Your website can make or break your appeal to customers and clients. Modern tools can help you make beautiful and elegant web pages, but your site’s functionality and visuals are only half the battle. Your web copy is the other half. Compelling copywriting can be an intricate and challenging task, even for those specializing in it.
However, with the help of a writing agency, drafting high-quality copy for your website becomes far less daunting.
This case study will explore the stories of two past clients of The Writers For Hire who learned precisely the above. Names have been withheld to respect contractual obligations.
Case A
Case A concerns a Texas-based university and first-time client for The Writers For Hire (TWFH). Hereafter, we will refer to them simply as “the university.”
The Problem
The university felt that the site’s state painfully reflected its age and needed to be overhauled. Major concerns included the lack of standardization between individual pages and the difficulty this created for prospective students seeking course and degree information. Upgrading to a modern aesthetic was also imperative.
The Solution
The university enlisted the aid of marketing firm Richards/Carlsberg to handle the site redesign. It was through Richards/Carlsberg that the university came into contact with TWFH as subcontractors.
While Richards/Carlsberg would handle the general points of the site’s modernization, redrafting the hundreds of pages of copy required was the task of the TWFH.
TWFH worked with the university and Richards/Carlsberg to break the project down into three phases to be completed over the next three years.
In phase one, the university prioritized which departments would have their new sections launched alongside the new site.
All other departments would be covered across the two following phases.
Phase one’s scope ultimately consisted of 300 pages of copy produced over three months.
From there, TWFH took the reins, working with Richards/Carlsberg to develop a standard page template for each department in the university. This measure alleviated the incongruency in the old site and established the foundation for the system TWFH built next.
TWFH assembled a team of 10 writers headed by one project manager. This team was then subdivided into teams of one to two writers, each assigned to cover individual departments. Each sub-team and the project manager met with the head of their assigned department to determine the driving message of that department’s section.
TWFH then created an assignment for each page in their project management system, Wrike, where they would track it over time. Within each assignment was also an accompanying form where the university linked any relevant legacy content from the old site.
TWFH began its copy drafting process by pulling from this legacy content and building off of it, minimizing the amount of input required from the university. TWFH also performed the roles of editors for the provided legacy content, allowing the university to identify and fill gaps in information that had been long present on the old site.
TWFH’s aid did not stop at merely editing and building on legacy content. Throughout phase one, the writing agency assisted the university in revising and improving its style guide, expanding it to 25 pages in length.
Finally, the university and Richards/Carlsberg reviewed each page upon completion, requested any necessary edits, and then gave final approval.
This basic process was then repeated through each phase of the project.
The Results
The university’s new site consisted of nearly 1,000 pages of fresh copy by the end of the three-year project. The first phase proved the most time intensive, as the writing agency familiarized itself with the needs of its new client. TWFH’s streamlined process enabled the following phases to be completed in a fraction of the time, down from three months to one.
Case B concerns a major Texas-based pipeline company and long-time client for TWFH. We will refer to them hereafter as “the PSP.”
The Problem
Much like the university client of Case A, the PSP felt that their original site was inadequate for their needs. As industry leaders in pipeline services and engineering with an extensive company history, they desired a website that would adequately reflect this pedigree. Of primary concern was improving the site’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) performance and making the company’s online presence more competitive.
The Solution
As an existing client for TWFH, regularly commissioning work such as internal industry magazines, it was only natural that the PSP reached out to the writing agency directly for this project. TWFH’s task was to produce 700 pages of new copy for the site in six months.
Given the PSP’s relationship with TWFH, there was already a team of writers dedicated to them. Likewise, many of the tailor-made solutions for the PSP’s copy needs were already in place.
TWFH used these existing resources to quickly assemble a team of five writers, a senior editor, and a project manager for the job.
Where Case A required a top-down, more hierarchical solution for their needs, a more granular approach was appropriate for the PSP.
Working with TWFH, they organized the project on a departmental level, giving each section relative freedom in how they wanted to present their work.
Again, like Case A, the team was divided into sub teams assigned to each department. They then met with their respective department head to determine the driving message of the copy, as well as what pre-existing copy to reincorporate. They wrote the pages, edited them, and sent them back to the client for approval.
TWFH also assisted the PSP in identifying and filling all gaps in information found throughout the process. At the end of the project, TWFH performed a complete QA (Quality Assurance) according to the existing style guide, which needed no revision.
The Results
TWFH delivered all 700 pages of copy for the PSP’s new site promptly and efficiently. The project’s timetable was reduced drastically because TWFH was already familiar with the client, and had an existing team and system to handle their needs; it could be completed in a single phase, unlike in Case A.
Conclusion
Whether old or new, clients can rely on The Writers For Hire to go above and beyond to meet their clients’ needs for website copywriting. Each solution produced is tailor-made for the client, working closely with them to incorporate requests and feedback every step of the way.
“The lead generation process starts by finding out where your target market ‘lives’ on the web.” — Wayne Davis
Business professionals worldwide rally around the battle cry “Drive more sales!” Indeed, boosting sales is typically the top priority for most businesses. Sales, nevertheless, do not materialize from the ether. There is legwork that goes into spurring sales. The question on most professionals’ minds is, “How to boost sales?”
The real question should be: “How do we generate more leads?”
In this article, we will explore lead generation in depth. Moreover, this article will present seven ways to generate leads through content creation. Business professionals can ultimately expect to increase lead generation through effective content creation. So, please read on.
What is lead generation?
At its core, a sale depends on a lead. A lead is an individual interested in purchasing a product or service.
This initial interest may stem from mere curiosity. As the individual gets to know a product or service more closely, they begin to formulate a perception.
In turn, this perception leads to a decision: to purchase or not to purchase.
When an individual shows a clear interest in acquiring a product or service, they become a lead.
A lead is an interested party that may potentially follow through on a purchase.
When the purchase occurs, business professionals call this action a “conversion.”
Converting interested parties into leads is the first step in generating a sale. A lead that shows significant interest becomes a qualified lead.
Lastly, a qualified lead who purchases becomes a customer. Given this progression, businesses measure their success by their conversion rates.
In short, conversion rates pertain to the ratio of leads that become customers. But what is a good conversion rate? Is it 90%? 75%? 50%?
The average conversion rate is roughly 2.35% for most e-commerce sites. This figure is surprisingly low given the number of visitors that most websites get daily. Also, please note that the most successful brands have conversion rates hovering above 10%.
What do these figures mean?
These data reveal the importance of bolstering lead generation. Driving sales is ultimately a numbers game. The more leads a brand generates, the more sales it makes. Consider this situation:
A brand has a healthy conversion rate of 6%. Based on this figure, 6 of every 100 leads makes a purchase. If the brand spurs its lead generation to 1,000, it will generate 60 sales.
Indeed, generating leads is the cornerstone of selling more. So, brands and business executives must strive to find new and innovative ways of generating leads. Here are seven ways businesses can improve lead generation through content creation.
7 Ways To Boost Lead Generation Through Content Creation
1. Social Media Presence
Social media is “the” place to be. With approximately 58.4% of the world’s population on social media, brands cannot afford to forego a presence on social media platforms. In raw numbers, brands can access about 4.6 billion users worldwide.
However, building a presence on social media is not about “If you build it, they will come.” Building an effective following on social media boils down to meaningful content creation. If the content is relevant and engaging, the following grows.
What type of content works well for social media?
In general, video content is the most popular content type. For instance, HubSpot reports that YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine. This fact underscores visual content’s predominance.
Nevertheless, there are other ways in which content makes its way into social media. According to HubSpot’s report, 82% of marketing professionals surveyed indicate they repurpose content for social media.
This figure is truly revealing.
Taking content from various sources and transforming it into a social media-friendly format has become increasingly effective. As a result, taking useful information from books, magazines, articles, and blogs can lead to helpful tidbits on Twitter posts, YouTube shorts, or TikTok stories.
Most important, the main purpose is to be as creative as possible.
2. Updated Content
A common misconception is that content marketing always produces brand-new content. However, that is not necessarily the case.
An effective content creation strategy is to update existing content.
Updating content includes blogs, e-books, articles, and video content.
After all, consumers consistently look for the latest information available to them.
Here is a list of ideas to update existing content:
Worksheets
Webinars
Podcasts
Mini e-books
Printable posters
Tutorials
Swipe files
Cheat sheets
Slide presentations
Transcripts
These content creation tactics allow current content to be updated and repurposed, especially for social media. As a result, brands can continue being relevant without needing to reinvent the wheel.
3. Blogging
Blogs are a tried-and-true form of content creation. However, it is easy to overlook blogs’ relevance and importance, particularly when compared to social media’s increasing influence on society.
So, are blogs still relevant? Consider these figures:
74% of companies surveyed reported that content creation had increased the number and quality of lead generation.
Indeed, blogging is a content creation and lead generation tactic that business professionals cannot overlook. Here are three key tips for successful blogs:
1. Review popular blogs and podcasts in a specific market niche.
2. Generate a list of ideas based on popular blogs and podcasts.
3. Create an outline for a new blog or update an existing one.
This exercise aims to give brands a fresh perspective on what currently works. The idea is not to mimic popular blogs. Instead, this exercise intends to help blogs find their own identity based on their target audience’s specific characteristics.
4. Webinars or Video Presentations
It is evident that video content is a highly popular form of content. So, does that mean that every brand must go out and create videos en masse? Not necessarily. Fortunately, harnessing the power of video content is much simpler than one might assume.
Savvy marketing professionals use webinars to boost brand awareness while delivering valuable content. The secret to webinars lies in giving customers actionable advice to address their pain points directly. This advice serves to build a subscriber list which can then yield leads.
Producing webinars is relatively simple, thanks to platforms such as Zoom. Zoom enables virtually anyone to reach a significant audience base. But here is the secret: Be careful not to pitch anything openly. Please take the time to address pain points and how they can be solved. Presenting a brand as part of the solution allows brand awareness without shamelessly plugging a product or service.
5. Quizzes and Surveys
Why not try something fun?
Most people love participating in quizzes and surveys. However, most folks must believe they’ll get something out of it.
For instance, offering free discount codes, coupons, gifts, or exclusive deals is a great way to entice consumers. In exchange, consumers answer a few questions and give you their email addresses.
This strategy is a great way to build a subscriber base without openly pushing products on consumers.
