Before you attempt to build your backlink profile or submit your article as a guest blogger, it’s important to get the basics right.
And believe it or not – these changes make a big difference, simply because they provide a solid foundation for an optimised website.

Want to know how to improve your search engine ranking?
Below are 5 ways that you can implement today.

1. Improve Search Engine Ranking With ALT Text Optimised Images

We have all heard the saying: “A picture tells a thousand words.”
This is especially true for users and search engines, particularly Google.

You see, Google’s main focus is to please its users. That is why optimising your images using ALT Text is important.
The reason being is that it benefits vision-impaired users as they use a device called a screen reader, which reads the text of an image.

To optimise your image, describe what the image is in 125 characters or less.
And in case you’re wondering, going over the limit does not result in your site being penalised.
It just means that the screen reader will cut it off.

Now, let’s say you have an image of a person, describe the who, what and where of the person.

– Who is the person?
– What are they doing?
– What is the scenery like?

Below is an example:

ALT = “Businessman wearing a striped collared shirt sitting on a chair holding an iPad and pencil”

For an image of a product, describe the colour, size, shape, pattern, etc.

If you get stuck, use Moz’s guide to help you to write the perfect ALT Text.

You can find this feature in the image editor of any website development platform.

2. Improve Search Engine Ranking With Faster Loading Speed

Let’s face it – no one likes a slow website.

It’s important to note that having a slow website should not be dismissed as something different from waiting to be served at a drive-through.

Keeping in mind that Google’s main focus is to please its users, therefore, a 5+ second page loading speed will harm your ranking.

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Sounds ridiculous, right?
Consider the following research from Google regarding mobile page speed.

Source: Think With Google

A bounce rate is the percentage of visitors to a website who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page.

Although the term ‘probability’ was used, it still doesn’t provide much comfort.

At this point, you may be thinking: “Wow, people are impatient.” but that’s the reality of what we are dealing with.
Therefore, aim to have a loading speed of fewer than 4 seconds.

Now, many factors can cause a slow website but a common problem is the size of the images used. The solution is to compress your images. TinyPNG is an online tool that does exactly that. All you have to do is upload your images and it will compress them for you.
It’s that easy.

To take the guesswork out of finding the problem areas, test your website using Pingdom.
It’s a free online tool that analyses your site and provides a list of recommendations to improve speed.

3. Improve Search Engine Ranking With Header Tags

One of the copywriting basics to grapple is to break up text (copy) with the use of headlines, bullet points and white spaces.
The benefit is twofold: it’s easier to read thereby reducing your bounce rate.

Use the H1 tag for your main headline, H2 for your second headline, so on and so forth.

Below is an example of header 1 and 2 tags applied to each headline:

Source: SEranking

You can find this feature in the text editor of any website development platform.

4. Improve Search Engine Ranking With A Mobile-Friendly Site

It’s no secret that Australians are conducting online research and making purchases from their smartphones more than ever before.
Since this is a growing trend in other parts of the world, search engines now prioritise mobile-friendly websites in the search results.

A mobile-friendly site simply means that you can view a website from a mobile device without having to zoom or pinch to read the text.

Google has a tool called a Webmaster Tool that allows you to test your website and receive recommendations on problem areas.
All you have to do is enter your URL address and click ‘TEST URL’.

Click here to have yours tested. 

5. Improve Search Engine Ranking To Cater To The Auditory And Visual Learners

You have read from previous points that there is a correlation between the length of time that users spend on your site and your ranking.

A way to get users to stay longer is to add multimedia content.  
Multimedia content refers to video or audio.
The benefit is more than just improving your search engine ranking, it also helps the visual and auditory learners.

Youtube is the best platform to get a step-by-step guide on how to add multimedia content to your website. Simply type in the search bar:
How to add video/audio to [insert type of website i.e. WordPress]

In short, create a solid foundation with the use of the free online tools mentioned in this blog to improve your search engine ranking today.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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A press release is a written communication that reports specific information about an event, circumstance or activity of a business.

Before you begin writing a press release, there are things to consider about the process, news media outlets, topics and best practice guidelines.

The Process Of Writing A Press Release

1. Fine a topic worth sharing.
2. Write your press release.
3. Submit to the Editor-In-Chief of your chosen news media outlet.
4. A journalist reviews it.
5. A journalist contacts you for an interview to run a news story.

