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If you run a business, you like many others, have probably set up a Facebook Page. But what are you doing with it? It's great when your employees, family and friends all track it down and 'Like' it. But what do you do when the 'Likes' start to dry up? How do you go about getting more fans? The difference between 'Likes' and engagement It's great when people 'Like' your brand, but you reallyyou want customers who are going to buy from you. If you're going to have a Facebook Page, you are going to have to put a bit of effort into it - just like you would any other form of marketing. Customers will engage with your page if you engage with them. It's not enough just to have a presence in Facebook, you have to be active - it ...

Search engine optimisation isn't a great mystery. Yes, it will help you get found in the search results, but when it comes to copy on your website, the most important thing to remember is to write for your reader and not the search engines.Blogging is a great way to promote yourself and your business, but making sure your blogs get found by searchers is a whole different ball game. That's why it's important to remember the power of your page title. The problem is that many people get confused about the difference between a page title and a post title. The post title is as it would suggest, the name you give to your blog post. Your page title is automatically generated when you write your posts and therefore tends to be the same, as shown in  the image below:

A funny thing happens to some people when they start using social media - they forget who they are. People still seem to believe that they have to be corporate and cardboard-like when interacting online - but there lies the problem, many aren't interacting. The people you'll 'meet' through social media will reflect the usual personality types: Confrontational Shy Opinionated Funny Those who think they're funny Confident Flirty Sarcastic ... That's why you have to be human when using social media, which means interaction - you have to talk to other people just like in real life. Making friends Just as you would chat and mingle at a party, if you want to make an impression on social media you have to start conversations. The great thing about doing this in an online world, is that no one can see you. If, in real life, you're less than confident in a group ...

This post originally appeared on my other blog freelancecopywritersblog. For any of you considering entering the world of copywriting, it is something you have to read: If you’re thinking about becoming a copywriter, there’s one thing you must get – a very thick skin. Over the years mine has thickened to rival any Rhino – that doesn’t conjure a particularly attractive image, but it is a necessity when you write for a living. I’ve been in business as a freelance copywriter since 2007. I’m pretty good at what I do, in fact I would go so far as to say I’m an expert in my field – that’s why companies from all over the world come to me when they need help with their marketing copy. The process is fairly simple: The client makes contact I ask for a full brief on which to base a quote They say ‘yes please’ I ...

'I don't have time' or 'it's a complete waste of time' (which usually translates into 'I don't understand it') are 2 of the most common responses when people are asked why they're not using social media as part of their marketing strategy. But those that have taken the time to understand the mechanics of social media and the effects it can have on your business profile, realise that blogging, facebook interaction and Twitter can all boost business and credibility. Many people still think its a passing fad - nope, it's still here. Many people think the only way to market it through old fashioned cold calling and mail shots - nope, most people won't buy from a cold caller. So if you are one of the stalwarts who refuses to acknowledge the benefits of social media, let me ask you... How ...

Blogging is a great way to get your name 'out there' and share your knowledge with the world. Plus, it's a great tool to have as part of your search engine optimisation strategy because it will help you build back links to your website. But you already know that because you've already set up your blog and are ready to start writing. Are you ready to lead the life of a blogger? Do you have what it takes to generate an endless stream of interesting content that will keep your readers coming back for more? Blogging is a commitment. It can be hard work, but it can also be immensely satisfying and rewarding. So if you're not sure whether you've got what it takes, here are 5 things you're going to need if you want to succeed - how many do you have? 1. ...

How far can your marketing budget stretch? You have to keep your website updated, brochures current, email marketing, article writing...the list is endless. All these things take time and money, but what if there was something you could do that would provide you with a load of free publicity? What about your PR? Even though print marketing is being to die a death, don't ignore the power of the press. I'm not talking about advertising space though. Just think of the publicity you would get through an interview, quote, editorial piece or a feature in the 'right' magazine. This type of content can be very powerful and here's why... 1. Low cost Getting a press release professionally written for you is a lot cheaper than paying for advertising space. Plus, if accepted, you could end up with a feature about you with a web link. That's ...

Hands up if you've "we'd" all over your website. There are oodles of websites out there suffering from this very embarrassing condition, simply because it's full of "we" and not enough "you": We've been in business 20 years We won the Award for best customer service We made awesome chairs Who cares? Certainly not your customers. The only thing your customer wants to know is what will your product/service do for them? You've got to make them see how much better their lives will be with your product, how much money they'll save, how much more successful they'll be... But to make that happen you have to ditch the "we" in favour of "you". To make your website copy achieve this, it should be written in the second person so it addresses your reader directly - like this: Make your marketing materials work harder and ...

