    

Now, turning to the matter of SEO and how Google's search services can help determine if your site is, indeed, fully optimized. Check this out: try using the search engine to see how your site ranks when the SE is instructed to find keywords only in the title of your page. Enter: allintitle: fruit baskets (of course substituting any of your keywords in place of the example keywords, fruit baskets, unless you're in the fruit basket business). Chances are, if your site's PageRank tanks on this search, a bit of tweaking of your title tag just might be in order. If your title tag reads 'Rosie's Little Bit of Home", i.e., no mention of fruit baskets, your visitor traffic will increase by simply adding the words 'fruit baskets' to your title tag.

You can also check out your site's level of optimization by conducting the following Google searches:

1. To have Google search for keywords - your keywords - in the text of the site, type in:

            allintext: fruit baskets

This search will identify if keyword density and placement are sufficient to make the Google SE sit up and take notice. 

2. To ask Google to search for your keywords in URLs only, type in:

            allinurl: fruit baskets

A search of URLs will reveal sites similar to yours (since all sites will have the same key words as part of their address, i.e. fruitbaskets.com, yourfruitbasket.com and, of course, the ever-popular fruitbaskets'r'us.com. If these sites are ranking higher than your site, check out what the competition is doing better than you. E-espionage is legal, so do a little spying on the competition and learn from them.

3. How about a search of the anchor text of all sites that mention your keywords? Type in:

            allinanchor: fruit baskets

This will indicate sites that mention fruit baskets somewhere in their anchor text, which might also indicate sites interested in reciprocal links.

4. When Google discovers your site (or you submit your URL for spidering), the SE takes a snapshot of every indexed page and places them into a cache. To search the pages in your site's cache, type:

            cache:www.fruitbaskets.com

To further refine the search of cached pages, you can also conduct a keyword search within the cache. Simply type:

            cache:www.fruitbaskets.com web

And finally,

5. On of the most useful tools Google offers for no-cost marketing research is the info search. This will provide whatever information Google keeps on your site (or any other site, for that matter). Type:

            info:www.fruitbasket.com

This will produce a general profile of your site and the sites of your competitors, at least from the Google perspective. Much of this information - everything from inbound links to meta tag text - can help you (or your web designer) deliver more visitor traffic and  a higher conversion rate because visitors are actually looking for your product, not something like your product. In short, better results all around.

Google's objective is to deliver the highest quality search results to its users, which is one of the reasons they offer this variety of search tools for knowledgeable users and, of course, site owners. Your knowledge of how the leading SE views your site and compares it to similar (competitive) sites is a critical aspect of making adjustments to everything from key word density to fresh anchor text.

To learn even more about the tools Google offers, click on the links below and get  your site Googlized. (See, another new word!)

http://www.googleguide.com/advanced_operators.html

http://www.google.com/help/refinesearch.html

And be sure to stop by the ol’ website for a free SEO and business development consultation. See ya there.

WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO SEE SOME CASH FOR ALL THAT WORK?

Monetize Your Site – Fast!

20% OF WEB ACCESS IS CELLULAR.
Are you there?

If you rely solely on the sale of goods and services to generate revenue from your website, you’re missing some nice money-making opportunities that are easy to implement, and deposit cash into your business account every month.

Let’s look at some different ways you can generate cash from your online business.

Pay-Per-Click Programs

The most popular are AdWords and Adsense. By enrolling in a PPC program, you agree to allow the search engine to place paid-for links on your site. Now, you can arrange these little blue cubes in a skyscraper on the right side of the page, place them below the fold, above the fold. You decide.

When you enroll, you’re given a letter/number string to insert into your HTML code that identifies you as the source of the click. And that money is added to your account. It’s a one-time sign-up and automated revenue. Those are the positives.

The negatives are (1) you have no choice which ads are placed on your site, though you can stipulate no direct competitors. If you’re placing PPC ads, you're subject to a variety of click fraud schemes, including legions of workers in poor countries who earn a penny a click depleting your marketing resources. So whether you’re placing ads or renting space for ads, there are pros and cons.

Affiliate Programs 

The small site owner’s best friend. You become an affiliate of a larger company. You provide a link on your site (you choose the size) and for every click-through that leads to a sale or some other desired action, you make money.

For example, if you put up an eBay link on your site, eBay will pay you a flat rate for each sign up plus a nickel any time one of your sign ups places a bid. Get a couple of hundred active bidders and the numbers add up quickly.

To learn more about affiliate programs, visit Commission Junction at www.cj.com and open an account. Choose affiliates that will appeal to your ideal site visitor. For example, if you’re selling porcelain figurine collectables online, a link to a car tire web site won’t generate much in the way of affiliate cash. Instead, sign on with other collectible affiliates to tempt visitors to clink on one of your affiliate links.

