Part 2: When to Write Your Own Content

by Mark Bloom | Jun 28, 2016 | Editing

Do Small Business Owners Have So Little to Do?

Many small business owners are good writers, which is a good thing. When you’re small, you have to do everything yourself. So you write your own content for your website, and if you have the time and energy, you can write your own blog posts. You do it because you have to.

When should you write your own content?

At Ray Access, we understand. We were in the same boat when we started — and we’re professional writers! Fortunately, we did a good job, and our company started to grow. For us, maintaining a weekly blog isn’t a big deal as long as it we keep it a priority. But we’re writers and editors here at Ray Access; website content is what we do.

Small Business Owners Think Business First

When you first start out, you have so many things to do that you barely have time to do any marketing, never mind writing blogs every week. But you do what you have to do and you force yourself to write your own content. You do it because you know it’s important. But unlike the principals behind Ray Access, writing isn’t your best skill. Building the business is your main — and only — focus.

And that’s the point. Writing your own content isn’t what gets you fired up in the morning or keeps you up well past midnight. And once your business starts to do well, you should be tending the store, not writing blog posts. You know that.

Yes, it’s your business, and you know it best. But business blogging isn’t autobiographical; it’s business writing. It just has to be good enough to be valuable to your readers. It only has to be effective at drawing visitors to your website. That’s the job of business blogs. That’s the value a professional agency like Ray Access brings to the table.

Spend Time to Write Your Own Content

If you write your own content, you may spend an afternoon on a 500-word blog post. You want it to be right; you want it to be good. You fret over each word, each sentence, and each paragraph. But maybe it’s like pulling teeth — the process just seems to go on and on.

Professional writers like those at Ray Access can write and edit a better blog post in less than half the time it takes you. Writing is what we do. It’s our passion and we’re good at it. If you hire us to write your content, not only don’t you have to spend the time to write your own content, but you can use that time saved to make more money running your business more effectively. It’s a win-win.

write your own content or hire the best

Online Writing Takes Expertise

Anyone can write a letter, but online writing is an art and a science. Even good writers often don’t get the nuances of online writing. Besides using keywords correctly, online writers have to accomplish a lot in a little space:

Connect with the readers — generate trust by speaking to them, not at them
Establish authority — state your credentials and experience to be believable
Communicate your unique value proposition — explain what makes your company different
Convert visitors into customers — contribute to the company’s bottom line

Can you do all that by writing your own content? If so, go for it. You’re the best person qualified to write your company’s online content, as long as you have the time and the energy to do it. But if you can afford even $150 a month, you can get high-quality blog posts twice a month that will drive traffic to your website.

The Often Overlooked Step

Even if you write your own content, you need to have someone else look it over before you publish. It’s no coincidence that publishing houses employ editors, even for big-name authors. Every professional writer knows that a good editor not only helps you avoid careless mistakes, but also actually makes the writing better — more concise, more on-target and more effective.

A professional editor isn’t an optional step; it’s required if you want your content to look professional. Here’s a good example of the value of editing. It takes a rambling thought and laser-focuses it:

BEFORE: “Buildings are filled with mechanical systems which eventually need maintenance, repair, or replacement. Modernizing your plumbing system can prevent future breakdowns as well as add a level of convenience and comfort to your home or business.”

AFTER: “Old buildings contain old plumbing. Upgrading the plumbing not only prevents costly breakdowns in the future, but also saves you money on maintenance, repair and replacement.”

Learn more about the editing services available from Ray Access.

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.

Attraction, Not Promotion

by Elle Ray | May 8, 2016 | Content Marketing

Don’t Scare Visitors in Your Online Marketing

Online marketing shouldn't scare visitors

Most business people know the difference between advertising and marketing. Advertising is a direct pitch to sell your goods or services, while marketing covers the entire process of connecting with your present and future clientele. Advertising is just one component of your marketing efforts.

As a rule, marketing tends to carry more ethical components, giving customers room to make decisions without the pressure of a “buy now” promotion. And while “buy now” calls to action are part and parcel of your overall marketing scheme, good online marketing doesn’t pressure customers; instead, it attracts them with a wink and a nod, a compliment and respectful banter.

