Use Google News

Let’s say, for example, that you manage the Facebook page for a real estate agency in the Cayman Islands. Since you typically want the posts on a given page to be a mix of direct self-promotions and indirect industry-related information, it makes sense to search for recent, relevant news articles that speak to the theme of your page. This in mind, it makes sense to type in “Cayman real estate” (or related keywords) into the Google News search bar and pore through the articles that come up to find the one that best suits the tone of your business’s “voice” on Facebook.

Speak Casually

When under a time constraint, it’s easier and more effective to write under a casual posting “voice” than to confine yourself to rigidity. The nature of Social is somewhat relaxed compared to traditional media, and you can get away with making posts that are more freestyle in nature. This is not to say that you should ignore the tenets of good grammar and punctuation for the sake of appearing casual, but when you can find the magic sweet spot between “professional” and “laid back”, your posts are likely to attract more engagement.

Keep An Emergency List Of Post Ideas

Let’s be honest: some days you’re just not as sharp as others (lack of coffee etc.). For times like these, it’s a good idea to have a backup list of pre-prepared post ideas to keep your business page fresh and relevant. Though these planned posts are more likely to be non-topical, it’s better to post something useful, even if old, than nothing at all. It’s very noticeable to the public when a business page loses momentum, and looks very unprofessional when someone comes to your page and sees that you haven’t posted in months. With a little bit of research and forward planning, you can avoid the need to deal with this, and always have an extra one in the chamber.

Image Credit:  Massimo Barbieri (Flickr)

Don’t Steal Content

Plagiarized, or duplicate, content is a big no-no in the world of the Web. While taking small sections from other sources and citing them properly is permitted, think twice before you copy and paste information that belongs to others. Google, which values unique, valuable content, will figure it out.

Don’t Stuff Keywords

A well-known black hat trick, keyword stuffing is the practice of adding extra keywords (in some cases, many extra keywords) to page content in order to try and improve rankings on search engine results pages, or SERPs. Outdated and considered poor etiquette, you’re much better off not.

Don’t Use Link Schemes

A technique that used to be all the rage, Google has been cracking down on websites with unnatural link schemes via updates like Penguin 2.0. This includes using article directories, blog comments, link farms, hidden links and similar tactics to build backlinks to your website that, unfortunately, won’t be recognized as legitimate.

Don’t Rely on Content Spinning

Spinning content, or rewriting existing articles so that they appear different to search engines, is an SEO don’t due to the increasing focus on originality. Many of the for-hire writing services turn out inferior work at a low cost and, while you may not be flagged for duplicate content, readers gain no value from this. Repurposing content, if necessary, is a much better bet.

Don’t Spam Users with Ads

At the risk of sounding repetitive, a key part of SEO these days is, to put it simply, creating websites based around offering real content to real users. Google is getting better at detecting this, meaning sites that are overrun with advertisements are less likely to rank properly. Part of search engine optimization is offering a great user experience.

When it comes to SEO, stuffing keywords, stealing information, building unnatural links, spinning content and going overboard on ads are 5 key don’ts. Learn more about the relationship between businesses and search engine optimization here and here and stay tuned for Part 2 for 5 more tips!

Image Credit: SEO Punishment by Sean MacEntee, CC license

Keywords

Web content needs the proper distribution of keywords in order to best leverage the power of Google and other large search engines, such as Bing. Copywriters must distribute researched keywords throughout the content naturally. Variations, such as long-tail keywords, are important as well. Avoid keyword stuffing, which is the denounced habit of inserting too many, often irrelevant, keywords into web copy in an attempt to manipulate a site’s search results ranking.

Title Tags

Well established in the SEO world, the title tag remains a critical ranking factor in 2014. The “clickable” search result, it must be both keyword-optimized and enticing enough to encourage users to venture in. Ideally less than 65 characters, title tags should also include the name and location of the company in question.

Page URLs

The ideal Uniform Resource Locator, or page URL, is readable, includes relevant keywords and is a maximum of 100 characters in length. Words should be separated by dashes and, if location is an important factor, it should be included. An optimized URL gets your small business one step closer to being found online.

Headings

Another crucial factor, every web page should have a single heading tag, or H1. What Google uses to interpret what a page is all about, it should dictate the main topic simply and clearly. In terms of placement, it should come first, followed by subsequent subheadings if applicable (H2, H3 and so on). Keep it short and snappy and if you can include a keyword, that’s even better.

Alt Image Tags

One of the lesser-known elements of on-page SEO, alt image tags are the tags attached to (surprise!) images on your web pages. An alternative information source for those who prefer image-disabled browsing, they are a detailed description of the image. Keywords should be incorporated when possible – don’t force it. Simplify the process by choosing photos that work with the subject matter.

When it comes to on-page SEO in 2014, title tags, heading tags, keywords in content, optimized URLs and alt image tags are key factors to consider. These elements play an important role in ensuring that Google and other search engines understand and index your website, boosting organic search rankings and, in turn, traffic. Learn more about the benefits of SEO for small businesses here.

Image Credit: infocux Technologies

Respond In A Timely Fashion

This may seem obvious, but its a best practice ignored more often than you’d think. If a client or potential customer reaches out to you with a specific inquiry or comment, they’re expecting a timely reply: Don’t leave messages sitting in your inbox, particularly if your page is public and is seen to be regularly posting. Its also important not to ignore comment threads on individual posts, which can be easy to lose track of as they’re replaced with new ones. Even if you don’t have an immediate answer to a question you’re posed, its always advisable to let the person know that you’re in the process of following up. Punctual response is always appreciated, and is simple as a few keystrokes.

