“Why do I need a writer for MY industry of expertise?”
These are great questions we get all the time.
And to answer them best, we’ve structured our team with over 90 writers and four core levels (general, expert, specialty, and authority).
We’ve studied Google’s guidelines, and we don’t believe just any writer can write for every industry. ✋
In fact, Google has very specific guidelines around how they measure expertise, authoritativeness, and trust for all industries. Especially when it comes to finance, law, and health, the guidelines Google uses to rate and review content get even stricter. (I wrote about Google’s rating guidelines here on the Write Blog.)
Here’s our belief: Writers do have specialties, and industry expertise — and that absolutely should be matched up to a client and their industry/expertise.
Or, to put it simply, you need a writer who knows your industry like you do to write your content.
There are plenty of reasons why. Let’s go deeper into the top 3 to illustrate why this is so important – for your content, your brand, and your content marketing success. Here’s why you should hire an expert copywriter.
[bctt tweet=”Why hire an expert copywriter? It’s simple: It saves time ⏲, money ?, and headaches ?♀️. More on why you need an industry expert writing your content on the @ExpWriters Write Blog:” username=””]
3 Good Reasons to Hire an Expert Copywriter Who Knows Your Industry
1. You Need the Right E-A-T to Stay on Google’s Good Side
For many industries like healthcare, finance, and law, sharing your expertise online with content is tricky – especially if you’re not writing the content yourself.
The reason? These industries and many others provide high-stakes information to consumers. Giving wrong or erroneous advice could result in major life problems for the people on the receiving end.
Now, your expertise isn’t in question, here. If you already outsource, it’s your content writer you should be worried about.
Even if you give your writer plenty of direction, mistakes happen. And, if they’re not an expert in your industry, those errors are a lot more likely to plague your content.
Unfortunately, Google de-ranking your content and pushing it down to page 10 is the least of the consequences. You’ll also dramatically break your readers’ trust if you give them bad advice or information.
That equates to fleeing leads and potential customers who disappear.
The problem isn’t just rampant in high-stakes industries, either. An inexperienced writer who doesn’t know your industry or your product/service in, say, beauty or pet care or natural living can do just as much damage to your brand reputation.
How?
When your content isn’t written from a place of knowledge and authority, it shows. It will be inaccurate, lacking in substance, forgettable – or all three.
Where does that leave you? With content that constantly needs major edits, rewrites, tweaks, and revisions. It will never be “right” from the get-go, which is a total waste of your time and money.
Your content reflects your brand. Full stop. If your readers notice a disconnect, they’ll stop caring and fall out of your marketing loop. ❌
[bctt tweet=”When your content isn’t written from a place of knowledge and authority, it shows. It will be inaccurate, lacking in substance, forgettable – or all three. It will never be “right” from the get-go. ?” username=”ExpWriters”]
2. You Don’t Have the Skills Necessary to Write Winning Content
Copywriting with finesse and intrigue isn’t a skill you can learn overnight.
If you want to hook readers, hold their attention, and incite action from them (subscribing to your email list and making purchases are two biggies), you have to use copywriting techniques.
The thing is, they take years to hone.
Specific skills, including marketing knowledge and storytelling, give copywriters the ability to appeal to particular target groups, hold their attention, qualify your product or service, and convert readers into buyers.
Formatting is just as important as language, so professional copywriters are well-versed in writing within certain marketing formats and publishing standards.
All this, while simultaneously coming across as professional, intelligent, and convincing, using your brand voice and point of view.
??
Considering every single industry needs digital marketing to stay relevant today, it’s sad that copywriters aren’t more respected. Their skills are VITAL.
But not everyone has them. And not just anyone knows how to write content that succeeds, builds a brand, and creates ROI.
Expert copywriters do — and that’s why you should hire them.
Need I say more?
Interested in learning those copywriting skills yourself? Check out Unlearn Essay Writing, the ultimate course to learn how to write for online audiences.
3. Your Content Needs to Build Trust, Not Break It
The trust you build with customers is ever-changing. Each time they interact with your brand and read your content represents chances to increase that trust quotient.
And more people than ever before are reading content online. In 2020, search traffic nearly doubled from 3.5 billion/day to over 6 billion/day.
80% of people reported consuming content from a brand over the last year – whether they read, watched, or listened.
More people reading content = more chances to attract your target audience.
Once you attract them, it’s key to build trust – not break it.
And trust-building needs two factors to work:
Time – Relationships with customers built on trust take time to grow. Trust isn’t built with one piece of content. It takes many, many pieces of great content (and other good interactions) to solidify trust.