Quizzes and surveys should also yield some valuable information. For instance, the quiz or survey results may unlock an e-book that provides useful and actionable advice. Also, consumers may get exclusive access to a video presentation that delivers insights into solving their pain points.
Please bear in mind that quizzes can also help brands understand more about their customers. Consequently, brands can continuously tailor their content to suit their customers’ needs and wants.
6. Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a must regardless of the content type. In essence, SEO utilizes keywords to place content atop search rankings. For example, when a person searches for a “beach umbrella,” websites, blog posts, or social media content using these keywords appear in the results. The goal is to place one’s content atop search results.
This lead generation strategy works wonders when content is original, meaningful, and relevant. Here are five great tips to boost SEO rankings in content:
1. Use long-tail keywords such as “the best beach umbrellas in New York.”
2. Ensure meta descriptions include relevant keywords. Here is a quick example: “Learn more about the best beach umbrellas in New York.”
3. Avoid keyword stuffing. In other words, use keywords naturally and logically so they flow within the text.
4. Search relevant keywords on search engines such as Google. Look at the content atop search results to get a good sense of what content search engines value based on those keywords.
5. Ensure that titles and headers contain relevant keywords as often as possible.
Content creators easily overlook SEO. Nevertheless, SEO is a powerful tool that helps consumers notice content. Take the time to include relevant keywords carefully and as often as possible.
7. Frequent Website Updates
A critical part of SEO is updating websites. Search engines highly value websites that have frequent updates. Updating signals to search engines that sites are active. In contrast, neglecting to update websites shows search engines that users are not keen on keeping them current.
So, how can one update websites?
There are plenty of tactics one can use to update websites:
Frequently revising product descriptions
Adding or modifying blog content
Adding, updating, or eliminating product pages
Updating frequently asked questions
Adding or reviewing links to other sources
Consistently adding or reviewing social media links
Including customers’ comments and reviews
Boosting SEO is about maintaining as much activity as possible on the site. A good rule of thumb is to update the site at least once weekly. These updates do not have to be substantial. Even slight updates are enough to signal search engines that a site undergoes continuous maintenance.
How can hiring a writing agency boost lead generation?
Content creation is a highly effective means of boosting lead generation. However, one might ask, who can produce consistent, high-quality content?
First, incumbent staff members may be able to handle the task.
Nevertheless, asking current employees to write top-notch content in addition to their daily tasks may be a tall order.
Also, assembling an in-house writing team comes with its limitations.
In-house writing teams may lack the skills and experience to tackle a wide range of topics and content types.
So, what can brands do to create lead-generating content?
Hiring a writing agency can become the most cost-effective and time-saving solution brands can utilize to boost lead generation.
Here are three main benefits of hiring a writing agency to boost lead generation.
1. A professional writing agency can handle any type of content. A trusted writing agency generally employs a diverse team of professionals. These professionals come with backgrounds in various areas. As a result, any content type, from marketing copy to video scripts, falls within their scope. This flexibility ensures that brands get the content they need in a single source.
2. A trusted writing agency can produce tailored content. Professional writers can personalize generic content to suit a brand’s particular needs. Consequently, content becomes relevant and insightful to consumers’ specific needs and wants. This approach allows brands to become relatable and remain relevant to their target audience.
3. A writing agency produces consistent content. Professional writing agencies are a team. Therefore, the workload does not fall on a single set of shoulders. Instead, writing agencies spread work throughout the team, ensuring timely content production. This approach ensures brands save time and effort while consumers get consistent, high-quality content that alleviates pain points.
A Final Thought
A common misconception regarding a professional writing agency is cost. Specifically, some believe that hiring a writing agency is expensive. However, the cost of not hiring a writing agency is even higher.
Think about the cost of lost leads and sales.
Think about how much it costs staff members to produce content in addition to their daily tasks.
Think about how much it costs to assemble an in-house writing team.
The bottom line is that the return on investment from hiring a writing agency far outweighs any other alternative. Furthermore, hiring a professional writing agency is far more cost-effective than one might think. Hiring a trusted writing agency is like employing any other business partner.
Ultimately, a professional writing agency becomes an investment instead of an overhead expense.
The readability of a website determines if it succeeds or fails in its intended purpose.
Creating high readability website content follows many of the same basic principles as doing it in print. However, the value of these principles is not always obvious when designing a web page. Because of this, many people may ignore them.
The result is an internet littered with countless ugly and borderline unreadable websites, many of which are holdouts from a less advanced era of web development that valued basic functionality over readability.
So, what makes a site readable, why does it matter, and how can you improve yours? Read on to find out.
What is a “readable” website? Why does it matter?
Hotjar, a website analytics company that allows customers to track user engagement with web content, defines website readability as describing how easily visitors can read and understand the site’s content.
For example, think about any time you’ve had to scan a document to find a specific piece of information. If it was easy for you to find it, then that’s a sign the document had good readability. If it was difficult for you to do it, the document had poor readability.
So why does having a readable website matter?
Because it determines how your users and potential customers engage with your site.
People have limited time and attention to browse website content, so they want to find the information they’re looking for quickly. The sooner your site grabs the visitor’s attention and leads them to what they’re looking for, the more likely they will stick around.
If your site forces them to jump through hoops just to find one snippet of information, they will click off. And chances are, they will remember that poor experience in the future and refrain from returning.
It is, therefore, in your best interest to make your website content as readable as possible.
What are the essential elements for website readability?
A site’s readability is determined by its presentation and context. Presentation concerns aspects of graphic design and how well your website leverages it. Context concerns the complexity of the content itself.
Presentation Elements
There are five main elements that contribute to a site’s presentation. These elements are:
Hierarchy
Contrast
White Space
Density
Separators
Hierarchy
Hierarchy gives structure to website content by showing readers where to start reading and where to stop. This element sets the rules and expectations for the content to follow.
Because of this, a web page's hierarchy or lack thereof plays a large part in how scannable it is.
Features such as the organization of information, focus points, and consistency all fall under the realm of hierarchy.
Let’s take a look at exactly what each of these features entail.
Organization of Information
The organization of information is self-explanatory. Content should be structured logically, with broader topics leading to narrower, relevant ones and steps being presented in chronological order.
Presenting information in the proper order is mandatory if you want a strong hierarchy.
You wouldn’t, for example, write website content on how to perform a task, start at step 1, and then, in the next paragraph, skip all the way to step 4.
Nor would you write a blog on the life cycle of nematodes, have the first paragraph be an explanation of the larval stage, and then, in the paragraph immediately after, begin discussing the best medications to treat pets infected with adult roundworms.
Focus Points
Even if you do a great job organizing the information, readers will still get lost if you don’t install markers and waypoints throughout.
This is where focus points come in, as they are the defining features of your hierarchy.
They consist of headers, graphics, and links meant to grab the user’s attention and guide their eyes through the page, usually using techniques such as contrast, white space, and density–all of which will be discussed below.
Without focus points, you do not have a hierarchy.
One of the most common examples of a focus point is the simple header element. In the blog described above, let’s say you have a header for each broad stage of the nematode life cycle: Dung, Pasture, and Host.
Each header is a focus point that directs the reader’s attention to information about that specific life stage.
Consistency
Consistency is the final component of hierarchy. To achieve consistency, you need to set basic rules for elements of the hierarchy to follow and then stick to them.
For example, all three (Dung, Pasture, and Host) headers mentioned above hold equal weight. Therefore, they should all have the same size, color, and font.
Inconsistent hierarchical elements make a site harder to scan and, in turn, lowers readability.
Contrast
Contrast is the second core factor in whether a web page is readable. Good contrast makes reading and scanning content less taxing on the eyes.
Poor contrast does the opposite, straining the eyes and making the text harder to scan. In extreme cases, it may even render it impossible to read.
While contrast may seem as simple as using two unalike colors, the brightness and saturation of said colors also play an essential role, as the examples below illustrate. An example of no contrast, which is virtually impossible to read, is black text on a black background:
(Yes, there is text in this image. Here’s proof.)
An example of poor contrast is magenta on a medium blue background. Pink and blue are on opposite sides of the color wheel and should have great contrast in theory.
However, because both of the respective shades of these colors are very light and saturated, it ends up looking like a garish, hard-to-read mess:
An example of good contrast is black text on a white background. There’s a reason this contrast scheme has become a universal standard for text:
Generally, the best practice for contrast is to make the background a subtler, duller color than the text. The example of magenta on medium blue does not follow this practice, while the example of black on white does.
White Space
As the name suggests, white space is space on the page devoid of content.
When leveraged well, white space can offset long text blocks and control where the reader’s eyes naturally flow.
Margins, for example, can help to contain and separate content from other graphical elements of the site. This keeps things neat and clean, forcing eyes towards focus points.
Density
Density describes the number of words concentrated in a given space on the page. The density of a passage greatly affects its readability.
Content that is packed too tightly or too far apart is harder to scan through. The key to managing density is to find a balance.
Density is affected not only by the context of the content but also by presentation factors such as:
Font style and size. Both have noticeable effects on density. Smaller and more compact fonts allow more words to be typed into a given space, while larger ones allow less.
Line height. This is the space between individual lines of text. Increasing line height will naturally spread out the text and make it less dense. Decreasing does the opposite.
Line length. This is the number of words per line. Good line length allows the reader’s eyes to flow easily from the end of one line to the start of the next.
Separators
Separators are used to divide text. They help manage text density and enforce hierarchy by leveraging elements such as white space.
The simplest and most ubiquitous form is a single line break dividing paragraphs.
Dividing website content into boxes is also a popular method.
While this can be done with simple borders, it is more effective when the boxes have a different background than the surrounding page.
Context Elements
According to Line25, a go-to resource for helpful tips for managing the context of your website content, the most important aspects are the complexity of the language you use and the scope of your audience.
As a best practice, sentences should be kept short and written in plain, simple language. They should also use active voice as much as possible.
This makes the text not only easier to scan but easier to understand as well. Needlessly complex vocabulary and wordy sentences will hurt a site’s readability.
Line25 suggests targeting different grade reading levels, depending on your audience:
Sites aimed at broader audiences should target an 8th-grade reading level.
Sites aimed at more educated audiences should target a 12th-grade reading level.
There may be times when it’s more beneficial to bend these rules and tailor content to use the same language as your audience.
