More and more of our clients have been asking for website content. There’s good reason to upgrade your website content, especially if your website isn’t working for you. Our two unofficial mottos are:
If your website isn’t making you money, it’s costing you money.
If you’re ignoring your website, it’s likely ignoring you.
These aren’t just clever phrases; they underline our business philosophy that every website is a potential marketing engine. If you aren’t optimizing your website for your company, you’re losing ground to your competition. The trends are clear: the Internet is the new yellow pages. If your listing doesn’t appear, you are losing business.
First Step: Fresh Content
The first thing we do for our clients is to update their websites to make sure the content addresses their target audience: their existing and potential customers. It has to welcome visitors, introduce a business and answer their questions.
We often recommend an active blog, because business blogging is an excellent way to attract new customers and answer more questions in a more in-depth manner. That makes the website more useful, and useful content online often is shared. If your visitors are sharing your content, that’s better than advertising.
Landing Pages Work
The next logical step, once the website content is working to attract new visitors, is to turn those visitors into customers. That’s the goal of landing pages.
A landing page is a special page constructed on your website that you direct people to when you want them to learn more about your products or services. The classic example of a landing page is the website page where you send web users who click on your ad somewhere else (e.g., on a social media site). By clicking the ad, they have already demonstrated interest in your company, so you want them to land on a useful, informative and active page.
In this case, your landing page must explain your competitive advantage. You have to sell your company. You have to persuade the visitor to buy your products or services. Normally, your website should not be an avenue to push your products or services onto your visitors. That drives people away. But a landing page is different. On the landing page, you want to give them options and a way to contact you or make a purchase.
Put Theory into Practice
Now that you understand how your website is supposed to operate to generate business and convert visitors into customers, get to it! Contact us for a website assessment, and we’ll give you our honest, objective feedback regarding your website’s effectiveness, whether you hire us or not. What have you got to lose, except inertia?
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
Here in Asheville, North Carolina, we talk about content marketing a lot. Content marketing is, in essence, turning your website into a marketing engine by supplying useful information that attracts an audience. It works, and we have documented proof. We’ve also written about quality content before.
But it’s more than that. In case you’ve missed it, the Internet is replacing the Yellow Pages as the primary way consumers are looking for your products or services. It’s a sign of the times, just like other things that have disappeared, like rotary telephones, landlines and typewriters. So if you are ignoring your website, as our motto says, your website is ignoring you. That’s not a smart business decision.
So whether you hire us or not, we urge you to adopt content marketing strategies. But even if you are doing everything you can to put content marketing to work on your business website, the next question is: Will just doing this simple thing actually convert the visitors you attract to your website into paying customers?
Content Marketing Is User-Centric
The answer, of course, is yes. Content marketing, if properly done, can persuade your website visitors to become clients. Content marketing employs a user-centric approach, to use a term from the 1990s. “User-centric” means that you design your website with your visitors in mind. Make their experience everything they could hope for, and they’ll reward you with their business.
You must make your website easy to navigate. Make your content easy to understand. Answer your visitors’ obvious questions and provide your contact information on every page. Provide helpful tips and advice about your industry, products or services. To sum up: make your website valuable to your community of users. “User-centric.”
When Your Customers Have Landed
Even if you do all this and your website is attracting a lot of traffic, you still must sell your company’s products or services. Knowing where and when and how to do this is a science, but it’s not rocket science. One tip is to construct effective “landing pages.”
A landing page is where visitors interested in a specific topic, product or service arrive on your website through a search engine or internal link. Landing pages must answer the questions about specific topics and effectively explain how your company can solve the associated problems. It’s not a pushy sales page. It’s not an advertisement. It’s a question-and-answer session, where your company has the best answer.
Content Marketing Has a Positive ROI
A landing page can be a blog post or a website page. It doesn’t matter, as long as it satisfies the above criteria. In fact, this very blog post can act as both an informative article and a landing page, since it targets businesses that need to learn about converting website visitors or creating better content on their websites — since Ray Access can do this for you, at a reasonable cost and with a proven return on investment (ROI).
