Blogging can sometimes feel like a bit of a wishy-washy marketing effort. That’s because it can be difficult to see how it translates into material results – especially when its success is often judged by subjective or obscure measures.
But the truth is that, like all online marketing, blogging is a measurable marketing activity.
I recently had a conversation with a client during an SEO consultation that looked a bit like this:
John – why are less-developed, incomplete sites ranking higher for “Launceston plumbers” than our website is?
Me – do you use the term “Launceston plumbers” on your home page?
John – no
Me – do you use it elsewhere on the website?
John – not really
Me – then that’s why
In the SEO world, you’ll often hear people talking about two kinds of links. These are “follow” links, and “no-follow” links.
Because the humble no-follow link doesn’t pass on “link juice” or “page rank”, is often sidelined in SEO strategies.
But in sidelining the no-follow link, I believe web marketers are making a huge mistake: we are forgetting the true value inherent in any link, and we are ignoring what should actually be an important cornerstone of any link-building strategy. Let me explain…
It was September 16, 2013. No one expected it would turn out to be anything but another unremarkable day.
They were wrong.
Google’s gone and changed things. Again.
The latest change that Australia’s favourite search engine has made is aesthetic. Have you noticed? The appearance of the search results pages has been altered. Which means that, for the sake of Human Optimisation, it’s time to give your title tags a spring clean. (Or, for those among you who currently live south of the equator like me, it’s time to give your title tags an autumn makeover.)
A note from the author:
My dear friends,
In describing the vulgarities I have sometimes seen in others, I hope to always have the satisfaction of believing that such cannot be said of you; and I flatter myself that you will profit by my advice.
I am,
Yours, &c.
To be a successful copywriter, you need to be a concise, clear, clever, creative writer.
You must be able to write using all sorts of “voices”, you need a sound knowledge of grammar rules (and an understanding of when to bend them), and flawless spelling (or the ability to navigate a dictionary).
But if writing skills are all you have, then chances are the freelance copywriting life is not for you. This is a list of seven non-writing skills I’ve found I needed in order to enjoy success as a copywriter working the freelance lifestyle.
SEO is important. Very important. But it isn’t everything.
Sweet-talking Google is great, but Google won’t pay you money, it won’t use your services, and it won’t subscribe to your newsletter.
Humans might. The trick is to ensure they do.
Human optimisation is the art of ensuring that people stay on your website and do whatever it is you want them to do there. Is your website human optimised?
Thou shalt have no other words before the keywords in thy website’s title tag
Thou shalt not make unto thee any paid links
Thou shalt not take the copy from one page, and duplicate it on another
Remember your ALT tags, to always use them
Honour thy H1 tag and thy H2 tag, that thy days may be long upon the SERP rank that Google gives thee
Thou shalt not use meta keywords
Thou shalt not commit keyword stuffing
Thou shalt not steal content from another site
Though shalt not bear hidden text on thy website
Thou shalt not optimise for Google alone
Read on to learn why these commandments are so important…
Today I thought I’d write about something important.
No, I’m not referring to the awful dilemma I faced yesterday when forced to choose between the blue dress and the purple dress (though that was dramatic). This is something even more important.
‘What could be more important?’ you ask. Let me give you a clue. It starts with ‘b’, and it ends with ‘logging’. No, I’m not talking about deforestation in the Amazon (though that is important).
I’m talking about blogging.