In essence, your press release is a pitch to the journalist to run your story.

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While the process is straightforward, there is one thing worth noting; there is no guarantee that a media outlet will publish your press release. Why? Generally speaking, large news media outlets such as Courier-Mail receive hundreds of them each day. The chances of your press release being reviewed are very slim.  

So, how do you increase your chances? Keep reading.

Writing A Press Release: News Media Outlets

The topic of your press release depends on your industry and your audience. Ask yourself: Would my topic benefit industry-specific readers or community-focused readers?

Business First Magazine would not consider the publication of your car performance parts to be news. However, the editors of Just Cars and other automotive magazines whose readers use this product may have an interest in publishing your story.  

The bottom line is to choose a local media outlet relevant to your topic. If unsuccessful, consider a nationwide outlet.

Topics For Writing A Press Release

Your press release must not contain descriptive stories about your business unless the story tells the audience something new or provides information useful to the readers.

That being said, below is a list of possible topics.

• Opening of a new business.

• Change of business name, slogan or logo.

• Product improvement.

• A new product or service.

• New partnership.

• Expert opinion on any subject.

• Company milestone.

• Awards and honours won by your organisation or its employees.

• Major contracts awarded to your business.

• Charitable acts or fundraising announcement.

Best Practice For Writing A Press Release

Spacing, spelling and grammar

Since you are dealing with news space, use double-spacing between text and always triple-check for misspellings and grammatical errors.

Content

Focus on what is different, unique and how it benefits readers. People love interesting and dynamic content over bland, boring promotional writing. Just like copywriting, avoid the use of superlatives as it turns people off from your message. Remember, your press release is a pitch to a journalist.

Presentation

It doesn’t matter if you use fancy printed PR letterheads or graphically designed layouts for presentation. What matters is that it contains interesting news so it is best to write with clarity and accuracy.

In short, choose a local media outlet relevant to your topic to increase your chances of your press release being reviewed and your story being published.

If you don’t have the confidence or time to write one for your business, ask a copywriter to help you.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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The contents of your email autoresponder are created in advance and pre-set at a specific time with the help of your email marketing software.

The biggest mistake when writing content is the lack of variety. If you are constantly pushing the hard-sell button by only promoting your products/services, readers will tune out and unsubscribe to your mailing list.

The biggest mistake when writing content is the lack of variety

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The key to keeping readers engaged is to provide value. In doing so, you build their trust and an emotional connection, which increases your conversion rate.

Below is a list of 5 ways to add value in your email autoresponder. 

1.        Promote Your Products/Services Through Storytelling & Testimonials

Pitching sales with the use of statistics, pie charts and graphs are now a thing of the past. Tell people what you can do for them by incorporating client testimonials or storytelling as a way to promote your products/services. The reason why storytelling is powerful is that it uses real people with real problems.

Do this regularly in your autoresponder to build an emotional connection and inspire them into action.

2.        Provide Educational Content Or Training Material

Tips, advice, how-to-guides, videos or anything that you have produced in the past and/or present to help readers. The ratio of educational content to the above point in your autoresponder should be 2:1.

If your business doesn’t have any educational or training material to promote, then you should invest in a copywriter to assist you. 

3.        Ask Readers For Feedback

Requesting readers to partake in activity helps with engagement. It could be asking their opinion on a hot topic or just simply asking their feedback on the information you have provided thus far. Just make sure that the topics are relevant to what your business is promoting to avoid confusion in your autoresponder.

4.        Provide Helpful Resources To Readers

Give your readers a helpful leg up by providing personal recommendations of podcasts, books, e-books or Youtube videos of other businesses.

This doesn’t mean promoting your competitor, but rather it complements your products/services. For example, you are teaching your students how to write proposals and grants, so, therefore, you can recommend a podcast for building an online business. This complements your services and helps those who are looking to build an online writing business.

Do this throughout your autoresponder and your readers will appreciate you for it.

5.        Ask Subscribers To Add Your Email Address To Their Safe Sender List

All efforts should be made to reduce your emails making its way into people’s spam folder. Provide readers with instructions on how to add your email address to their safe sender list. You may choose to link a series of Youtube videos to assist them in place of written instructions. Repeat this in your autoresponder as a reminder every 6 months or so.