This generally applies when a site is targeting a specific niche or industry where more complex terminology is hard to avoid, such as a site specializing in selling high-end golf equipment. In such cases, your audience not only understands such terms but likely expects to see them being used.
How do I implement these for myself?
The first step to improving the readability of your website content is to take an honest look at the design you’ve chosen, using the presentation principles above.
Does your current hierarchy organize information thoughtfully, use focus points well, and keep everything consistent?
Is your contrast easy on the eyes or garish?
Are you using white space and other separators to help control the density of your website content?
It’s a good idea to get a few more pairs of eyes on your site if you designed everything yourself. After all, it’s more challenging to critique one’s own handiwork than that of others.
Even if you hired out the design work for your site, getting other opinions is still wise. You could even go the extra mile of setting up a survey asking visitors what they think of the site’s design, how easy it is to find what they’re looking for, and other feedback.
When evaluating the context of your website content, readability tools like Hemmingway, SEMRush SEO Writing Assistant, or the Web FX readability test are the way to go if you want it done immediately. They’ll review aspects of your copy like the reading level, sentence structure, and hard-to-read sentences.
If you’re confident in your abilities to write copy, you can take this feedback and implement it as you edit.
If you’d prefer more personal assistance or want to hire someone to handle the entire process, consider hiring a writing agency.
While a writing agency can handle context elements like hitting a target reading level, tailoring things to niche audiences, and writing concisely, many also regularly handle document design aspects.
Since implementing readability for print and website content shares many principles, a writing agency is uniquely qualified to help you shore up both aspects of your website’s readability.
“Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart.” — Joe Chernov
Making your customers feel smart is much easier than you think. In fact, you can make them feel like geniuses.
Author and entrepreneur Allen Gannett once remarked, “Creating marketing that works should not be rocket science.” Indeed, creating awesome marketing shouldn’t be hard. Great marketing should engage audiences naturally, causing them to feel at ease at all times.
Content marketing is one of the most effective ways you can make your customers feel like geniuses. Content marketing makes people feel smart when it’s useful and actionable. Folks feel they have learned something they can put into practice right away.
When you take content marketing to the next level, people feel smart because they found you. In a way, it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.
In this article, we will discuss six essential elements of a killer marketing campaign. We will also discuss how content marketing can help take your business to the next level. So, stay tuned because there is much more coming your way!
Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach that focuses on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience – and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.
Woah, hold your horses, here!
There is quite a bit we need to unpack.
Let’s start with content marketing’s aims. First, we see that content marketing looks to “attract and retain a clearly defined audience.” In other words, content marketing aims to bring your brand closer to your target audience while keeping their attention.
Please bear in mind that it’s not enough to get their attention. You must strive to keep it.
The best brands have a knack for keeping their audience’s attention consistently.
They do it by providing content that strikes a chord. Therefore, your content must be relevant to your customers.
Failing to engage your target audience will cause your content to fall flat.
Also, the definition above highlights how content must be valuable. Indeed, your content must provide value, something your audience can take to the bank. Otherwise, why would anyone listen to you if you have nothing good to say?
The most valuable content is the kind that solves a problem. Or, at the very least, it gives audiences the tools they need to solve a problem. Think of a how-to guide. The guide itself won’t solve your problems. But it will help you find the solution.
Lastly, great content marketing is consistent. You can’t expect your content marketing to be successful without consistency. You want to ensure that your customers become accustomed to getting your content regularly. It doesn’t matter if it’s daily, weekly, or monthly. You want to ensure that your customers can bet on your content being there on time.
Please remember that the best marketing never sells anything. Killer content marketing is about positioning your brand in consumers’ minds. It’s about building a positive relationship between your brand and your customers. This relationship must be mutually beneficial. It should solve a problem and add to your bottom line.
Why is content marketing better than traditional marketing?
So, what is traditional marketing?
By “traditional,” we understand the type of marketing that pitches products to consumers. In other words, we’re talking about the usual brands that want you to buy their stuff. Well, guess what? That type of advertising seldom works. They’re lost whenever a brand tells their customers to buy something.
You see, customers don’t want to be told what to choose. Customers want to feel smart. They feel smart when they choose the right brands and products for their needs. If you tell them what to buy, you’re taking the decision power away from them.
Why is content marketing better than traditional marketing, then?
Content marketing informs consumers. It gives consumers the information they can use to make their choices. When you inform consumers and allow them to make their choices, you empower them.
Yes, that’s right!
When you empower folks, you position your brand in people’s minds. You allow your brand to build a positive association in people’s minds. You go from telling people to buy your product to building a convincing case as to why they should buy it.
Content marketing is much more effective than traditional marketing because content marketing helps consumers construct a coherent argument for your brand.
This power is what your customers get from your content.
You empower them to feel smart about their choices.
You don’t use gimmicks to compel them into buying. You get them on board by using convincing and compelling arguments.
Top-selling marketing author Marcus Sheridan said, “Great content is the best sales tool in the world.” Indeed, great content is the best sales tool you can utilize. Great content delivers consistent value without actually selling anything.
The Essential Elements of a Killer Content Marketing Campaign
Crafting a killer marketing campaign boils down to focusing your attention on what truly counts. So, here are the six essential elements of a killer content marketing campaign that will take your brand to the next level.
1. Define your target audience.
It seems like everyone says, “define your target audience,” right? But how many marketers actually do that?
Defining your target audience is about building a customer persona. A persona entails describing your intended customers as accurately as possible. In other words, building a customer persona is about putting a name to a face. When you have a visual of who’s consuming your content, it becomes much easier to cater to their interests and needs.
For example, “Mary, 25, young professional, lives in a condo, walks to work, consumes fresh coffee every morning, likes sports, and is single” provides a great visual of who is going to receive the value of your content.
2. Devise clear metrics.
The next step in a successful content marketing campaign is devising clear metrics. Metrics allow you to adequately gauge your content marketing campaign’s effectiveness. These metrics must be objectively measurable.
Consider this example:
The campaign will show a 10% increase in sales.
On the surface, this metric seems clear. It shows an objective metric that is easily trackable. However, it falls short because it doesn’t measure a timeframe or specific means of measuring your content marketing campaign’s success.
So, let’s refine it a bit, shall we?
How’s this:
The campaign will show a 10% increase in sales revenue during the first quarter of the year.
In this example, we can see a clear metric (10% in sales revenue) and a timeframe (first quarter of the year). Having clear metrics ensures that your content marketing campaign meets your expectations. Otherwise, you might become misled by inaccurate results.
3. Focus on content.
Understanding your target audience allows you to focus on your content.
Your content must resonate with the customer personas you have crafted.
Consequently, your content needs to match what your customers want to hear.
Marketing guru Seth Godin offers this insight: “Real content marketing isn’t repurposed advertising. It is making something worth talking about.” Indeed, your content marketing campaign aims to give your customers something to talk about.
How can you focus on content? Think about information such as age, purchasing power, and profession. Consider where they live and their preferred media. These elements must sync with your customers’ personas. For example, younger customers would most likely prefer consuming content through digital media. In contrast, older customers might prefer print materials such as brochures, magazines, or newsletters.
4. Diversify content.
There is an infinite number of topics you could approach within a specific content category. As such, your content must strive to be diverse but without diverging significantly from your content’s core message.
Consider this approach:
A fashion brand offers content focused on product reviews, new releases, relevant industry news, and customer comments. This brand also consistently engages its customers by asking them what topics they would like to know about. By asking customers, the brand has a steady supply of potential topics.
Overall, it’s crucial to keep things fresh. The last thing you want is for your content to run around in circles. Mixing up content will always generate something to talk about.
5. Choose the right platform.
The right platform depends on your customer personas. While most of the world’s marketing endeavors are shifting toward predominantly digital platforms, there is always room for more traditional platforms such as print materials.
So, how can you know which is the right platform?
Ask your customers!
Don’t be afraid to ask your customers what their preferred media is. You might be surprised to find that most customers prefer a mix of digital and print media. Doug Kessler, marketing author and speaker, offers this advice: “Traditional marketing talks at people. Content marketing talks with them.” This is a key insight as your chosen platform should enable a consistent two-way conversation.
6. Promote brand content.
Lastly, it’s essential to promote your brand’s content. After all, what good does killer content do if no one notices it?
Promoting content shouldn’t be about advertising it. Instead, promoting content should be about helping folks discover it.
Ultimately, the best type of advertising is word of mouth. When folks discover great content, word gets out pretty fast.
Currently, the most effective means of promoting content centers on social media. Building a strong social media presence can help your brand’s content become noticeable. As a result, offering free tidbits on social media platforms ought to entice customers to visit your website. From there, you can boost traffic, drive sales, and get your brand on the map.
How can a ghostwriting agency help your content marketing campaign?
Let’s face it, modern life is quite complex. First of all, running a successful brand is a time-consuming endeavor. You must run your business, manage finances, supervise employees, and serve your customers.
That doesn’t leave much time for creating content, does it?
Employing a trusted ghostwriting agency can give you the boost you need to create a killer content marketing campaign.
A professional ghostwriting agency can handle the heavy lifting in terms of creating content, producing print materials, writing a blog, and consistently updating your brand’s website.
Here are the benefits you can expect when employing a professional ghostwriting agency:
Saves time and effort. A professional ghostwriting agency works behind the scenes while your brand focuses on what it does best.
Boosts brand recognition. Producing killer content enables your brand to get noticed. Customers will positively associate your brand with awesome content.
Impacts your bottom line. As brand recognition increases, so will sales. As a result, you can expect a positive impact on your bottom line.
Refreshes content consistently. A ghostwriting agency can keep up with your customers’ demands. A ghostwriting agency can help you maintain a consistent publishing schedule.
Works with your team. A trusted ghostwriting agency works with your team to produce the right type of content for your customer personas.
Bringing in a ghostwriting agency can make the difference between a stalled content marketing campaign and a killer strategy.
The most common objection to hiring a ghostwriting agency is cost. Nevertheless, employing a professional ghostwriting agency is more cost-effective than going it alone.
The time and effort it takes to produce amazing content may distract you and your staff from core functions. Consequently, employing a professional ghostwriting firm allows you to do what you do best: build great products and deliver outstanding service.
So, the next time you think about creating a killer content marketing campaign, consider hiring a professional ghostwriting agency. Take the time to interview various agencies. The right fit is the agency that shares your vision, values, and philosophy. Investing time in finding the right ghostwriting firm will pay off in droves down the road.