Consistency – Maintaining a consistent presence over time means you show up, again and again and again, with great information. Your content solves problems, entertains, informs, or all three, every single time you publish.
Throw in a few jarring pieces of content – whether they’re poorly-written, full of bad information, or just plain unhelpful or boring – and you’ll throw a huge wrench into your trust-building endeavor.
Here’s another well-known fact. Very few business owners have the time or desire to write, and the finished result usually reflects that fact.
Why waste time doing something you don’t want to do and you know won’t be the high-quality content you need to continue to grow your business?
It’s pretty simple. If you don’t have the time to produce consistent content that meets high standards, you’ll be breaking trust with customers rather than building it. You’d be better off NOT creating content at all.
Enter the expert copywriter.
We have the time and skills you lack to get it done right. A good copywriter can help you drive sales, pull in new traffic, build loyalty, entertain the masses and reflect your professionalism.
We can help drive your success and are integral to help increase your bottom line.
Hire Expert Copywriters. Grow Your Business.
Knowing what you know, which will you choose: the ad-hoc, doing-it-to-save-a-few-bucks non-writer moonlighting as a writer (which, let’s face it, might be you)?…
Or an expert copywriter, who makes their living writing great copy and content?
…We both know the second option is the smart option.
Expert copywriters are passionate about their jobs and love what they do.
They are specialists in their field and have chosen their career because it’s what they want to do.
They understand how to write for online audiences AND Google.
Finally, if you match up with a writer from your industry, you’ll get a pro who will help build trust between you and your audience.
Sure, plenty of people out there say they can write for the web.
But, as the common saying goes, talk is cheap.
How do know when you’ve stumbled on a professional word ninja, or when you’ve been hoodwinked by an upstart money-grubber masquerading as a copywriter?
Luckily, we have some ideas.
Look carefully at their qualifications, both the ones they say they have and the ones that shine through their writing samples.
The best web copywriters will be able to claim all of the skills we have compiled below.
If you’re a copywriter working your way up in the industry, study this list and take note. Having these skills could be the key to nailing your next big gig.
Marketers/agencies: Look for these traits in the next writer you hire.
9 Skills, Traits, and Characteristics the Best Web Copywriters Have in Spades
The best web writers have honed their raw talent and turned it into an occupation where they earn money for every word they set down. Do you (or the web writers you’re hiring) have all the skills on this list?
1. Nimble Creativity
The best web writers need to be able to turn on a dime and write in a completely different style and voice for different clients.
That means their capacity for nimble creativity needs to be very high.
Online writers also need to be able to produce copy and content when that creativity well is drying up. A nimble, can-do attitude is essential, here. Sometimes, you just have to buckle down and get some words out.
The best writers who live and breathe online content will be able to do it and do it well, no matter the circumstances.
2. Research Chops
Research is a huge part of online writing. To underline your authority, you have to prove yourself in your written content and copy.
That means relying on the knowledge and research of others, along with your own. It means citing sources and studies, and providing statistics and evidence that back up your claims.
The online writer who is well-versed in research best-practices, including how to properly cite sources and link to them in content, is indispensable.
3. Strong Understanding of the Basics of Constructing Great Sentences
Writers construct, tweak, and manipulate sentences to get their ideas across clearly. Without the basic ability to craft really good ones, can you call yourself a writer?
This ability includes understanding grammar do’s and don’ts like noun-verb agreement and comma usage, but it also includes knowing how to create a compelling call-to-action, how to write effective meta descriptions, and how to compose a zinger of a headline.
As a copywriter, you need to know which of these is correct. (Source: Grammar Girl)
4. Sales and Online Marketing Knowledge
Does your web writer understand the various stages of the buying cycle/sales funnel? (Have they even heard of a sales funnel?) Do they get how to tailor their words to what the audience knows/doesn’t know at a particular stage?
What about landing page copy? Do they understand how best to craft a page that leads the audience to take action?
If they don’t, they should.
If you’re the writer, according to Content Marketing Institute, your knowledge should be T-shaped.
You need a deep knowledge of content – best-practices that earn traffic, engagement, and conversions, and how to tie in SEO –- that’s a given.
You also need at least a passing understanding of online marketing concepts like technical SEO, UX, press & PR, and analytics.
5. Generalist AND Specialist Expertise
A web copywriter needs to be a jack-of-all-trades and a master of one… Or two.
The former is important for that aforementioned nimbleness factor. You need to be able to pivot from topic to topic without much trouble, research topics if you’re shaky, and write about them like you know what you’re talking about.
That is the power of a skilled generalist writer.
On the other hand, you also need specialist knowledge in at least one topic. This means you have the background to write about that topic from the viewpoint of an expert.
