I believe the trend of search-friendly, user-first, awesome content will emerge as no longer a trend. More like, a must-have.
For marketers, business owners, creators, brand builders…
There has never been a better time to jump into online content, SEO, and building your online presence.
Why?
Before today’s pandemic, we were already looking at statistics like this —
71%+ of the world’s online traffic comes from a search.
3/4 of the internet is reading blogs.
On average, there were 3.6 billion Google searches per day from humans looking for answers to their problems.
During the pandemic, this number shot up to over 6 billion Google searches per day!
(To verify this incredible stat for myself, I followed a Worldometer live tracking all day till 8 pm CST the other night… yep, clocked in right over 6 billion live searches that day )
Taken at the end of a 24-hour period in April, 2020
Think about the fact that 140 countries in our world as we know it are impacted by COVD-19. There are 195 countries in the world. This is already impacting 72% of our world! That’s a ton of people that have had to take their “IRL” work/social life online.
Given how much of the world this is impacting, and how many countries have made it mandatory to stay at home as much as possible…
Creating content to pull in your online audience just got 10x more valuable.
In today’s brand-new YouTube video, I’m covering a valuable topic for us in the economy we’re in today: What you need to know when it comes to SEO writing for your blogs and websites, in a way that produces REAL results.
This is an evergreen how-to video built on tactical methods that work. You’ll learn evergreen strategies that you can immediately put to use to get more results and Google traffic from your blog and site content.
I’ve tested and tried these strategies over nine years and throughout 1,500 blog posts to earn over 20,000 keyword positions in Google (and that’s just on one of my five sites). Watch this video, focus in and implement these tips, and you WILL see results — guaranteed.
How to Use SEO Writing for Your Blog and Website for More Traffic From Google (Video)
…Who likes checklists? Good, me too!
This video is checklist-style, focusing on SEO writing optimization tips that work to rank your blog and website high in Google.
Let’s go!
[bctt tweet=”Watch @JuliaEMcCoy check off everything you need to know to nail SEO writing for your blogs and websites in a way that produces REAL results ” username=”ExpWriters”]
Video Notes: How to Use SEO Writing for Your Blog and Website for More Traffic From Google
But first, a quick recap of “a day in the life of Julia.”
The last time I talked to you guys, it was book launch day for Woman Rising: A True Story. WOW! WHAT a rewarding book launch! This is my third book, the true story of escaping my father’s cult and building a life I love. It was an incredibly hard book to write, but I believe it will change and transform lives, and give hope to those who read it.
We had over 1,000 people pick up a copy from Amazon in the first three weeks since launch day February 10. We also hit #1 Amazon New Release and #1 Amazon Best Seller! My first local book signing event on February 29, at the Springhill Suites in Cedar Park, was a tremendous success.
I did all this while running my agency, so this past month was a bit hectic. We’re planning a roadtrip and a beach retreat when the kiddo is off of school for spring break. Time to chill a little and celebrate!
Now back to today’s video!
How to Use SEO Writing for Blogs and Website for More Traffic From Google
First, we’re going to run through the checklist, and then I’m going to switch over to my site and a high-ranking blog to show you how this was actually applied.
Step 1. Do your research before you write.
Everything in SEO writing for your blog and website begins by finding the right focus keyword. This is a must!
The top tools I recommend using are: AHrefs, SEMrush, KWFinder. Avoid using free tools. They can give you misleading data.
You can’t go wrong if you use any one of these three top tools to research your keyword.
The top two metrics to focus in on would be:
Keyword difficulty score (aim for 40 or less if you have a new site), and
Highrelevancy of the keyword to your actual customers/buyers.
Step 2. Create 10x content.
This step is your most important.
First, quick reminder of how to use your keywords.
Use the focus keyword as the TOPIC, & synonymous keywords throughout.
How do you find synonymous keywords? Go to Google and look up Searches Related to after plugging in your actual keyword. This works better than any tool, because you’re mining real, people-populated data.
Know WHERE to put the keywords. Keyword placement matters far more than keyword density. Keyword density is an outdated concept — forget it! Place your keywords in your:
Headlines (all H2s, H3s)
Intro
Throughout the content naturally with synonymous keywords (once per every 1-2 paras)
Conclusion
Use relevant secondary keywords to frame your H2s and H3s (also called LSI or synonymous keywords).
