7 Secrets For Writing Effective Website Content

Forget everything you’ve ever learned about writing when it comes to generating copy for your blog or website, kick punctuation and sentence structure out of your house and set fire to all of the pictures of you and it together in effigy, write a nasty bold typed and grammatically inferior e-mail to your high school English teacher and take a baseball bat to the grammar check on your word processor if it tries to give you any guff. Because the truth of the matter is, when it comes to writing effective Internet content…the rules have decidedly changed. I used to be a copywriter before I came to rest here in the hallowed halls of Wpromote. I’ve written more convincing blogs on topics that nobody cares about than I desire to remember. But over the course of my tenure as a professional wordsmith, I learned some essential tips on how to generate copy for websites, and today I would like to share my 7 secret tips for writing effective Internet marketing content.

1. KISS: Perhaps you are familiar with this acronym, or perhaps you are just a massive Gene Simmons fan, either way you know the value of the lowest common denominator (anyone who has every heard Paul Stanley sing can attest to that.) KISS stands for: keep it simple…stupid. As copywriters writing for a website, it is our job to craft a message that will be easily digestible for all visitors to a site regardless of their reading comprehension level. For example, if your website is about real estate, don’t expect to dazzle your readers by using a bunch of industry terms and insider acronyms…when you use that language, you’re much more likely to scare the customer off to the next real estate broker’s website. The one where the copy looks like it was written by a sixth grader without a lot of friends. But guess which one of you is going to be selling a house? Keep it simple, and I guarantee you will have a noticeable boost in your conversion almost overnight.

2. Keywords: We all know how valuable keywords are when it come to search engine optimization, but the majority of people who dive into writing their own website content aren’t really sure where start when using keywords to maximize both search index and general readability. The beginners guide to SEO recommends that the keyword density of a single term in a single blog be anywhere between 1% and 5%. Generally, this translates into using your keywords once in the title, once in the first paragraph, twice in the second and once in the last sentence. Any more than that and your page will start to read like a thesaurus barfed on it. If you are given a choice between writing content to attract a search engine and writing content that someone is actually going to want to read…pick the latter option. The whole function of copywriting is as a method for writing to attract customers…and search engines don’t have wallets.

3. Bold Type/Punctuation/Bullet Points: I call these little syntactic beauties the “the big three tools” of the Internet marketing copywriter’s toolbox, and I exploit them one and all with equal abandon. People will not “read” what is written on a website unless they came there specifically looking for that exact product. People will scan. Therefore, it is essential to make your keywords and call to action stand out! Embolden the main points and keywords that your article is about. Use punctuation…for emphasis!

• Bullet


• Points


• Are


• Your


• Best


• Friends

Fragment sentences are awesome. They get the job done. Like this one. And this one. And even this one!

• If you can use bold type, punctuation and bullet points together effectively…then you can officially consider yourself a qualified Internet marketing copy ninja!

4. Negative Space/Paragraphs: Let your copy breathe. What you don’t write on the page is sometimes almost as effective as what you do write. Less is very often more when it comes to website content. The best practice for balancing the copy on a page is to write out what you are going to say on your site, preview it, and then take five literal steps away from your monitor and look at your content holistically. If the paragraphs look lop-sided and the bold type is too concentrated and the margins are off from five paces away…then it’s going to look even worse when you actually challenge someone to read it while they are sitting at their computer. Balance your paragraphs with plenty of breathing room and allow your words the opportunity to look as nice as they read and you will get results.

5. Headers: Effective use of headings on your page and blog is another SEO 101 trick that every content writer must have down cold if they expect to show up in the SERPS. The HTML protocol for creating headers on a web page entails placing the phrase you want to use as a heading between the opening header tag and closing header tag . Headings are ranked in importance (essentially from most important header to least important) from

through

. Header usage is essential for SEO…but it is equally essential for the actual reader. Headers give the eye something big to rest upon.  Use keywords in your headers to snag those eyes before they click off your page, forever lost in the ether of the rest of the Internet.

6. Lists: Using lists to organize your ideas and attract readers is one of the dirtiest tricks in the book when it comes to generating web content. Think about it, how many times have you clicked on a link simply because it was purportedly to an article about “the Top Five Uses for Floor Wax in Rio De Janeiro” or “Eight Reasons You Should Poke a Beagle in the Face With a Spoon”…? You’ve done it…admit it…it’s no secret…I’ve done it too. Lists speak to a higher human desire to read structured content. Lists make people feel secure in clicking your link; they also effectively arouse our human curiosity. If you don’t believe me, honestly ask yourself whether or not you are now curious to know what the top five uses for floor wax in Rio De Janeiro actually are…see my point?

