For Better Website Content Focus on Market Segments

April 18, 2011Joanne CostinLeave a comment

When we think of our products and services generically, our “stories” become less interesting and lack detail. Instead, position your company relative to the needs of a specific market. I recently reviewed the website content of a credit card fulfillment company serving a wide variety of industries – including retail, foodservice, small business and non-profits. While there was a unique page geared to each audience, the majority of the website content failed to address any specific industry concerns. When it comes to website content, problems become opportunities. Think of the problems that customers are looking to solve.

Instead of generic credit card processing, think credit card processing for restaurants. The National Restaurant Association is currently lobbying to reduce the fees charged by credit card companies, which can amount to the third largest expense behind food and labor. Here are some website content ideas I suggested to drive traffic and convert visitors into buyers:

1) “Know the Hidden Costs of Payment Card Processing for Restaurants,” could be a downloadable whitepaper while “Three Ways to Save on Credit Card Processing,” might be the subject of a blog post that relates specifically to the highest cost drivers for restaurants.

2) A website calculator would allow restaurant operators to estimate their monthly charges and compare it to their current provider.

3) Updates on pending credit card legislation could be posted on the company blog, along with the opinions of restaurant industry leaders.

The restaurant industry is also among the most vulnerable to credit card fraud. Website content addressing data security should showcase how problems occur and what restaurant operators can do to better protect customer data. Solutions should go beyond technology. Here are some website content ideas related to credit card fraud in the restaurant industry:

1) Restaurant credit card fraud news would detail recent breaches within the industry and suggest the implications for restaurant operators.

2) A whitepaper or webinar, “Why PCI Compliance Isn’t Enough,” would provide practical training solutions for restaurant operators.

Lastly, blog posts and articles could be created to address how operators can increase customer satisfaction and generate more revenue by embracing new technologies. Case studies would showcase how operators are increasing sales through virtual terminals and credit card payments through mobile devices.

The idea of all of this, of course, is to provide website content that is more relevant to your customers. As much as your solutions may work in a variety of industries, it makes sense to provide industry-specific context that will make your stories interesting, believable and searchable.

How does your website content address the needs of a specific industry?

Save Time and Make Blogging Easier

April 14, 2011Joanne CostinLeave a comment

What can I write about?

Most companies understand the benefits of a B-2-B blog. But when it comes to writing blog posts week after week, they falter. While a lack of ideas, enthusiasm, and ability may be the problem, more often, it is a lack of time that sabotages their efforts. Writing is time consuming. Here are some ways to streamline the blogging process.

Decide on a topic. This often involves research. After you have read what is written on a topic, you need time to figure out how you can create your unique viewpoint. Finally, there is the actual writing and editing time, which can vary considerably, depending on the degree to which your efforts are interrupted by other responsibilities. If time constraints are keeping you from producing a better blog, consider how hiring a professional writer can help you.

1) A professional writer can help you organize your B-2-B blog content using an editorial calendar.

Take a cue from B-2-B editors who find they deliver better content when they follow an editorial calendar. An editorial calendar includes a brief description of what you will publish and when. Instead of letting things fall to chance, you might decide to feature a case study on Wednesdays and a Q&A with a company expert on Fridays. You may have six key topic areas to plan around. Stop scrambling to find a topic the day the blog post is due.

2) A professional writer can research a blog topic for you.

Much of a professional writer’s job involves finding credible sources of information—weeding through a multitude of sources and conversations on the Internet. While your company experts are likely to be the No. 1 source of information for your blog, following other experts in the field, competitors, keywords, relevant research and news can be extremely valuable. Consider hiring a professional writer to research a topic or customize and organize market intelligence for you. With everything at your fingertips the writing process becomes more efficient.

3) A professional writer can edit your blog posts.

If you or your team have great ideas but don’t have the time to give your writing professional polish, you can hire a writer to review and edit your work. With an editor’s thorough review process you will avoid embarrassing misspellings and grammatical errors. A good editor will help you communicate clearly and concisely, without losing your “voice.” A writer knowledgeable in search engine optimization can also edit your blog copy to integrate important keywords that will drive traffic to your site.

4) A professional writer can develop and write blog posts for you.

People often wonder how someone can write about an industry or topic they are not familiar with. However, professional writers successfully do this every day by thoroughly researching topics and formulating the right questions to ask company experts and industry insiders. In contrast, those who are so close to a topic often overlook the obvious questions that potential customers might have.

If time is keeping you from fully realizing the benefits of a blog, consider hiring a content writer to handle a portion or all of your writing-related tasks. Content for Biz offers all of these writing, editing and content development services. Check out the “Work with Us” tab to learn more or give us a call.

The Power of Content Design

April 11, 2011Mary KlestLeave a comment

Talking with a general contractor recently I witnessed the power of package selling through content design. The contractor flipped open the pages of a Martha Stewart Living™ catalog she picked up at Home Depot titled Cabinets, Countertops and Hardware. She immediately saw what she wanted for a house renovation project. It was a Seal Harbor PureStyle™/Sharkey Gray cabinet, a polished nickel handle, and a Sea Salt Corian countertop.