Here’s my checklist of important points to know in your SEO content.
Forget keyword density and think keyword placements. Your keyworde needs to be placed in headers, naturally in the first sentence, and conclusion.
Remember the focus keyword should guide your topics. Your content must be topical. Don’t get distracted! Stay on the topic.
In the meta description, keep the keyword far left at the meta title, BUT also keep it natural. Web page meta content can be a bit more branded, promotional. Use the vertical bar for cleanliness (Google reads it as a space).
Blog Example: Meta title: How to Be a Content Marketing Writer: The Future of Freelance Writing & Meta Description: Have you heard? Content marketing will be worth $412 by 2021. Learn what a content marketing writer is, and how they could be the future of online writers.
Web Page Example: Express Writers | Your Content Creation Writing Partner
Your subheaders should be created out of related, synonymous keywords.
The URL must be the focus keyword alone. The shorter your URL, the higher the likelihood you’re going to rank for that term.
You must mention the keyword naturally throughout your content.
Citations are critical — link out using 2-3 words to your TOP resources. This adds TRUST.
Your content quality is everything. You must create effective, helpful, guide-style content to rank well for your focus keyword.
As Pat Flynn says, write for people reading on the internet. Completely avoid boring essay style.
Include GIFs. Emojis. Be fun. This isn’t your stuffy professor’s AP class… This is content for an online reader.
Work on your opener and closer. Remember: your conclusion paragraph should be a full conclusion with a CTA. Your opener should be a hook.
Step 3. Keep your content evergreen and optimize your images.
Finally, let’s discuss how to keep your content evergreen (so you don’t have to do heavy maintenance down the road), and how to optimize your images.
Avoid dates in headline or content. This will mean less updating and headaches down the road. If you must date (i.e. 2020 trends), come back and update the next year.
URLS should be SHORT.
Here’s how to optimize your images:
Alt text must be focus keyword, and also relate to the image.
Be very clear on what the images are in your keywords.
Rename them the keyword before and after uploading.
The past month has been one of the craziest in our collective memory.
I’m banking on the inevitability that NO ONE will forget March 2020, when a global outbreak known as COVID-19 wreaked havoc on public health, economies, jobs, livelihoods, and day-to-day living.
Business is NOT as usual. Instead, many of us in marketing are facing scary unknowns.
IRL marketing events got canceled, just like everything else. Those of us who rely on trade shows, conferences, speaking gigs, and other events suddenly have to adapt.
Digital marketing – and content in particular! – just got way more important.
This is huge, but it’s also dependent on the niche you’re in.
Since COVID-19 came on the scene, internet use in Europe has been up by almost 50%. If you think about the worldwide impact, Google searches went up from 3.5 billion/day to almost 6 billion! Streaming services saw a 20% rise in usage. Netflix has had to lower streaming quality for everyone just to handle the load.
That said, for many marketers, it’s not all doom and gloom. ?
Search traffic is UP for many industries. Niches reporting traffic gains include:
Let’s talk about it all – the impact of the pandemic on business and marketing, which niches are winning, which ones are losing, and which are holding steady despite the doom-and-gloom. The good news is, hope is here for many content and SEO marketers. ?
[bctt tweet=”NO ONE will forget March 2020, when COVID-19 wreaked havoc on public health, economies, jobs, livelihoods, and day-to-day living. ? Business is NOT as usual. On the Write Blog, @JuliaEMcCoy talks about the ups, downs, and ways to keep thriving. ?” username=”ExpWriters”]
How the Pandemic Impacts Business & Marketing: 3 Ways the Pandemic Is Impacting Business Search Traffic and Content
1. Who’s Winning Search Traffic During the Pandemic?
2. The Downside: Who’s Losing Search Traffic to Their Site and Content?
3. Companies Holding Strong During the Pandemic and Giving Back
How to Survive and Thrive in Business & Marketing During a Pandemic: 5 Important Tips
1. Don’t Panic
2. Lead with Empathy
3. Communicate Well (and Often) with Staff and Customers
4. Make a Plan
5. Be a Helper
How is the Pandemic Impacting Business Search Traffic and Content?
Here’s the gist of what’s happening in the world of search traffic, and what it might mean for your marketing, business, and content.