How can all your created content serve the goal of retaining customers? That’s an important question because your current customers are valuable; they are the ones who have already bought into your product or service.
80% of your future profits will come from 20% of your existing customers.
Repeat customers spend 33% more than new customers.
Given this kind of data, it would be a miscalculation to spend all your company’s strategic content efforts on getting and selling new customers—as important as they are! Using your created content to also keep your current customers happy and on board is a tactical must.
Retain customers with customer-serving content.
Creating content that is intentionally focused on serving your customers makes a lot of sense from a customer retention perspective. Research in this area finds that a “commitment to customer experience results in up to 25% more customer retention and revenue than sales or marketing initiatives.”
Actively working to retain customers through consistent customer-serving content requires a comprehensive plan.
Some vital elements to incorporate into a plan that builds your long-term relationship with each customer are:
Your website.
Most of today’s customers meet you first when they land on your website’s homepage. Besides playing the critical role in gaining customers, your website also plays an important part in keeping them. When your customers come to your site for a quick answer, do they find it easy to navigate? Intuitive? Visually engaging? Does it project empathy with customer challenges and an eagerness to help?
New customer greetings.
The time to start retaining customers is the moment they become customers!
Make your welcoming emails warm, enjoyable, and even entertaining where appropriate.
Show that you want each customer’s experience with your product or service to be everything they hoped for and more.
This is a good place for a coupon or other special offers, sign-ups for your newsletter and emails, and links to your Help Center, FAQ, and contact info.
Help center with FAQ and contact info.
If your customers can quickly find answers about a product or service in your website’s help center, they will be happier customers. And if their specific question isn’t addressed there, they will be pleased you have provided a quick way to speak to a helpful human being, either by phone, chat, or a well-monitored email address.
Emails.
The ones you send to your customers on a regular basis should be personalized and designed to create dialogue. “No reply” emails are frustrating; instead, let your customers ask questions and make comments about the thought-provoking information you send them. And always respond to them, showing that you are listening and concerned with both positive and negative comments.
Newsletters.
A periodic newsletter—either digital or print—is a good way to stay on each client’s radar. Yours is not just another company among competitors for their business. Instead, through a newsletter, you can show authority in your field—and who doesn’t want to stay with a company that knows its stuff? A newsletter can alert customers to trends and help them stay abreast of developments on the horizon. It can share other clients’ experiences, and, above all, let each customer know how much you appreciate their business.
Blogs.
Use blogs to build a friendship with each client. Retention—endurance over time— happens in this relationship much as it does in other relationships you want to keep—through conversation.
A blog is your personal conversation with your client. Which questions can you anticipate and answer via your blog? Which of your new products or services might be just what they need right now?
Have other clients shared successful outcomes that you can pass on?
Customer engagement surveys.
There are times when you really want or need to know what your customers are thinking. And who doesn’t like to be asked politely for their opinions? Customer surveys—usually via email—serve a dual purpose: They help you gather information on customer preferences while also showing that you care enough to ask. Customers who know you care about their priorities make good prospects for long-haul (retained) customers.
Follow-ups.
Whether a customer is new or established, effective follow-up communications are customer-retention tools you can’t do without. In its most basic form, a follow-up is a personal “thank you for your business.” Follow-ups can also provide links to tutorials and online manuals, helpful blogs, email and newsletter sign-ups, coupons, rewards, and special offers. Let your customers know they are appreciated, and that you are ready to help with any questions that arise.
This is a continuous process. As Colin Boylan of the customer engagement platform Intercom notes: “Support isn’t just about resolving a customer’s first question and moving on…You need to make sure the customer is happy with the resolution, so consistent, thoughtful follow-ups are key…they have a profound impact on the customer experience.”
Hire a writing agency for unlimited content creation.
Photo by fauxels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-people-doing-handshakes-3184416/
Creating a customer retention plan and the volume of consistent, quality content that ensures your clients are well-served takes time. It also takes skill—in big-picture strategy, in research, in writing for your brand, and more. And it requires qualified people to do the work of continually creating each form of content.
If all of that seems like a big “ask,” that’s because it is. Especially when you are asking otherwise-occupied employees to shoulder these tasks.
Enter a qualified writing agency to take on all your content creation/customer retention initiatives. A seasoned agency has the necessary scope of expertise across industries and types of content to do the job. Its staff knows how to work tactfully and efficiently with your staff to develop and execute a content-centered customer retention plan.
Hire a writing agency to create the following:
1) A Content-focused Customer Retention Plan
A talented writing agency is practiced in creating each type of content you need to make outstanding customer service and customer retention a top priority.
Its writers and editors also have the skills to create a big-picture plan that encompasses all your customer-keeping content. Having an overall, cohesive customer retention plan in place ensures no element is left out or done randomly, and that the elements work together in harmony.
When you hire a writing agency, there are no limits to the professional-caliber, customer-friendly content its staff will produce for your website.
Attractive, detailed product and services pages are vital to your sales and your distinctive brand—and, ultimately, to customer retention. A diverse agency’s staff has the know-how to create those pages, whatever your industry. Consulting with your sales and marketing teams, they’ll bring your offerings to life in each category, with engaging images and professional-quality copy.
Creating your help center and FAQ is no problem for an adept writing agency, either. Its writers and editors are expert organizers of information. They will efficiently research and compile your help procedures and contacts and frequent customer questions and answers, verifying each with your department heads and experts before the pages go live.
Your blog pages—your frequent online conversations with your clients—need to be compelling, be easy to scan, and bring value. Savvy agency writers understand that you only have a few moments to capture customers’ attention before they move on. The agency’s team writes the headlines, subheads, bullets, and more that serve as magnets to your blog’s content.
If information-gathering interviews are needed, agency writers will make efficient use of your experts’ time.
Your site’s online manuals and handbooks should be easy to find, complete, read, and use. A smart agency knows how to achieve all of that, no matter the high- or low-tech nature of the material covered. As objective writers and editors, agency staff can help ensure that your manuals and handbooks are written in language that truly serves your readers, rather than soaring over their heads.
3) Other Customer-reaching Content
Customer greetings, follow-ups, and customer engagement surveys are all designed to show your clients that you appreciate them and don’t take them for granted.
To accomplish its mission, this content needs to be done consistently. (Periodically, in the case of surveys.)
Hire a seasoned writing agency to help create a calendar for this content, and then to deliver each piece on time, every time.
An experienced writing agency coordinates with your marketing or other departments to garner ideas for topics and survey questions.
Customer appreciation newsletters and emails. A competent writing agency’s staff includes journalists as well as writers from the corporate world. It can provide a team to write compelling copy on the industry-related topics and people you want to feature, at the level of your typical reader’s knowledge of the industry.
Take the intensive work involved in producing frequent, eye-catching, enlightening newsletters and emails off your own full plate. Hire a writing agency to provide professionally written content for these important pieces of your customer retention plan.
“Your website is the window of your business. Keep it fresh, keep it exciting.”— Jay Conrad Levinson
In today’s business world, a company’s website is its calling card. A great website helps your business put its best foot forward. In contrast, a poor website creates a bad first impression.
There is no question that spending time and effort building a great website is worth it for your company’s reputation.
However, with time, websites can become outdated. Some websites may also need revamping to keep up with competitors. Keeping your website fresh is a fantastic way of giving customers a new perspective on your company’s classic value proposition.
Overhauling a website, however, is no easy task. In addition to the coding and web development involved, content is an important part of a website revamp.
In this article, we will discuss five ways a writing agency can help with a website overhaul and become a trusted partner for any company following a website revamp.
Why should a company overhaul its website?
Your company’s website is part of its overall brand image. As such, your website needs periodic updates and retooling.
Please note there is a difference between updating or retooling a website and a complete overhaul.
So, the question begs, why should your company overhaul its website?
There are three key reasons for a website overhaul:
The company has undergone a rebranding. On average, most businesses rebrand once every 7-10 years. Rebranding generally entails changing color schemes, updating logos, revamping slogans and mottos, or entering new markets. As a result, the company’s website has become obsolete. This situation requires an entire website overhaul. Content must reflect company changes along with visuals (layout, fonts, color schemes, images). This content includes company information, about us, product information, or branding features.
The company has undergone restructuring. Companies may undergo restructuring due to a merger, acquisition, or takeover. Their names, organizational structure, and overall image may change in such situations. Therefore, a website overhaul would be necessary to reflect these changes. In addition to image, content is a key element, especially if the company wants to turn over a new page with its customers.
The company has added new product lines or has entered new markets. When companies add new brands and product lines or enter new markets, they may find their current website is no longer relevant. Thus, a website overhaul would be necessary to reflect changes in the company’s products or markets. Companies must ensure their websites reflect the information customers need to know in order to purchase the company’s products and services.
On the whole, a website overhaul is advisable to keep a company’s image fresh. Keeping things fresh is particularly crucial when trying to keep up with competitors’ marketing campaigns.
What does a website overhaul involve?
There are four main aspects you must consider for a website overhaul:
Layout. Perhaps the most obvious sign of a website overhaul is its layout. The layout includes images, color schemes, and other visual aspects. A website must match a company’s branding. Therefore, everything needs to sync with the company’s changing image and philosophy.
Product listings or information. An e-commerce site would need to ensure its product listings incorporate changes in the brand’s overall image. A corporate site must ensure it contains appropriate product information, including links to sites where customers can purchase them.
Company information or history. A website overhaul is a great opportunity to update company information and history, including achievements, recognition, and awards. Therefore, the company must ensure to highlight this information without overly plugging it.
Content and materials. Like company history, a website’s materials and content must get a fresh coat of paint during an overhaul. Overhauling materials and content may include updating or starting a company blog, and adding product information, product materials or guides, e-books, whitepapers, press releases, or general company news. Consequently, content may entail producing brand-new content or updating existing content. Either way, it is worth noting that a website overhaul does not stop with building a new visual image. A good website overhaul must also include updating materials to reflect the company’s new direction.
Please bear in mind that web developers are not the only ones who intervene in a website overhaul.
Content creators also play a pivotal role in ensuring a successful website overhaul. After all, a great-looking site will not meet your expectations if it has little content, or its content does not match your company’s spirit and vision.