This background can include education, experience, or a mix of the two. A blend of both is a good place to start honing your expertise.
Either way, the best writers can specialize and write with an incredibly authoritative tone for at least one industry.
6. The Power of Persuasion
Persuasive writing is a huge part of online copywriting.
Your readers’ attention spans are shorter than ever (the average currently clocks in at 8 seconds – one second shorter than that of an average goldfish). They’re distracted by every shiny thing that’s blinking at them or screaming in all caps.
They’ll click away from your content faster than you can blink – unless you can persuade them to stay.
This means knowing and using proven writing styles and copywriting formulas that keep visitors glued to the page. It also means formatting your words for maximum ease-of-reading on tiny mobile device screens or headache-inducing computer monitors.
There’s a lot that goes into persuading audiences online, so the copywriter who can do it (and do it well) is worth their weight in gold.
Want to get better at persuasive writing? Check out the work of past and present copywriting giants. Look to David Ogilvy, Joanna Wiebe, Jon Morrow.
A copywriter’s job is to speak to the reader on a deep level. You need to be able to address their hopes, fears, and desires like they’re your own.
The only way to truly get on their wavelength is to empathize with them.
If you have a fair amount of natural empathy, you have an advantage. If you don’t, you can practice it.
Step outside yourself. Put your thoughts and feelings aside.
Imagine trying on the perspective of the person in question, like a pair of glasses. What do you see differently? How do you feel?
Try to stay in that headspace while you write.
You can also try reading lots of books written in the first-person perspective (with lots of “I” language – “I did,” “I said,” “I wanted,” “I tried,” etc.) These narratives literally immerse you in someone else’s thoughts and may help you hone your ability to empathize.
8. Little-to-No Writer Ego
A copywriter’s job is not to get their own writing style airtime. If you’re in the hot seat, your job is not to write the way you want to write.
A copywriter’s job is to get other people’s words out there, and to do it in the best way possible. Copywriters have to write to make their clients sound knowledgeable and interesting, and their products enticing.
They need to write for their clients’ audiences, not their own.
Naturally, many copywriters also have higher writing ambitions. They may have wanted to be a writer from a young age, or have dreams of completing a longer work of fiction or nonfiction under their own name.
For some writers, their motivations for their personal writing career may clash with what’s expected of them (and what’s needed of them) as a copywriter.
If your writer ego is a little too big for its britches (don’t get me wrong – this isn’t a failing; it’s actually what gets many writers published), you may want to rethink copywriting.
Similarly, if you find it very hard to put that ego aside and write with equal verve for clients, you might want to rethink copywriting.
9. Self-Motivation and Determination
These days, most copywriters aren’t hunched over desks in a communal space, writing elbow-to-elbow with their colleagues in a Mad Men-esque office setting.
Instead, most are working from their laptop in a coffee shop or toiling away behind the monitor in their home office. Some even are scraping a living from a seat on their couch in their tiny apartment.
(Take a look at how our remote team here at EW gets down to business. We each have our own personal spaces and methods.)
Needless to say, when you’re working alone with no boss over your shoulder, the chances that you’ll deviate from the task at hand are 10 times – nay, 100 times greater than if you are working in an office with supervision.
That means the best web copywriters are self-motivated, determined, and on-point when it comes to time and work management.
They don’t need constant supervision because they have the skills to stay focused and on-task.
This focus is 100% necessary, especially when an assignment looms that is hard to write. You have to wade through that beast no matter what, and the best copywriters can get through with aplomb.
Without that kind of self-sustaining motivation, you’re sunk as a remote copywriter.
Web Copywriters Who Reach Success Have These 7 Skills in Common
Great web copywriting is an art and a science. You need lots of technical knowledge, but you also need to know how to riff once in a while (and understand when you can riff on the rules).
Arguably, though, these eight base skills serve as the foundation for greatness.
You don’t have to be born with them. You can cultivate them, grow them, and become a bonafide amazing online writer.
So, whether you’re getting your foot in the door or looking for fresh talent to do the writing for you, look for these characteristics. Make them your mantra.
There’s just no veiling this fact, folks: Content has been king for a while now.
Bill Gates forecasted this all the way back in 1996. In 2013, Entrepreneur told us to ditch the cold call sales technique and invest in blogs and Twitter instead. Notable sources like Copyblogger forecasted 2013 would be the year of the writer.
About half a million new pages are created and published daily.
That’s a lot of web content to sift through, and Google is there to make sure specific pages get to the top.
That begs the question: How is content impacting it all?
How Is Content Setting the Trends?
So how exactly is content setting the trends for how Google looks at, ranks, and values their indexable pages? Worthy question. Let’s take a dive through that sea! ?
