The story usually goes like this…

You did your research, hired a professional web designer to build you a website, and now he/she is finished and wants to get paid.  But you tell him/her that it’s not finished; there’s no content! So, you write the content yourself, get it uploaded to the site and give the green light to launch.  But now you’re wondering why no one can find your website in search engines.  You’re not even coming up for your business name and/or your products and services.

In a panic, you call the web designer and tell them that your website’s broken, or maybe it’s the search engines that aren’t working.  The web designer knows what the problem is: the site’s not optimized for search engines; it doesn’t have the content that users and search engines find relevant.  “But you assumed that was part of the deal,” you say in a high pitched tone.  “How can I generate business if no one can find me?” Calmly, the web designer informs you that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is another matter and service altogether.  They may even offer SEO Copywriting as an additional service, or know someone that does (ahem!).

This is usually where we come into the picture.  Being specialists in writing web and SEO-friendly content means getting calls from clients and web designers (usually post-design) that realize they need content; more specifically, web content that will get their site indexed, ranked and found by their target audience. Sounds simple enough, right?

So simple, in fact, that one would think that the call for content would come pre-design: one can dream, right?  The fact is that oftentimes, the content portion of most websites is relegated to the 11th hour; an afterthought; the Rodney Dangerfield of the website process, getting little or no respect.  But I digress.

You’ve come to the realization that search engines value quality content and perhaps it’s time to speak to someone that can fill the bill (ahem!).

But before you make the call, know the objective(s) that you want your website to achieve and be prepared to answer a few questions.  For example:
1. What do you want the content/copy to do for you? (i.e. inform, educate, sell)
2. What is the product/service that you’re promoting?
3. Who is your audience?
4. What action do you want them to take?
5. Where do they live?
6. What are the keywords/phrases they’d use to search for you and your products/services? 
7. Who are your main competitors?
8. What is your unique selling proposition?

A professional web writer will be able to craft your answers into compelling copy that will help you achieve your business goals, satisfy search engines and deliver an attractive ROI.  The end result?  A contented client.

Ray Litvak
Professional Web Writer Toronto

As a web writer, I’m often asked by clients and prospects what the difference is between a ‘Home Page’ and an ‘About Us’ page: the answer is easy – about $150.00.

But seriously, there are differences.  For the sake of brevity, this post will cover ‘About Us’ page best practices.  ‘Home Page’ best practices will follow shortly after.

About The ‘About Us’ Page
Unless you’re a corporate powerhouse with almost universal brand awareness – think Wal-Mart, FedEx and General Motors (before the bankruptcy) – chances are that not everyone knows who you are or what you do, especially new visitors to your website:  Enter the ‘About Us’ page.

A good ‘About Us’ page, also known as the ‘About’ and ‘Who We Are’ and ‘Company Information’ pages provides visitors to your website with an overview of your company, answering basic questions such as:
• What do you do?
• Who are you?
• Why do you do it?
• What is your purpose?
• Ginger or Mary Ann?

Effectively answering these questions helps to increase your credibility and if written well, helps prospects to take the next logical step.

Details
Depending on the level of detail you delve into, and whether you are a private or public company, it may also include (in no particular order) your company’s:
• Tagline
• History
• Experience
• Mission
• Key Staff
• Competitive Differentiators
• News/Events
• Awards
• Corporate Governance
• Community Involvement
• Goals
• Accomplishments
• Values
• Associations/Affiliations
• Warranties/Guarantees
• Specialties
• Size of Business
• Call To Action

Smaller and newer companies may be able to get all of this information on one page.  For example, Canadian Auto Electric – a Toronto based Auto Electric Manufacturer – does a nice job of providing an overview of who they are and what they do, all on one page.

Larger and more established companies with an abundance of corporate information may implement ‘Subordinate Pages’ and/or ‘About Us’ page links so as not to overwhelm visitors.  One such company, Canadian Tire, does this well.

In conclusion, a good ‘About Us’ page sheds a positive light on your company while also informing visitors to your site of what it is that you do, and more importantly, why they should choose you.

Happy Writing

Ray Litvak
Professional Web Writer ~ Toronto, Ontario Canada
www.writingwebwords.com

Ever wonder why your competitor(s) outranks you in search engines? Want to know how to get listed in Google Local?   Want to know if you’ll ever find true love?

For answers to the first 2 questions, visit Search Engine Strategies’ (SES) Toronto 2009 Conference & Expo at the Sheraton Centre from June 8-10:  Entering its sixth year in Toronto and part of a multi-city travelogue, it truly is the answer to your search engine fantasies.

It’s all there…Everything you’d ever want to know about search, from driving traffic to your website, to page rank, link building and more; a smorgasbord of everything Search Engine optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM), along with other search-specific Three Letter Acronyms (TLAs).  And for those that want to talk in TLA, there’s a course just for you, aptly named How to Speak Geek.