When it comes to search engine optimisation strategies, there are a number of elements that must be addressed: Keywords Well designed website Title tags and META Descriptions SEO copywriting Links The first 4 are all vital to your SEO success, but number 5 is possibly even more important. Your link building strategy is the engine that will keep your SEO campaign going. Harness some Google love Building links is, quite possibly, the most important on-going SEO element. Each link to your website acts like a vote to its authenticity and relevance. Therefore, the more you have, the more Google will love you. That doesn't mean you can rush out and get any old links - the process has to be done consistently, over time. Short cuts (such as link farms and paid linking) will be frowned upon. Every link must be genuine and relevant to your website. By the way, if you think Google won't bother checking ...

We all want happy customers that return to us time and again. As, for many customers, your website will be their first contact with you, it must give them the experience they want - speed, simplicity and a warm and fuzzy feeling. So, how can you make sure your website delivers on all fronts? Well, here are a few tips you can use to improve customer experience: Speed From the minute they land on your website, they want things to happen quickly. 1. Loading A fast loading website is a must because your customers aren't going to hang around waiting for you. If you have images on your site, make sure they are compressed otherwise they may adversely effect your loading time. 2. Payment process Again this will need to be fast and simple to follow. Plus, it's always an idea to offer a range of payment ...

There are a lot of companies out  there now using social media. But there are also a lot of companies who are still resisting it. The main reason is it's perceived lack of Return on Investment (ROI), with the boss forcefully announcing that if you can prove its ROI he'll think about it. But there lies the problem - how do you discover its ROI? Does it even have one? The ROI of social media Earlier this year, Thomson Reuters hosted one of Finextra's international series of social media events. Numerous delegates from the Financial Services sector gathered to mull over the enigma of social media, especially Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. During the day a number of tweets were flying around, including one that caught my eye: "There is ROI in social media, finding it is the Holy Grail." For me, social media is ...

Nobody is perfect - nope, not even you. We all make mistakes, some large, some small, and some we'd rather not think about. So what happens when you've finally finished your latest marketing email (that you've spent many painful hours working on), hit send and then spot a terrible typo, experience that sinking feeling when you realise you've just sent it to the wrong list, or you've got the decimal point in the wrong place in your offer and are now giving away a free gift worth £100 with every £30 flower arrangement? The overwhelming urge could probably be to go and hide somewhere or perhaps leave the country. But, as already mentioned, no one is perfect (not even your boss, no matter what they say), we've all made cock-ups, but it's how you deal with them that matters. Coping with mistakes What ...

Writing guest blogs is a great way to boost your online exposure. But you must never get so wrapped in your own self promotion that you lose sight of the blog you're writing for. Being allowed to guest once is great, but it's even better to be invited back again. So here are my 6 top tips to writing great guest blogs and to get asked back. 1. Audience Understanding the audience you're writing for is key. Read through some past posts that have appeared on the blog to get a feel for the style of what the audience is reading. Find out the type of topics that are covered and make sure your suggested blog fits withing the scope of the blog. If it doesn't you're unlikely to get a slot. 2. Bluffing's bad A lot of people out there will hunt down high rankings blogs only. But what if you're not an expert in ...

For many people, when they start to dabble in Twitter, there's one question that springs to mind - how do you find people to follow? If you're just searching for friends and colleagues, you'll probably run out of people fairly quickly, so how do you find interesting tweeters? Well, I've been a tweeter since 2008 and it took me a while to find my feet. Plus, it also took me a while to realise that it was OK not to follow someone back if I didn't find their profile or tweets relevant or interesting to me. Ther are various tools out there you can use to find tweeters in your industry, and I have to say, a list of these would have been very useful when I started out. Which is why I was pleased to come across a post ...

Newsletter marketing is a great way to promote your business and add value to your customers - fact. But what happens once you've hit send? Is  your carefully crafted copy forgotten about? Did you know you could use your newsletters to help give your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) a boost? Newsletters and SEO Surely, my newsletter won't have any effect on my SEO. On its own, no it won't. But think about the content for a moment. It has a strong, compelling subject line (or heading) and the content will be SEO friendly simply because you've written about your products/services, therefore it is going to naturally contact your keywords. So why let all  that valuable content 'die' once you've sent it? Providing a section within your website for your old newsletters will keep that content alive. Plus, you'll be constantly adding fresh content and Google ...

