Becoming a freelancer is the dream of many, but what’s it really like on the other side of the fence? Is it as rosy as you would like to believe?

As with everything in life, it has some major pluses, but there are also several minuses, so let’s take a look at the lifestyle as a whole without any rose-tinted glasses on.

The first thing to remember when you become a freelancer is that you can kiss goodbye to a regular salary. Granted, you can potentially earn a lot more that you could as an employee, but your income will be unpredictable.

Secondly, although you will be able to work the hours that suit you, you’ll find that (especially in the early days) you’ll be working a lot longer than 9 to 5. The flip side of that is you will at least be working for yourself and so will want to do the extra graft to get your baby (i.e. business) off the ground.

Thirdly, working as an employee has the added benefit of being able to pass work on to someone else if you need to and having experts (e.g. your techie guys) to hand when something goes wrong. None of that will be available to you when you’re on your own.

But don’t let all of that out you off; if you’re still dead set on working for yourself give it a try, the flexibility and freedom it gives you far out weighs all of those points.

Going solo

Going it alone can put you under great pressure.

Deadlines will be looming, your phone will be ringing, emails will be stacking up and your stress levels will be rising.

But, working as a freelancer, when you reach the point of imminent melt down, you can just get up go out and walk away your frustrations – try doing that in your 9 to 5 life.

Working on your own (OK, not every one will work alone as a freelancer, but as a copywriter I do) can get to you at times, which is why social media is a godsend. Twitter becomes a substitute office and is a great source of information, banter and expertise. But one word of warning, it’s very easy to get sucked in to social media so use your time on it wisely otherwise your productivity will plummet.

You need a team

One thing you won’t have at the outset is a bottomless pit of money for a team. But there are loads of freelancers out there so find yourself some great allies in the fields you need help with. Networking events are great for this and you’ll probably find that many professionals are happy to trade services with you because they probably need you as much as you need them. Plus, all your businesses will benefit from having each other’s expertise on hand when it’s needed.

The day-to-day

Stellar organisational skills are essential for a successful freelance life.

Planning your days and weeks and assigning blocks of time for tasks will help you get the most from your working hours, without having to eat into your evenings and weekends. And I’m not just talking about paid work here, this also means making time for your marketing, accounting, networking and general paperwork.

It is also important to work regular breaks into your schedule to give you the opportunity to escape your computer and desk for a sanity check.

The life of a freelancer is great – it offers flexibility, financial rewards and a real sense of achievement. But you have to make it work for you.

Is your strategy to identify websites with high page rank and then set about trying to get them to link to you, regardless of their sector?

Oh dear, if that is what you’re doing you could be in trouble with the Penguin.

Wikipedia‘s definition of Google’s Penguin update is:

“… The update is aimed at decreasing search engine rankings of websites that violate Google’s Webmaster Guidelines by using black-hat SEO techniques, such as keyword stuffing, cloaking, participating in link schemes, deliberate creation of duplicate content and others.”

Basically, Penguin doesn’t like low quality links, over optimised content and keyword stuffing.

Natural linking

The humble link is one of the factors used by Google to determine a website’s relevance to a particular search term. But not only that, they are the invisible strings that hold the entire Internet together, linking sites and allowing us to navigate our way through tonnes of information.

That’s why it’s not only important to write for your reader, but also link for your reader.

So, before adding a link to your web page think carefully about why you’re doing it and want you want to achieve by using it.

The whole point behind links is to improve your reader’s experience, which is why it should fit the context of the copy it is in using anchor text that makes sense. In other words, the link you use must explain to the reader why they should follow it.

What to do if you’ve been bitten by the Penguin

Many website owners woke up after the Penguin struck to find their website rankings had tumbled.

Getting over something like that is difficult and tine consuming – there are no quick fixes, but it’s not hopeless.

After researching Penguin I stumbled across a post on seomoz.org where a guy explains what happened to one of his websites (post Penguin) and what he did to recover from it.

If you’ve been hit by the Penguin and are still struggling to get your rankings back, this could be just what you’ve been looking for.

Pop over there now and discover how Jimmy recovered from the Penguin.

Usually, the first thing someone will do when considering following you is to check out your profile, so make it as powerful as possible.