Online Marketing Works

Marketing works because it empowers your customers to take more control of their buying decisions based on common sense, education and bonding. Customers end up liking your advertising because you’ve taken the time to consider their needs and build relationships — even if those relationships are simply virtual.

You can and should use your website, blogs, social media and email to attract customers to your business. Once they realize how much they like you, your products and services sell themselves. Online marketing works today and will continue to grow as the most popular medium for building your business.

Tips to Attract Buyers

Marketing isn’t deceitful or cunning at all. In fact, honesty is the best policy when it comes to online marketing efforts. Some of the most productive, least threatening and cheapest ways to use this powerful medium include:

Make it easy for visitors to navigate through your website. Place social media buttons clearly, put your phone number, address and email on every page. Clearly mark each link so that your guests feel welcomed and appreciated.
Create good content. Respect your visitors’ time. Let them know right at the top of your web page who you are and what you do. Invite them in with easy-to-read content that includes well-crafted website copy, relatable graphics and entertaining and informative videos.
Give people what they need. Online guests don’t always know the right questions to ask. Adding an informative, thoughtful FAQ page can help. Make sure that your contact forms work and that you answer questions in a timely manner. Responsiveness builds trust, and trust leads to easy buying decisions.
Inform the media of important changes, highlights and hallmarks to your business through press releases. Loyal customers appreciate knowing that you are transparent and want everyone to have a chance to get to know you.
Rely on SEO, which includes keywords and market targeting, sparingly. Excessive SEO efforts turn off tech-savvy buyers who have seen enough of the tricks now to tell when their searches are being compromised.
Keep up to date with regular blog posts and emails to show your customers that you don’t take them for granted and continue to provide value. Build stronger relationships with continued communication through your blog.
Add value to your relationships with exceptional email newsletters that create a buzz, give your clients a one-up on those who don’t subscribe, and save them money, time and resources.
Use informational graphics to attract attention. Infographics are one of the leading attractors of successful websites. They are exponentially more productive than cartoons or stock pictures. Infographics also give you authority, something that you can’t buy with ads.

Now What Do You Do with Them?

Once you’ve built a customer base that is working (i.e., generating reliable income), you can use those same marketing techniques to give your customers reasons to stick with your company, even as competitors pound their doors for attention. You respected their time and attracted them to you, now:

Review your website and blogs regularly to catch errors that may have made it past the editing team.
Include in-depth, long-form content to your site that goes beyond the sound bites.
Respect their ideas and ask for tips on how to make your service or product even better.
Reward longevity with discounts, deals and insider info.
Expose your customers to the real influencers in your industry by curating expert guest blog posts.
Rely on your relationship and ask for referrals.
Hire an editing team if you don’t have one.

The Best Course

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” is a universal mantra that covers every kind of ethical argument in any religious denomination. It’s also a good business practice, especially in your online marketing efforts. Think about your experience as you visit other websites. What do you like to see while searching, shopping or researching.

Give your visitors the same kind of content and ease of use that you appreciate. They’ll thank you with continued loyalty. That’s a win for your online marketing.

Why Blogs Matter

by Mark Bloom | Apr 15, 2016 | Blog Writing

Your Blog Posts Keep Your Website Relevant

Here at Ray Access, we specialize in writing website content and blog posts for businesses. We’re professional writers and experts at creating online content that works. Together, the principal writers at Ray Access have decades of writing experience and over ten years of online writing experience. But this article isn’t about why you should hire us; it’s about why you should listen to us.

She's listening to Ray Access; you should too.

She’s listening to us; you should too.

A website is only as good as the visibility it provides you (how easy it is to find) and as valuable as the leads it generates (how much it contributes to your bottom line). Consider your company’s website and ask yourself:

Is it visible? Does it show up on searches?
Does it draw traffic? Does it attract new visitors?
Are the right people finding it? Do potential customers come to your website?
Does it generate leads? Are you getting phone calls and emails from people who found you online?

