Blog Writing: A Step-by-Step Guide

by Mark Bloom | Jul 19, 2016 | Blog Writing

Professional Bloggers Talk Writing Process

Potential clients, friends and curious business owners regularly ask the writers at Ray Access: “How can you ghost-write blog posts for someone else when you don’t know anything about their business?” They usually want to know how we’re able to capture the voice of another person or company and how we can write so authoritatively about it. It’s a good question, and one we answer earnestly.

Mark reveals the writing process

While the whole ghost writing issue is certainly an interesting topic, this article deals with the writing process and how it applies to writing for others. At Ray Access, we follow a strict three-part procedure:

Research
Write
Edit

The Writing Process of Ray Access Bloggers

This process is valid for many forms of writing, but here we’re applying it specifically for writing business blog posts for other businesses. It doesn’t matter who the client is or what the business does. Ray Access writers use the same process for everyone.

That doesn’t mean the end result is the same. It means the process is the same. We put the same amount of energy and enthusiasm into every blog post that Ray Access delivers. If you’re curious about how it might work for you, send us an email. Or try the process for yourself. These are the steps Ray Access takes for every business blog post:

Step 1: Research

First came the idea, and the idea was good. Ray Access generally plans its clients’ blog topics in advance. Brainstorming ideas, doing keyword research and reviewing hot topics and news items yields a slew of industry-related blog topics. We ask our clients to approve the best of the bunch, and they often select the ones that best fit their strategic goals.

The writing process then continues with online research. When people ask us how we can write about medical, plumbing or financial services, the answer is always, “through careful research.” Ray Access writers can write about any subject they can research. For example, medical websites like the Mayo Clinic or the National Institutes of Health offer a treasury of reliable information, making medical research readily available.

Regardless of the subject matter, however, research has to be done properly. Any Wiki is liable to contain inaccurate data. User-informed websites lack authority. Even other blogs may be wrong. At Ray Access, we insist on the facts. If we’re not sure, we crosscheck information. While our clients review the work our writers deliver, we aim to get it right the first time.

writing process at work

Step 2: Write

Yes, everyone who works at Ray Access is a good writer, a true professional with training and experience in various forms of writing. It’s not just about words, sentences, paragraphs and sections, though. It’s about flow, meaning, delivery, language and tone. Rhetorical writing is the art of effectively persuading a readership through words. It’s imparting information in a way that not only effectively communicates, but also influences action.

The writing process is at the heart of Ray Access’ business. We’re essentially content providers and content marketers. We deliver value to our clients because we’re able to connect with their audiences. Online writing has been called a science and an art, so when Ray Access writes for an online audience, we use keywords properly. Because it matters.

The online audience has shorter attention spans, but hungrier appetites. When they want to know something, they want to know it now and they prefer to get all the information they need in one place. Ray Access writers satisfy that hunger.

Step 3: Edit

No blog post is complete without a careful edit. Another set of experienced eyes catches any typos, grammatical mistakes, misspelled names and missing words. But the skilled editors at Ray Access also improve the article with incisive changes, such as:

Tightening up the copy
Choosing more powerful words
Eliminating the passive voice
Crafting stronger openings and endings
Inserting calls-to-action

The editing step doesn’t involve mere proofreading. Sometimes, whole paragraphs get moved around. Other times, whole sections are replaced. As any writer will tell you, “Good writing is rewriting.” Editing is a vital part of the process. Ray Access has understood this from the very start. It’s the difference between what’s on websites and what’s on effective websites. It’s part of the Ray Access advantage.

You can either use this writing process yourself or contact the writers and editors at Ray Access to get the most effective and most engaging content for your blog. And we’ll even ghost write it for you.

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.

Your Shadow Knows

by Elle Ray | May 22, 2016 | Content Provider

“Shadow Writers” Explain What They Do

shadow writers write in your voice

Recently, we attended a networking function where we found ourselves talking with a small group about our business, Ray Access. It happens. We mentioned that we don’t request or require a byline on anything we write for our clients. That’s not why we write. Both Mark and Linda have had their fair share of public acclaim; they don’t need attributions any longer.

In fact, we refer to our role as “ghostwriters,” since we feel it’s an accurate description of what we do. When we write, we stay in the background and remain anonymous. Whatever we compose — whether it’s website content, a blog post or a press release — our clients always get the credit for it. Always.