In short, engage readers by building their trust and emotional connection through educational, storytelling and interactive content in your email autoresponder.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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However, in this age of information, a video is the content of choice for consumers. Now, every business is taking note and implementing video marketing into their marketing strategy.

Adding video marketing to your website or social media platforms allows you to communicate your messages in an engaging way. It does wonders for your SEO and builds credibility with consumers searching for businesses like yours.

2018 was a big year for video marketing but 2019 is set to be even bigger with solo entrepreneurs taking part. If you are a small business owner, then this is a great opportunity to stand out from your competitors.

Thinking about taking your content to another level? Here are 7 benefits to incorporating video marketing into your content.

1. Improve Search Ranking

Search engines like Google evaluate your page’s rank using these two factors: the type of content you have and the time users spend on your site.

Let’s face it, everyone has a certain preference for learning. Some are visual, some are auditory, others are kinaesthetic. Video content caters to visual and auditory learners to help them absorb the information that they are seeking. A good mixture of video and written content is a big tick from Google.

Time spent on your site is also an indication as to how informative your content is. Having said that, your video doesn’t have to be 20 minutes in length. You don’t want to run the risk of consumers clicking out of your video because it’s too long. It is better to have numerous 2-minute videos rather than one 20 minute video.

2. Helps Consumers Get The Most Out Of Your Products

This is especially important for e-commerce sites. More than half of shoppers say online videos have helped them in their decision-making.

If you are selling clothing, footwear, jewellery, etc, you will find that a product tour video will help consumers visualise themselves wearing the product. This approach is more persuasive than consumers examining a photo and taking a leap of faith to make the purchase.

This approach is more persuasive than consumers examining a photo and taking a leap of faith to make the purchase.  

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If you are selling tools, appliances, etc, a demonstration video is incredibly effective to remove any residual doubt a consumer may have about using your product.

3. Showcases Your Personality

If you are a service-based business then you are no exception to video marketing. In fact, a short behind the scenes or meet the team video is just as powerful. It helps them to visualise working with you because your appearance showcases your personality, approach and eagerness to serve others.

4. Increases Your Brand Awareness

Consumers are likely to choose a business based on their reputation. Even if they haven’t heard of your business before, that’s okay because video marketing is incredibly powerful in creating brand awareness.

Conveying your message doesn’t have to be filmed at your desk. Filming can be done outdoors or a combination of both. Whatever you choose, just keep in mind that it has to be a reflection of your brand and your core values.

Keep the background similar to your website’s theme to reinforce your brand. For example, if your website’s theme is vibrant and full of colour, avoid filming a video with a minimalist background of white walls, white desk, white chairs, etc. This will only confuse consumers.

5. Increases Your Social Media Engagement 

Social media platforms are aware of the power that videos harness with users. Since videos are the most shared content, companies such as Facebook and Instagram are adding live features to adapt to this trend.

You can increase your social media engagement with announcement videos promoting special offers or humorous videos to reflect your personality. Anything that will be helpful or memorable to your social media followers.

6. Capitalises On Innovative Mobile Technology

Most of the online shopping or Googling is done on a mobile device. And it’s not hard to believe when you consider that almost everyone has one nowadays.

Users’ ability to watch videos on mobile devices is made possible thanks to the demand for faster bandwidth. Video marketing will only gain popularity as technology continues to improve the visual experience for its users; think of the new foldable screens by Samsung Galaxy F. The future of video marketing doesn’t appear to slow down any time soon.

7. Great Return On Investment (ROI)

An engaging video is not all about having a high-budget production. In fact, a simple short video with a well-written script makes all the difference. Explainer videos are known to help with conversions because of the educational aspect.

If you have several social media platforms, then you can make use of your video and upload it to your various channels. Increasing your exposure is made simple thanks to its shareability. A great return on investment indeed.

Video marketing is no doubt a great strategy to implement into your content. If you are stuck on what to say or need help with coming up with ideas for content, consider a copywriter to write your video script for you.

Are you in need of a script for upcoming video production? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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While social media platforms like Facebook have its advantages, it should not be the face of your business nor should it be your first port of call. Rather, it should be a marketing tool to complement your website.

With that being said, let’s take a look at 7 reasons why a Facebook business page should not replace a website.

1. Limited Functionality

Each section has varying character limits. For example, the about section has a limit of 155 words compared to an offer description which has a limit of 50 characters. Others range from 600 to 1000 characters. While this is sufficient for most businesses, the disadvantage of a small character limit is that it makes it difficult to portray the benefits without it coming across as ‘hard sell’. 