[bctt tweet=”About half a million new web pages are published daily. That’s a lot of content to sift through, and Google is there to make sure specific pages get to the top. ? @JuliaEMcCoy asks: How is content setting the trends?” username=””]
1. People Want Relevancy
They want topics relevant to their likes, as well as topics that flow with current trends.
If you’re still busy waxing eloquent on how amazing Brave was while everyone else is going on about Frozen, you’re like the person who wears socks with their sandals. Relevant topics are the only way you are going to gain and maintain readership.
This might seem a little frustrating, especially if your topic doesn’t seem to be the most relevant out there, but finding ways to make it mesh with its surroundings will help immensely. You can use some SEO copywriting tips such as creating an eye-catching title, having a strong start to your content and having a strong call to action. This will help readers feel your topic is relevant, get you further up on that Google search page, and, in the end, get you more readers.
2. People Want Content
Content is important to the average web browser and internet user.
Information — literally on any topic under the sun — is all around us and out there for the curious. We can google any topic or question and get an answer in seconds.
In today’s information explosion, good, trustworthy content matters. It satisfies our curiosity, answers our questions, alleviates our fears, and eases our pain.
Readers like to get information quickly, but they also want to know they’re receiving it from a knowledgeable source. If your content is too short, people may suspect you’re not as knowledgeable as you seem, especially in the age of article regurgitation.
It seems everyone is an expert on spitting out the informational bare bones, but not many are experts in delving into the juicy meat of a subject. “But what about those casual browsers?” you ask. By offering a heartier wealth of information, you have the potential to turn those casual readers into intent readers, hungry for more information.
3. People Love In-Depth Discussions
You’re used to hearing that you need to have short and concise blogs to attract more readers, but the reality is Google ranks blogs with higher word counts and quality content. This is because they believe people are more likely to stick with an article that’s longer than the short, concise article we’ve all been told is important.
People want to see that lengthy post. They may not read every single word, but they’ll believe you are the authority on your topic if the post is longer. That might seem strange, but think about how you feel when you search for an article. Do you prefer a site that seems much more knowledgeable, with lengthy descriptions, or one that barely gives any discussion on the topic?
4. Quality Is Mega-Important in the Game of Google
While long, in-depth content is a factor in ranking with Google, another important factor is the quality of your content. If all you do is write specifically for the search engine and sacrifice quality in hopes of getting more viewership, you’ll find that you rank a lot lower than you initially thought you would. Google wants to make sure the content they rank is quality, something that is filled with interesting and engaging information.
Whatever your niche, make your content incredibly valuable to people interested in your product or topic. Give facts that aren’t too well known, try to stay away from the generic, overdone articles. Find ways to implement relevant pop culture references to connect what you are discussing with something that the majority of people love. If you are a little confused as to what’s relevant, just pop onto Facebook, wade through all the Buzzfeed quizzes and find the stuff people are posting about.
When it comes to finding your site at the top of a Google search, the more quality blogs, or content, you have is important. It is another part of the new Google algorithm, according to Jeff Quipp over at the Huffington Post. You also want to be seen as an authority on your topic.
In the game of Google, you rank, or you lose. There is no middle ground. Well, OK, it isn’t as intense as Game of Thrones says it is, but close enough. You want your page to rank in order to get those readers. Readers don’t like to sift through page after page to find what they are looking for, so eventually they will give up the further down the search page they go.
If Google sees you as an authority in your field, they will rank you higher than those whom they do not deem to be experts. By combining quality content with Google authorship, your page will surely find itself ranking high.
6. Blogging Is Important for Gaining (and Keeping) Customers
According to a Conductor report, consumers are 131% more likely to buy from a brand after they read that brand’s content. In fact, most people are introduced to a new company via the company’s blog. It’s a great way to find out more information regarding the product they’re interested in while also feeling that they have more of a connection with you and your business.
People still do crave connection. Only, they now crave it from more than just friends and family, but also from the companies where they shop. (It’s a good feeling when a company seems to be talking specifically to you.) People are more likely to purchase a product or use a service if they feel that connection.
7. People Love to Get Personal
As we said, people like to feel connected to companies with which they do business. You can make customers feel like they know you by providing information about yourself and the people who run your business. Before you go and make a generic “about” page, think about your target audience and write your information accordingly.
For example, by focusing on the community of nerds and geeks, a small group called Geek Girl Pen Pals has been attempting (successfully) to get people back into the art of letter writing. They write their information in a way that suits their target audience. The people who use this site feel connected to the leaders by reading their information, reading blog posts on the site, and following them on social media. Get a little personal with people and you will see your site rank higher in the searches, gain new customers, and keep your existing ones.
