Category Archives: Blogging & Content Development

The Gift Of Grab; Writing Website Copy For Your Home Page

When writing copy for your website it has to be attention-grabbing. You have about 15 seconds to engage your readers. That’s it. If they decide your content isn’t what they are looking for they will move on and not look back. Knowing how small your window is, how do you hook them and entice them to read more? Make Your Message Clear Often we try to be clever. Don’t. Keep it simple and get to the point quickly. Do so in a way that will invite the right readers to the appropriate content based on their needs. Get past the impulse to shout “We’re the greatest!” We’ve all heard this and, really, what else would you say, “We’re expensive and our service is for the birds”? Speak directly to the customers’ needs. What keeps them up at night? How can you help them get some sleep? Examples Do: “Our widgets…
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Content Strategy Gives Direction To Your Website Readers

Published: May 18, 2021 Read time: 6 minutes, 30 seconds What is content strategy? Simply put, it’s a plan to add information to your website, consistently over time, that will attract readers and direct them to the content they’re interested in. You’re likely familiar with the term “Search Engine Optimization,” or SEO, which is building your website in a way that will make you findable in the search engines. SEO is an important aspect of effective content strategy. But if you are only writing for the search engines, you are neglecting the very people you are trying to attract; your readers. Sites written only around SEO principals look very different than sites written for human interaction. Striking a Balance An effective content strategy finds a balance between following SEO principals and writing with your audience in mind. Both require adding content consistently over time; letting the search engines know the…
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Not All WordPress Websites Are Created Equal

Read time: 8 minutes, 57 seconds WordPress is by far the most popular website platform out there. According to W3techs, WordPress has 58.55% of the Content Management System (CMS) market share, more than all other systems (e.g., Drupal, Joomla, Wix, Squarespace) combined, and is the platform for a full one-third of all websites on the web. But not all WordPress websites are created equal. We’ve seen some great sites and we’ve seen some duds. Let’s take a look at what WordPress is and what makes WordPress websites great! WordPress 101 WordPress is “open source” allowing users to freely distribute and modify the original code. This means that while you still need to register your domain and set up hosting there is no cost for the “software” itself. Being open source makes possible the development of plugins. A plugin is like a remote starter for your car; it is installed by someone other…
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why you need an ssl on your website

Why You Need An SSL On Your Website (video)

Have you ever wondered why you need an SSL on your website? Ever wonder what an SSL is?! We got this question recently from a client and thought we’d share the answer here. Read this article for more information about what your web hosting company can do for your business.

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example: home page vs landing page

Home Page vs Landing Page: What the experts have to say.

I received a call recently from a consultant who was trying to understand what a landing page is. “I am a consultant in Mexico. So-called ‘experts’ advised me that my Home page should have a narrow focus and lead visitors directly to the call to action. Other pages on the website could include more info about services and confirm information about my business. Do you think it is a good strategy to be so narrowly focused on the Home-Tab?” They wanted to know what this expert had to say on the subject. So here’s my answer: “I would agree that you want the Home page to be straight forward. You don’t want to put everything you offer there. That is where you should provide a basic overview of your services. Links can then invite visitors to click deeper into the site. At the same time, I don’t generally advocate for…
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What Does Content Marketing Look Like?

When you get right down to it, its exactly what it sounds like – creating content to sell or market your business. That’s straightforward enough, right? But how do you do it in the real world and why does it matter? Content marketing in the real world In the real world, your customers are looking for your goods or services. When they get to your website, you want to connect with them so they know what you do and they want to pick up the phone and call you. The words and images you use to convey that message is “content”. To create good content it’s important to create content with your customer in mind. Put yourself in their shoes; they are likely doing research and may be thinking that your goods or services will fill a need they have. You’re sales calls probably address the same seven questions regardless…
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personas

To Create Effective Website Content … Know Your Audience

To create effective website content … know your audience. Content marketing is an effective way to stay in touch with your audience, provide them helpful information, and in so doing, position your firm as a company they would want to do business with. But it’s not just touting your features and benefits. It’s all about understanding your audience, knowing the problems and challenges they face, and giving them helpful information and insights they can use. But what do you do with all the fascinating blog posts, news items and infographics you add to your website over the years?Knowing what your readers want will help you organize your content to ensure that your website’s navigation remains simple for your audience as the number of your website content pages and posts expand. So how do you know what your readers want? Well, one effective way is to create a customer Persona. These…
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growing website content

5 Rules for Website Scalability

Last updated: June 13, 2019Originally published: May 17, 2017 Clients large and small often struggle with website scalability. “Scalability” is the ability to easily expand your website as needed. Simply put it is the capacity of your site to keep new information organized in such a way as readers are able to easily find what they are looking for. How do you organize a growing body of website content over months and years? That is the fundamental question of how scalable your website is. How To Approach Content Organization Whether you work for a large medical center with highly technical articles or a small beauty salon with elegant pictures of hairstyles, the question to ask yourself is not “What is the information”? The question should be “How should the information be organized in a way that is sustainable?” We try to avoid thinking about the medium and focus on the message….
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7 Keys To Managing Your Online Presence

Clients often ask how they can optimize their websites. We give them the wheel once we’ve built the car so to speak. This gives them more control of their online marketing efforts. Below we have comprised a list of seven key tools for clients who want to manage their online presence. Of course, we wrap all of this up in a bow by using our favorite Content Management System (CMS), WordPress! Content is still King! Fresh, relevant content is necessary to move the needle in terms of both Search Engine Optimization and effective communication. Take advantage of the blogging function on your website and share information about your products, services or upcoming projects with your consumers and clients. The last thing you want to do is squander your investment in a great new website by having it go stale. Engage your consumers and clients with Social Media. Devoting time to 2…
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