SES Toronto features informative seminars, lectures and workshops from some of the industries best and brightest.  And with over 50 guest speakers, this 3 day search-fest is shaping up to be one of the biggest and best yet.

For those unable to attend, the next best thing is to call or E-mail someone (ahem) who knows something about this stuff.

Ray Litvak
Web Content Developer ~ Toronto, Ontario Canada
www.writingwebwords.com

You’ve got to hand it to Google.  Not content to corner the market as the most popular search engine in the universe, they now offer another in a series of innovative and soon to be indispensable features.    The latest idea is to now incorporate search queries via local area parameters that will make results pages region specific and thus, even more relevant.

This may not sound like much of an advancement, but in reality it is, and is yet another means by which Google continues to set the search bar higher.

By profiling and analyzing user queries, Google found that many searches are location specific.  What they finally realized however, was that location specific results are only provided if the user searches using location in the search query; any Toronto Googler worth their salt knows that looking for a good sushi bar or auto repair shop in Toronto will only show local results if you include the word Toronto in the query. 

 Not the case anymore…

To address this issue, Google now includes regional specific information regardless of whether you specify your location in the search request.

In a nutshell, Google will now match search results by linking your IP (Internet Protocol) address with a general geographic region, and will offer local area results via Google maps even if you don’t identify your location in the request.  

For example, entering the term Starbucks in www.google.ca brings up a list of local Starbucks locations in the (416), funny enough, where I happen to live.

As cool - some may say creepy - as that is, you can also use the ‘change location’ link above the map display to further refine your results.  The whole idea is to make searching for information as intuitive and relevant as possible.

Happy Searching

Ray Litvak
Web Content Development ~ Toronto, Ontario Canada
www.writingwebwords.com

Also known as User Generated Content, UGC is the online version of ‘Word-of-Mouth’ marketing and can be found on popular retail sites such as Amazon.com.  In fact, a book I recently read (Eats, Shoots & Leaves) has generated 546 Amazon reviews to date.

Another web property leveraging UGC is Google.  For example, a Google search for ‘Hotels Toronto’  profiles 10 ‘Local Listings’ on the first page.  To the right of these listings are reviews, with the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel boasting 614 Google local reviews to date.

Any website offering a product or service can benefit from Used Generated Content. As Nielsen Online notes, “Consumers place far more trust in fellow consumers than they do in traditional marketers and advertisers.”  Bazarrevoice.com extols the virtues of UGC in various case studies.  Benefits can include higher search engine rankings, enhanced usability, longer visits and higher conversion rates.

Naturally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the ugly side of UGC.  For instance, companies that fail to meet consumer expectations, or ignore complaints, can easily become UGC refugees.  Case in point:  Consumer complaint sites like The Squeaky Wheel, forums and blogs provide public outlets for consumers to vent.  Worse yet, online complaints often appear in search engine results for everyone to see, including prospects, potential employees and more.

For those that earn the wrath of irate bloggers and posters, consider reading Radically Transparent: Monitoring and Managing Reputations Online (14 Amazon reviews to date). For those interested in building UGC into their content mix, consider applications such as Forums, Blogs and Interactive FAQ’s.

Ray Litvak
Search Engine Writer ~ Toronto, Ontario Canada
www.writingwebwords.com

SEO Copywriting has its challenges, especially when a similar industry or service is referred to by different terms.

Case in point:  we recently re-wrote the website content for a client offering Bad Credit Car Loans in Toronto.  A key term that the client wanted to rank for was ‘Car Loans in Toronto’, which seems straightforward.  But like most things SEO related, is not the case.

For example, keyword research revealed that those searching for this service also used alternate search phrases, including:
 Car Loan in Toronto (singular version of Car Loans)
 Car Loan Toronto (removing the word ‘in’)
 Auto Loan Toronto (Auto = synonym for Car)
 Vehicle Financing Toronto (Vehicle Financing = synonym for Auto Loan)

Alternate search phrases, although similar in context, produce different search results.  In a nutshell, by not using the above phrases, the client may miss out on qualified consumers when they’re ready to buy.

Finding alternate search phrases means digging below the surface; using synonyms, singular and plural versions of your keywords and wisely working them into your metadata, website content and link text.

Luckily, online tools exist that can help you find alternate search phrases resulting in a wider marketing funnel, more qualified traffic and better search engine rankings for your site.

Two popular fee-based tools are Wordtracker and Keyworddiscovery.  If you like free (who doesn’t), try Google’s Keyword Suggestion Tool and/or Wordstream’s free keyword tool.

Happy Writing,

Ray Litvak
www.writingwebwords.com
Website Content Writer - Toronto

‘Tis the season to spread some cheer, for some of my fellow Netizens, perhaps even buy a beer.