More Than Ghostwriters

Since the group seemed interested in how we managed to ghostwrite for other businesses, we explained that we write in our clients’ voices as much as possible. Sometimes, that means writing without contractions or using the first person or adding a touch of humor. With all our clients, we strive to strike a note that sounds like something they would actually say.

Then someone familiar with our work chimed in: “I think you’re more like a shadow than a ghost,” she said. “A shadow is faceless, but it’s still a part of you. A ghost may be faceless, but it isn’t real.”

Resonating Loudly

Writing for businesses is an art that takes practice and refinement to hit its mark. When you use the written word as a marketing tool, you need that copy to sing. Your company website needs to touch visitors with your own voice, reflecting your company’s distinctive perspective. Your words need to clearly establish your unique value position and represent you clearly.

Too often, writers tend to create copy that seems to say everything, but never in a way that connects with your audience. And since your website is often the very first contact potential customers have with you, it’s critical that your writing clearly capture your mission and your ideas. It has to resonate with your visitors. It has to read as if you were talking personally to each and every person who reads it.

Shadow writers connect you with your audience

The Ghost vs. The Shadow

Some say the ghost is the fearful one — it’s an unknown phenomenon, an other-worldly spirit. It can only be malevolent. To others, the shadow evokes more terror. It’s a dark, scary figure from the deepest recesses of your imagination, lurking just beyond the edge of sight. If you find yourself in an old house or a cemetery at night, both can be terrifying.

On the other hand, there’s Casper the Friendly Ghost. A ghost may be nothing more than a trick of the light, an electrical discharge. Who can say? Shadows also may be nothing to fear. Some people love to dance and twirl through the sunshine with their shadows following close behind. You can be lost without a shadow. Just ask Peter Pan.

We Choose the Shadow

The real-world difference between the two is more concrete than either a ghost or a shadow is on its own. When it comes to describing Ray Access, “ghostwriters” is the more common phrase. It has come to mean “writing anonymously for someone else.” But “shadow writers” is the term that better reflects the essence of what we do for our clients. Shadow writers combine the best aspects of “job shadowing” with the elemental basics of “ghostwriting.”

So until another, more striking comparison reveals itself to us, we at Ray Access choose to be called “shadow writers.” In the corporate world, we’ll still answer if someone is seeking ghostwriters, but now you know that we plan to straddle the line between stalker and friend. When we write for you, we become your shadow, acting as if we are an extension of your consciousness — your very voice, if you will.

We’ll ask how professional or how casual you want to come across. We’ll learn about your company, your vision and your mission. We’ll listen for your voice. We’ll research all about your customers: what they like, what they want, and what they value. We’ll copy your vernacular and your attitude toward your business. We hope to be so much like you that your readers cannot tell the difference between you and your shadow writers.

The brighter the light you shine on your story, the longer your shadow plays to its intended audience. To learn more about how Ray Access accomplishes its shadow writing, and how your company can benefit from it, contact us.

When Is a Sale Not a Sale?

by Elle Ray | Jul 12, 2015 | Small Business Advice

Instilling a Sense of Urgency Makes Better Copy

“Biggest blow-out of the year!”

“Don’t wait, buy today while prices are at their lowest ever!”

“We’ll never slash prices like this ever again!”

“Hurry! Sale ends Monday at 5:00 PM!”

It's a huge sale... or is it?

You don’t believe these ads. Or do you? You are bombarded with these “sales” messages every day — on TV, on the radio and on most Internet ads. The sense of urgency produced probably tends to get tiresome. You stop hearing the repetitious phrases and block out the so-called call to action they imply. Or do you?

Buy Now! It Works

A sense of urgency in your marketing copy can help to double, triple or even quadruple your conversion rates. Why? Because it works.

Groupon has made excellent use of the urgent call to action by limiting not only time that its deals are available, but also the number of people who can claim them. The Asheville, NC-based Rug & Home advertises on television with an obnoxious young blond who tells viewers that the big sales always end on “Monday” or after a big holiday sale when, in fact, the sales never end. Prices rarely change.

create a sense of urgency in your ads But buyers keep coming in. And the company thrives. The sales manager at the North Carolina rug outlet once said that the commercials work because: “The ads shake the trees, and then we rake up the leaves.”