1. Who’s Winning Search Traffic During the Pandemic?
It’s not all doom and gloom out there! ?
Search traffic is UP for many industries. According to a recent survey Marie Haynes conducted on Twitter, niches reporting gains in traffic include:
Besides puzzling in their downtime, people are also furiously Googling anything to do with remote work, especially tools, methods, and ideas for collaboration.
Kevin Indig from G2 recently shared on LinkedIn how traffic to many of the site’s remote work-related categories is exploding:
Noticeably, the top categories include:
Audio conferencing
Telemedicine
Video conferencing
Webinar
Collaborative whiteboard
This holds on Google Trends, too. When you compare the search interest over time between the topics “work from home” and “coworking,” there’s a clear winner.
“Work from home” interest spiked as the pandemic took hold, while interest in “coworking” flat-lined.
[bctt tweet=”What impact is the pandemic having on business and marketing? Search traffic is UP for many industries like health/wellness ♥, remote work/teams ?, online dating ?, and online puzzle retailers ? (puzzles are HOT right now).” username=”ExpWriters”]
Beyond industries related to remote work, who else may see gains during this time?
Mark Schaefer wrote a great post about the coronavirus’s implications for marketing. He made some predictions about which business niches have an opportunity right now:
[bctt tweet=”.@markwschaefer recommends looking for marketing opportunities in baking/cooking/comfort foods ?, nostalgia, comedy ?, blankets/pj’s/comfy clothes, hobbies ?, food/grocery delivery, and more.” username=”ExpWriters”]
2. The Downside: Who’s Losing Search Traffic to Their Site and Content?
Despite the gains for many niches, most are seeing a decline in traffic (as reported by Wordstream and SEO Roundtable).
Here’s Marie Hayne’s Twitter survey from March 23 that shows 59.6% of sites reporting a downturn, out of 726 responses:
Let’s do this again. How has COVID-19 affected your site’s organic traffic (or your clients’ sites)? We’ll keep running this poll weekly as a way to track what is happening. Results will be published and discussed in newsletter.
The takeaway: These trends aren’t surprising to anyone. Social distancing and quarantines are forcing people to cancel their weddings and big events, avoid services they previously frequented (hair salons, spas, massage therapy), and rethink where their paychecks are going.
Unless this pandemic wipes out the relevancy of your business right now, for struggling niches, it’s time to start thinking of creative ways to stay afloat. (More on that later.) ?♀️
[bctt tweet=”What business/marketing niches are losing out during the pandemic? Travel ✈, motorsports, personal finance ?, wineries, tax services, childcare ?, and more, now on the Write Blog ➡” username=”ExpWriters”]
3. Companies Holding Strong During the Pandemic and Giving Back
Keeping the positivity going, let’s take a look at the many companies doing well despite mass unemployment, layoffs, and the stormy economic weather right now. Some are even using their power to do good in their communities. Internet Service Providers (like Comcast, Verizon, Charter, and Sprint)
ISPs are doing very well right now – the internet has become a lifeline to keep us sane and connected to our social groups and entertainment.
To help those who may be struggling to make ends meet, the above ISPs have pledged to keep Americans internet-connected for 60 days, even for those who can’t pay their bills. Distilleries
Distilleries around the country are using their excess, highly-concentrated alcohol to make hand sanitizer for their communities, including Dread River Distillery in Alabama and Caldonia Spirits in Vermont. Fanatics (MLB Uniform Manufacturer)
Fanatics, a company that makes MLB uniforms, had the means to turn their Pennsylvania plant into a factory just for producing hospital masks and gowns.
We’re proud to partner with @MLB to support emergency personnel who are fighting against COVID-19 and face a need for masks and hospital gowns. We’re utilizing our manufacturing plant in Easton, PA to make masks and gowns out of the same jersey fabric that the players wear pic.twitter.com/5jEg1B2iUa
OneDine (Guest-Facing Restaurant Technology) OneDine offers restaurants technology that allows guests to order and pay online. They’re offering free Tap & Pay touchless payment systems to help restaurants shift to stay in business. Content Marketing
As I’ve mentioned, there is a HUGE opportunity for content marketing in this climate, where people are heading online in droves for much-needed entertainment, education, enrichment, and socialization.
