News about journalism and content marketing: what’s the ideal mix?
Boy, were we happy to read “How Hiring a Journalist Can Improve Your Content Marketing” by Robert McGuire (March 31, 2015) on the Content Marketing Institute website. We’ve been advocating the use of professional journalism
Creating content isn’t enough: writing to an audience is key in 2014.
2014: the Year of the Audience In multiple places online, 2013 was proclaimed to be the year of the content writer – or something similar. And, you wouldn’t have gotten any argument from me, or
How is the content of a Google Knowledge Graph determined? See our thoughts.
Overview of the Google Knowledge Graph On May 16, 2012, Google announced the debut of their Knowledge Graph in the United States, which is a conglomerate of related information found in the right-hand margin of
Bolster your holiday Internet marketing strategy with effective PPC marketing
PPC marketing strategy: Incorporating paid search into your holiday Internet marketing strategy As an online marketer, the holiday shopping season seems to start earlier each year; that’s because, in many respects, it does. Advertisers push
Try these free writing tools to improve your blogging
Improve blogging with these free writing tools Free Images Make your blog posts more appealing by including eye-catching images. If you don’t have much of a budget, use Google to find royalty-free ones (but we
Discover the ideal length for your online content
Schizophrenic advice about the length of online content We often get asked, “How long should my blog post or article be? What’s the best length?” There is, however, no magic number. Instead, it should be
12 ways that clarity is the heart of SEO
12 Ways that Clarity is the Heart of SEO 1) Before you ever begin to “SEO” your site, you will need a crystal clear business plan and set of business goals. While search engine optimization
Transformational case study examples: use the magic of “because
Transform case studies with the magic of “because” Let’s say that I’m writing for a health and fitness blog with this audience: women who want to start working out but need motivation. I therefore decide
StoryBranding takes a fresh look at brand marketing strategies
Storybranding If, in 1891, you were suffering from a “bilious” or “nervous” disorder, apparently all you needed to do was take Beecham’s Pills, the “most marvelous antidote yet discovered.” In fact, it would also take
To create more content, should you start working in your sleep?
More content . . . better content . . . MORE CONTENT . . . BETTER CONTENT It’s as if Google was the super-sized cousin of the Cookie Monster, devouring more and more content while
Overcoming burnout: recognizing and dealing with symptoms of burnout
Tips and strategies for writers from around the web for overcoming burnout When you’re excited about a new writing project, you’ll probably have so many great ideas that your fingers can’t type fast enough
Belief-proof your marketing copy with these ten tips
Belief-proof your marketing copy Our high school was putting on the musical, “No, No, Nanette.” While others vied for acting and singing parts, I knew exactly what I wanted: to be the pit orchestra’s only
Improve your writing structure by boosting the muddle in the middle
Improve your writing structure: fixing the muddle in the middle In 2006, I needed to start writing optimized blog posts for a client in the car sales industry. I wanted to write something better than
Use Google Analytics demographic data to market to your audience
Get targeted demographic data for free with Google Analytics Companies can spend thousands and thousands of dollars trying to get a good handle on their target markets and still not feel
Tips for creating content that Google rewards, without phone anxiety.
Creating content that Google rewards – without (too much) phone anxiety In 2014, Google is rewarding quality original copy – and the reality is that, like it or not, one of the best ways to
Extrovert vs. introvert: is being introverted a challenge for writers?
Any time writers get together, it seems that someone brings up the “problem” of being an introvert. After all, they say – quite accurately – writers also need to promote their work, unquestionably an uncomfortable
Managing your local listing in Google
Introduction to Google Local If you provide a service to your local community, then chances are this post is for you. For example, type moving company into Google. What we see in Cleveland will differ
Craft an appealing writing structure with captivating opening lines
Romance your reader with captivating opening lines Studies into speed dating, where people seeking a relationship meet multiple potential partners in a short amount of time, suggest that two people tend to “click” – or
Subject matter experts: tips on finding & choosing expert sources
Subject matter experts: how to find and choose expert sources Talk about a story that gives you the shivers . . . in 2012, Forbes shared the tale of Ryan Holiday, a “self-styled ‘media manipulator’”
Effectively deal with online complaints with this 1-2-3 approach
How to deal effectively with online complaints and criticisms Recently, a woman accused a Starbucks barista of using caramel to create satanic symbols in two cups of coffee that she’d bought: one was a Pentagram
Breaking writing rules: when is it okay, if ever?
Breaking writing rules: is it ever okay? In 11th and 12th grade, 20 or so students from my class were able to take a computer programming class – learning Fortran and Cobol – back when
Ethics in writing: how to balance personal and journalistic ethics.
Ethics in writing: where is the line in the sand? Isaac, a high school senior, was dying of leukemia. He wished, with all of his heart, to survive long enough to graduate. I learned about