6 Reasons Good Content Makes Websites Better

by Mark Bloom | Nov 14, 2017 | Agency Advice

Be Clear and Targeted to Make Websites Better

If you’re a web developer, a website designer or an SEO marketing specialist, very often, you have a tough job explaining to your clients all the variables involved in your work. You have to weigh many factors to make those mission-critical decisions. Your work has to satisfy your client — and sometimes, their customers as well. But that’s why you’re the expert in your field: you know how to separate what’s important from what’s not.

So how can you make websites better? How can you deliver value and performance so outstanding, the word-of-mouth buzz will have new clients lining up for your services? It’s simple: don’t overlook the importance of words on the page.

Beyond Driving Traffic

Most web professionals are justifiably obsessed with directing internet traffic to your clients’ websites. Traffic shows that your marketing efforts are working. They are numbers you can rely on and show your clients to prove your worth. It’s an easy win.

But the real work is getting the right audience to your clients’ websites. While lots of traffic and page views are impressive, generating leads is more impressive. So, if you’re really concerned about how you make websites better, think about the user experience.

Make Websites Better with Good Content

To help your clients generate leads — and actually earn money from their website investment — sell them on the concept that good rhetorical writing can win visitors’ trust … and their business. Follow these six ways to make websites better:

1. Organize the content in an easy-to-understand way.
   From the top navigation down to the footer, websites need to be intuitive and consistent. If you make it easy for visitors to find their way around — and easy to get around — they’ll thank you.
    
2. Use clear, concise language on your website.
   As Steven Krug said, “Don’t make me think!” In other words, plain language helps website visitors know what the website is all about and where to find the information they’re seeking.
    
3. Good writing is clear and informative.
   Good online writing isn’t flowery (on one hand) or textbook dry (on the other). Good website copy speaks directly to visitors, as if engaging in a conversation. It pulls readers in and provides valuable information they may not be able to get elsewhere.
    
4. Good websites provide value.
   All websites have to provide useful information, delivered in a way visitors can understand. Sometimes that means step-by-step instructions. Sometimes, that means an infographic. Sometimes, it means imparting information simply, in as few words as possible. Match the information to readers’ expectations.
    
5. Calls to action encourage engagement.
   Sprinkle calls to action throughout your home page, in the sidebars and in the footer. Provide contact information and hours open (where applicable) in easy-to-find places. Provide value and valid reasons for contacting you. Remember, visitors always ask, “What’s in it for me?”
    
6. Close with your kicker.
   After you’ve educated website visitors by delivering a bunch of useful information, guide them through the virtual door to your office. Now that they better understand what they need or what’s involved with what they want, explain why they should buy from or hire you. It’s the perfect segue.

To make websites better, place valuable content on the pages you’ve created. It’s one thing to draw an audience; it’s another thing to keep them there. And that’s exactly what good website content accomplishes.

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.

Generalist vs. Specialist Writers: Pros and Cons for Online Companies

by Elle Ray | Nov 2, 2017 | Agency Advice

A Guide to Help You Hire the Best Writer

Whether you’re a start-up online company, a website development agency or a firm looking to staff your growing marketing department, you want the best content writers your budget can afford. But with so many writers out there, how do you decide? What qualities should you look for?

Some writers offer to write whatever you need. Others only want to write blog posts. Still others focus solely on public relations writing. When you can’t afford to hire a specialty writer for each specialty you need, you need to do your research, conduct interviews and review samples. During that process, you’ll encounter advice on both sides of the controversy about the pros and cons of hiring generalists vs. online specialists.

There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to both sides. Even the principal writers at Ray Access wrestle with the pros and cons. As entrepreneurs who maintain a very strict niche policy, sometimes they buck trends and local advice. For example, while Ray Access is an online company and content provider:

• Is it better to offer a diverse range of services and products to a range of clients?
• Or is it better to stick to our expertise and hang doggedly to the moniker of online specialists?

It’s Not Always Black or White, Good or Bad, Devil or Angel Stuff

For one thing, too many entrepreneurs settle into an inflexible mindset. Just because one way is good, for example, it doesn’t necessarily hold true that the opposite is bad. It may be just different. And the pendulum can even swing both ways — one day, it’s best to remain online specialists, but the following week, it’s better to cover the bases as a wide-open online company.