Five Ways a Writing Agency Can Help with a Website Overhaul
We can safely assume that web developers and programmers are the backbones of any successful website overhaul.
But what about content creators?
During a website overhaul, your retooled site requires visual images such as photographs and video.
Additionally, a revamped website requires written material.
You can tap your incumbent staff to produce the written materials needed to update your website. However, this approach may prove quite burdensome for your staff.
Also, you might feel that your website does not need brand-new material. Nevertheless, you may believe that existing material requires a revision.
The question is, who will undertake the revision process? Will it be company staff? Will the company hire an external consultant? Will your company assemble an in-house writing team?
All of these alternatives may seem plausible on the surface, but they come with their share of drawbacks.
The simplest way your company can overhaul its website content is by hiring a writing agency. A writing agency is a trusted business partner that ensures your content is as perfect as it can be.
Here are five ways in which a writing agency can help with your website overhaul:
1. Brand-new Marketing Content
When your company’s website needs a facelift, it may need new content to match the changes you’ve implemented throughout the site. For instance, a website revamp may include adding new products and services to the company catalog.
As such, your website will require additional content such as product descriptions, marketing copy, product listings, features, specifications, product manuals, guides, handbooks, and ads.
All of these materials can become quite time-consuming to produce, particularly if you choose to tap your current staff for the task.
Hiring a writing agency can easily alleviate the pressure on incumbent staff to produce new content. Moreover, a professional writing agency can produce high-quality content within a tight turnaround.
It ultimately makes sense to go with a professional writing agency that has a team of experienced writers. This team can turn out as much content as needed while respecting deadlines.
2. Workflow Management
A website overhaul generally entails a significant number of tasks. Therefore, workflow management is critical in ensuring that your website’s revamp does not encounter needless delays.
A common cause for delay stems from content production falling behind.
Web developers can put together a great-looking site on schedule.
However, the overall project may fall behind schedule if your site’s content is not ready simultaneously.
Delays generally occur when the company asks current staff members to produce content.
Moreover, an in-house writing team may lack specific skills and knowledge in certain areas.
Please remember that research and writing are often time-consuming tasks. When you ask full-time staff members to do this, you may encounter further delays in content delivery.
Hiring a writing agency greatly eases this situation. A writing agency can help companies’ workflow management because it is a team of writers working to ensure the tasks get done effectively.
Also, a writing agency works with the company’s subject matter experts to produce content according to the company’s directions and specifications.
Ultimately, a writing agency must get the job done more easily than a team of in-house writers or external consultants.
3. Originality and Creativity
We can easily overlook the importance of originality and creativity. Originality is a crucial element in ensuring your brand puts its best foot forward. Fresh and innovative material is key for you to stand out amid the sea of competitors.
Creativity is a vital aspect of successful marketing materials. Customers want edgy materials that resonate with their core values and perceptions. Therefore, a website overhaul must ensure that new and updated materials reflect the needs and wants of the company’s target customers.
That task may be tough for an in-house writing team to approach effectively.
Consequently, a writing agency can enlist its multi-faceted team to produce whatever content type the brand needs to reach its target audience.
4. Accuracy
Accuracy is an essential element in creating and updating your website’s content. In particular, fact-checking and researching information are crucial tasks. After all, non-factual or inaccurate information may cause irreparable damage to your brand’s reputation.
In some instances, painstaking research may be necessary to ensure your website’s content is fully accurate.
A professional writing agency enlists the services of professional writers. Professional writers must have solid research skills to produce accurate content.
Also, professional writing agencies have expert editors that can follow up to ensure all content contains vetted information.
These tasks may be too much for an in-house writing team to handle. A trusted writing agency can, therefore, pitch in to ensure the entire content verification process goes smoothly.
5. Updating, Editing, and Revising Existing Content
When your company already has a catalog of content, this content may require a thorough review, edit, and update to reflect your company’s new website.
Tapping in-house staff for these tasks may burden their busy schedules unnecessarily. Also, in-house writing teams may lack the experience needed to edit and update your existing content adequately.
Enter a professional writing agency.
A writing agency can tackle revisions and edits, especially when in-house teams have trouble coping with workloads.
Furthermore, a writing agency can put their research and writing skills to improving existing content. The outcome is fresh content based on current materials.
What materials can a writing agency produce?
Perhaps the right question should be: What materials can’t a writing agency produce?
The truth is that a professional writing agency can be quite capable of producing any content type. Here is a look at the content types a trusted writing agency can produce:
Marketing copy. Marketing copy is essential during a website to revamp. Moving forward, marketing copy is essential for regular ads, social media posts, and future website updates. Particularly, writing agencies specialized in marketing can vastly reduce the time needed to produce great marketing materials.
Technical documentation.Technical documentation such as manuals, handbooks, product guides, and user information may all require a revamp along with the site. As a result, a writing agency can work with subject matter experts to ensure the materials contain accurate information. The biggest advantage of hiring a writing agency lies in translating technical information into terms a general audience can easily understand. This task may prove challenging for experts.
Blogs. Most companies employ a company blog to share relevant information with their customers. However, a website overhaul may imply the need for a blog overhaul. A writing agency can easily tackle the tasks that come with starting a new blog, reviewing current materials, and adding new materials to an existing blog. A trusted writing agency can slash the time needed to produce and update content.
Whitepapers. A website overhaul is a great opportunity to publish new whitepapers or review existing ones. Whitepapers are extensive research documents that require considerable time and attention. As a result, a writing agency is an ideal choice to tackle a complex project like a whitepaper.
Video content. Video content is often the first to receive updates and revisions during a website overhaul. Also, companies may choose to produce brand-new video materials to reflect website and corporate changes. Nevertheless, someone has to produce scripts, dialogs, or information. Thus, a professional writing agency can work in tandem with video producers to get the materials out in time. By working as a team, the overall workflow management improves significantly.
E-books. A common marketing strategy is producing e-books. E-books offer customers and followers practical information they can use regarding the company’s products and services. However, someone must write or update the material. A professional writing agency can tackle everything from start to finish. Hiring a writing agency can easily reduce the time and effort needed to produce high-quality e-books.
FAQ. A FAQ page is one of the most effective marketing tools your website can possess. So, it must reflect your brand’s spirit while providing accurate information. A trusted writing agency can help organize information so that relevant and meaningful FAQ help your customers easily find the information they need about your products and services.
Overall, a writing agency can produce virtually anything your new website might need.
It pays to take the time to find the writing agency that best fits your needs and expectations. Please take the time to interview prospective agencies.
You will find that working with a professional writing agency is one of the best business decisions you will ever make.
Please bear in mind that some writing agencies specialize in specific topics. So, it pays to get in touch with such writing agencies, especially if your website requires highly detailed information.
Also, please ensure your prospective writing agency has writers with the background your company needs. Backgrounds may include employment experience, degrees, or research expertise.
Taking the time to vet your chosen writing agency thoroughly will help your content creation projects progress without a hitch!
“It takes months to find a customer… seconds to lose one.” — Vince Lombardi
Communicating with clients is an essential part of any successful business. But, how well do companies truly communicate?
The key lies in understanding successful communication and how to achieve it.
In this article, we will take a close look at client communication. In particular, we’ll discuss the eight best practices for client communication. This discussion will focus on how to effectively engage with clients through dialog and how to maintain it.
Defining Client Communication
Communication can be a tricky concept to define.
On the surface, communication is about exchanging information between parties.
After all, communication occurs when two or more parties engage one another to negotiate meaning.
Communication enables stakeholders to manifest their needs and wants when successful.
As a result, communication facilitates achieving goals and reaching targets.
Nevertheless, it is important to consider that communication does not solely depend on understanding the meaning of words. Effective communication largely relies on influencing other parties, thus enabling businesses to achieve their aims.
Renowned management guru Brian Tracy offers this insight regarding communication: “Your ability to communicate, influence, and persuade others to do things is absolutely indispensable to everything you accomplish in life.” Undoubtedly, effective communication enables anyone, or any organization, to influence other parties to do something.
When it comes to client communication, effectiveness hinges on positively influencing clients’ overall experience. Once again, Brian Tracy offers a wonderful tidbit: “Approach each client with the idea of helping him or her solve a problem or achieve a goal, not of selling a product or service.”
There is certainly quite a bit to unpack in that thought.
First, effective client communication is not about selling. Instead, it’s about offering value. Approaching clients with a helping mentality sets the tone for a successful engagement between parties. In contrast, being “salesy” is a sure-fire way to spoil client interaction.
Second, successful companies are the ones that genuinely strive to help their clients solve a problem or achieve a goal. This attitude primes the pump for effective two-way communication. As a result, companies must view client communication as an ongoing dialog aimed at helping clients achieve their aims.
Ultimately, client communication begins with a sincere interest in helping. From there, companies must strive to utilize communication as a tool to deliver value and achieve organizational aims. Effective client communication is about creating a win-win proposition for all parties involved.
Understanding Client Communication Tools
Client communication can take place across various means and platforms. While traditional face-to-face interaction is still pivotal, understanding client communication tools helps maintain an ongoing dialog between businesses and clients. As such, it is worth discussing these tools in greater detail.
Email
Email is the predominant means of communication in the modern business world. Think about these figures:
Folks sent an average of 306.4 billion emails daily in 2020.
89% of companies use email as their primary source of communication.
However, 2020 figures indicate that the email open rate was 18%.
In North America, 77.6% of client communication takes place via email.
Also, 72% of clients indicated email as their main communication tool.
Indeed, there is no denying that email is a highly effective communication tool. Thus, businesses must embrace email as their primary means of communication. But why is email so useful?
First of all, email is non-disruptive. In other words, getting an email does not necessarily interrupt one’s workflow. Emails can sit in the inbox until an appropriate time to address them.
Second, email can deliver a significant amount of information.
As a result, email is quite suitable for providing content, offers, and solving issues.
Third, email provides an opportunity for two-way communication. Clients and companies can easily communicate via email asynchronously.
This characteristic means that clients can respond to emails at their convenience. Nevertheless, companies must strive to reply as promptly as possible.
Websites
There is so much a well-crafted website can do. A solid website can provide information, deliver content, and sell. A website can also become a client communication tool. For instance, adding a FAQ section or including a helpful blog can help a business maintain client communication effectively.
To put this consideration into perspective, research indicates that 38% of people leave a website if the content or layout seems unattractive. Furthermore, 88% of individuals say they will not return to a website after a bad experience, and 75% also believe in judging a company’s credibility by its website design.