Do you remember the days when marketing your business involved taking out an ad in a magazine or local paper. It was great wasn't it? Your little box snuggled up against all your competitors' little boxes. Then of course there was the humble mail shot, not to mention the dreaded cold calling. You'd spend hours and hours going down your list of phone numbers, repeat your well rehearsed opening pitch, desperate to hear a 'yes' rather than the usual '***!!!####'. Those were the days. Thank God you don't have to rely on that type of marketing anymore. When I started out as a copywriter, I vowed I would never resort to cold calling. I don't know about you, but I hate it when my evening is interrupted by a sales call. How dare these people phone me, uninvited, to try and sell me something ...

If you have email, you get spam - it's a part of life. Everyday we are inundated with emails pretending to be from banks, building societies, the Inland Revenue and the FBI not to mention the constant plague of Viagra sales. There is also a constant (and rather annoying) stream of emails from SEO companies who claim to be able to get you on the front page of Google for just about any term going. Considering the number that constantly appear, it's a pretty safe bet that someone somewhere is falling for their over hyped sales patter. If you're tempted, don't, and here's why. Learn to say no Every one of these emails will claim that the company has superhuman SEO powers. Many will even claim to be able to work their magic for a miniscule amount, probably less than what you're ...

  How many times have you posted a link to a video that's gone viral? The companies that achieve this phenomenon are canny creatures - what incredible PR? All they did was make a single investment in a video (albeit a very good one) and before you know it, it's everywhere. Now that's what I call PR. So how did they pull it off? More importantly, how come their video went global while yours remains unloved and unwatched on YouTube?     Marketing isn't about you It's not you know. I know what you're thinking - of course it's about me, if it wasn't how would  they know where to buy from? That's true enough, but think about your video marketing as you would any other type of marketing. It's a safe bet to say you hate being deluged with unsolicited emails and cold calls, so why do you think ...

Social media is a powerful marketing force. Most companies today realise this and have embraced it with open arms. But others are still needing a bit of encouragement. There are a number of big bosses out there who are yet to be convinced by its potential. They seem blind to the potential market it could open up for them sinply because: It's too much like hard work They don't have the time to 'play' with it They don't believe their customers are using social media so why should they? They think they can't monitor its effectiveness But many of their employees can see the benefits. So if that's you and you have a particularly archaic boss who needs a nudge to move out of the Stone Age and into the Social Media age, read on. Making you boss see the benefits of social media The ...

Quite often, landing pages stand out like a sore thumb when you land on them. Normally, this is because they scream BY ME NOW in very large, colourful print. So how do they make you feel when you land on one? That you're about to be sold something so you just want to get out of there as fast as possible? You don't mind being overtly sold to, so you'll hang around for a read? Click away and head off in search of a real website? If you want to create a landing page, how do you go about it so it encourages people to stay? How can you convince people you're genuine? Generating trust Let's face it, if there's no trust, there are no sales. People hate being sold to, so if your landing page looks like one big sales spiel, it's probably not going to ...

    First of all, congratulations for getting your blog set up and for publishing posts. Another blogger is born. But is it going as well as you'd hoped? Have you noticed that not only is your readership not growing, your visitor numbers are actually dwindling? The problem is that you're not being effective - your posts are simply not hitting the spot. A crash course on becoming an effective blogger Number 1 Read one of your posts - be honest, does it grab you? Are you writing in the second person (you and your), rather than the first (I and we)? By making a simple change like this, your posts will directly address the reader, drawing them into your post. You'll build rapport and trust. Number 2 If your posts are a single block of text, you need to work on your layout skills. People are put off by loads of solid text, ...

Search engine optimisation doesn't have to be scary. Despite the claims of some, anyone can make simple SEO checks on their website that will make a difference to their rankings. Of course, you must have a strategy in place (and stick to it) if you want to be really successful. So, if you're ready, let's get to it with check number 1. 1. Design For most companies (yes, you too), the look of their site is everything. They invest vast amounts of money on the design of their site because they want it to look 'nice'. Well looking nice is all well and good, but if it doesn't appear in the search results no one is going to see it. Custom built websites are great if you work with a team that are as good with SEO as they are with their creativity (a rare combination). Whether you like them or not, template websites tend ...

Search engine optimisation can seem like an unfathomable language at times. Working our what your keywords should be, organising your site structure and building back links are all part of this, at times, mystical art. And, there are no short cuts because you need all the elements if your strategy is to work. When it comes to your website copy, the best course of action is to hire a SEO copywriter, but if that’s not something you’ve budgeted for, here are 7 quick tips to help you optimise your web copy.   1. Headline It doesn’t matter what you’re writing your copy for, your headline is always going to be important. If it doesn’t grab your reader from the outset, they’re not going to waste their time reading the rest of your copy. Basically, it’s got to be powerful and ...