According to eMarketer predictions, marketers will be looking to deliver even more personalized content so their audiences feel connected in the way they do at in-person events. Here’s an explanation: Express Writers
I’m including EW as an example of a business holding strong despite the economy. We haven’t had to do ANY layoffs, and our numbers have held pretty steady over the month.
Over just one day of the shutdown, we had the most visitors we’ve ever seen in one day to my Content Strategy & Marketing Course site (130+ people online).
Income-wise, Express Writers did see a slight drop this month, but only by about 10-15%. Meanwhile, we’re still seeing between 2-4K visitors/day to the Write Blog and ExpressWriters.com.
SO many more positive examples exist if you just take the time to look. Here are 50 more businesses giving back during coronavirus, via Forbes.
[bctt tweet=”Despite the downs, there ARE businesses continuing to survive and thrive ? despite #covid-19. Examples: @Fanatics, @Onedineapp, @GreenhouseCF, and even Express Writers. More on the Write Blog ?” username=”ExpWriters”]
How to Survive and Thrive in Business & Marketing During a Pandemic: 5 Important Tips
As we’ve seen, the pandemic is impacting business and marketing in varied ways. For some of us, the outlook is good. For others, uncertainty may be clouding the future.
No matter your situation, keep these tips in mind to survive this global crisis:
1. Don’t Panic
Panicking will only lead to panic-driven decisions. Panic-driven decisions are based on fear – not logic, practicality, or insight.
Instead, think critically about your business right now. Get informed on coronavirus myths and facts. How does this situation position you to help amid the panic? How can you provide a measure of trust, security, and comfort to people right now in your unique way?
Mark Schaefer, a veteran marketer, talked about this on his blog (which I mentioned already) with great advice – here’s the link again in case you missed it: 7 Non-obvious coronavirus implications for marketing.
Think about businesses that are pivoting to include a wider reach for both their customers and their bottom line. How can you survive and add a touch of thriving by pivoting right now?
2. Lead with Empathy
Every single person you know is facing a different reality right now than the one they knew a month ago. We’re all worried and stressed to some degree.
Leading with empathy is a way to not only show people you care, but to mitigate that stress and worry.
Lots of people who previously went to an office every day are now working from home, many with small children to look after and help with schoolwork. Thanks to their living situation, some people may be isolated from all their friends and family and struggling. Others might face worries about a loved one who works in an essential industry and is exposed to the virus daily.
Be as understanding and accommodating as you can. Lead by example. Though some of us won’t get sick, none of us are immune to the effects of COVID-19.
A great example is Target’s empathetic response to the situation:
3. Communicate Well (and Often) with Staff and Customers
Communication is key for getting through this worldwide upheaval we’re confronting. Your employees, customers, peers, and coworkers are hungry for information right now. They probably have hundreds of questions running through their minds:
What’s going on?
Are you still open?
How are we approaching this situation?
What is expected of employees?
What are you doing to keep things running?
Will I be out of a job?
Now what?
As soon as uncertainty hits, it’s time to start being open and honest with your people. Send email updates about the state of your business. Reassure employees if you’re able, or, prepare them for the worst if necessary.
Send customers updates, too – even if it’s just to announce that you’re able to continue as normal, or to remind them you’re still open. Here’s an email Geico recently sent their customers letting them know how the company is responding to the pandemic:
Be sure to check out Really Good Emails for a trove of examples from businesses getting this crucial communication right.
On the other hand, you might be continually shifting your hours of operation, changing your policies, or transitioning into a new normal. Use social media and email to announce everything that affects customers as it happens. Post notices on your blog and website, too.
At times like these, it’s really important to remain transparent and open to retain that trust you’ve built.
4. Make a Plan
Lots of us have more time on our hands than ever. Now is a good time to revisit your disaster preparedness plan for your business (or your savings plan if you’re a marketer or freelancer).
Don’t have one? It’s okay – you’re not alone. Lots of people don’t realize they need to plan for stuff like this until it happens.
As long as you’re financially capable to weather the pandemic, think ahead to the future. Can you start putting small amounts of money away regularly to pad your emergency fund?
What else can you do right now to make you feel more secure in case the pandemic drags on? Make a list of small tasks you can complete in a day, tasks that will lead to a bigger goal.