But most of the time, it’s ideal to find your place, carve out a brand and ride it straight to success. When you meddle with your focus too much, you may actually end up completely losing your edge, your competitive advantage, your raison d’être — or whatever you want to call it — and having nothing at all to show in the end.

Make a List; Check It Twice

Lists can often help you when you’re trying to test a solution. You can, after all, listen to the naysayers and the naggers all day long and still end up on the fence. So sit down and make a list of the pros and the cons of either being an online company that dabbles in a bit of everything and is available for your clients’ every need or living up to your true potential as an online specialist who is very good at one thing.

Consider first the pros of specialization:

• You’ll at least have one exceptional product or service
• You don’t have to wonder if you can take on a project or not
• It’s easier to develop a clear brand identity
• You become the calling card
• You know where to put your training resources

The cons of specialization can be equally “con”-vincing:

• You offer something for everyone
• You can take on many more projects and won’t have to “leave money on the table”
• Your identity is well-rounded
• “Give it to Mikey; he’ll do it” — you become the go-to gal or guy
• You can always hire really detailed specialists when you need them

Many Paths, One Goal

It’s said that generalists at an online company know a little about a lot of things, while online specialists know a lot about one thing. Maybe the richest company is one that has room for both. And that leaves out the majority of small start-ups — unless of course you’re the generalist in the room that wants to start up an online company with a little something for everyone.

A lot depends on how hard you want to work, too. It takes a lot more work, research and training to serve many masters, whereas it’s always easier to get from Point A to Point B by the most direct route possible, the route you know best. It’s a lot less frustrating too, once you define your strengths and forget about trying to be the Jack or Jill of all trades.

The Teeter Totter of Trends

Like many things in life — and in business — there’s no right or wrong, black or white, all bad or all good. But there is a lot of gray, and face it: a lot of color when you run a small business. At Ray Access, we continue to ask ourselves this monumental question:

Do we want to be an online company with many solutions for a multitude of clients or should we stick in our lane and continue to be the best writers and editors on the planet — period?

 
Most days, we’re satisfied with our niche, the corner of the internet that we’ve carved out for our expertise. We started the company with the idea of being online writing specialists, so why not flaunt it? But on those days that we look out at the vast wasteland that is the domain of every online company and see the potential — in other words, when our minds get bigger than our talents — we ponder the path that so many others have taken, to the world of generalists who seem to be raking it in on every corner.

Most days, we don’t hesitate at all. Occasionally, it may take a full minute. But in the end, we say: “Nah, we’re good.” Being the best at what we do is way better than being just another generalist chameleon.

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.

What Makes Online Writing So Different?

by Mark Bloom | Oct 24, 2017 | Agency Advice

Is It Just That People Read Differently Online?

Read Part 1 of this article, All Writers Are Not Equal, which explains why you need the right kind of writer for your agency.

Just like there are different types of writers for different kinds of online writing tasks, you need different types of articles to fulfill those tasks. You wouldn’t — or at least, you shouldn’t — use a blog post to sell your products or services. That’s not the purpose of a blog post. Each kind of online writing has a specific purpose. For example:

• A blog post is an informative or entertaining marketing article that aims to attract a large audience to your website.
• A press release announces exciting news regarding your company or your place in the industry, delivered to interested media for publication.
• An email newsletter is an infrequent (e.g., monthly) communication to your customers and other interested parties, with the goal to maintain brand awareness, provide relevant tips and offer special deals.
• A white paper is a document that states, in detail, your company’s position on a specific issue or proposes a solution to a particular problem. Its goal is to educate readers and influence decision-makers. These are also called long-form blog posts.
• A page on your company website explains a specific product or service. It also can:
  • Establish your reputation
  • Identify your target audience
  • Build your brand
  • Generate trust
  • State your unique value proposition
  • Push your advantages
  • Sell your products or services

Do People Really Read Online Writing Differently?

When you sit down to read the newspaper or a magazine, you likely flip pages until you find a story that’s worth your time. You skim the advertisements, probably pass by the table of contents and focus on only what interests you. Unless you’re reading a book, you rarely read any hard-copy publication cover-to-cover.