If you answered “Yes” to these questions, keep doing what you’re doing; it’s working. Otherwise, start making plans to revise your website content or your website content will make you irrelevant.

Every Business Needs a Website

You may laugh at that. Of course every business needs a website! But the Internet is still a relatively recent development. While every business is now online, not every business sees the value in being online. They’re there because that’s what everyone tells them. “Ok, already. We have a website.” But that’s the wrong way to approach your online presence.

Connect to new customers through your website Going online isn’t a necessary evil; it’s an opportunity to grow your company potentially beyond your neighborhood or city. It’s a new way to find new customers. Your business needs to have an online presence not because everyone else is going online, but because it makes good business sense. A good website not only pays for itself, but it generates income.

The Role of Your Blog

So how does your blog fit into your website content? A continually updated blog does many good things. For example, a blog:

Adds valuable content to your website
Helps your business connect with your customers and potential customers
Establishes your expertise in your field
Answers questions people have about your industry
Allows you to explore topics the rest of your website content doesn’t address
Attracts more people to your website
Connects new keywords to your website, making it relevant to a wider audience
Injects some personality into your website, whether that’s fun, poignant or sophisticated

No Hard Sell

One purpose specifically not listed above is “Sells your product or service.” A blog is not a sales tool; it’s a marketing tool. Its purpose is similar to social media’s:

To build brand awareness and community
To educate and inform
To entertain and engage

If you can accomplish all three of these points, your business will be top-of-mind when someone’s ready to buy. And that’s important for two reasons:

Not every visitor to your website is ready to buy at that moment.
People do business with companies they like and trust.

Use your website content to generate revenue long-term. Use your website to convert visitors. But use your blog to build a community. When your audience (or fans or followers) views your website as the Go-To place for information about your industry, they’ll be more likely to buy from you than from your competitors. Find out more about Ray Access’ blog writing services.

How Much Does Website Content Cost?

by Mark Bloom | Mar 19, 2016 | Website Content

What You Need to Know When Hiring Writers

You can find someone to write your website content for as little as five dollars a page. Even twenty dollars a page may seem reasonable to you if you’re a small business. But the content you end up with most likely will be worth only that much, and the costs to your business may run a lot higher.

What does website content cost?

Poor writing on your website reflects poorly on your business. Plus, and this is inarguably more important, badly written content doesn’t generate any leads. It has no ROI, a zero return on your investment.

No one is going to buy your products or services if your website doesn’t persuade them that you’re capable of delivering. We’re not just saying this because we’re in the business of writing website content. We want you to understand the difference between what most companies have on their websites and what successful companies have on their sites.

What Effective Website Content Does

Your website has three jobs, and the first two only exist to support the third:

Connect with your audience
Build trust in your brand
Generate leads and phone calls

If you’re not getting phone calls or emails from interested parties who found you online, your website isn’t working for you. If you pay for new website content, you should see an increase in traffic to your site and an increase in sales over time. Ultimately, that’s what your website is supposed to do.

So How Much Does Website Content Cost?

We could turn that question around and ask you: “How much is effective website content worth to you?” If you could increase your sales by five percent, what would that be worth? Ten percent? More? Of course, that’s not how prices are formulated. Content providers set a price, based on their experience in delivering a return on investment. They know what their service is worth.

Content providers know the value of their work

If you do any research into the issue, you’ll find that prices for website content vary greatly, running as high as $25,000 for a targeted landing page. If that sounds astronomical to you, then you don’t understand how well a tight, effective, urgent landing page can convert visitors into paying customers. Landing pages represent your online sales team. How much would you pay for a good salesperson?

In 2017, Ray Access charges a rate based on length and breadth. In other words, if you want a single 1,000-word web page, you pay $250. But if you want 50 pages — your entire site — you pay just $150 a page for 1,000-word web pages that are thoroughly researched and well crafted by American writers. That sounds like a bargain now, doesn’t it? Here’s an excellent article on website content prices, if you want a second opinion.

How Much Do Blog Posts Cost?