Choose affiliates with care. Too many and your site will be viewed as a links farm offering little in the way of useful information to visitors. Five or six well-chosen affiliate programs should up your site revenue quite smartly.

Hosted Content

You can rent space on your site to another site owner – a page where the site owner posts an article with links back to his or her site. How much you can charge depends on things like your reach, traffic rank, page views and so on.

This provides a couple of benefits. First, it provides fresh content for your site, though it is important that you know what appears on your site. It also generates monthly or weekly income.

Advertise your site space on SEO blogs, site designer blogs and other places where web denizens dwell.

Paid Advertising

How would you feel about a Coke banner across the top of your web site? Would it detract from the look, the impression you’re trying to display t the world?

How about small graphic links that take your site visitors to related sites. For example, if you run a cruise booking service, chances are those travelers would be interested in other vacation opportunities – opportunities available with a click off your site. This paid advertising doesn’t rely on the clicker to perform a most desired action. Paid advertising pays either by the click or by a flat rate.

Further, the advertising will change in many cases. It may be a Coke banner for a week followed by a banner for Hertz car rental. Unfortunately, you can’t control the space you rent out – other than opting out of the paid advertising program altogether.

There are other money making opportunities using a website as a base. A subscription newsletter; monthly reminders of upcoming birthdays; outsourced services and other ways to wring some more cash out of your site.

Don’t rely on sales alone. Develop as many revenue streams as you can (without making your homepage look like a carnival midway) to enjoy max financial benefit from all your hard, online work.

Stop by www.webwordslinger.com and let's hook up to get the most from your web site and from cellular marketing.

The Easier It Is To Find Information, the Higher Your Conversion Rate

Accessibility:

It’s What A Web Site Is All About

Accessibility, when discussing web sites, includes a number of factors: easy navigation, understandable site text, no dead ends requiring a browser back click to escape (lots of users don’t even know browsers HAVE a back click).

Let’s start with the bottom line- yours: the easier it is for a site visitor to perform the most desired action (MDA), the more times that MDA will be performed.

Let’s Start With Navigation

Whether you go with a navigation bar at the top of the screen or a menu list in the first column far left, your navigation must be:

• simple
• unambiguous
• truthful
• always available
• always in the same location 

Avoid numerous tabs, drop-down or flyout menus. Keep it simple. If visitors are faced with too many choices too soon on arriving at the site, chances are they’ll bounce.

Keep the navigation unambiguous. It’s routine to have a "Contact Us” page on a web site. If you label the contact link “Company Authority,” visitors are going to be totally confused. And again, bounce.

Truthful is just what it says. If the link says “Product Descriptions,” don’t make the visitor read through another landing page of sell copy. Deliver what the link says and go directly to the products.

Always available is an aspect of keeping visitors on site longer, and the longer they stick around, the more likely they are to perform the MDA. So, the navigation bar or menu should be available from every page so the visitor can surf at will, unencumbered by what YOU think the visitor wants to know.

Finally, keep the nav tabs in the same place. Don’t move them from bar to menu and back to bar. The last thing you want is a visitor trying to figure out how to return to the contact page to make contact.

Keep it simple. The fewer clicks required to get the visitor to perform the MDA, the better. So, go through the process and eliminate every unnecessary side road, dead end and yet another landing page.

Accessible Content

If your client site is for a professional medical dispenser, you can assume that the visitors have some knowledge of the subject, i.e. you don’t have to start from square one. But you still have to stay on target pointing out the benefits of buying the client’s medical products.

On the other hand, if you’re writing text for a hearing aid retail outlet, accessible text is understandable by the reader. So first, toss the thesaurus. Find the simplest, shortest way to say what needs to be said about products and services.

Be helpful and supportive to the new visitor. Make things simple to find, simple to learn and simple to bookmark. Returning visitors are gold. Eventually they buy something so earning a bookmark is a very good thing.

Skip the hype. Educate the visitor using simple terms, no jargon and listing benefits rather than features. This is the stuff site visitors want to know.

Finally, lay out the text so it can be scanned rather than read. No big, long paragraphs. Visitors scan from upper left to lower right so put your most important info upper left on the screen.

The easier it is to buy something, opt-in for a newsletter, or to complete a form, the more often those MDAs are performed. So make it as simple as possible (why do you think Amazon offers a one-click checkout? How easy can it be?).

Accessibility benefits both site owner and site visitor – a win-win. Also a no brainer.

More good information at webwordlsinger.com. Cya there.