Psyched Up

While it may seem unproductive and illogical, the fear of missing out drives many buying decisions. John B. Watson, the founder of behaviorism in America, worked for one of the biggest ad agencies in New York City. He believed that consumers make buying decision based on one or more basic human emotions — fear, love or rage.

A sense of urgency in your marketing copy appeals to the innate fears most people possess — the fear of missing out. And the ubiquitous nature of social media only confirms this idea. People fear missing out on something more than they fear anything else.

Consider the enormous risks people take texting while driving just to ensure they don’t miss a thing. Mediums like Facebook allow users to get notified about every move made by anyone who means anything, whether or not it is important.

Just in Case

So you may not actually believe the advertised sale is for a limited time. You may know instinctively that if you don’t act within the next 24 hours, you will lose your sole chance to buy that cool thing. Nevertheless, if you’re like most people, you think, “Maybe it’s true this time.” It’s kind of like the agnostic who won’t go all the way to embrace atheism “just in case.”

So build a sense of urgency into your copy. Make your sales last for just the weekend. Set time limits on your special offers. Tell consumers that if they don’t want to miss the biggest deal in town, they should act today. Because otherwise your message will get lost in the fog of all the other “sales” messages.

The Art and Science of Business Blog Writing

by Mark Bloom | Jun 28, 2015 | Blog Writing

Everything You Should Know About Keywords

Ray Access writes business blogs from a desktop like this

Writing business blogs, one of the core services Ray Access provides, is not like writing for a newspaper. It’s not writing a scholarly essay. And it’s certainly not like writing a short story. There’s an art and a science to it that few have mastered.

When done correctly, blog content attracts people looking for similar topics. It draws traffic to your website. A business blog can be a marketing tool, promoting your business and extending your reach, but only if your business blog posts are written properly. You don’t necessarily need Ray Access for this process, but we can do it quickly and inexpensively, freeing you up to run your business.

What Are Keywords?

A keyword is actually a string of words that together compose a phrase that someone may type into a search engine entry field. In other words, it’s a phrase that people are searching for. The more people that are searching for that phrase, the more valuable that keyword phrase becomes. Broad keywords (such as “writing”) have lots of competition, while more refined keyword phrases (such as “business blog writing”) may be easier to rank for.

Choosing the right keywords is an important part of gaining online visibility for your website. For example, if you own a massage business, your location should be in the keyword, as well as a descriptive word. So “Asheville therapeutic massage” is a better keyword phrase than “table massage.”

The Science of Business Blog Writing

Using keywords appropriately is the science of blog writing for your business. Keywords make it easier for people looking for your business to find you. Keywords tie your business blogs into the way search engines work.

But that’s not the only thing you need to know about the science of business blogging. You also need to post blogs regularly and consistently. You do not need to post a new blog every day, although that wouldn’t hurt. Once a week is sufficient. Your business still gets benefits from a bi-weekly or even monthly blog post; it just takes a little longer to work.

The Art of Blogging for Business

When you write a business blog post, write for your human visitors, not for the search engines. Only by providing useful content will you gain online traction. While the goal of maintaining a blog is to market your business, the way to do it is to appeal to actual people.

Answer common (and uncommon) questions about your business, industry or location. Share tips about your product or service. Provide content that is “share-worthy.” Going viral is hitting a home run in the blogging community, but don’t expect it to happen often. Target your customers and write to help them in some way. That’s the way to build your business.

Writing Tips

Develop a title that will grab attention. “Tips” is a good word to use in the title. So is “How to.” Include subheadings within the content. That helps visitors scan the article to find information. Subheads also break up the text so you don’t have imposing paragraphs that chase visitors away.

Use language that your customers can understand. When you write, speak to your audience, not at them. Write in approachable terms. You are building a relationship with your customers, so just as you might in real life, face-to-face situations, be polite, clear and friendly. Remember, that people do business with people and companies they like. Be likeable, even in print. It’s a science and an art that the experts at Ray Access can help you master.

Just Like the Cobbler’s Kids

by Elle Ray | May 15, 2015 | Content Provider

We Have Good News and More Good News…

just like the cobbler's kids

We haven’t been slacking, and we’re not on vacation. The truth is that Ray Access has been busier than ever as April 2015 marked new highs in almost every category of our business. That’s the good news. Linda and Mark love staying busy and love writing, so for us, it’s a winning situation.