This is kind of a loaded question because for blog posts to work — for blog posts to attract not only a lot of people, but the right people, those motivated to buy your products or services — they need to include the right keywords. And keyword research itself can be costly, as anyone with any experience with an SEO firm can tell you. According to the article referenced above, blog posts can cost anywhere from $80 to $950 apiece.

Ray Access, in contrast, charges $100 for a standard 500-word blog post in 2017. These articles are well researched, well written and well edited. They’re also guaranteed original, meaning they are written from scratch, not copied from Wikipedia. In fact, Ray Access uses authoritative sites for its research, never eHow, About.com or any of those hit-or-miss information websites. You should follow this advice, too.

Why the Difference in Prices?

Among the reasons for varying website content prices, the key phrase is value. Can a piece of online writing prove its worth? Since websites attract visitors through a wide variety of ways (e.g., SEO, backlinks, organic searches, ads, etc.), it’s difficult to attribute a website’s success just to its content.

But conversion rates are strongly tied to content. Effective content persuades visitors to buy. Cheap content can’t convert anyone except the most highly motivated. Poor content may even drive visitors away. But exceptional content converts many visitors — and even gets others to at least inquire.

So website content has to have a return on investment that makes the investment worthwhile. This is business, after all.

When you understand the value professional, cost-effective blog and website content writers bring to your business, you’ll want to contact Ray Access to improve your online sales.

Ghostwriters Don’t Write Horror Stories

by Mark Bloom | Feb 5, 2016 | Content Provider

Ghostwriting Is About Something Else Entirely

Ray Access is in the business of writing for businesses. In particular, we craft effective web page content and engaging blog posts for our clients. When we hand off our work, we don’t sign it with our names. Once a blog post or web page is finished, delivered and paid for, our clients own it. They can even put their own names to it, if they like. That makes us ghostwriters.

Ray Access are ghostwriters

Ghostwriters write for other people. When a celebrity or political figure comes out with a new book, chances are very good that a ghostwriter actually did all the writing. Yet the celebrity or political figure gets to take all the credit. It doesn’t seem fair, but it is. That ghostwriter is well paid for the work, and the story still comes from the celebrity, who often can’t write as well or hasn’t the time to sit and write a whole book.

Ghostwriters Perform a Service

So when you visit our Portfolio page and click to view some of our past work, you may see our client’s name at the end of an article. You may see no name listed. Rarely will you see “Ray Access” attributed as the writer. This arrangement is by design. Our work benefits our clients. We don’t need (or want) to get in the way of their success.

We’re compensated in many ways, not the least of which is seeing clients increase their profits through the website. We’re proud of our work, and yes, we’re paid for our service, too. That definitely increases our profits. So ghostwriting, for us, is a win-win proposition.

But Why Not Take Credit?

when we win, you win too Honestly, the writers and editors at Ray Access don’t need the credit. We’ve been published in print and across the Internet. We’ve written every website page, every blog post and every press release listed and linked from our Portfolio page. We know it, and our clients know it. Moreover, our clients understand the value we bring to their websites, and they’re happy to recommend us. Just ask them!

And not to take anything away from those hard-working web designers and developers who put their names and links at the bottom of every page they build, we believe it’s more a ploy to gain SEO points than to trumpet their work. We believe our clients’ websites should be all about their business, not ours.

Ghostwriting Is a Means to an End

As ghostwriters, we’re able to capture a client’s voice well enough to give the business a distinct personality. If our client wants to come across as a serious professional, we can accommodate that. If a client want to be thought of as the friendly confidant, we can do that too. Ghostwriters need to write in a variety of styles and tones. Whatever the client wants, Ray Access can usually deliver.

But make no mistake about it: our goal is to help our clients succeed by generating phone calls — new business — through the website. It gives us great pleasure and satisfaction to see our clients succeed. That generates the customer loyalty we love and the word-of-mouth marketing we crave. Ghostwriting works — for us as well as for our clients.

Let us be your ghostwriters. Learn how we can help your business succeed through targeted online content. You can even put your name on it.