What does this mean?
It means that a well-thought website can help foster effective client communication. In contrast, a poorly designed one can become a serious obstacle for client communication.
The downside to a website is that it is generally a one-sided communication approach. Therefore, a business must avoid relying solely on its website. While a website can be a highly effective communication tool, it must not be the only one.
Phone Communications
While using the phone may seem outdated, it is still a critical client communication tool. Phone communications are important, especially because clients are people. As such, people need to talk to other people. Companies must, therefore, strive to offer an effective phone communication option for communication with clients.
So, how important is phone communication to clients?
According to HubSpot, 90% of clients indicate that an “immediate” response is important to them.
Also, 60% of individuals stated that “immediate” meant getting a response in under 10 minutes.
Is there a means of communication that can deliver on these expectations?
Yes, phone communications can deliver an almost immediate response to client queries and concerns.
Businesses that invest in a solid phone support channel can expect to retain many more customers than those that do not.
Web Chat
Web chat has increasingly become a popular feature in client communications. Companies across various industries use so-called “bots” to interact with customers. Bots provide immediate information on a number of topics. According to Zendesk’s research, 69% of individuals say they feel comfortable interacting with a bot for minor issues. However, 54% of respondents also indicated a high level of frustration given the number of questions they must respond to before getting transferred to a human customer service representative.
Like websites, web chat or chatbots should be another communication tool in a company’s toolbox. Considering that most millennials prefer live chat instead of all other communication channels, it is worth considering human-based web chat as a viable alternative.
Social Media
Social media has become a go-to choice for client communication. Social media platforms allow one-way and two-way communication between companies and clients. As a result, communicating through social media gives businesses an opportunity to maintain an ongoing dialog with clients.
Recent data indicates that 33% of clients prefer communicating with a company’s customer service via social media platforms instead of on the phone.
This figure should not surprise anyone, given how time-consuming phone calls to customer service can be.
In contrast, most people spend a significant chunk of their time on social media. So, it makes sense to utilize this channel to communicate with a company’s customer service.
Ultimately, there is no single “perfect” client communication channel. Businesses must strive to offer as many client communication channels as possible. In doing so, companies give their customers various ways to get in touch with them. This approach results in ongoing dialog while ensuring effective communication across various channels.
The 8 Best Client Communication Practices
Given the importance of effective client communication, it is certainly worth looking into the best client communication practices in today’s business landscape. So, here are the eight best client communication practices companies can implement today.
1. Listen to clients’ needs.
The biggest sin companies commit is not listening to their clients. Some brands engage in one-sided discussions. Thus, businesses communicate with their clients but do not stop to listen.
When companies listen, they get a sense of what their clients want and need.
Listening to clients’ needs allows companies to address issues proactively before they become a serious concern.
For example, user comments on social media provide incredible depth into how clients perceive brands and products. From these comments, companies can ascertain where they have gotten things right or wrong.
Afterward, businesses can take action to remedy mistakes and build upon their successes.
2. Time is of the essence.
Clients expect “immediate” responses to their communication. Considering that “immediate” means under 10 minutes, companies must strive to ensure their clients’ queries receive responses as promptly as possible.
Ideally, businesses would have a dedicated customer support team.
However, having a dedicated team is not always possible.
Consequently, it is important to manage client expectations. For instance, automated email replies give clients a sense of relief in knowing their email has been received.
Also, it is a good rule of thumb to let clients know when they can expect a response. Messages such as “we will get back to you as soon as possible” are too vague. Instead, messages like “we will get back to you within 24 hours” set clear expectations.
3. Separate client communication channels.
Some companies employ individual staff members across various client communication channels.
This cost-cutting measure eventually backfires when there are overwhelming client communication requests. Thus, it is important to have individuals focused on one client communication channel at a time.
For instance, consider having one person (or one group) answering phone calls.
Likewise, having individuals focused solely on email or live chat reduces response time by decreasing distractions.
Ultimately, separating client communication channels boosts efficiency and productivity by removing unnecessary cross-channel confusion.
4. Honesty is the best policy.
Businesses must strive to show transparency at all times. Transparency means being forthright with clients about issues concerning the company.
Transparency applies to both positive and negative aspects about the company. For example, being clear about a product’s launch date is a great way to build hype.
Also, being honest about problems and mistakes is crucial to ensuring trust between clients and companies.
One of clients’ worst pet peeves is getting the runaround when they have a complaint. Instead of trying to dodge the issue, it is best to address it directly.
Moreover, giving clients a realistic timeframe regarding a possible solution is essential. It is, ultimately, best to be fully transparent instead of giving clients false expectations.
5. Adapt to clients’ communication styles.
Adapting to clients’ preferred communication styles means focusing on clients’ preferred communication channels.
While having multiple client communication channels is a good rule of thumb, focusing on the most predominant one is also a great idea.
For instance, businesses catering mostly to the millennial demographic may choose to invest more time and attention to live chat and online communication channels.
In contrast, businesses serving older clients may need to focus more on in-person and telephone communication.
6. Make it personal.
Clients love it when companies make things personal. A simple tactic companies use is to address emails by name. Instead of saying “Dear Customer,” addressing a customer by their name, such as “Dear Mary,” makes an enormous difference.
Also, it is highly important to keep client demographics in mind. This approach includes personalizing content to suit clients’ specific tastes.
For example, younger clients prefer more visual content such as video. Thus, companies may communicate with their clients on video platforms such as YouTube.
Conversely, older clients generally prefer to read. Therefore, publishing a regular newsletter can go a long way toward personalizing client communication.
7. Think things through.
It is easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment. In particular, busy customer support agents may respond to client queries while on “auto-pilot.” However, doing so may have a detrimental effect on overall client communication.
First, it is crucial to consider responses carefully before hitting “send.” Taking an extra moment to go over responses can save a bundle of time down the road.
Also, avoiding typos and grammar mistakes is a must. Typos and language errors give clients a terrible image of a company or brand.
A good way to avoid these issues is to use automated spelling and grammar check tools to avoid making embarrassing mistakes.
8. Focus on the little things.
Little things add up. For example, sending personalized birthday emails can go a long way toward fostering a positive relationship between a company and its clients.
Additionally, friendly and polite interactions make a significant difference.
While these elements may seem par for the course, they often get overlooked. Paying attention to minor details can take client communication to a new level.
It pays to take the time to focus on the little things. The best part is that the little things compound a company’s overall client communication efforts.
How can a writing agency help companies boost their client communication?
A great deal of client communication hinges on scripts, automated messages, and pre-recorded statements. As a result, these messages must be “perfect.” Even a slight grammatical or semantic mistake can become fodder for negative press.
A writing agency can help companies boost their client communications by ensuring they produce top-notch materials. For instance, high-quality product descriptions, newsletters, or blog posts can go a long way toward helping companies boost their communication.
Consider these examples:
A writing agency helps a company produce its weekly newsletter. Instead of tapping an already busy staff member, the company uses a professional writing agency to produce high-quality, informative materials.
A writing agency produces how-to blog posts that guide customers using the brand’s products. These blog posts communicate the company’s value proposition while cementing its brand positioning.
A writing agency carefully crafts customer service scripts and automated messages to ensure they capture the company’s vision and address client expectations accordingly.
A writing agency can quickly become a trusted partner in ensuring effective client communication. Why take chances when a vetted writing agency can take the guesswork out of building a solid relationship between clients and companies?
With much of the world’s communication going online, it is becoming harder and harder to keep a human touch. The emergence of artificial intelligence has prompted many businesses to implement automated client communication tools. The human touch, however, is still an important consideration. Ultimately, companies must strive to incorporate as much human connection as possible, even when client communication increasingly occurs over digital channels.
Keeping a company’s web content current, relevant, and thought-provoking to potential clients is a 24/7 job. The task is much simpler when you outsource it to a competent agency whose job is to create superb internet material for you.
Your web-based content is simply better, there is more of it, and it is up-to-the-minute. Outsourcing has advantages.
Still, important questions remain. Will an agency’s writers convey your company’s distinctive voice and style in all your content? How do aquality agency’s methods help it achieve that goal? And how can you help?
Hire a writing agency: content writers as partners
Before considering how to keep your branding consistent when using an agency, consider the size of the shift North American companies have made toward outsourcing content, and some of the rationale behind that shift.
According to a 2020 study conducted by Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs, “50% of all [study] respondents outsource at least some of their content marketing, with content creation topping the list of outsourced content marketing activities for all respondents (84%).”
In a January 2021 article for Forbes, Amine Rahal touched on the thinking behind the trend:
To compete with the big dogs, your website needs a sound marketing strategy that involves a near-constant supply of high-quality, error-free, relevant, and search-engine-optimized content. If you’re running a website yourself, good luck managing all of that while also juggling all the other responsibilities of being a webmaster and business owner. Even with an in-house team of content creators, you might find that you’re too budget-constrained to rival the output of your competitors. Or your existing team simply isn’t producing the results necessary to hit your search engine optimization (SEO) targets.
In effect, you expand and improve your capacities when you outsource content creation to a team of capable writers. (And you do so without paying salaries, benefits, and tax contributions for content writers, as you do for your employees.)
Your SMEs are great at what they do. After all, they’re your experts. But they may not be expert writers or have time to write web content.
An adept agency’s content writers will interact respectfully with the SMEs you choose to get the information they need to ace your content.
Its writers are good at asking the most pertinent questions and making those interactions pleasant and efficient.
They can do lots of research when it is needed, and they consistently meet deadlines. Even very large projects are not a problem for a well-staffed writing agency. Its staff will consult with your key employees to prioritize the pieces of your project, then bring in as many writers and editors as needed to complete them on deadline.
Your outsourced writers and editors will work with enthusiasm, making collaboration enjoyable. As in other businesses—like yours—a nimble agency’s content writers love what they do because it is what they do best.
Outsource content of many types
A competent agency’s writers deliberately maintain the look and sound of your company’s brand throughout all your content. (Or even help you change it up if that is your goal.) The agency will consult with you and your staff to identify your brand’s voice and then reproduce it in each of your content categories.
Your company’s website
Building or rebuilding your website is an enormous project. A sizeable writing agency with a process in place can handle any size corporate website construction or revision.