The cheer I’m speaking of is that of Google Local.  For those that have yet to partake, it’s worth a look, and more. 

In a nutshell, or roasted chestnut, it’s a tool that Google offers to anyone with a Google account.  It helps if you have a website that you want to promote: Even more helpful if you’re a business with multiple locations in a specific region.  For example, do a search on Google for ‘Starbucks Toronto’. 

Such is the gift that keeps on Googling.

Tired of the puns?  Want to get listed in Google Local and Optimize your site for local search?  If so, read on…

Ray Litvak
www.writingwebwords.com
Online CopyWriter Toronto Ontario Canada
 

It pays to browse through The Google Webmaster Central Blog on occasion.  You just never know when you’ll come across a Google gem.  For example, they recently created and distributed a document called Google’s SEO Starter Guide.

As the title implies, it’s SEO 101 for Google Website Optimization, but many of their recommendations should translate into positive results for other Search Engines: There are other search engines after all, right?

Some suggestions are just common sense, while others are excellent reminders for those familiar with and new to SEO; for example:

• Creating unique and accurate ‘page titles’ for every page on your site
• Making proper use of your ‘meta description tags’
• Structuring and optimizing URLs
• Navigation and usability guidelines 
• Website Writing tips 
• And More…

It’s curious to note that there is no mention of ‘meta keywords tags’, which would lead one to conclude that Google pays them no attention at all. 

And for those more experienced SEOs interested in Optimizing Flash for Organic Search Results, check out Dan Morris’ article in Search Engine Land.

Ray Litvak
www.writingwebwords.com
Website Writer Toronto Ontario Canada
 

The answer to the question should be based on ‘user intent’.  More to the point, the purpose of your website and who you are trying to attract.

For example, if your website is about promoting music, and/or if you are The Apple iTunes store, it’s a safe bet that people are going to your site to listen to and download music.  If you are a plastic surgeon and your site is about attracting new patients, music may not be welcome or appropriate.

In many cases, music on websites results in high use of the ‘back button’.

Still thinking about music for your non-music based website?  Consider the following scenarios:

1. Office Surfing: in other words, surfing while working.  With ‘Born To Be Wild’ blaring in the background of the latest site you visit, the boss may catch on that you’re not really working; unless you work for Harley Davidson.  

2. Shock and Awe: it’s a fact; innocent web surfers love nothing better than to unsuspectingly stumble upon these ’sound mines’, especially with their computer volume turned on.

3. The Law: besides annoying innocents, as a website owner, your selection of website music may put you at risk of ‘Copyright Infringement’.

4. The Cheese Factor: as a website owner, you may be trying to set a mood with your music, similar to that found in elevators, shopping malls, department stores and finer public toilets.

Speaking of cheese and an annoying use of website music, give a listen to http://www.milagrorestaurant.com/.  Tylenol not included.

Ray Litvak

www.writingwebwords.com

WebSite Content Writer & Developer - Toronto

When it comes to keeping content new and fresh, many a blogger and webmaster turn to web copywriters to assist them in developing and maintaining fresh copy for their sites.  Sometimes, however, questions arise after content has been paid for.  Who has the right to the content provided by the web copy writer?  Here are a few scenarios to consider when paying for web content.

Is the content yours exclusively?

This is only the case if you have clarified the terms of your agreement.  Often a contract is required to secure exclusive rights to web content provided by a web copy writer.  The terms by which the content was purchased are what need to be questioned in this particular case.

Is the content theirs?

Technically, yes.  Unless you have made an exclusive arrangement using legally binding paperwork, chances are the content and its rights have been reserved by the writer of the content.  Again, contracts and terms of use need to be fully explored when purchasing web content from a web copywriter.

Do they have any claim to the copy since they produced it?

Again, unless terms were agreed upon prior to the exchange of money for services rendered, the point is moot.  Keep in mind that many web copy writers practice their craft regularly and may generate copy that closely resembles what they have produced for you.  This is the nature of developing content for the web.  Things simply get repeated over time.

Non-Disclosure Agreements

The best way to ensure that the content a web copy writer creates for you remains yours exclusively is to have them sign a non-disclosure agreement.  Both parties are protected and the rights are retained by the purchaser of the services, who does not have to disclose where the information was gathered.  Additionally, web copy writers who sign NDA’s are not allowed to discuss the work that they have done for you.

Summing Up

Ultimately, you need to learn about what kind agreement you are getting yourself into before you make it.  Many web copy writers want to retain rights to the copy they have produced; others are willing to sell their work for cold, hard cash.  Find out who and what you’re dealing with before you purchase web content to prevent any issues from arising at a later date.

By-line:
This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of online colleges and universities. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com