This Pandemic Preparedness article from Harvard Business Review was published in 2006 amid concerns about avian flu, but it is totally relevant today. Definitely read the advice about being a leader during times of crisis, preparing your business for a pandemic, and how to communicate effectively.
We talked earlier about pivoting to include more services. Here’s a great example of that, from my hometown. Greenhouse Craft Foods
One of my favorite farm-to-table restaurants right here in Round Rock, Texas, quickly pivoted their mostly (and always awesome) dine-in experience to the following: essentially a little grocery store with essentials taking over their front counter, punnily titled “Farmer’s Market” — a takeout service offering easy-to-enjoy family meal packs, and more. This was a great way to use their restaurant space for good and pivot without breaking themselves. They used Facebook to share this with their devoted fans. Note: Don’t break it to make it. Don’t crush core services just for a short-term pivot. However, smart pivots like the one Greenhouse Kraft Foods did, to include much-needed services right now to the public, are worth considering.
[bctt tweet=”@JuliaEMcCoy says: Don’t break it to make it. Don’t crush core services just for a short-term pivot. #COVID19pandemic However, smart pivots (example: @GreenhouseCF in-store farmer’s market for takeout ??) are worth considering. ” username=”ExpWriters”]
5. Be a Helper
A well-known Mr. Rogers quote has been circulating recently in the news and on social media:
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
Since this advice was intended for kids, let’s take it one step further: BE a helper.
Be the person providing comfort and stability during trying times. Be the person others look to for guidance, reassurance, and support. Be the one offering help in any way you can. Some ideas:
Be kind to grocery store clerks, healthcare workers, and others on the front lines.
Buy online gift cards to your favorite local businesses to use later. Help them stay running through the pandemic!
Tip your delivery person extra (the one bringing you groceries, dinner, packages from Amazon, etc.).
Donate money to charities that help needy families.
Donate extra supplies to food shelters and hospitals. Check out this Medical Supplies Index compiled by a RN, which lists options for where and how to donate.
If you have the skill, consider making face masks for hospitals with shortages.
What else can we do to be helpers? Leave your ideas in the comments. ?
[bctt tweet=”In these trying times, don’t just look for the helpers. BE a helper. ♥ #COVID19pandemic” username=”ExpWriters”]
How Will the Pandemic Impact Your Business? It Depends.
Notice I didn’t ask will the pandemic impact your business – I asked how.
Even if your numbers are holding steady, the lives of your employees and customers are NOT the same.
It’s important right now to consider others, be empathetic, stay calm, make plans, and communicate well.
The response you have now will determine whether your business and marketing survive – and even thrive – in the future. So, let’s respond with kindness. Let’s be at our best when the world is at its worst. We’re all in this together. ?♥
do content marketing – and ALL of those employ content creators of some kind.
That said, for brands and businesses, not just any content will do – and not just any content creator will do.
The content you publish on your website, on social media, and everywhere else needs to be purposeful, targeted, and valuable.
It must be goal-oriented. It has to be search engine optimized.
Without those essentials, your content WILL fail.
???
So, how do you make sure you hit all the right notes with content?
You need the right content creator.
But what IS a content creator, exactly? What makes them unique as professionals in the content marketing industry?
More importantly, WHY do you need one (or a whole team of them) for your content?
(Can’t you just DIY?
Spoiler alert: NO. ?)
That’s precisely what we’re exploring today: What a modern-day content creator looks like, what they do, why you need one, and the 5 indispensable habits every great content creator nurtures in their work life.
Let’s explore this modern-day profession that’s gaining in importance as we deal with content overload and the difficulty of standing out from the slush pile. ?
[bctt tweet=”How do you ensure you hit all the right notes with content? ? You need the right content creator. But what IS a content creator, exactly? ?? Learn it all on the Write Blog via @JuliaEMcCoy.” username=”ExpWriters”]
The Modern Content Creator: Everything You Need to Know – Table of Contents
The Definition of a Modern-Day Content Creator
What Kinds of Digital Content Do They Create?
Freelance vs. In-House vs. Agency Content Creators
The Mega-Growth of the Content Creator Role
Why Do You Need a Content Creator?
Content That Gets Results Is Tough to DIY
Crafted Content Increases Traffic to Your Site & Generates High-Quality Leads
Targeted Content Reaches Your Audience Like Nothing Else
When Do You Need a Content Creation Agency or Team?