When you hire a writing agency with a diversity of expertise within its staff, it will assign writers and editors who already know or will quickly learn about your industry and your place in it.
They don’t mind doing all the reading it takes to get to know your company and the terms and lingo used to describe its products or services.
Many are trained journalists. They know the art of the interview; how to ask defining questions about your business, branding, customers, and your goals for your site.
Working with your departmental leaders and SMEs, agency writing teams create to-the-point content for your website’s pages, retaining your unique voice and style.
They also coordinate with your web designer on the structure of your site, choice of images, and the placement of all your content, so your customers can find what they came for and enjoy the experience.
These decisions are as important to your branding as word choice.
Blogs
In no place is your brand’s voice more important than in your company’s blog posts. They are a personal conversation with your customer.
When you hire a writing agency with a depth of experience to create them, you hire a team of writers that understands this and will work with you to ensure your blog speaks with your company’s voice to your target client.
As Entrepreneur contributor Bhavik Sarkhedi recently wrote, “The essence of a blog is very important for a company as it is the narrative of the product and serves as a testament of the quality and reliability of the brand.”
Scannable, visually captivating blogs will grab your readers’ attention.
Before writing them, agency content writers will interview your SMEs, cull the highlights of what they learn to formulate headlines and subheads, and consult with your SMEs on images and graphics.
Social media campaigns
Creating and unifying your firm’s messaging across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and elsewhere in the social media universe requires time and talent. Making and remaking meaningful connections with your customers on these platforms often is vital to staying relevant in your market.
Hire a writing agency that prioritizes understanding your company and its voice, so your posts look and sound authentic. One whose writers and editors know social media well and are practiced in writing for each platform. Your messages need to be finessed to fit their locations.
Of course, you don’t just want readers of your social media posts, you want responders! Outsource your social media content writing to an agency that knows the art of getting visitors to respond to your posts and share them (free advertising!)
Wikipedia
Wikipedia gets a lot of traffic, often catching readers on the first page of their search results. Do you want your companyto contribute to its online topical library?
Do you know Wikipedia’s rules and what types of topics the site will accept? Savvy content writers do.
When you outsource content writing for your Wikipedia articles, you coordinate with agency writers to select topics. You also enlist their help with research, if needed. They work hard to integrate your voice, and you approve the finished product after they make any changes you request.
E-Books
To share your thoughts via an e-book and make creating one a painless—even pleasant—process, you and your SMEs first share your thoughts with content writers who will help you (if necessary) home in on a topic. In this process, you settle on a book that will attract your customers’ attention—one that answers their pressing questions and provides the solutions they need.
A crackerjack agency’s writing teams have worked across a spectrum of industries, so they easily adapt to your company’s specialties. They understand—or understand how to find—the kinds of specifics your e-book needs to include.
If you already have a manuscript for your e-book, hire a writing agency’s expert editors to perfect its grammar, spelling, and flow before it makes a public appearance on your website. They also understand the use of graphics and are skilled at helping you choose or create images that support the book’s text.
These professionals ensure your e-book cuts to the chase with your message—as digital content needs to do—with headlines and subheads that keep potential clients’ interest while keeping your voice and style.
Traffic-Building
That is, of course, what you want all of your web content to do—bring traffic—the customer/client-type, to your site. And grab your visitors’ interest when they get there.
When you outsource content writing for each element of your web content to a talented writing agency, you hire a team of skilled writers and editors who share your goals. The team works with you to identify, reach, inform and impress your target readers.
There are some practical steps you can take as a business owner or executive to get your partnership with a writing agency off to a great start and ensure its success.
Provide an outline
Writersmarketing.com suggests that business clients start a piece of writing by providing their ghostwriters (unnamed content writers) with an outline that will help clarify what they want to say.
This is a real option, either when getting started with an agency or as a consistent way of working with your agency’s writing teams.
Provide a guide
One of the greatest ways you can help your hired writing agency is by providing your outsourced content writers with a style guide, either one that exists or (preferably) one that you make up to suit your brand’s preferences. Your marketing department can write up a style sheet or guide to be used for each type of content.
Alternatively, you or your marketers can simply instruct the writing agency verbally on your guidelines and ask for a written copy of your instructions to be sure all is clear.
Your guide can specify elements that make your content scannable—such as short paragraphs, frequent subheads, and bullets.
It can stipulate the use or non-use of certain punctuation; a formal or informal tone; and slang words to use or avoid.
It can indicate the types and numbers of images writers should use for each type of content.
It can require frequent links or a specific number of links per section of copy.
As your outsourced content writers “get the hang” of writing in your style, they probably won’t often need to refer to the guidelines but establishing them is a good place to start your collaborative relationship.
Establish a system of communication
When you choose a writing agency for your large or small content writing projects, be sure it is one that communicates effectively, frequently, and precisely.
Once hired, depending on the size of your project, a writing agency may offer options from phone calls to Skype or Zoom sessions to project management software such as Wrike. This type of software allows for projects to be shared at various stages and lets you make changes or request changes at each stage.
Using a skilled team of outsourced content writers with whom you communicate well, your online content will grow in both volume and effectiveness, to accomplish its marketing mission.
“When the customer comes first, the customer will last.”— Walt Disney
Attracting customers is one of the biggest challenges companies face. Keeping them is an even bigger one.
After all, customers are the lifeline of all businesses.
When companies successfully care for customers, they not only attract new customers but also retain them. While attracting customers is pivotal to ensuring success, retaining them is even more so. Thus, the question becomes, “How can companies retain customers?”
In this discussion, we will focus on the importance of customer retention. Moreover, we will explore five ways to use content for customer retention.
What is customer retention?
Customer retention boils down to keeping existing customers by selling to them repeatedly.
In other words, customer retention is about keeping customers coming back.
Moreover, customer retention is crucial since it means a company’s customers do not purchase from competitors.
On the whole, customer retention is one of the most effective strategies that businesses can use to boost revenue and improve their bottom lines.
The question, nevertheless, lies in understanding why customer retention is such an important part of successful business management.
Consider this fact:
The likelihood of selling to a new customer ranges between 5% and 20%. The probability of selling to existing customers jumps to 60% to 70%, according to consulting firm Invesp.
Indeed, the data shows that it is much easier to sell to existing customers than to attract new ones.
So, what does this mean for companies?
It implies that businesses must focus on the most effective customer retention strategies available. While there are several, there is one that stands out.
What is the most effective customer retention strategy?
Customer acquisition (new customers) and retention (existing ones) hinge on a company or brand’s ability to deliver value during every interaction. Often, delivering value means providing useful and actionable information without selling anything.
Unfortunately, most advertisers get it wrong. They believe effective marketing is about pitching products and services every opportunity they get.
However, great advertising provides customers with value without “selling” them a product or service.
The best marketing strategies focus on relieving customer pain points by helping customers discover how they can solve their pain points.
Brands can help customers relieve their pain points by delivering relevant content. This content enables customers to solve their pain points while the brand provides them with the tools to do so (i.e., products and services).
Content marketing allows companies to consistently deliver useful and valuable information without “selling” to customers.
Content marketing is a powerful tool that allows businesses to maintain a two-way conversation with customers. Most important, content marketing gives companies the flexibility to tailor their message to customers’ needs.
As companies address their customers’ needs, they build trust in their brands. And trust is an extremely valuable commodity in today’s business landscape.
According to a 2019 survey, 81% of consumers indicated that trust determined their purchasing decisions. Therefore, it is paramount for marketers to build trust through an ongoing dialogue. Content marketing is the key to facilitating this ongoing interaction between brands and consumers.
Considering that content marketing fosters ongoing communication, it is worthwhile to explore five ways in which content marketing helps boost customer retention.
1. Direct Email Marketing
According to some figures, 81% of customer acquisition happens through direct email. Additionally, direct email marketing leads to 52% of customer retention.
How exactly does email marketing lead to customer acquisition and retention?
First, it is worth considering how direct email marketing does not work.
A common misconception is to view direct email marketing as sending subscribers a list of sales and promotions.
However, direct email marketing goes beyond alerting subscribers of new deals. Successful email campaigns involve delivering useful and relevant tidbits that benefit subscribers.
Content marketing plays a key role in delivering value at every turn.
Consider this approach:
A brand sends out a weekly email newsletter. The newsletter contains information topics that interest customers. In particular, there is no direct mention of sales or promotions. Customers get a free newsletter filled with relevant information they can use as they wish. At the end of the newsletter, customers receive an invitation to check out the website, where they can find more information about the brand’s products.
In this example, the band has avoided sounding salesy. Moreover, the brand has made every effort to remain present in customers’ minds by building trust.
How is it possible?
Customers know the brand is real because the information it provides has been useful time and time again.
Direct email marketing works. It does not matter if emails go out daily, weekly, monthly, or even annually. What matters is that the information helps relieve customer pain points without overtly attempting to push any products or services.
2. How-to Guides
How-to guides are a great way for companies to target their customers without “selling” them anything. Brands use how-to guides to approach their customers by offering free, actionable advice. In particular, how-to guides deliver value by allowing the target audience to learn a useful skill.
Here is something important to consider:
How-to guides help brands sell to customers by enabling them to see the company’s products in action.
For example, a hardware brand issues a series of how-to guides on common household repairs. In addition to branding, the company features its products throughout the demonstrations.
This approach creates a two-pronged effect.
First, customers get free, valuable information they can use in their everyday lives. Second, the brand showcases its products. Then, the brand encourages customers to purchase its products for their home repair projects.
Indeed, how-to guides provide a straightforward way of selling products without pushing them on customers. Moreover, how-to guides help boost customer retention as customers keep coming back to learn more.
Using how-to guides ultimately becomes a win-win for all sides.
3. Whitepapers
Whitepapers are detailed research documents that offer in-depth information and analysis about a product, situation, or problem.
As such, brands can use whitepapers to raise awareness or offer a solution to a specific situation.
Please note that whitepapers do not aim to sell anything at all. Whitepapers aim to draw the public’s attention to a specific matter.
The selling occurs when the brand offers a solution to the situation discussed.
Consider this situation:
A renewable energy brand publishes a whitepaper on the dangers of fossil fuels and their impact on the climate of its local community. The whitepaper’s purpose is to raise awareness about reducing energy consumption. Moreover, the whitepaper highlights how renewable energy can help build a more sustainable future.
Where does selling occur?