Even if you look past the issue of a character limit, pre-determined categories prohibit the ability to structure and present content the way you want it to appear to prospects.

While Facebook’s e-commerce platform has improved over the years, the payment options for customers are still limited.

Quite simply, a website gives you the freedom to write content without a character limit and structure content without the use of pre-determined categories. Above all, implement a payment system for a seamless and stress-free experience for customers.

2. Minimal Exposure

It’s no secret that Google’s search results are in favour of websites over a Facebook business page. This lack of exposure, therefore, creates a reliance on word-of-mouth and repeat business. 

The way Google operates is that it will only present information that it considers relevant to the user. In other words, you may find that your Facebook business page is buried away on page 7 of the search results.

At this point you may be thinking: even with a website, there’s no guarantee that it won’t be buried on page 7.

The answer: content is king.

You see, quality and frequency of content are the two elements that you must implement in order to improve your website’s rank.

In short, the best type of content is one produced from a website.

If Google alone wasn’t the biggest hindrance, let’s talk about Facebook’s 2018 algorithm change.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke about this change in a recent post.

In Mark Zuckerberg’s own words:

“The first changes you’ll see will be in News Feed, where you can expect to see more from your friends, family and groups….

“As we roll this out, you’ll see less public content like posts from businesses, brands, and media.”

All in all, this update creates meaningful interaction from family and friends. Sadly, not so much for businesses like yours or mine.

3. Diminishes Connection

Like all social media, it’s one way to drive traffic to your website but it should not be the place to host all your content.

Like all social media, it’s one way to drive traffic to your website but it should not be the place to host all your content.

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Believe it or not, content such as an informative blog plays an important role in fostering relationships and even influences prospective sales.  
A Facebook business page doesn’t have the same capacity as a website to deliver content in a purposeful way. 

Facebook should complement your website, not annihilate it.

4. Prevents A Good User Experience

We all agree that creating a Facebook page doesn’t require much effort. Do you think that users feel this way when they see a business page with no website?

Quite simply, the look and feel are not the same as a well-constructed website.

5. Decreases Brand Awareness

Even if you customise your own page by adding features or redesigning the look, it still doesn’t do justice to your brand. And let’s face it, the URL on a Facebook business page can’t match having your own domain.

A website allows you the freedom to design content that reinforces your brand.

6. You Are Not In Control

Facebook’s constant algorithm updates mean that you never know what to expect and because Facebook owns the platform, you don’t have full control of your own page.

Just imagine if something happens to your page and you lose some if not, all of your content.

A website, on the other hand, gives you the ability to back up your content and if you get stuck, you have access to support from your web host. Trying to get support from Facebook is like trying to get blood out of a stone.

7. No SEO Advantage

Facebook may provide free advertising; however, there is a limit. If you want to increase your visibility, you have to pay a daily fee to ‘boost’ your post.

With a website, you can invest in search engine optimisation (SEO) to increase the quality and quantity of organic traffic from Google to your web page or website. Moreover, it has been proven that organic listing is the best return on investment.

Overall, a Facebook business page has its advantages. However, a website triumphs in all aspects of functionality, exposure, user experience, content delivery, brand awareness, content design and SEO.

Good news is that setting up a website doesn’t cost as much as you think. If you need assistance with your copy but worried about your small budget, speak to an SEO copywriter to discuss your options.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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Believe it or not, the cost of having a website during the Web 1.0 era of the 1990s was more than $10,000! Nowadays, you can host a site for less than $5 per month or register a domain name for under $15 per year. 

Fees aside, let’s take a look at 7 reasons why small businesses must have a website.

1. Your Digital Footprint Matters

You can’t foster a relationship without words and in this age of information, customers expect to see a website.

You can’t foster a relationship without words and in this age of information, customers expect to see a website.

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When you think about it, customers are constantly roaming the web in search of businesses like yours so chances are that they will choose one that has a website over one that doesn’t.

It is that simple.

2. Provides Credibility

Place yourself from a buyer’s perspective; would you question a business’ existence if you came across one without a website? Indeed word of mouth and business cards are an essential part of advertising; however, the information doesn’t travel as fast as it would take to search the web.

Quite simply, a website is the ultimate credible medium at your disposal.