The same is true, actually, when people read content online, except instead of flipping pages, they scan online writing to find what they’re looking for. They’ve arrived at your blog, your website or white paper for a reason: to learn something, find specific information or be entertained. They’ve opened your newsletter or your press release to find out what you have to say. Don’t disappoint them.

Big Blocks of Text Kill Reader Interest

When you open a book, you expect to find pages upon pages of writing. Maybe there’s an occasional illustration, table or graphic, but it’s mostly just words. Reading a book, in other words, takes a commitment to stick with it to the end. Online, with your competition just a click away, you can’t afford to hope for a commitment that readers will stick with the text until the end; you have to deliver the goods right away. There are two ways online writing differs from other writing:

1. Formatting: it’s formatted in a way to enable easy scanning.
2. Writing style: it’s written in a way to deliver value right from the start.

Formatting means breaking up your content into small paragraphs, short sentences and simple words. It means using lots of white space and subheadings every couple paragraphs. It means using graphical elements that add to your story or reinforce your point. It means using bold, italic and all-caps to effectively guide the readers’ eyes to the information you have to share.

The writing style has to answer questions and capture interest from the very first sentence. People read online writing, especially on business platforms like your website, to find information. Give them what they seek, and they’ll be back when they’re ready to buy. Influence their decision with value-added information like tips, tricks or news, and they’ll remember your business as a trusted resource.

Ray Access does all this for you, whether you need website content, blog posts, email newsletters, press releases or even white papers. Contact us for specific pricing.

All Writers Are Not Equal

by Elle Ray | Oct 17, 2017 | Agency Advice

Your Marketing Agency Needs the Right Writer

Just because a writer can pen amazing novels, that doesn’t mean he can write a decent blog. It’s a different kind of writing. And just because one of the staff members at your marketing agency comes up with the most creative slogans, that doesn’t mean she can write a coherent webpage. All writers are not created equal; they have strengths and weaknesses.

Novelists, for example, don’t even need to back up their suppositions with reputable resources; they just have to be able to tell a good story. Meanwhile, nonfiction writers have to tell a good story, too, while relying wholly on research. The fiction writer has his creative ability and eye for detail, while the nonfiction writer has the rare ability of translating other people’s words into new, often enlightening phrases. Different writers specialize in certain types of writing. For example:

• Copywriters excel at being able to come up with snappy catch phrases that are used to sell a product or service.
• Journalists combine the talents of a nonfiction author with the brevity of an online writer.
• Columnists convey opinions with convincing alacrity.
• Screenwriters and playwrights mix dialogue with scene-setting.
• And freelance writers are hired guns who often claim to be able to write anything, anytime, anywhere for anyone.

A Place for Every Writer

As long as the human race relies on words for communication, writers of every ilk have a place in the world. And as long as writers continue to populate the entertainment and information pockets of every country’s literate population, all kinds of writers can find places to hone their niche crafts. It’s when publishers don’t (or can’t) differentiate between what kind of writers they need that trouble sometimes arises.

A marketing agency that expects its copywriters to populate their newest website pages with informational content is not going to end up with very clear, valuable pages on their website, for example. A book publishing house that expects a screenwriter to produce a fabulous piece of fiction equal to their latest hit Broadway show may end up sorely disappointed, if not left completely empty-handed.

Get the Right Writer for the Job

Many of the writer categories mentioned above can cross-pollinate various media, but not all can do it successfully. So when you need to hire a writer for your marketing agency, for example, make sure you look at clips (that is, examples) that illustrate the kinds of writing you need to produce for your clients. Hire the right writer for:

• Blog posts
• Website pages
• Advertisements
• Promotions
• White papers
• Newsletters
• Press releases

And if you choose to rely on a freelance team, such as the writers at Ray Access, look for even more proof that they are capable of producing the content your clients need. As a marketing agency, you can’t have columnists writing ad copy that’s based strictly on one person’s opinion, for heaven’s sake. And novelists might be able to take your client to an entirely new level, but can they succinctly put into one memorable line what your client does best?