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
Websites matter. A good website draws people in and coverts them into customers. The question everyone asks us is: “What makes a website good?”
So let us answer this question for all of you at once so you can improve your website. We’ve written — and rewritten — many websites. You can see several examples of our work in our Portfolio. We believe that if your website isn’t making you money, then it’s costing you money. And if that’s where you are, then you have two choices:
Invest in your website to make it the marketing engine it could be.
Use your website just as a Yellow Pages entry, listing your company name, phone number, hours and address. One page should do it, even if you add a pretty picture.
If you decide to go with option #1 above, here are five steps to get you started:
1. Update the Design
Nothing turns visitors away faster than a design that looks straight out of the 1990s. Technology has changed; so should your website. Hire a designer who listens to what you want and can make specific and helpful recommendations. Find a programmer who can make the vision work. This is an investment in your company, the same as redecorating a storefront.
2. Brand Your Look
If necessary, update your company logo. Choose a few colors for your website. Select a couple typefaces. Use them consistently throughout your new website. These things help establish your brand.
3. Place Contact Info
This is really the number one thing we see wrong with many websites. Your contact information — email address or telephone number — should appear on every single page of your website. In the age of search engines, your visitors don’t always enter your website on the Home page. Make it easy for them to contact you. This seems like a simple thing, but you’d be surprised how many websites get it wrong.
4. Simplify Your Message
Each page of your website should focus on one thing: who you are, what you do, where you work, how you work, what sets you apart. Whatever the purpose of that page, it should be clear and easy to discern. Don’t try to be clever. Be clear and concise, and you’ll win converts.
5. Add New Content
Once you’ve accomplished the previous four steps, you’re ready to tackle this one. Adding fresh content, on your website pages and in a consistent blog, does more to get you noticed than anything else. The other steps are important so that when new potential clients arrive at your website, they aren’t immediately repulsed, but this is the step that gets them there.
This is also the very thing that Ray Access can help you with. This is what we do, and we’ve helped other businesses improve their reach and their success. We can help you, too. Contact us if you want to learn more. We’ll assess your website and provide an honest, objective appraisal.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
You can’t escape it. Sooner or later, you’ll need to provide business information — in writing — to clients, prospects, the government or the public at large. Whether you run a small business or occupy a small corner of the org chart at a multinational corporation, you need to be able to formulate a persuasive sentence.
If you’re one of the many businesspeople who lack writing skills, you should practice more. As more of your communication ends up online, more people will be influenced, either positively or negatively, by your words. Improving your writing can result in marked improvement in your business options. There’s no substitute for practice, but here are a few pointers to put you on the right track.
1. Less is more.
On a website, concision matters. Ironically, as written information becomes more important, people are less willing to read. Use words sparingly, cut out the florid prose and avoid meandering sentences. As Zorro taught his son: “Get in, make your Z and get out!”
2. Avoid jargon.
No one likes reading about “blue-sky solutioneering” and “strategical synergies” that ultimately mean nothing. If you mean “brainstorming” and “opportunities to work together,” simply say it. While jargon can be unavoidable when writing for a specific audience, use plain language whenever possible.
3. Write once, check twice.
It’s hardly fair — typos happen — but people judge you for those mistakes anyway, and harshly. To cut down on those mistakes, proofread immediately after you write and then again hours or even days later. Nothing is more embarrassing than a stupid typo in an otherwise fine document.
4. Write once, check twice.
Yes, again. This time, re-read your work to catch errors in tone that might cause trouble. For instance, if you’re upset or angry, you may write something you don’t actually want anyone else to read. Make sure your work says what you want it to say and how you want it to say it, before letting it reach its audience.
5. Pay attention to names, titles and genders.
The one thing more embarrassing than a typo is calling Mr. Smith “Ms. Smith.” If you’re not sure about the spelling of a name, job title or gender, check with someone who knows (like an assistant) or use gender-neutral language. Get the names wrong, and your readers will question everything you write.