All three products were displayed together under “Martha’s Selection” in a 7” x 2” space on page 3 opposite the catalog table of contents. In the building business for 26 years, the contractor had never seen a coordinated package of products like this before. She didn’t need to look through the 74 pages that followed. She didn’t need to color coordinate samples, select from varying sizes and shapes of door handles. She avoided the maze of countertop materials and colors. There they were on page 3, endorsed and scrutinized by the design maven herself – Martha Stewart.

This kind of content requires integration and imagination. I see it in a truck dealership where a truck, maintenance and finance programs may be sold together. The package is explained through content that people can readily understand. I see it with software companies like Podio that create scenarios using content to depict how work processes are streamlined for users. Managers can go to the website and choose a packaged selection of apps designed for their work flow.

In each instance, a content developer connected the dots for the buyer and communicated that in a usable way. People respond to good value from a company that takes the guesswork out of the purchase. The buyer can enjoy the practical application of whatever it is they are looking for. Packages built by content creators are finished puzzles that allow the buyer to see the big picture. Customers save time and products are offered in a way not thought of before. Who in your company can put the pieces together?

How Memory & Metaphor Can Help Boost Sales

April 8, 2011Mary Klest2 Comments

As business people how do we get our prospects to remember us?

I teach a memoir writing class and now apply some of what I’ve learned about memory to marketing communications. When tied to an emotion, facts and events are more likely to be stored in long term memory. Neuroscientists call the physical manifestation of memory engrams. Stored engrams can be activated by cues or stimuli. In business these can be a graphic logo, an ad, or word of mouth mention. We may not be conscious of the cues, but they are activating our memory and influencing our
buying behavior.

To help boost sales companies can create a customer experience strategy based on how customers feel while interacting with a business or product. As I understand it, the feeling becomes a memory and can then be activated with cues. Customer service and communication are at the center of this. When your customer has either a really good or disturbing experience it will likely end up in their long term memory. Those already familiar with your business or product are likely to remember details better because they are adding information to an existing memory. Accuracy of the recollection decreases over time, so reinforcing a good memory should be part of your customer experience strategy.

Metaphors add another layer to memory by asserting that two things are the same. Harvard Business School professor Gerald Zaltman writes that metaphors help “shape what and how we think.” Interestingly, the more distant the metaphor, the better. He uses an example of a bank that included a Seeing Eye dog in its ad. After viewing the ad, people related feelings of warmth and reliability to the bank. A less distant metaphor, such as a vault, would have less effect.

Understanding how memory and metaphor affect the unconscious mind can help businesses market better. Long lasting memories rely on relevance, mood, emotion, existing concepts, story, distinctness, and other elements that affect recall. For businesses the emphasis remains on how to best serve and add value in a
significant way.

Remember, creating good memories for people is a worthwhile and profitable thing to do. Listen carefully. What metaphors do your customers use when talking about your products and services?

How to Improve Your Search Rankings with Keyword Research

April 6, 2011Joanne CostinLeave a comment

You know that using the right keywords is critical to your online marketing success, but who is generating your keywords and how are they doing it? Keyword research is one of the most important steps in improving your search engine rankings. It takes more than hunches and common sense to identify the right keywords. It takes research. A number of free and paid research tools such as Google Adwords Keyword Tool, and Wordtracker can help.

Here’s an example of how following your gut instincts can lead you down the wrong path. A client recently suggested that we use the term “commercial real estate brokerage,” to describe his business. A quick search using the Google Adwords Keyword Tool revealed that this term was associated with only 1300 local monthly searches, while there were 14,800 searches for “commercial real estate brokers” and 9,900 searches for “commercial real estate companies.” Had I not researched this, the site would clearly not generate all the traffic it should.

Time and again, I am surprised by what these search tools reveal. Who would have guessed that “JCB Backhoes” generates six times the number of searches as “JCB backhoe loader?” Research ultimately saves you time, because you are able to write website copy with a purpose and avoid costly mistakes.

When deciding on keywords, consider not just single words, but also relevant phrases. While there will be fewer searches for longer phrases, these phrases generally lead to more conversions because the searcher knows exactly what he or she is looking for. This is especially true for phrases that indicate a buying intention. For example, someone searching to “Get a quote on business insurance” would generate more conversions than someone just searching for “insurance agent.”

Once your keywords and phrases are identified, do a quick search on Google to identify competitors – those firms that show up on the first page for the keywords you deem important. Identify their competitive keywords and phrases using Alexa or simply viewing the metatag data on their site. (right click on their home page and click “View Source”). This is valuable information you don’t want to miss.

Your own website statistics will also reveal the terms visitors are using to search for you. View your statistics regularly and identify popular search terms you can ultimately use in your website content.

Once your keywords are known, you are ready to take the next step: creating a fully optimized website.

Ask us how we can help.

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