    Google has been a God send for shopaholics everywhere. No longer do you have to spend hours trudging around over-heated stores. Now, you can sit and relax in the comfort of your own home and shop to your heart’s content. But as an online business, are you making the most of these leads when they come to you? Considering how most people shop today, once they’ve fired off an email to you, they will want a reply ASAP. So how quickly do you respond?   According to a recent survey by Insidesales.com and Omniture, it would appear that you don’t respond very quickly at all: Average email response time: 19 hours, 31 minutes (the optimum response time should be within an hour) Average phone response time: 36 hours, ...

    Content, content, content - you know the search engines love it, but writing it without a purpose will have little or not effect to your online marketing strategy. You already know that the regular addition of new content will have a positive effect on your search engine  strategy. It will generate more traffic to your website and more business. That's because you understand that:   Articles/Blogs + SEO = Rankings   But if you just publish any old thing, you could end up doing more harm than good. Think about this for a moment, if you merrily churn out (or pay a copywriter to create) vast swathes of keyword rich articles to your website, are you really adding value? I'm driving traffic!     True, you probably are, but... If you are publishing content that doesn't give your reader anything or ask anything of them, what's ...

Keywords are the holy grail of online marketing and search engine optimisation. They are what stand between your website being relegated to being an expensive electronic brochure that no one ever sees, or being top of the search results in full technicolour glory. So, if you want to be 'top of the websites', you need to do some serious research.   Keyword research   Most people understand they have to target the keywords that their customers use to search for their products and services rather than the ones they think they use. And that means taking the time to do some serious research. But that doesn't stop some people going for very generic words. If you want to stand a chance of ranking for your keywords (and don't happen to have a multi million pound marketing budget), you must produce a list of keywords that are very specific. So if you ...

Is email marketing part of your marketing strategy? If so, I bet you’ve pondered long and hard about how to get your emails opened. Much of the problem you face is that, ultimately, the success of your email is determined by the type of day the recipient is having. So, it’s not surprising it can be a frustrating activity. Boosting your open rates There are 5 simple strategies you can take to give your open rate a bit of a boost. They aren’t new and they’re hardly earth shattering, but they do work. 1. When do you send? Believe it or not, the day you choose to send your email will have a big effect on your open rate. As a general rule, it’s best to avoid Mondays and Fridays. As you would expect, most people are either catching up on work from the weekend ...

  How do you know if you have a piece of good copy or not? Can you tell, just by looking at it? Annoyingly, the answer is yes and no because it depends on: What the copy is What’s its purpose is What form it takes As an example, take a look at this piece of SEO copywriting: As you read through it, you are constantly tripping over the phrase ‘search engine optimization’. That’s not good. A well written piece of SEO copy should not make its keywords obvious. It should be written in a natural way – and if you think about it, naturally, you wouldn’t constantly repeat a phrase over and over, would you? OK, that was quite an obvious example, but let’s think about a general piece of text that is being used to sell a product. It can written grammatically correctly without ...

  If you are business engaging in social media, it’s essential you have a social media policy in place. Every social media channel you engage in, is a direct line to your customers. Everything you do happens in real-time. Once you’ve hit send, it’s gone out to potentially thousands of people – a bit like texting…and how many times have you sent a text you’ve later regretted? If your message is wrong, or written in haste (especially when tempers are strained), you could land your company in some serious hot water. By putting a social media policy in place you will protect your company from: PR nightmares Employees saying something they shouldn’t Legal hot water The leaking of confidential or sensitive information What will you say? Your policy should clearly state how your company will deal with defamatory comments and positive comments. It should state who will ...

  Why is it that so many corporate and professional business services websites are written in a stiff and formal tone? Granted, they are serious businesses, but that doesn’t mean that to portray a sense of professionalism you have to use intensely complex language. The result is generally, an underperforming website that no one wants to read because it’s too boring and the language completely unfathomable. If you want to make someone think… “Yes, this is great. They sound just like the company I need” …you have got to write in an approachable, accessible and friendly manner. Making friends Writing in a conversational tone is the best way to get readers on your side. That doesn’t mean you have to ‘dumb-down’ your language, it just means creating something your readers can relate to. Your website will be instantly more accessible. I know what you’re saying, most of your ...