Unfortunately, that means our blog has suffered. It’s like the cobbler’s kids going without shoes because the cobbler is too busy mending other people’s shoes. Like us, this particular cobbler is likely the best in town, so new customers keep coming to him and old customers keep coming back. Meanwhile, his own kids go without.

It Will Get Better

So we apologize for not blogging for ourselves over the past month. That’s bad form, and it’s exactly what we advise our clients not to do. Now we’re back for a bit of air and rededicating ourselves to keeping our site active and updated.

We’re also making other changes. You can see our new logo, which we developed with a professional designer. In the very near future, you’ll get to see a new website design as well. It’s “in the works.” We appreciate your patience as we transform our web presence into the successful company we’ve become behind the scenes.

Expanding Our Reach

One of our other initiatives has been to expand our reach beyond Asheville, North Carolina. While most of our clients come from Western North Carolina, we’ve been able to attract some great clients from as far away as:

New Jersey
Manhattan
Charleston, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina

In addition, we network monthly in Greenville, SC, gaining some visibility in the Upstate region. As we grow, our network of referrals grows as well. Why? Because we do excellent work for our clients, and the results show. Our clients are not just getting more visitors to their websites, but they are also converting more visitors into customers. Content marketing, one name for what we do, works over time to gain visibility and market share for your company.

The Internet Advantage

Remember the movie tagline: “In space, no one can hear you scream?” Well, online, no one can tell at a glance whether your company has 2 or 200 employees. In this way, the Internet has become the Great Equalizer for small businesses around the country. To take advantage of this, however, your website has to be top-notch and professional.

By “professional,” we don’t mean “cold and impersonal.” But your website has to look like the company behind it is huge and successful. Design plays an important role. So do photography and iconography. But maybe more important than any of that is the content of your site. It must answer questions. It must invite visitors to stay. It must gain trust and create community. That’s a lot to ask, but it is possible.

So when you want to compete with anyone in your industry, contact Ray Access. We know how to give you the Internet advantage so your business doesn’t end up like the cobbler’s kids.

5 Blogging Tips for Non-Writers

by Elle Ray | Apr 8, 2015 | Blog Writing

Ray Access Makes Blogging a Bit Easier for You

writing: it looks so easy

A blog is an ideal vehicle for sharing information with your business customers, for attracting new customers to your website and for communicating with people within your industry. The problem, of course, is that you may not feel like you can write a blog post. When you don’t know what to say or how to say it, you end up saying nothing at all.

But blogging delivers real results. A regular business blog can help you establish yourself as an expert in your field. So, to create engaging copy and entertaining blog posts, follow these five tips from the experts at Ray Access:

Keep Your Promises
Visitors to your site will resent it if they follow a link full of promise, but get nothing of value. Deliver what your title says you’ll deliver and give readers information they can use. Only then have you earned enough trust to ask for their business. You can’t lure them in for a sale without keeping your promises. If visitors don’t trust you for the simple things, they certainly won’t trust you with their hard-earned money.
Say Something Worthwhile
Respect is a two-way street, so if you want customers to respect you — and your products or services — enough to make a purchase, respect their time. Don’t waste your opportunity to connect with visitors with blog posts about what you did during your recent retreat, how your golf game reflects your excellence or what your latest sale brought in. Provide valuable, useful information, even if it’s not about your company. If you can enlighten your readers or improve their lives, you can bet they’ll take the time to read your post.
Include Graphics
Not everyone reads an entire blog, but if you can condense the information in a graphic, then do it. Give everyone that option. Graphs and charts often tell a story or impart key information much better than a block of text can. Plus, graphics break up the text and help readers get the information quicker. Artistic graphics draw the readers’ eyes to where you want them to look.
Try a Video
More and more people are getting used to the idea of website videos. Many younger Internet users prefer to sit back and watch rather than read. But to appeal to older visitors, include the script — or at least the highlights of the video — below it. Avid readers can scan through the text in seconds, and you keep them on your page long enough to get to your call for action.
Don’t Forget a Call to Action
“Hire us to write your blogs if you don’t have time.” That’s a call to action, and you need to include one somewhere in your text, preferably after you’ve already earned your readers’ trust and given them educated food for thought. A blog is not the place to put your latest big sale. Save that for your homepage or even better — a sale or specials page. That way, folks who are looking for deals can find them. But you want every reader to do something after reading your blog. Don’t leave it up to them to figure it out.

We hope these blogging tips will make your blog useful, powerful and effective. Good luck!

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