7. Style: If you’ve made it this far into my tirade on internet marketing copy, it is not because you think I possess some sort of sage wisdom that no one else possesses…I simply do not. I spent countless hours writing words and honing a distinct style of voice on the Internet so that I may effectively sell the products that I was being paid to write about. And over that time I discovered that the content that gets the most consistent conversion on a website is not that which is laden with facts or figures or written by some authority, but the content that would bring a customer into the room with me and let me show them the product myself. Personalize your website content so that you speak to your customer and not at them, and they will respond in kind.

For more copywriting and SEO tips, be sure to follow me at http://twitter.com/#!/CaptainSpaceman

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Review: Time Warner Cable TV iPad App

By Richard V. Burckhardt

Being a Time Warner Cable TV subscriber, I naturally snagged the new TWC iPad app to try out immediately on release. As someone considering cutting the cord at some point, I wanted to see what my cable company might have up its sleeve to entice me to stay on board.

Installing the app was, not surprisingly, a snap, as is usually the case with iPad apps from the Apple app store. Once installed, I had to go to a web site and register as a Time Warner Cable subscriber. The darned thing wanted my account number, which was a pain, because I am enrolled in auto-payment, so I haven’t seen an actual bill in over three years. I had no idea what my account number might be. So, off to the local TWC web site and a quick chat session with a rep, who quickly and easily provided that info.

A sharp looking Time Warner Cable logo in the iPad app.

Once registered, I simply logged in with the app and was presented with a very sharp looking TWC logo and then the picture from a channel with a channel overlay covering the left side of the screen.

The channel listings appear in a transparent scrolling left navigation area.

First the good:

• The picture is superb. I’m using the app on an original iPad and couldn’t be more pleased with the quality.


• So far, the channel selection consists of good stuff, mostly basic cable offerings like CNN, Syfy, AMC, USA, etc., thirty-two in all, with no junk, unlike a typical cable package.


• It’s free!

Time Warner Cable iPad app picture quality is superb!

Now the bad:

• You are chained to your TWC cable modem and your home wi-fi network. It won’t work away from home, making it of limited use. For example, I have a TV in my bedroom, kitchen, master bath and den. I honestly had to figure out a place to test this app for a few days. Who wouldn’t rather watch their cable connected TV with ALL of your channels than your little iPad screen with a limited selection?


• There are NO local channels at this time, so forget about catching up on local news.


• Volume is an issue for me. First, there is no on-screen volume control. You have to use the side switch. Second, even turned all of the way up, if there is background noise, like a bathroom ceiling fan, it’s hard to hear.


• The app ONLY works in landscape mode, so if you use a charging stand that is portrait oriented like I do, you’re out of luck.


• Every so often, sound and/or picture went out, and I mean totally out. I would have to change cnannels to get a picture back. It’s not my wi-fi connection, as my test area was one wall from the wireless-N access point, about five feet away. Perhaps this won’t happen on the new, faster iPad 2? I tested the app only on the original iPad.


• The app is ONLY for the iPad. No iPod/iPhone version is available.

All in all, the TWC iPad app is a nice start, but no cigar. I firmly believe that TWC thinks that this app is a nice add-on for its customers, but I have to say that it in no way would stop me from leaving and cutting the cord.

What would make me think twice about giving up Time Warner Cable? One word – CHOICE.

That’s a dirty word to cable companies, who apparently still believe that the old model of shoving packages full of crap down consumers throats still works. I have ALWAYS resented paying for a package full of garbage channels I have no interest in just to get the few I will actually watch. Examples – WHY are there something like twenty foreign language channels in my package? I don’t speak the damned language, so WHY are they there? I NEVER buy anything on home shopping channels, so WHY are they on my TV?

TWC apparently has the same idea with this app. They’ll give it to me free, but, well, only if I stay home to use it. For many of us, that makes this app worthless. The TVU Networks app, which is NOT free, is something I’ll use more than the TWC app. At least I can take it with me. At least I have a choice!

So, I’ll leave a major rant about not being able to purchase individual channels for another time. The choice that applies to this app is the ability to take it with me. Without that choice, streaming options like Netflix, TVU Networks, Hulu, Boxee and Roku are looking better every day.

If you happen to have a PC connected to your cable, a mobile alternative to this app is the free Orb software combined with the iPad or iPhone/iPod app (the paid one, not the freebie).  With these (and a compatible tuner), you can take your cable programming with you, not only on your laptop, netbook or iPad, but also on an iPod or iPhone (the TWC app is only for the iPad).