It is made up of these elements:

• Picture
• Twitter handle
• Bio
• Web address
• Number of tweets, followers and following
• Your last tweets

Each of these will impact on their decision on whether to follow or not to follow.

1. Picture

A generic image of company logo is really quite impersonal.

I know that big brands will want to use a logo, but for smaller companies why not use your photo, or as I do, your photo with your logo? It just adds to the personal connection.

For larger companies that want to use their logo, a nice touch is for the tweeter to add their name or initials to their tweets.

2. Twitter handle

Finding a Twitter name isn’t easy these days, but if possible use your own name to increase the chances of people being able to find you.

3. Bio

You don’t get a lot of room to play with (160 characters), so your bio has to be pretty creative. Use words and phrases that will make it memorable, plus if you can add in some keywords it will make you more visible.

4. Web address

Always make sure your web address is shown as it may encourage someone to pop along to your site to learn a bit more about you.

5. Number of tweets, followers and following

At a glance people can see if you’re a prolific tweeter, how often you tweet so they can gauge whether you are someone they’d like to follow.

The number of followers and following also shows how influential in the Twitterverse you are.

6. Latest tweets

Being able to see what you tweet about will make up their minds whether to follow you or not.

If it’s just a long list of promotional messages, you’re probably not worth following. But if they are varied and interesting and show that you engage a lot with other followers, you may well be worth a follow.

That’s a very quick look at how you can attract new followers. First impressions to count, so make sure your a chatty tweeter and followers will flock to you.

What is a keyword?

Well it is a word or phrase that people type into a search engine when they are looking for a particular product or service.

Years ago, marketers believed that the only way to rank highly for those keywords was to cram as many of them as possible into their websites, which led to incomprehensible content. Thankfully, those days are now gone (although there are still a few dinosaurs around who steadfastly believe that keywords density is still relevant – it’s not).

So how do you use them?

Natural

Writing naturally, without shoehorning keywords into every sentence, is how to get good rankings.

By keeping your copy focused firmly on the needs of your customers, you will engage them and persuade them to buy. Plus, because your keywords are going to be your products and services, they will occur naturally within your content without being forced.

But remember, when you do use your keywords (in a natural way) they don’t have to be used on their entirety throughout your web copy.

So, for example, if you sell ‘designer leather dog collars’, rather than using the whole phrase you can use just single words (e.g. ‘leather’, ‘designer’) or combinations (e.g. ‘dog collars’). It helps because Google also looks at synonyms, so by splitting up your keywords and using related terms you’ll be helping your relevancy and rankings.

The ideal places for your entire keywords are in your:

• Headings
• Sub headings
• Alt text
• Anchor text links
• Title tags

Google’s algorithms are constantly changing, but so long as you write naturally and provide great content you won’t go too far wrong.

I’m sure that’s nothing that you haven’t heard before.

But what about the actual text you use on your website, have you given that much thought?

Well you should if you want to create the right impression.

There are many barriers that stand between you and making a visitor to your website buy and one of those is the text you use.

Here are 4 things you should think about.

Font size

It’s really annoying when you land on a website only to find the font is so small you need a magnifying glass to read it.

Let’s face it, if it’s unreadable they’ll wander off to find a website they can read. So make sure your font is the perfect reading size.

Font colour

By far the best combination is black text on a white background. Its crisp and easy to read.

White text on a black background isn’t too bad, but personally, I wouldn’t use it.

A really pale colour on white is a no-no, as are dark colours on a black background. And as for using a combination of bright colours, don’t, just don’t.

Type of font

The font you use will say a lot about you and your company.

Most opt for something like I’m using now – something fairly conservative and easy to read.

I hate to see websites that use Comic Sans, it doesn’t make you look quirky and playful, it makes you like completely_________ (you can fill in the blank).

Spacing

I you start writing at the top of a page and keep going until you’ve filled it with solid text, no one will read it.

But if you space your paragraphs out, keep them short and use sub headings (like I’ve done in this post), you’ll create something that’s easy to read.

So you see creating your website copy is only one part of producing a successful website. The way it looks and presented is also important – I’m sorry to say that looks really do matter.

Before worrying about the fact that I may have finally lost it, let’s think for a moment about what a copywriter actually does.