Remain Calm

One arguable drawback of social media’s personal nature is that things can get publicly (and easily) combative in the event of an upset customer. When put on the spot by someone unreasonable , it’s important to keep your cool and remember that your entire base of followers are watching. Show your audience that you’re able to deal with conflict in a collected manner, and they’ll respect you for it. If all else fails and the person is antagonistic, you can always block or report them to the platform administrators. The key is to always be aware of your audience and never risk presenting yourself as unhelpful or rude.

Speak Succinctly

The reason platforms like Twitter are designed around brief messages is because they operate on the assumption that web users have short attention spans. If you can transcend your point in fewer words without losing key details, you’re in a better position for your audience to stay engaged throughout a given post. Its fine to expand on customer queries during a private message exchange, but it’s best to write your public exchanges in an uncomplicated manner, under the assumption that your answer will be useful to many people watching.

1. Why is copywriting so important to the success of a website?

It’s important for both aesthetic and technical reasons. Depending on the platform, web copy should be written in a way that appeals to an online audience (ie. caters to shorter attention spans while still transcending the key points of the desired message). People don’t want to slog through paragraph upon paragraph of text, even if you’re extremely proud of your business and want to tell your entire story.

On a technical level, the way you compose your text has a direct effect on how well your site gets indexed for certain keywords on major search engines like Google. By following some basic principles of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), you can appeal to Google’s algorithm through proper keyword density (not using a given keyword too many or too few times), optimized meta tags (taking advantages of important text fields that Google uses to determine what your site is about) and adhering to the basic tenants of good grammar.

2. What is your thought process for working with each client?

As cliche as it sounds, every client is unique with different business goals. Some business owners are more hands on than others. If I’m able to get an initial kickoff meeting with the client (which doesn’t always happen to our global scale), then great: I’ll feel them out to get a sense of their business, and that makes it easier. However, a lot of the time I’m working strictly from a design brief and supplied content with no personal introduction, so I have to revolve my writing style solely around that material.

3. How do our copywriters fit into the rest of the Yabsta creative chain?

We work with the sales reps, designers and developers throughout the whole build process. As it happens, clients may have to make changes at the 11th hour, so I always have to be ready for that. I’ll typically start the copy for a given web build before an initial design concept is proposed, then alter it accordingly to the typography of the design.

4. Do you think that it’s important for modern copywriters to have web development or graphic design skills?

Hard to say. It definitely couldn’t hurt, but the job descriptions are so different that in my opinion, most people who are full time copywriters wouldn’t have time to be involved in design or development. As I mentioned before, however, communication with the people who do have those skills is absolutely essential to the finished project.

5. What kinds of projects/clients give you the most satisfaction?

The ones where the client is actually making a difference in the world. For example, I manage and write for the Facebook pages of the Bermuda Heart Foundation and CORE, two organizations that are striving to make Bermuda a healthier place. It feels good to work for people like that.

6. What do you enjoy the most about working for Yabsta Digital?

That I genuinely like everyone I work with…We’re all functional nutjobs. It can be a very hectic environment, but having good relationships with your coworkers can get you through the toughest of work-related times.

7. What is a project that you would like to check off your list?

We’re currently building a website for a new internal product we’re launching (Yabsta Site Builder), and the scope is huge. I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much time on any one copy project before, so that.

8. If you could give our marketers one copywriting tip, what would it be?

It will take time to adapt to writing for the web. No matter how good of a writer you are, if you were taught a more academic style of writing (which most people are), you will feel frustration initially. Expect rewrites and lots of trial and error before you get it down.

9. What do you enjoy outside of work?

Fitness, craft beer, politics, serial television, film, poetry

Keep It Brief

Typical internet users don’t want to read a lot of textual content when exploring a given website. Though it may be tempting to upload every single detail about your business to your online presence, the attention span of an average web surfer is incredibly short and they’re likely to become disinterested in your offerings if you bog them down with too much information. Keep things short, yet succinct, and try to avoid overly-descriptive grammar. If you can transcend your key selling points in 2 or 3 sentences per page, you’re more likely to drive engagement and keep people clicking through to deeper pages.

Strong Headings & Subheadings

A bold, powerful heading is often the first thing that catches an internet user’s eye when they arrive on a website. This is mind, its crucial that you don’t waste this space with fluffy or irrelevant language: Every word counts. Your headings and subheadings are meant to compel readers into moving onto the body text, where you’ll presumably house the meat of what you’re trying to say. If your heading is weak or confusing, there’s a chance users may not even bother reading on and leave immediately, which increases your bounce rate (not a good thing). The key is to tease them with something that leaves them wanting more, then delivering it to them immediately below the fold.

Bullet Points & Lists

Given that web users’ attention spans are notoriously short, bullet points can be an effective way to call visual attention to specific copy points that you want to be noticed. Let’s say your business offers a wide range of branded products, but that some of the brands are more popular than the rest: Highlighting those brands with bullet points as opposed to rattling them off in the form of a paragraph increases the likelihood of them being seen. Lists in general are a great method for promoting minimalist content that alleviates the need for unnecessarily lengthy chunks of text. If your products and services speak for themselves with strong visuals, there’s less need for detailed copy.

Image Credit:  Thoughts On Internet Marketing