And, there’s also the Slingbox for viewing remotely.

Yes, I understand that at some point more options, such as pay per view, might be added to the TWC app, but you are STILL CHAINED TO YOUR CABLE MODEM.

So, on a scale of one to ten, I’d give the TWC app a five. It’s so full of potential, but, as they say in Texas (where I grew up), “Big hat, no cattle.”

This is a post from The Web Optimist – SEO in The Desert.

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Wpromote’s New Diggs

With another year of unprecedented growth, the employees of Wpromote once again found themselves outgrowing the current office.  A slight predicament, yes, but a great one to have.  This month, we had the opportunity to make a short, but sweet move across the street into a new office space, and now boast the entire Fifth Floor of the 1700 E. Walnut building in El Segundo.  Not to worry, we still have captivating views of planes taking off from and landing at LAX—hey President Obama!

The new office is perfect for Wpromote. Treated cement and hardwood flooring, exposed industrial ceilings, oversized sleek walls and expansive windows speak to who we are as an online advertising agency, contemporary and cutting-edge.  The open floor plan is great for strategic communication across departments, and with centrally located breakout rooms, collaborative meetings can be carried on with ease.

In addition to the breakout rooms, the office has four large conference rooms.  Following suit to Wpromote tradition, an office-wide poll was taken, with the fate of the names of each conference room being left in the hands of Wpro employees. In a narrow and inconceivable victory over many legendary characters, the large conference rooms have been named after the immortal characters from The Princess Bride: Montoya, Roberts, Buttercup, and Fezzik.

The new space also comes fully equipped with two kitchens (perfect for “Bagel Friday”), and a large eating area and several lounges, which will soon host our many Wpro events; the first being a Red, White and Booze office party to kick-off the Fourth of July weekend.   Wpromote is also excited for the highly anticipated return of the game room, which will be home to the famous ping-pong table, as well as new additions such as a pool table, massage room, and yoga studio.

With more than 24,000 square feet, Wpromote should be able to call the 1700 E. Walnut building home for, well, at least for a little while.  If you are ever in the Los Angeles area, feel free to stop by, tour the new space, and play a friendly game of ping-pong.

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Review: Native Union Moshi Moshi Solo Handset

By Richard V. Burckhardt

The Native Union Moshi Moshi 05 Solo Handset is aimed at cell phone users who want the feel of a regular, old fashioned telephone handset. It features a sleek design that fits comfortably against your face and even cradles up against your neck and chin easily like we used to do in the old days.

The Moshi Moshi Solo 05 Handset

I got the black handset, which came with the expected coiled black cord and and adapter for use with a PC or laptop. I tried it out on my iPhone 3GS, plugging into the top headset plug using the native 3.5mm jack and the sound was nice and clear. There is an “Answer” button in the center of the handset that allows you to answer and hang up. On some mobile phones, this apparently will allow you to redial the last number you called with this button, too, but on my iPhone, it just started playing tracks on the phone.

The handset features noise reduction, is supposed to eliminate over 99% of phone radiation and work with most mobile devices (phones, tablets, laptops, etc.).

The Moshi Moshi 05 Solo handset weighs about the same as my iPhone, which leads me to wonder why anyone would want to use this with most mobile phones (unless you are worried about radiation from your phone). It’s actually heavier than many and, unless you have your phone anchored securely to a charging base or maybe in your pocket, you run the risk of dragging the attached phone around as you swing in your chair or get up.

Although marketed for mobile phones, I really see this handset as being better with a PC, laptop or iPad. With the included adapter, I plugged it into my laptop and desktop computers and used it with Skype and X-Lite to make VOIP calls and it worked very nicely.

But, what I really liked was using it with my original iPad. Though I have a drawer full of bluetooth headsets, NONE will work for VOIP with my iPad. I am told there are one or two out there that will work with it, but I haven’t tracked them down. So, when I have wanted to use the iPad for VOIP, it was usually with the ear bud headset that came with my iPhone.

Using the Moshi Moshi Handset with an iPad

I have the original iPad case from Apple and found that the Moshi Moshi handset fits it like a glove! I set the iPad in landscape mode and prop it up with the cover like I’m ready to type. When plugged into the iPad, the handset, which is covered with a rubber coating so it doesn’t scratch, looks like it was made for the iPad! Using a VOIP app like Whistle Phone (which works in landscape mode), the iPad/handset has the appearance of a modern telephone and works very nicely. Alas, not all VOIP iPad apps will work in landscape mode. The Talkatone and Whistle Phone apps work in landscape mode. Annoyingly, everything else I tried would only work in portrait mode. Hate apps like that!