6. Save templates.
Whenever you write a blog post or article, save it as a template for future use. You can save time and avoid common errors by using an existing document when you begin a new piece. Keep the headers, bullets, references and company information so you just have to fill in the new content.
7. Be professional, not necessarily formal.
Business communication needn’t be formal. While formal language works for legal documents and job applications, it can obfuscate your meaning. Remember, however, that informal writing doesn’t mean being unprofessional. Keep personal comments and off-color jokes out of your business writing.
8. Remember the 5 W’s (and the H).
Your writing should answer all the questions your audience might ask: Who, what, when, where, why, and how. Who is your audience? What should they know? When and where will it apply? Why is it important? And how should they use it? Use the 5W+H formula to ensure your information is complete.
9. Include a call to action.
Business websites are meant to achieve a purpose, so include a call to action on every page. A call to action directs the reader to do something. Don’t leave it to your readers to decide what to do with the information you’ve provided; most won’t bother. Tell them what to do and how to do it.
10. Don’t provide too many choices.
Ideally, you shouldn’t provide any choices to your readers. Just tell them what you want them to do and why they should do it. At most, give them two options and ask them to pick one. Too many choices can lead to “analysis paralysis,” which probably isn’t the result you’re hoping for.
11. What’s in it for readers?
Effective writing describes benefits, not features. Your readers want to know how to make their lives better. For example, nobody cares that Windows 7 runs in 64-bit mode. What they care about is that 64 bits runs faster than 32 bits, and getting work done more quickly is a benefit.
12. Hire a freelancer.
If writing is not your strength, hire a professional writer. Freelancers aren’t just for marketing material; a good freelance writer can produce corporate newsletters, blog posts, wiki entries, and much, much more. Expect to pay $35 to $45 an hour for good writing. Anyone who charges less is either not very good or not very business savvy. Ray Access is proven content provider in Asheville.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
Consider this. If you’re a website developer, this blog post is for you specifically. But even if you don’t develop or design websites for a living, you can still learn something valuable here. Keep reading.
Web Developers Are Pros, Right?
Web developers can implement stunning designs, rotating photographs, exploding menus and search engine optimization (SEO), all while creating slick, interlinked pages under a killer domain name. It’s detail-oriented work and it takes time, maybe months to get everything approved and built.
As a web professional, you launch the site after all this hard work. The last thing you expect is the first response you get from your client: that the name is misspelled or the information on the About Us page is unintelligible. They’re mad. You’re mad. And it’s totally avoidable.
Who’s Responsible for the Content?
Website developers usually tell the client that they just use whatever content was provided. The client often expects the content to look different on the new site or somehow magically transform into marketable prose. But when no one claims responsibility, the site suffers.
Web developers are not responsible for “fixing” a site’s content. It’s not your expertise. Yet how do you think the client feels after paying thousands of dollars for a brand new website — and the first time they see it, it’s disappointing because of the content? Probably underwhelmed. Maybe even embarrassed, even if they did provide the incorrect information in the first place.
The Quick Path to a Good First Impression
It’s easy to fix that problem, however, making you and your clients look better. More importantly, it’s easy to look like the pros you are to your clients. What’s the trick?
First, never allow a client’s site to go live without a professional edit from a writing service. Friends don’t let friends go out naked, so why should you let your clients go live without the protection of good review? Avoid a site that’s full of mistakes and erroneous information, even if that’s what the client gave you. You look like a hero if you catch their mistakes.
Offer Up All the Goods
Web developers who spend significant amounts of money marketing their services and landing new business often lose referrals because they can’t give customers everything they need. Small business owners don’t want to shop around for specialists to do each piece of their website. They want one-stop shopping. Maybe that’s even why they came to you in the first place.
Why do you think super duper box stores are sprouting up across America faster than a pasture of kudzu? It’s simple: Why drive all over town when you can get groceries, a new pair of jeans, tires for the car and a new toaster all in one place?