3. Builds Trust

90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business. You can rely on review sites to host these for you but why not make it easy for customers to read reviews and information on your products/services in one area?

Remember, it’s all about making peoples’ lives easier.

4. Eliminates Tyre Kickers

Every business experiences tyre kickers which can drain your valuable time. An informative website will separate the serious from the not-so-serious when it comes to doing business.

5. A Powerful Marketing Tool

You can implement tools such as a landing page to market directly to past and future customers.

A landing page is built to drive traffic for a specific marketing campaign goal such as signing up to your email newsletter.

Email marketing isn’t ALL about sales. Indeed the end goal is to get a sale but the major point to email marketing is about customer relations. Think of it as inviting people on a digital journey. Once you have them aboard, you can nurture that journey with informative content to make their life easier/richer/happier.

6. Instant Updates

It’s no secret that Google loves fresh content.

From an SEO perspective, fresh content is an important factor for improving your website’s rank. Unlike print advertisements, updating your site is instant and easy to do. It is a win-win situation.

7. The Roots Of All Content

A website should be the trunk of all content. Think of it as a tree with the roots representing different content and your site being the trunk. In other words, any information that customers read about your business whether it be from a newsletter or brochure should direct them back to your site for more information.

All in all, a website is one of the best long-term investments your business can have. It is a powerful marketing tool to foster relationships between past and future customers, provides credibility, builds trust and eliminates tyre kickers. Lastly, it is a convenient medium for updating content.

Remember, good things take time, therefore, speak to an SEO copywriter to establish your digital footprint today.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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SEO is the acronym for search engine optimisation. SEO copywriting is a specialised form of online writing that covers the following:

– Keywords – the words that users type into Google looking for information

– Drives users to read your online content

– Helps with your website ranking

You may be thinking: how is SEO writing different from traditional writing? Well, the main difference is the keywords. There are two types of keywords that an SEO copywriter uses and they are short-tail (For example shirt) and long-tail (For example black long sleeve shirt).

The art of SEO writing is like balancing on a tightrope. You see, using a keyword once or twice is not recognised by Google. On the other hand, peppering your content to sound repetitive or unnatural is a practice known as keyword stuffing.

Apart from keywords, there are other factors that Google looks at when it comes to ranking. For the sake of simplicity, we won’t go into detail but these factors can be divided into 2 categories: on-the-page and off-the-page. Just by implementing a few of these SEO factors, your website’s search rank will improve greatly.

Now that you know the definition, let’s take a look at 7 reasons why small businesses benefit from SEO copywriting.

1. Age Of Information

88% of Aussies search the internet for information on products and services. So why not address information-seeking users by providing valuable content such as e-books or blogs? Valuable content is known to influence prospects which converts them into paying customers.

2. No Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Pay-per-click is a business model of internet marketing in which advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. There are numerous articles addressing the pros and cons; however, effective SEO means you shouldn’t need pay per click. The best thing about SEO is that it allows you to place your focus into other areas that are far more effective in the long-term such as organic listing.

3. Build Credibility And Trust

Let’s face it, Google is the most trusted search engine. When Google presents a list of answers to a search query which includes your business, you are building trust and credibility through quality content to information seeking users.

4. Increase Your List Of Subscribers

Every business should have some form of direct marketing such as email or newsletter marketing. One SEO technique is to implement a landing page to encourage readers to subscribe to your updates. As your rankings rise, so will your subscribers because you are gaining more traffic to your website thanks to SEO.

5. Increase Brand Awareness

Believe it or not, 62% of Aussies won’t consider a business if they don’t have an online presence.
When it comes to addressing a buyer’s need, there are 3 stages of the customer buying cycle that we must take into account: awareness, consideration and purchase. Your brand’s awareness addresses the first and second stage of the cycle which means that your content can be of value and may attribute to a paying customer.

6. SEO Is Measurable

You can measure your conversions and source of conversions through specialised tools to help you address gaps in your marketing. There are plenty of programs available online, both free and paid.

7. Gain Market Share

Once your website is optimised, your business will gain market share. Having a website is an effective medium compared to the traditional newspaper and magazine. You will reach more users which in turn help drive customer acquisition.

All in all, there are so many benefits to optimising your website through SEO. Contact an SEO copywriter if you want to grow your digital presence today.

Do you have some SEO goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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