3 Tips to Conquer Google’s Algorithm with Content
You may find yourself rethinking your content strategy due to Google’s search algorithm, and we’re here to give you a few final tips on how to make your content relevant for Google:
1. Assess and Analyze What Users Search For
Assessing and analyzing what people are searching for will help you create relevant content that will rank on Google. Find the keywords people use when searching for topics in your field. Once you’ve figured out which keywords (and their synonyms) to use, it is time to figure out which type of post people are more likely to look for when searching your topic.
A few of these “favorite” type of posts include:
How-to’s: People like to read articles that explain how to use something, how to create something, or how to do something new. Pinterest has made this even more popular.
“Top __” lists: You know these lists. The ones you see on Buzzfeed, or AFI’s Top 100 Movies of All Time. We all enjoy these lists. They’re a great way to learn about new topics or to feel validated in our behaviors (see the “Top Things About Being an Introvert/Extrovert” articles, like this one from Time).
FAQs: We know there are particular questions everyone has about a product or topic, so why not create a FAQ for your company’s blog? It’s a great way to get people to read more about your business and get answers to their specific questions.
What other types of content should you be creating? Get the lowdown in our FREE Master List of Copywriting Services.
2. Assess the Look & Usability of Your Website
After getting those readers to come and read your content, you need to make sure to keep them.
Make sure your site isn’t filled with clashing colors, tiny type, and instant play music or instant play commercials. We know, you really like Pharrell’s Happy, and it totally works for your product, but people do not want to be sitting in the library and have a peppy song unexpectedly blare from their device. Even if your site reflects your brand colors, make sure it won’t stress out the eyes OR the ears.
3. Get Social
Lastly, getting social will help your site rank and bring in more readers.
Get social media buttons on each post, directing people to your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Having social sharing buttons is another great way to attract more people and help you outside of Google’s new search requirements. People who find your article are more likely to share said article if they have an available social sharing button to use. It is a quicker and easier way to share something they enjoy than copy-and-pasting your link.
It’s Time to Double-Down on Content
Now that you have read the various ways to improve your content and meet some of Google’s latest updates, it is time to go and implement them. Changing your content and content strategy to fit Google’s algorithm will not only help you rank higher, but will help you get more readers and keep those readers long-term.
Why are you still reading? Get out there and make your content + website the best they can be.
To many marketers, press releases may seem like an outdated way to share information.
The thing is, that’s just not true. Today, thousands of press releases are distributed around the world every single day.
But just how effective are press releases — for your SEO rankings and online exposure?
The answer isn’t simple. Used the right way, press releases can be an extremely beneficial and effective marketing tool. Used the wrong way, press releases are absolutely useless.
Let’s take a deeper look.
First: What Are the Benefits of Press Releases?
1. Send Out Your Brand News Straight from the Horse’s Mouth
Do you have a news-worthy story, an announcement, or some other piece of information about your brand where the facts are vital to get right? (Think new product launches, earnings reports, company mergers or acquisitions, or an official statement on an issue.)
Do you want that news distributed to a targeted network (e.g. local news stations)?
If the information is going to make news anyway, sending out a press release is a great way to take control of the narrative (for your part in it, anyway). Companies have been doing it for over 100 years for a reason. Press releases help you get out accurate facts about a news event so they’re reported correctly when journalists pick up the story.
[bctt tweet=”Used the right way, press releases can be an extremely beneficial and effective marketing tool. ? Used the wrong way, press releases are absolutely useless. ? Find out the difference ➡” username=”ExpWriters”]
Did you know? We write press releases that have a 100% acceptance rate with outlets like PRNewswire, PRWeb, etc. See pricing!
2. Startup? Publicly Traded Company? Get Important Press Coverage
If you’re a publicly traded company (read: swinging around big numbers) OR a startup looking for investors, buy-in, new customers, etc…
For your most important news and announcements, you need more than a simple blog or social media post to get it out there.
Press coverage gives you the potential to show up in local AND major news publications, where your target audience gets their news. It’s a good investment to draw up a press release and get it distributed for maximum exposure in these cases.
It also has the potential to earn you positive brand mentions and associations. Even if they don’t include a backlink to your site, those positive mentions still matter for building brand awareness, authority, and a good reputation. And, according to Search Engine Land, the search engines might be using these linkless mentions to determine your website’s authority.
After all, the people who read your press release matter. Their opinions and perception of your brand matter. If your press release does a good job of presenting your brand positively, and news outlets pick it up and their subscribers read it, those are big wins.
Press releases are great for meeting certain goals. But if you’re not using them the right way, producing and distributing them can be worthless.