Background and Experience Prevail

This doesn’t mean that a prolific poet can’t execute a catchy jingle or that a nonfiction writer can’t put together a white paper (also called long-form content) for your client. But it does mean that no matter what kind of writer you hire, don’t assume that just because he can write a clever resume, he can write the kind of writing you need.

Experience and skill count when it comes to writing commercially — especially when it comes to writing that’s designed to be read online. As a marketing agency, you’ll be putting your client’s messages online, so check on both the background and the experience of your writers.

Coming next week: What makes online writing so different?

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.

UX — What Do Visitors Think of the Websites You Build?

by Mark Bloom | Oct 10, 2017 | Agency Advice

Agencies Should Consider the User Experience

As Ray Access has written previously, a business website should turn visitors into customers. That’s its job. To get to that point, however, you have to follow a process — steps that do all the right things to encourage visitors to engage. But that process is more of a varying checklist than a straightforward procedure. Every website’s a little different.

You know when you get it right. As a developer, designer or marketer, your clients love you when their websites work. All businesses love to hear, “I found you online.” To them, it means that the investment in a website is paying off.

A Tall Order for UX

While the rewards of creating that perfect website are profitable and fulfilling, it sometimes feels like hit-or-miss. It’s all about the user experience, known in the industry as UX. A positive online user experience is more likely to gain leads, get referrals and make sales. The websites you build for your clients have many jobs to do; they must:

• Welcome new visitors and returning customers
• Have a pleasing design that inspires longer visits
• Provide clear navigation to pertinent information
• Establish your client’s expertise in their field
• Define exactly who your client’s target audience is
• Announce their unique value proposition to that audience
• Generate trust in every visitor
• Answer questions about your client’s industry, company, products or services

Why Your Clients Want a New Website

Unless you’re a small business that targets startup companies, most of your clients already have a website. They’ve likely invested thousands of dollars for the design and development of their site. Part of your sales process is to sell them on the idea of upgrading and updating their website. Is it part of a larger rebranding effort? Is it time to update so the company doesn’t look dated? These are issues you may deal with every day.

Ultimately, every business decision has to benefit the business. Companies don’t spend money on a new website if they don’t think it has any value. They want their website to build their brand awareness and contribute to their bottom line. In other words, a new website has to show a return on investment.

How UX Solves These Issues

User experience increases the odds that a new website is successful. By considering UX in every website project, your agency will check off every one of the items in the list above. Your clients are more likely to see the return on investment (ROI) on their new website if it’s been optimized for the user experience. That translates into more referrals for your business.

When it comes to building and designing your clients’ websites, you know you have to satisfy their visitors and customers. You always have to consider the human elements and interactions. People make your clients’ websites successful, not code or backlinks. Ultimately, a business website isn’t even about the business. Instead, a business website is a service for readers, visitors and customers — the people who buy from your clients.

Where to Find UX Services

User experience isn’t exactly a new field. It used to be called “human-computer interaction” and “user interface design.” In some circles, it still is. Ray Access offers a service to provide a UX review called website assessments. A website assessment is a page-by-page review of a business website from the point of view of a visitor. It’s human factor testing on a human scale.

You can use Ray Access as a beta tester for a new website or even a new website design. Get a website assessment report even before your client sees it. Make it part of your process. It’s an affordable service that you can pass on to your clients without raising an eyebrow. It can fit neatly in your package costs. User experience testing can become part of your sales kit, especially since it’s a service few of your competitors may offer.

What Ray Access Brings to the Table

As content providers and content marketers, the Ray Access writers and editors review websites all day every day. The user advocates at Ray Access understand how people look at websites — they know what visitors look for and what drives them away. And they’ve developed a critical eye for what makes a business website successful.

A website assessment report doesn’t roll over the work you’ve already done on a website project. Instead, it:

• Identifies missed opportunities — either prominent information or needed pages
• Highlights what works well — design- and content-related
• Identifies issues with the navigation — how easy it is to find information

The report shows how, with a minimum of effort, you can improve the website exponentially. A website assessment — performed as part of your beta testing, before the site is brought online — happens at a time when you still have your resources devoted to the project, so changes can be made relatively quickly and painlessly. Contact us today to find out more about website assessments.

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.