You Need ALL of Your Content Taken Care Of
You Need Multiple Content Formats Created, Not Just Blogs
5 Key Habits of Successful Content Creators
Use Skills to Improve Skills
Stay Current on Digital Trends, Including SEO Best-Practices
Make Researching an Instinct
Clearly and Effectively Communicate Ideas and Information
Read Up on the Best Industry Content Regularly
The Definition of a Modern-Day Content Creator
For a proper description of a content creator, we need to first define “content”.
As you know, content is simply information wrapped up and presented in a shiny package. That package can be physical (such as the content within a book, newspaper, or magazine) OR digital (such as the content you’ll find on a website, blog, or social media platform).
Thus, a content creator is the person responsible for creating that information.
And, when we talk about modern-day content creators, we mean anyone who creates content for the digital, online realm of information.
In general, content creators are always aware of 3 main elements when carrying out their jobs:
The combination of the audience and platform they’re creating content for (Who are they talking to? Where will the content be published?)
The point-of-view they’re representing in the content (Who’s speaking to the audience? A brand or company? An individual?)
The main idea or topic they’re trying to explain or get across (including target keywords when relevant)
[bctt tweet=”#Contentcreators are always thinking about 3 elements: 1) Their audience + platform ? 2) The point-of-view they’re representing ? 3) The main idea or topic they’re trying to get across ?” username=”ExpWriters”]
What Kinds of Digital Content Do They Create?
Digital content spans a wide range of media types and platforms. In general, if you can read it or view it online, then a content creator probably created it.
Here is a basic list of digital content types that content creators have a hand in:
Blogs and articles
Ebooks
Web pages (about pages, product pages, homepage copy)
Graphic design (infographics, branding, logos, and blog images)
Photos (photojournalism, Instagram posts, stock photos, and brand photography)
Social media copy (tweets, Facebook and LinkedIn posts, Instagram captions, etc.)
Videos
Email newsletters and promotional email copy
[bctt tweet=”Blogs and articles ?, web pages ?, emails ?, social media copy ?, videos ?, and more: If you can read it or view it online, then a content creator probably created it. ?” username=”ExpWriters”]
Freelance vs. In-House vs. Agency Content Creators
Beyond the type of content they specialize in creating, you also can distinguish content creators by the way they work. Here’s a quick rundown:
Freelance content creators are not tied to any single company or brand. Instead, they serve a wide range of clients across multiple industries. They are usually paid by the work they complete, though hourly pay isn’t uncommon. (Type and method of pay depend on the relationship between content creator and client.)
Where do they work? Freelance content creators tend to be remote workers.
In-house content creators, meanwhile, are employed by one specific company. These content creators get a salary, report to an office daily, and may work in a content marketing department (even with small teams of 1-3 people).
Where do they work? In-house content creators may work remotely, too, but a more common set-up is to work part-time in an office and part-time from home.
Content creators working for an agency represent the middle-ground between freelancers and in-house employees. They aren’t permanent staff, but they do have an investment in your content. If you work with one agency, you’ll get the same creators working on your content from project to project. This means they’ll have deeper insight and knowledge into your brand voice and guidelines than a one-off freelance hire. That consistency makes a HUGE difference in the end-product.
Where do they work? Most agencies will handle your content projects remotely. For an example of an agency workflow, check out our process at EW.
[bctt tweet=”From 2018-2019, content marketing jobs skyrocketed ?, increasing by 112%, according to @conductor ?” username=”ExpWriters”]
At the same time, the internet is exploding with content – 6 billion searches happen daily on Google, and 4.4 million blogs are published on the web.
However, much of that content isn’t worth a look, let alone a click.
If you have the ability to publish content that not only reaches your audience but also engages them and inspires them to action, you’re doing something incredible. More people are realizing the power of this kind of content, so adept content creators are high on many brands’ must-hire lists.
With that said, let’s get into some specific reasons why you may need a content creation expert on your side.
Why Do You Need a Content Creator?
1. Content That Gets Results Is Tough to DIY
Here’s the thing: Anybody can create content. Anyone can write a random, rambling blog post and hit “publish.” Anyone can tweet their random thoughts into the internet universe, post photos of their cat to Instagram, or rant on Facebook.