Yes, they write to help you communicate effectively with your audience, but they can also help you develop your brand’s voice and style as well as offering suggestions on how you can improve your marketing strategy to make it more effective. So when you hire one, you get a lot of expertise for your bucks.

After having said that I’m struggling to think of an occasion when you shouldn’t hire a copywriter, so I’d better look at reasons why you should use one while I get my thinking cap on.

1. Professional image and results

Everything you do and every piece of marketing collateral you use represents your company. So the quality of the writing and the way you communicate through words will have a big impact on the perception people have of your business.

You can’t afford to get it wrong, so if you work with a copywriter you know you’ll get professional copy that speaks to your reader and persuades them to take an action. It will save you a lot of money in the long run.

2. Take on board new ideas

One of the biggest mistakes companies make is they bring in a copywriter and then decide they actually know better and tweak the copy within an inch of complete destruction, ignoring all the advice their writer has giving them.

They are experts in their field (i.e. marketing) so listen to them and take their advice. They would have spent years crafting words that compel readers to buy, so don’t think you know best because you don’t.

The whole idea of using a copywriter is for them to bring in fresh ideas because your old style isn’t working; be open to that change and embrace it.

3. Lacking confidence

If you’re not confident writing marketing materials it will show in every word  you write.

Writing day to day emails and letters does not make you a copywriter. It takes a lot of practice and training to write persuasively, so don’t be blinkered and admit your weaknesses (as every successful business person does) and get in an expert to do it right.

Trust is the main element of any client/copywriter relationship. You have to trust their judgement and knowledge and use their expertise to your advantage.

They are not an expert in your business – that’s your job, but they are an expert in creating powerful marketing materials, so let them get on with their job.

And no, I still can’t think of a reason not to hire a copywriter.

If you decide to buy in lists and send umpteen unsolicited emails out to people who have never heard of you before, you’ll quickly get a reputation as a spammer – not good.

But if you’re sensible and build you own list and only send emails to people who have opted in to your list, you’ll be seen as a responsible email marketer because you’ll only be sending information out to people who have asked for it.

The only problem is building your own list takes time, which is why so many companies opt for the first option.

But if you use WordPress there are a few tools you can use to help you along:

• Pippity customers popups
• Hellobar
• Comment Redirect
• WP-Leads
• OptinSkin
• Gravity Forms
• DiggDigg

(Source: Social Media Examiner)

Of course, if you attend trade fairs and shows you can always gather email addresses there. In fact, when people call in to your shop or offices, you can have a sign up form ready for them to complete should they wish to get regular updates from them.

Offering a freebie in return of an email address is always a good idea, just make sure it’s something of value. It could be a report, white paper, eBook or free trial. It doesn’t have to cost you a lot, but can generate a very useful mailing list.

]]> http://www.briarcopywriting.com/2013/04/how-to-build-email-subscribers/feed/ 0 http://www.briarcopywriting.com/2013/04/why-quality-counts-in-content-marketing/ http://www.briarcopywriting.com/2013/04/why-quality-counts-in-content-marketing/#comments Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:42:46 +0000 admin http://www.briarcopywriting.com/?p=2164 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 – every piece of content you put out on the web will reflect on your business. So if you opt for the buy in bulk cheap content route, be prepared for a backlash.

Poorly written content that doesn’t add value is like offering shoddy customer service to everyone that comes through your door. Don’t do it, it will hurt your company’s reputation.

2. Stand out

There is shed loads of content on the internet already, so yours has got to stand out from the crowd. That means it has to be top notch when it comes to quality, interesting, relevant to your audience and highly searchable.

3. Google’s nose

With its ever changing algorithms, Google is a master at sniffing out poor quality content. It will look at how long people stay on a page, how many shares there are, bounce rates etc., to find the worst offenders. And when it’s found…well, you don’t want to know. OK, it’s unlikely that guys wearing sunglasses and suits in blacked out Mercedes will appear on your doorstep, but your website could plummet without warning.

4. Lifetime

Unlike print media or good old fashioned newspapers, content that’s published online stays there, for good (or until you remove it).

If you put out poor content with your name on it, it will have a long lasting effect – and that’s not good.

5. Money matters

When you approach a professional copywriter for help don’t expect to pay peanuts, not for a good one.