So, I give the Moshi Moshi Solo Handset a thumbs up, though I doubt that I will ever use it with a mobile phone.

This is a post from The Web Optimist – SEO in The Desert.

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Case Study: Strategic SEO Improves Organic Rankings And Traffic

TOMS.com, a leading manufacturer of men and women’s shoes and pioneer of the one-to-one movement, was looking for an agency to help optimize their newly designed website and to preserve their organic rankings upon launch. With the ultimate goal of ranking higher for not only brand terms but generic terms as well, TOMS needed an agency who could assist with the transition to the new site, handle high volume traffic issues, and also manage ongoing search engine optimization after launch to grow their stature in the search engines.

Challenges:

With a new website soon to be launched, we would need to work closely with their programming team to ensure the website was fully optimized prior to launch, to preserve all existing rankings and establish a solid SEO foundation to build from.

TOMS also had a special opportunity to be featured in an AT&T commercial spot. This required the launch date of their site to be changed to 2 months earlier. In addition to working with a tighter launch schedule, we would need to prepare the site to handle the high volume of traffic and maximize the SEO benefit that would come from the commercial.

Strategy:

To begin, we met with their design and programming team and reviewed the new site for any potential roadblocks.  After discussing their goals and performing a comprehensive keyword analysis, we advised them on precise URL structure and meta information for all pages, so that they could start ranking for the desired targeted brand and product terms immediately following launch.  This also included requiring their product pages to have static links to ensure they were crawled by the search engines and properly ranked.


During the launch process, proper 301 redirects were implemented for all URL changes that were made to maintain rankings and inbound links.  We then meticulously reviewed the URLs to ensure that 404 error messages would be avoided, in turn helping to sustain or increase the number of inbound links.


After the site launch and during the airing of the commercial, a traffic influx plan was set in place.  In order to avoid the site from being bogged down or going offline, some of the traffic was offloaded to other servers using multiple homepage URLs.  Using newly released techniques, we directed Google and other search engines to crawl the ‘canonical’ version of the site’s homepage in order to avoid duplicate content problems associated with having multiple homepage URLs.

After the launch, a strategic ongoing SEO plan was carried out to further increase overall site traffic and rankings for targeted terms.  In addition to continued onsite SEO and adding new copy to the site, a comprehensive link building campaign was developed to increase the sites popularity within the search engines.  The campaign included strategic outreach to shoe and fashion blogs, requesting links from targeted keywords they were aiming to achieve higher rankings for.  Another link building strategy was setting up Google Alerts and monitoring conversations being had about TOMS. Reaching out to bloggers and sites that were already speaking out about TOMS, was a great tactic in receiving valid links, as fans are typically more than happy to tag targeted keyword links for better optimization, they felt like they were helping the charitable nature of the company.

Lastly, Wpromote would develop backlinks to TOMS through the creation of image badges embedded with code that would directly hyperlink to TOMS site. Badges are akin to icons such as “PayPal Verified” or “BBB” which users place on their websites to create a sense of community.  These badges successfully generated new inbound links with proper structure and anchor text keywords to TOMS, giving them more authority and better rankings in the search engines.

Results:

TOMS saw overwhelming improvements in their traffic and organic rankings after the launch of their new website. The transition from their old site to their new site was completed smoothly and all rankings were preserved through proper 301 redirects.  During the airing of the commercial, the site was able to withstand high volumes of traffic without the search engines penalizing the site for duplicate content.


Starting the new site off with a solid SEO structure set them up for unprecedented growth in the search engines.  With proper URL structures and metas in place and with ongoing site optimization, TOMS now ranks #1 for all keyword variations of their brand terms, which accounts for more than 88% of their total organic search volume.  They are also now ranking #1 for many of their product terms, driving thousands of additional visitors to their site each month.

The Increase in overall traffic to the site has been the most dramatic achievement.  Prior to the launch of their new site, TOMS was averaging about 10,000 visits per day.  This number has risen substantially over time with the airing of the commercial and continued site optimization.  In April of 2009, after the launch of their new site, TOMS saw a daily traffic peak of over 115,000 unique visitors, an 1100% increase.  Today, TOMS receives an impressive 820,000 unique visitors to their site per month.

About TOMS:

TOMS was founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie on one simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.  One for One.  During their first year of business TOMS sold 10,00 pairs of shoes, and as of April 2010 they have given over 600,000 pairs of new shoes to children in need.  In 2009 TOMS was awarded the ACE award recognizing companies’ commitment to corporate social responsibility, innovation and exemplary practices worldwide.

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