Branding your business

As Google constantly changes its algorithms, quality content is now more important than ever. But if you outsource your content needs quality content doesn't come cheap, but don't let financial matters cloud your judgement unless you're happy for your website to disappear from sight. Everything you put on the web will reflect on your company. One naff article or poorly written blog post could have a detrimental effect on your online visibility and reputation. Not only that, but if you insist on every piece of content being a blatant sales message your traffic is going to take a nose dive. You see, quality is important. If you're still not convinced, or need a bit more ammunition to convince the holder of the purse strings, here are 6 points that are worth remembering. 1. Reputation Already mentioned, but so important I'll say it again - ...

Did you know that 80% of corporate blogs don't get beyond a fifth post? Who would have guessed that running a blog could be so difficult? Well the reality is that it isn't difficult to run, so where are the corporates going wrong? Commitment Like any long-term relationship, you have to show commitment. A blog is and should be a marketing tool that you will use for many years, mainly because it takes time to build a following and reputation. Producing new ideas day after day is tough so it may be an idea to pull in a number of staff members to regularly contribute. One thing that you may also want to consider is to find a professional copywriter to work with on a long-term basis. Not necessarily to write the posts for you, ...

What's your copywriting budget? I bet you don't have one. Come on, let's face it - you've spent hours trawling the Internet to find the best web designer you can (or at least that you can afford), they've convinced you to get a professional photographer on board and a graphic designer. Then they add in a spot of keyword research and suddenly your budget has gone. It's so exciting isn't it, as you see it all come together and you gradually refine the site until it's perfect. The photography looks amazing, your logo is stunning, your website works like a dream and then your web designer turns to you and says... "OK, we're all ready to go - we just need the copy now." Copy? Who said anything about copy? Doesn't that come with the site? Oh boy, now you're in trouble. Your designer sighs and suggests you contact this professional copywriter he knows, but ...

Everyone thinks they're a comedian, but few can actually pull it off. I'm sure you've experienced a night out with friends when one of them starts cracking jokes or making (what they think are) funny remarks. They think they're hilarious, but the rest of you are cringing hoping they'll shut up because what they think is funny is very far removed from what the rest of you class as a laugh. The same can happen of you try to use humour in your copy - just because you find something funny doesn't mean everyone else will too. Admittedly, there are times when brands manage to pull off humorous copy, but before you try it think long and hard about the image you've worked to hard to create for your business. And if you're dead set on being funny, ...

LinkedIn is undoubtedly the most powerful of all professional social networking sites. Completing your profile could open up a wealth of opportunities for you from employers and potential clients. But how can you make sure you stand out from the rest? It's all about getting noticed, so here are some tips on how to give your profile a much needed boost. 7 tips to boost your LinkedIn profile 1. Headline The headline is the most important element of any sales or marketing tool and it's exactly the same with LinkedIn. It needs to be short, to the point and very clear and it must tell  the reader: Who you are Who you can help How you can help them This benefits lead copy will instantly show them what you can do for them or their organisation. 2. Be real A lot of profiles out there are boring, corporate and incredibly ...

What is your brand? A simple enough question, but one that leaves many people scratching their head. If you think you know, write it down as simply as possible and put it to one side. After reading this post take another look at it and see how close you were. What is your brand? When you started out, you probably spent a lot of time thinking about your brand. For many people, that meant sitting with a graphic designer to come up with a really cool logo. Once you had that, you probably visited your web designer who put together a fab website with loads of cool gizmos on it - and that was it; your business was launched. So, is that right? You have a logo, therefore you have a brand? It's not really that straightforward because branding isn't just about your logo - its about: Colour Graphics Images Words Design Perception It's about you What are your values? Taking a step back, do you ...