Particularly, I’m talking about syndication.
Now, syndication as a tactic to get your press release more widely read and shared is a good idea.
Syndication as a strategy to get SEO rankings and backlinks: bad, bad, bad.
To illustrate this point, let’s look at a study I did a few years ago. The findings are still relevant today.
Syndicated News: Is It Worth the Investment? (A 2016 Study)
$6,100.00.
That’s what one big brand was spending per month on press release distribution, according to a study by marketing agency owner Tim Grice, posted on Moz in 2012.
That’s a huge number.
At Express Writers, we used to offer syndicated online press release distribution to all of our customers, at rates well below what our former news partner charged on their own site. Our clients got a good deal—and we felt happy to offer it to them.
That is, until October 2016—when we stood back and looked at the actual benefit of using online, syndicated news for Google rankings. I even got two experts on the line to help me dig up solid truths about this industry. (I’m indebted to Steve Rayson at BuzzSumo for pulling metrics and data for me, and Tim Grice at Branded3 for an updated quote.)
Our findings weren’t good, by any means.
The Story Behind the Study: What Inspired Me to Take a Deeper Look at Press Release Distribution
In 2012, when we started offering press release distribution at EW, I saw amazing, fast results in Google. For instance, one press release we did back then was about a stuffed toy. The company’s keyword, a solid, low competition long-tail, ranked #3 in Google in just days — and that #3 result was their actual press release. Now thatwas value!
But I had not seen those kind of results since. And we’re talking out of dozens to hundreds of press releases that our team wrote and distributed.
On average, we were distributing 6-10 press releases for clients in a month. But we had SO many clients complain about the reports we sent them. “This is all the data and results we get?” And the truth was, we didn’t really have an answer for them. The quality of the news results online was finicky. I’d see an online Fox station pick one up — and then it would be gone the next day, when I was ready to send the link to the client. Results weren’t permanent. And nothing showed in the first page of Google for their (great) long-tail news keywords.
The more I saw this happening, the more I realized I needed to research syndicated distribution. A bad feeling in my gut drove me to do it before we renewed our contract that year. And sure enough, what I found was pretty dire.
To make my research and findings official, I got in touch with my friend Steve Rayson, Director at BuzzSumo, for an exclusive study, and even got in touch personally with Tim Grice from Branded3.com, the author of the 2012 Moz piece, for some updated findings.
Let’s dive in.
Interview with Tim Grice: The Cold, Hard Truth of Syndicated Online Press Release Distribution
Here’s what Tim Grice had to say when I sat down with him to discuss his Moz post, including his opinions about online press syndication as it stood in 2016 (his words are still relevant today!).
Julia: You shared your findings on how budgets were being wasted with online press release syndication, back in 2012. Would you say it’s become an even bigger waste of budget today? Or have you seen brands adapting, and investing less in online PR?
Tim: The Moz post is specifically referring to online PR syndication (PR Newswire, etc). SEO agencies and in-house teams were using them as a primary link building channel, firing out boring stories that got absolutely no pick up and the online links created were from low value directories.
In 2008, it worked really well to game Google’s rankings: but by 2012, it should have been on its way out. Not so much. Link building was becoming difficult and it was the easy go-to option for many agencies.
Here’s the thing: if anyone is using syndication for links today, they should be fired.
Journalists are already inundated with companies offering up information for free, and there is no need to check a press wire.
Julia: Why is online PR a bad idea for a link building investment?
Tim: Online PR done right is not a bad idea, syndicating crap stories around the web for a handful of links on press wires is a terrible SEO strategy; no relevance, no authority, no trust. Creating genuinely insightful content or offering up unique data and selling it indirectly to journalists and bloggers is the right approach to online PR (done right, you can generate hundreds of high authority links from a single campaign).
Julia: Is there any good form of online syndication?
Tim: Not that I am aware of.
Anything designed to create quick, easy links is almost always a waste of time and money.
Julia: What is a much better way to invest revenue to boost your online marketing, instead of online PR?
Tim: Done right, online PR can return good ROI as well as high authority links, however the fact is that where you invest will depend purely on the gaps in your strategy.
From an SEO standpoint, if you rank in the top five you’ve probably got enough links to be position one, and you should work on the technical side of it: CTRs, mobile, and great content.
Final word…
Syndication is never a good investment, and I would opt for any other tactic.
BuzzSumo: What Is the ROI of Press Release Distribution (Syndication)?
To further dig into the reality of how ugly the press release syndicated world is, I asked my friend Steve Rayson over at BuzzSumo to get some exclusive findings. He was happy to accommodate, and here’s what we found. Ready?