Based on solid academic research, the brand suggests that solar panels are a viable alternative to traditional fossil fuels.
The brand then encourages customers to learn more about solar panels on its website and YouTube channel. The link to the brand’s website showcases its line of solar panels, including product information and pricing.
In this example, it is clear that the brand aims to raise awareness on a serious matter while drawing the public’s attention to its product.
There is one caveat, however, that brands must consider. Whitepapers are serious business. Therefore, whitepapers must contain serious, accurate information based on trusted sources.
Unfounded claims will most assuredly defeat the whitepaper’s purpose and call the brand’s integrity into question.
4. Product Information and Reviews
Product information and reviews are highly useful, particularly when brands have an extensive product catalog.
Specifically, product information and reviews help customers determine what products suit their needs best. This approach allows brands to highlight their products while allowing customers to select the products they truly need.
Here is a great example:
A paint manufacturer has an extensive line of interior and exterior paints, wood finishing, sealants, varnishes, and spray paints. The manufacturer publishes a product guide containing a detailed description of each product line and its application. In addition, the guide contains product reviews from real customers. Each review highlights each product’s best features and useful applications.
Why is this content marketing strategy successful?
This strategy delivers highly useful information because it saves customers time.
With this guide, customers do not need to go to a local shop to get the information they need. They can read the guide to get detailed information.
Nevertheless, the brand encourages its customers to visit their local shops to get more details and purchase products.
Product guides, catalogs, and brochures are useful for communicating with customers, especially when this documentation does not aim to “sell” anything. Their sole purpose is to educate customers on how the brand’s products can help solve specific pain points.
5. E-books
E-books are highly successful ways brands can communicate with their customers. In particular, e-books provide truly relevant information on any number of subjects.
Furthermore, e-books come in many sizes. They can range from a handful of pages to a relatively substantial size.
Consider this example:
A psychological counseling clinic publishes a series of e-books on various mental and emotional issues. The purpose is to inform and educate the public. The e-books are free to download from the clinic’s website.
Here is the catch:
Each e-book contains a disclaimer stating that it does not constitute medical advice. Those wishing to get medical advice must seek help directly from a qualified professional. The book then suggests contacting the professionals at the clinic.
Why is this strategy successful?
It is successful because the book does not openly ask readers to sign up for any services or purchase anything.
The clinic suggests that readers seek professional help if needed. Then, the e-book provides the clinic’s contact information
Using e-books is a great way of reaching the public without being salesy. Moreover, e-books are a great way to boost customer retention as they help build trust in a brand. Therefore, using e-books as a consistent strategy allows brands to reach their customers without needing to pitch their products and services directly.
How can a ghostwriter help a brand’s content marketing strategy?
Producing top-quality content marketing materials is a painstaking endeavor. It requires dedicated attention to detail to ensure accurate and relevant information.
However, brands and companies may lack specialized expert writers. In this regard, a professional ghostwriter can ride to the rescue.
A professional ghostwriter can work in tandem with a company’s incumbent experts to produce high-quality materials such as brochures, product guides, e-books, how-to guides, blog posts, or social media materials.
Moreover, a ghostwriter’s overall experience and skillset can become a considerable asset to any brand’s content marketing strategy.
While hiring a ghostwriter is a great idea, hiring a ghostwriting agency may be a worthwhile consideration.
How so?
A ghostwriting agency typically consists of a team of experienced and talented writers. On the whole, different writers bring different skillsets and areas of expertise to the table.
Consequently, hiring a ghostwriting agency may become a highly useful strategy, particularly for brands looking to implement a far-reaching content marketing strategy.
Hiring a professional ghostwriter or ghostwriting team is a cost-effective way to produce useful and relevant content consistently.
After all, customers want to consume material from a trusted source. With effective content marketing, brands can become those trusted sources of valuable information.
Consistency is the most important factor when it comes to successful content marketing.
Regardless of publishing frequency (i.e., daily, weekly), brands must remain consistent in their publishing schedule.
Tasking incumbent staff members may limit a brand’s ability to publish on a regular schedule. Consequently, hiring a ghostwriter or ghostwriting agency is the ideal means of staying on a regular publishing schedule.
Brands must consider enlisting the services of a professional ghostwriter to ensure they reach their customers consistently.
Please remember that consistency is one of the pillars on which trust relies.
Have you ever searched online and found a website that may have what you are looking for, only to exit immediately either because it was aesthetically unappealing or loaded too slowly?
Your website is an excellent place for customers to learn about your business. It serves as your online home front that you can update to fit your needs.
However, even the slightest unpleasantries on your site can have prospective customers exiting before they learn anything about your business.
To help ensure that your website is both visually appealing and user friendly, we’ve put together a list of four must have design principles to guide you.
4 Basic Elements Every Website Needs
1. Design
Having clear, simple intentions on each page will create a user-friendly experience. Fresh looking and easy to access is always the route to take when designing a website.
Here are some terrific examples that show clean layouts. Clean does not mean boring: Use colors, textures, and illustrations to help create your business’s online personality.
Adidas uses black and white as the primary colors while sprinkling in other colors to bring the site to life. Notice how easy it is to access different products.
Calvin Klein is another example of using black and white as primary colors. Notice the size of the images and text.
It can be challenging to add a large amount of text and images to your site without it becoming overwhelming to your audience. Greenpeace is an example of a site with a tremendous amount of information laid out in a way browsing customers don’t want to hit the back arrow quickly.
2. Color
Color can effectively communicate your company’s message while invoking an emotional response.
Your color scheme influences visitors’ moods and how they perceive your business.
When deciding on colors for your website, try to keep your selection limited to just three colors.
Too many colors can overwhelm visitors, and make your site look overly busy.
As with color, imagery can trigger emotion and send a clear company message. The images you choose for your site can directly impact conversion rates. Below are helpful hints for the pictures that help websites find the most success:
Use relevant images. Original images have a much more substantial impact than stock photos, which could make potential customers feel distrustful. (Usually, web development agencies use an excess of stock images.) Use pictures of your product, your staff, and your business.
Use infographics. Images are more than just photos. Infographics can showcase facts or statistics about your business.
Use images and videos of your employees. Allow prospective customers to feel connected to you. People want to put a face on the business. Show visitors what you do. Do you build homes? Show pictures and videos of your team in action. If your service doesn’t produce tangible items, show images of employees doing what they do best. Are you a tutoring service? Show your teachers interacting with students. If you don’t produce a tangible item, videos can effectively highlight why you are more valuable than your competitors.
Use icons. Icons are a terrific element to integrate into your site. Icons are essentially visual representations of words, and studies have shown that images engage web browsers much more than words.
4. Type
Typography is part of the visual analysis and plays a crucial role in the perception of your brand.
Someone not well versed in web design would not give too much thought to typefaces.
However, typefaces effectively communicate various values that should line up with your brand messaging.
As a general rule, use a maximum of three fonts on your website.
Too many different fonts interrupt the visual design, creating an unpleasant experience for customers.
Fonts with open letterforms like Georgia and Proxima are easiest to read on computer or phone screens.
However, Open Sans is also a popular font that is used widely across websites.
If you are updating or adding to your site, you already have your domain. However, the domain is a critical element for a new business that does not yet have a website.
The domain is the words after “www.” You get a domain from a domain registrar. Your web developer will handle this part for you.
There are several generic top-level domains (gTLDs) like .com, .org, and .net. You hear these referred to as extensions.
Your domain name is the first impression a customer receives about your business. It helps your business’s credibility.
If the name you want is already taken and used with a gTLD, you are better off changing the name versus using a ccTLD (country code top-level domain) like .io, .us, and .eu, unless you are a geo-based brand. These domains tend to not look credible to consumers.
The best domain is an exact-match domain name with a .com extension. Below are tips to help you decide on your domain name:
Consider search engine value. Every company’s goal is to rank high with Google, and there are several ways to make that happen; however, in this article, we are sticking with how your domain name helps with search engine value. If your domain name offers value to the customer and includes a .com, you will likely have a higher search engine value.
Keep it short and unique. If you cannot get an exact-match domain, keep your domain name memorable by making it short and unique. Any name longer than 15 characters will be challenging for customers to remember.
Steer clear of hyphens and numbers. You want your domain name to be straightforward and catchy. Incorporating hyphens and numbers make it less straightforward and catchy, and can result in users entering the wrong website address.
Emphasize branding. Your domain name is an opportunity to improve brand recognition. For example, if your company offers online tutoring for young children, kidtutors.com would be a great domain name. This domain name works well with advertising efforts and is unique and easy to remember.
Hosting
Web hosting supplies a secure place online that makes your website’s content accessible to users.
If digital marketing or web development is not your forte, you probably haven’t given hosting much thought.
There are over 300,000 web hosting providers worldwide.
And just as not every website is equal, neither is every web hosting company.
You have a choice of hosting environments: Virtual Private Server (VPS), dedicated server hosting, cloud hosting, managed hosting, colocation, and shared hosting. Web hosting is the most critical part of developing your website.
Building your site on the wrong host is like building a house on a fault line. You won’t notice anything wrong initially, but as time passes, your site begins experiencing difficulties, ranging from slow load speed to technical glitches and lack of security.
Here are some considerations when selecting a host for your website:
Secure Host Provider. Security is a huge ranking factor for Google. Unsecure web hosting can be the death of your SEO. Although you can take a proactive stance to secure your website, such as keeping software up to date and using complex passwords, a good hosting service will simplify everything.
Site Load Speed. A slow site load speed is another deadly SEO disease for your site. How quickly your pages load has a significant impact on your Google ranking and website traffic. How often have you come across a site that wouldn’t load and just clicked out? Shared hosting plans don’t manage their server loads often enough, and some do not at all. You must be aware of how often your host manages server loads.
Frequent Backups. A good web host will regularly back up your database. This is relevant because your host can restore it immediately if you are hacked or your site goes down. Without frequent backups, you can lose everything.
Scalability. As your business grows, your traffic volume increases. Scalable hosting is how bandwidth and storage are added to meet your growing needs. Make sure the provider you choose can keep up with increased demands. Once your website is well established, you do not want to change hosts.
The Bottom Line
Creating an effective website requires knowledge of the basics of website development.
From understanding color psychology to choosing the right hosting environment, arming yourself with a foundational understanding of the principles of design and development will take your online storefront to higher levels.