Writing great content takes time, research and stacks of experience, none of which are going to come cheap.

6. Business mogul

One of the main ideas behind content marketing is to position yourself as an expert in your field. You want people to read your articles and blog posts and thing ‘wow, I need to work with this person’ and you’ll only get that response from well written content.

These 6 reasons have hopefully shown you why you should always put quality before cost. Trust me, a small pool of informative and well written articles is much better than a monsoon of substandard content.

Don’t ruin the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.

Quality, well written content is the only way to go.

But having said that, it’s probably not going to be your main sales page.

Look at it this way, when you walk into a department store all the goods are displayed in different departments so its easy for you to find what you want. Your home page is like the store map you see by the escalator, telling you what floor to go to. It must be captivating and show the visitor that they’re definitely in the right place and then lead them to information they need, which will be on one of the internal pages of your website.

But before you launch into writing your copy, you must first decide what you want your visitors to do”

• Buy something
• Sign up for your newsletter
• Fill out your contact form

Let’s start by looking at the elements that should be on your home page.

1. Content

This should always be written in the second person so it directly addresses your reader.

Start by telling them what you can do for them and what your website is about. That means it must be focused on the benefits your product or service will give NOT on your business.

2. Trust

If you don’t establish trust, you won’t sell anything.

The best way to do this is be completely transparent. Show your full contact details (email, phone and address), show a picture of you so they know who they’re dealing with and show testimonials and past work (either as a portfolio or case studies).

This is an example of the home page for my copywriting business showing these elements:

(Double click to enlarge image)

3. Call to action

The call to action (or actions, you can have more than one) tell  your reader what you want them to do next. Don’t leave it to chance thinking they’ll work it out for themselves, if you do they may leave and head off to a competitor.

4. Navigation

The navigation has to be clear as it will encourage your readers to explore your site further. Plus, if it’s at the top of your page it will be visible throughout your site making it easier for your readers to find their way around.

5. Links

The links are important to help your visitors get to the information they need quickly. But too many will overpower them and they won’t know where to go next.

Oh, and make sure they all work, there’s nothing worse than clicking on a link that’s broken.

There are a number of other elements you can introduce such as search boxes and video, but the ones you’ve just read about are the bear essentials you need to give a good impression and help your customer find their way around your site.

Unless you happen to have a large call team, you can only speak to one person at a time, and then there’s that annoying ringing when you’re trying to get some work done. Why do they do it?

Thankfully, more and more people like to deal in email (much quieter and less annoying), but how you deal with their incoming enquiries will have a big impact on their perception of you as a company, so how can you make sure you give a good impression?

1. Show your email address

Obvious! I hear you cry, because otherwise how will they know where to send their email to.

Yes, I know that, but have you noticed how many companies these days are opting for a contact for instead and don’t show their email on their website?

I’ve lost count of the number of companies I’ve contacted this way only to never hear from them.

Showing your email address (a bit like showing your postal address) reassures potential customers that you are a real company that wants to hear from its customers.

2. Answer quickly

Email is immediate, so your customers will expect a quick response. Make sure it’s at least the same working day, even if you just sent a holding email to show you have their query and you’re dealing with it (and give them a date when you’ll have an answer by).

If it takes a bit longer than you expect to sort out their problem, send them regular updates so they know you haven’t forgotten them.

3. Use their name

When you respond make sure you use their name. There’s nothing worse than getting something that say ‘Dear Sir’ or worse ‘Dear customer’.

4. Thank them

I’m not teaching you to suck eggs here, but make sure you open your response with a ‘thank you for your email’. Even if they’re complaining, it shows that you value their email and want to put things right.

5. Answer everything

Usually, the email you get will cover more than one point, so make sure you cover everything in your response. There’s nothing more annoying, from the customer’s point of view, that receiving an incomplete response that means they have to contact you again.

6. Concise

Although your email must be polite, it should also get to the point quickly. Your customer doesn’t want an essay, they just want an answer.

And always end with a ‘if we can be of further assistance, please get in touch.’

Oh, nearly forgot, always read through your email before hitting send to make sure it’s spelt correctly, there are no grammatical errors, that it answers all their questions and that it makes sense.

You might think all of  this is common sense, but judging by some of the emails I’ve received over the years, it obviously isn’t.