On average, press releases on the top two syndication sites get a measly 24 shares — total.
Fact: 24 shares don’t equate to people actually reading, yet alone someone clicking a link in a release. Over 50% of URLs shared on Twitter are never clicked (BuzzSumo).
Big ticket question:
Are shares inflated by syndicated press release distribution networks?
Using Moz’s Open Site Explorer, we found out that the press release with 149k shares had only 1 backlink with a Domain Authority well below quality (19 on a scale of 100).
Investigating further, the backlink itself had 4 spam flags.
As we end, if you’re still choosing to go with PR syndicated distribution, ask yourself:
If the highest shared press release in existence has only one backlink, which is spammy, what real value are you getting out of your syndicated press release distributions?
Bottom line: Don’t depend on press release syndication for SEO rankings or backlinks.
How Do I Send Out an Effective Press Release?
If you really DO have news to share, and the PR conveys the message effectively in a well-written way, then your news piece has a huge chance of earning ROI.
Remember the old adage, If you want something done right, do it yourself? Well, that really doesn’t apply in press release writing. Press release writing is a special skill that some people just don’t have, no matter how hard they try. Instead of wasting hours on something you’re not sure will get approved for distribution or not, get a press release copywriter to do it for you (and do it right).
All good content obeys the same rules. When it comes down to it, a press release is nothing more than online content. So, it makes sense that it must be 100% unique, relevant to your audience, informative, and not over-optimized with spammy backlinks.
[bctt tweet=”What are the 3 DON’Ts of press release writing? 1) Over-optimization. 2) Irrelevant content. 3) Not worth reading. ?” username=”ExpWriters”]
3 Dos for Worthy Press Release Distribution
Make it targeted.Distribution is best done when you can target your industry and a region that applies to your news announcement. (Example: targeting Connecticut to announce via PR an invite-only, health & wellness industry event in that location.)
Cheap distribution isn’t worth it. Don’t undercut your distribution opportunities with cheap distribution. Make sure you get the full advantage of media networks, local news stations, and all the power of SERPs with search engine indexing. If your distribution can’t support this variety, distribution will certainly not be as effective.
Invest in good press release writing. Press releases, just like any other online content, have been unfortunately exploited in the past to contain duplicate content, content spinning, and backlink stuffing. Google updates crack down on duplicate, poorly written news releases, and won’t rank them — just like any other content.
Press Releases: A Worthy Addition to Your Content Roster
Press releases are indeed worth the investment, especially if you have news-worthy information you need to circulate.
Make sure your PR is written well, and that’s half the battle! Next, get legitimate, thorough distribution. Lastly: Enjoy the benefits and exposure.
Finally, don’t expect press release syndication to win you any backlinks or rankings in Google. That’s NOT what they’re for — instead, rely on your high-quality blog and website content to do that heavy lifting for you.
Imagine a near-distant future where we’re all gathering together freely once more. ?
You and I are attending the year’s biggest content marketing conference.
Before we head to the event center for talks, presentations, and meet-and-greets, we agree to meet up at that quaint little coffee shop on the corner near our hotels.
We sit at a table by a window looking out onto a sunny city street. Bright-eyed, early shoppers pass laden with bags, and businesspeople in suits and blazers hurry by on their way to their first morning meetings.
We sip our coffees and chat idly about the upcoming events of the day. We even indulge in a little gossip.
After my last sip of espresso, I ask, “So, how is your company’s blog doing?”
You reply with a pained sigh, and lifelessly mutter:
“It could be doing so much better.”
I lean in and give you my full attention while you lay out a laundry list of problems:
You can’t keep up with the consistent blogging schedule you need to get anywhere.
You’re hyper-focused on quantity and obsessed with pushing out content just to get it out there. Ergo, much of your content is just okay, while most of it is downright rushed and bad.
You haven’t even thought about SEO.
Writing isn’t your forte, nor is it the specialty of anyone else on your team, so you struggle mightily when it comes time to create content.
Your main competitor, on the other hand, has an incredible blog and is jumping ahead of you by leaps and bounds with the audience they’re drawing in.
And the list goes on.
You sit back in your chair, rubbing your temples. Just thinking about the situation gives you a headache.
You know what I’m going to say.
I say it anyway.
“You need a content writer.”
You Need a Content Writer: 5 Reasons to Invest in Your Content
Even though this is an imaginary situation, the point still stands. If you’re like most small brands, some or all of this is ringing true.
In a survey on the state of content writing in 2020, Mantis Research and Typeset found most small business owners, marketers, and communications professionals experience a disconnect between knowing what successful writing looks like and actually achieving it.
76% say they know what successful writing looks like, but only 45% think their content is extremely/very effective.
