Create More Readable Copy through Testing

May 4, 2011Joanne Costin2 Comments

Is your compelling online content lost in long sentences and confusing text? One way to test the readability of content is to read it aloud. It’s easy to spot long, run-on sentences when you find yourself gasping for air. But that’s not all you can do. Consider conducting a quantitative test of readability as a more definitive guide. I recently discovered a readability scoring system built right into Microsoft Word called the Flesh Read Ease Score.

Developed by author and writing consultant Rudolf Flesch (1911-1986), the score objectively calculates readability using a formula that takes into account the average number of words in a sentence and the number of syllables in the passage. Scores range from 0 to 100. You don’t need to know the formula, just how to interpret the scores. A score of zero would be most difficult and a score of 100 easiest. Scores in the 60 to 70 range are considered readable by the average reader.

To put the scores into context, Readers Digest has a Flesch Reading score of 65, while the Harvard Business Review has a score in the low 30s.

Another measure called the Flesch-Kincaid formula, also available in Microsoft Word, translates the readability score to a grade level. A score of 65 correlates with the 8th to 9th grade level and a score of 55 indicates a 10th to 12th grade level. Scores between 0 and 30 represent college graduate level readability.

Scores are obtained automatically when you run a Word document through a spelling and grammar check. However, you have to adjust the readability options in Word to have the test results appear.

How to Set the Readability Options in Microsoft Office Word 2007

Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Word Options.
Click Proofing.
Make sure Check grammar with spelling is selected.
Under When correcting grammar in Word, select the Show readability statistics check box.

While your B2B audience may be highly educated, your website is probably not the place to impress them with five syllable words and long cumbersome sentences. If your score is coming up too high, break up longer sentences and replace words that may be causing confusion. Potential buyers want to find information fast, and you can help them with clear, concise and readable text.

How does your website content score on the Flesch Reading Ease Test? Here’s how my text scored on this blog post.

Flesch Reading Ease 56.8
Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level 9.1

With Listening, Comes Clarity

April 29, 2011Joanne CostinLeave a comment

Before you write a word of content for your B2B website, listen to your customers.

Carve 30 minutes out of your schedule, leave your preconceived notions about your business at the door and call a customer. Instead of worrying about selling something, focus on listening. Listen to their questions and answer them. Hear their problems and ask yourself if you have a solution. Ask about the process they went through before they purchased. Ask how they felt afterward. Ask what motivates them to buy. Ask what you could do better. Ask them to describe your products and services. Ask what makes your business stand out from competitors.

Take notes.

When we do this for our clients, what we need to say and how we need to say it becomes much clearer. Unlike people close to the business, customers won’t tell you everything about your product, but they will tell you what’s important. And that’s what is most helpful to a writer.

You have seconds to communicate your message and you must be clear. You cannot try to communicate too much or people will shut down. Visitors won’t bother to call and ask a question. They will move on to another website.

Don’t let language be a barrier. Use their language not yours. Worry less about industry experts writing content, and worry more about providing clear and understandable content.

What would you like to see on Content for Biz? I am listening.

The “Build It and They Will Come” Fallacy

April 27, 2011Joanne Costin2 Comments

Many business owners tend to believe that if they build a bigger and better website, customers and prospects will come flocking to it. They want to check the website off of their “to do” list and forget about it.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The following steps will protect your investment in website development and spread your influence to those you want to reach. To fully realize the benefits of your site, marketers need to insist that business owners and managers don’t stop at Step 1.

Step 1: Optimize the Website
A well designed and search-engine-optimized website with quality content is Step 1. It should include engaging content, be fully optimized for your keywords, provide a news section, and be easy to update regularly.

Step 2: Build In-Bound Links
Organizations that provide inbound links include trade associations, publications, local business organizations, suppliers, and strategic business partners, to name a few. For local businesses, Google Places is a great no-cost traffic booster. The business directories with the highest Google page rank include Hoover’s Online, Business.com, KellySearch and BizWeb. Not all of these are free, but many are, including top-ranked KellySearch, B2B Yellow Pages, and B2B Today. Be careful how you list your business on these directories. Your business description should include important keywords that can drive traffic to your site, as well as photos and other information important to buyers.

List your business in as many relevant categories as possible. In a recent post on his Eat Metrics blog, Eric Rodriguez demonstrates the dramatic positive impact that additional category listings on Yelp have on restaurant reservations. His study is based on online reservation volume over time from Yelp.com for 35 restaurants.

Listing your business in online directories is not glamorous work, but a critically important step to drive traffic.

Step 3: Share Through Social Media

Social media is Step 3 because I believe marketers should first exhaust the least expensive promotional methods before spending money on paid advertising. Placing your content and interacting with customers and prospects on social websites will drive traffic to your site. It involves only a time investment. On Contentforbiz.com, referrals from social media sites comprise about half of all traffic. We regularly post our content to appropriate LinkedIn Groups, and Twitter. Recently, leading social media author (New York Times Best Seller Trust Agents), speaker and consultant Chris Brogan helped drive traffic to our site, when he promoted Mary Klest’s “Secrets of a Content Sleuth” to readers of his blog.

Review sites such as Yelp and Citysearch have also been proven to drive rankings. While marketers can’t control what the reviewers say, they can encourage reviews, and provide keyword rich responses. Instead of responding, “We’re glad you had a positive experience,” a home organizer might respond, “We are so happy you are enjoying the benefits of a well organized home office.”

Social media requires weekly, if not daily diligence. There is a clear payoff in terms of both web traffic and engagement. Keep in mind that just because an employee is a regular user of Facebook, it doesn’t mean he or she is qualified to handle social media for your business. Social media training and outsourcing are two options that time-strapped marketers and business owners should consider to ensure that social media goals, policies and legal ramifications are kept in the forefront.

Step 4: Get the Word out with Publicity and Advertising
While pay per click campaigns can be a great way to generate traffic, don’t overlook all the other opportunities you have to promote your website content to customers and prospects. Integrate your print and online marketing by including your web and blog addresses on press releases, business cards, vehicles, signage, invoices, brochures, email marketing and other forms of advertising.

In summary, “build it and they will come” is a mantra that doesn’t apply to the realities of online marketing. A website is not a building. It is more like a machine that needs regular maintenance to keep it running at peak performance. Ignore that, and it will undoubtedly let you down.

Which of these four steps have you found to be the most challenging to implement?

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.

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