Now we’re not advocating a Walmart-type operation, just taking the finer points of the giant’s marketing techniques that work. Clients who don’t use professional writers and editors for their website content risk wasting every penny on a losing proposition. We can’t imagine you want that kind of reputation, even if you did nothing to deserve it. We stress “did nothing.”
Provide Added Value & They’ll Remember You
In our conversations around Asheville with web developers and marketing professionals, we’re astounded that everyone doesn’t offer a writing services as an integral part of their virtual agency. There’s no better way to provide your clients with added value while boosting your own credibility than by having your own editing and writing services team working on every site before it goes live.
You can do all the analytics in the world and produce the best videos in town, but if the name of the owner if spelled wrong on the roll-out — look out. What do you want to be remembered for: the brilliant design and implementation … or the misspelling in the heading? You can either point fingers, waste more time on a project that should have been right the first time, or you can get to know us to do it right the next time. It’s up to you.
Save money, boost your credibility, satisfy your customers. Let us help you delight your clients.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
Believe it or not — and this is a big admission from a couple of writer/editors — not everyone loves to read. Online, these preferences are exacerbated. So, let us present our three reasons to have a website video:
1. People Don’t Read Online
Many Internet users scan the websites they visit, hoping to find the content or information they’re seeking. Very few actually read the words you’ve so carefully crafted on your home page. That’s why it’s important to include headings and subheadings: they help direct visitors (not readers) to the key information you have to share.
A video allows people to sit back and watch instead of leaning forward to read. A video presents information, instead of forcing a visitor to find it. A website video can connect with more potential customers than a page of text.
2. People Don’t Learn the Same Way
People have different preferences, which are innate to them and colors the way they learn. Some are listeners. Some are more visually oriented. Others learn by feeling as they go. Not everyone enjoys dissecting the words to find the true meaning of your message.
A video can connect with those people who are visual learners. Auditory and visual learners are drawn to video more than to text. A well-done video also can touch a viewer on an emotional level, too. All these advantages can make video a more compelling presentation than a page of text.
3. People Love to Watch Videos
Many people would rather watch a video than read a page of text. A video can be more entertaining, but it can also get a message across quickly and effectively. A website video also keeps a visitor on your site longer, and if it’s good, encourages the visitor to explore the rest of your site. A video is an ideal complement to solid writing that engages the readers.
A video appeals to Internet users looking to be entertained while they get their information. If you want to tell your story, get your message across, or increase sales, you should consider what a video will do for your website … and your business.
We Do Website Videos
Luckily, Ray Access can help. We can produce a website video for you that helps you realize your goals. Attract a bigger audience. Improve your website page rank. Sell your product or service. We can help you to creatively reach out. Watch a sample of our work and imagine the possibilities:
Addiction Recovery & Prevention (1:50)
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
The next logical step, once the website content is working to attract new visitors, is to turn those visitors into customers. That’s the goal of landing pages.
The answer, of course, is yes. Content marketing, if properly done, can persuade your website visitors to become clients. Content marketing employs a user-centric approach, to use a term from the 1990s. “User-centric” means that you design your website with your visitors in mind. Make their experience everything they could hope for, and they’ll reward you with their business.
A landing page can be a blog post or a website page. It doesn’t matter, as long as it satisfies the above criteria. In fact, this very blog post can act as both an informative article and a landing page, since it targets businesses that need to learn about converting website visitors or creating better content on their websites — since 
Yes, again. This time, re-read your work to catch errors in tone that might cause trouble. For instance, if you’re upset or angry, you may write something you don’t actually want anyone else to read. Make sure your work says what you want it to say and how you want it to say it, before letting it reach its audience.
Business communication needn’t be formal. While formal language works for legal documents and job applications, it can obfuscate your meaning. Remember, however, that informal writing doesn’t mean being unprofessional. Keep personal comments and off-color jokes out of your business writing.
In our conversations around Asheville with web developers and marketing professionals, we’re astounded that everyone doesn’t offer a writing services as an integral part of their virtual agency. There’s no better way to provide your clients with added value while boosting your own credibility than by having your own editing and writing services team working on every site before it goes live.