Nearly half of all business communicators struggle to understand what their audience wants to read.
Those with only moderate success with content writing struggle with most aspects of the process: writing and publishing consistently, maintaining quality over time, writing headlines, writing for SEO, writing concisely, getting the words to flow, and meeting deadlines.
[bctt tweet=”Most small business owners & marketers experience a disconnect between knowing what successful writing looks like and actually achieving it. How do you close the gap? ➡⬅ Get yourself a content writer ?” username=”ExpWriters”]
As you can see, you’re not alone in your struggles.
But there IS a solution.
You need a content writer, and I’m here to tell you why. (Imagine me giving you this advice over that same cup of coffee from our hypothetical friendly chat. ☕)
1. You Don’t Have Time
I talk to business owners and even marketing specialists every day who respond to my question about their web content the same way you did.
Sometimes, I just want to reach through the phone, shake them, and ask “Why do you think you’re not doing better?! It’s because you don’t have time!”
I want to, but I don’t. At any rate, the reason you can’t keep up with a busy writing schedule is simple: You don’t have time. You’re too busy actually running your business.
Thankfully, the solution is pretty simple, too. Hire a content writer.
Not only do we have the time to develop your content for you (because this is our job and what we spend our days doing), but we do this all the time, so we can make it happen more quickly than you can.
You don’t have the workflow down. We do.
2. Content Writing Is More Than Writing
When you hire a content writer, you’re not getting someone who will write generic content that may or may not apply to your business. You’re hiring a team member who will take an interest in your business and will be eager to learn how you work, who your audience is, and where your big successes and failures are now.
Once we have all the information we need, we’re going to be doing more than writing – we’re going to be communicating with your audience on a level you’d never have time to maintain.
Not only that, but content writers are experienced with writing for SEO — including keyword and topic research — as well as editing, writing for social media and other content formats, and more.
Content writing means we have to be good at a little of everything – and that’s good for you.
A common mistake of CEOs and business owners who also do their own marketing and advertising?
They’re just too close to their own products. They can’t see the forest for the trees, so to speak.
Your content writer, on the other hand, is coming to the table with no biases and a fresh perspective. They’ll look at your product with zero prior knowledge of its existence, in many cases.
A content writer who’s worth his or her salt will take an interest in your business and will work tirelessly to understand it while maintaining their clear-eyed objectivity. It’s this objective stance that helps them write creative and innovative content that doesn’t rehash the same old tired clichés plaguing your industry.
That’s our job. We take your product, look at it in a fresh new way, and sell it to new customers with a novel perspective on what makes it so great. We take your tired content topics and breathe new life into them, illuminating and showcasing your brand voice in the process.
If your sales language and content writing are bogged down in jargon and marketing-speak that don’t really mean anything, then you most definitely need the help of a content writer.
4. Fresh Content, Consistently, Means Better Results
It should go without saying at this point, but I’m saying it anyway. (Do you see a theme emerging, here?)
Search engines love fresh content.
They also love quality content.
To rank well, to stay on Google’s page one, you need both.
75% of SEO experts cite content as the most important factor for an SEO-friendly website.
Keeping your site’s pages filled with ever-changing, fresh, keyword-optimized content that isn’t spammy, that’s written for humans, and is fun and engaging for an internet audience to read, is going to be the best dang thing that ever happened to your website. Period.
Guess what.
The best content writers do that. ALL of it.
Your content writer will have his or her finger on the pulse of your web traffic in a way you never could. They know how to write consistently great content while using SEO techniques – all without sacrificing readability, customer engagement, or accuracy.
I get it. You have overhead, and hiring even one more person will make your budget that much tighter.
No worries. You don’t need a sky-high budget to get stellar content writing.
Even companies on the barest of budgets should be able to afford the services of a freelance content writer for a project or two, and if the content is effective, then your bottom line will start looking up, enabling you to bring that freelancer on board regularly.
[bctt tweet=”❕FACT: You don’t need a big budget to get stellar #contentwriting. Even bootstrapped brands can afford a content writer for a project or two. ➕ with effective content, your bottom line will grow, so you can hire that writer regularly.” username=”ExpWriters”]
Need a Content Writer? We’ve Got Content Writers.
Content writing is an integral piece of the marketing puzzle. Without the right, skilled expert in your corner, content creation and publishing will be much, much harder than they need to be. They’ll take more time, more money, and cause more headaches.
You get it. You need a content writer.
If you’re ready to dive in, we’ve got you. ❤
If you need a content writer, like, yesterday, Express Writers has a literal writer army at your disposal. Check out our Content Shop and find out what we can do for your business.