Purposeful, targeted content that gets results? The stuff that generates traffic, leads, and revenue? Not just anyone has the chops to pull it off.
[bctt tweet=”Anyone can create random content. But purposeful, targeted, *profitable* content? The stuff that generates traffic, leads, REVENUE? ? You need a pro #contentcreator. ??” username=”ExpWriters”]
It takes hard work. It takes research, skill, knowledge, and strategy, because content creation is difficult as all get-out. ?
Content Creation: Marketers’ Biggest Challenge
According to a recent SEMrush survey, 54% of marketers say their toughest challenge is “creating content that generates quality leads.” The second toughest challenge? “Creating content that attracts more traffic” (52%).
It goes further. The top 5 challenges marketers have all relate to content creation.
Whether it’s developing content that resonates with your target audience, improving the SEO of your content, or generating new content ideas, creation is hard to nail.
It’s not all doom-and-gloom out there, though. Guess who has all of the above moving parts down to a science? The content creator.
That’s why enlisting a pro content creator is so important.
Where did they get their acumen? There is no content creator degree out there – instead, this specialized knowledge and these content creation skills come from a unique mixture of practice and experience.
The wise creator of content seeks out learning opportunities outside of a college classroom (from content creator courses, books, podcasts, industry leaders, etc.) and looks for opportunities to hone their arsenal of tools.
That’s why you need a content creator. Because they’re uniquely equipped, and no one else can do what they can.
2. Crafted Content Increases Traffic to Your Site & Generates High-Quality Leads
A content creator is key when you need your site content to produce results. The right content – written on the right topic, to the right audience, with the right keywords and the right point-of-view + tone of voice – will do the following:
Rank better in Google
Grab more traffic from Google search (let’s not forget – the #1 result swipes 31.7% of the clicks away from the rest of the results page)
Pique people’s interest when shared on social media
Build trust with readers
Entice readers to sign up for your email list
Create followers from searchers, fans from followers, and customers from fans
If you’re tracking smart KPIs (key performance indicators), yes – all of these scenarios are probable results from amazing content.
It’s a snowball effect, and it begins with purposefully crafted and strategized content aligned to your business goals and audience.
The right content – crafted content – works miracles. Thus, the people who know how to create crafted content are the people you need on your team.
3. Targeted Content Reaches Your Audience Like Nothing Else
Targeted content – for both readers and search engines – is one of the secrets to content marketing ROI.
If you closely research your target audience plus keywords that match their search intent, THEN infuse both in your content, you have a winning combination. That type of content hits your audience in the heart and search engines in their algorithms.
The question is, do you have the knowledge, time, and skill to pull off this level of targeting?
Probably not. But a content creator does. ?
When Do You Need a Content Creation Agency or Team?
Sometimes, one content creator isn’t enough. Sometimes, you have bigger content needs – more than one person could possibly handle. In that case, you need more powerful creation resources.
Here are the instances when investing in a content creation agency or team is a smart move:
1. You Need ALL of Your Content Taken Care Of
So, you don’t just want blogs in your content wheelhouse. You want to publish more in-depth content, too (like whitepapers or ebooks), plus specific content for your social media channels.
You also need a content creator for your website pages to improve engagement and SEO. On top of all that, you might want to start a YouTube channel but need some good video scripts, first.
Sound familiar?
If your content needs span across all of your current platforms, AND you need new content on a regular basis to score well with Google on freshness factors –
Yes. You need a dedicated content team.
2. You Need Multiple Content Formats Created, Not Just Blogs
In most cases, content creators will not be jacks-of-all-trades. Most creators will specialize in specific content formats, like emails, long-form blogs, ad copy, social media posts, case studies, or product descriptions.
That means, if you need the whole kit-and-caboodle taken care of, you need a content team to get it done.
5 Key Habits of Successful Content Creators
Now that we’ve discussed what a content creator is and why you need one, let’s get into the habits that lead to success in this line of work.
The best content creators take the time to nurture these 5 key habits. They:
1. Use Skills to Improve Skills
Good content creators constantly work on their craft.
If you’re a writer, that means you cultivate a writing habit, both in work and your personal life. When you’re not writing for clients, you’re writing for yourself and personal projects to stay sharp. You also read a TON (more on that later).
If you’re a photographer, that means you’re constantly refining your style, learning new techniques, and studying other photographers’ work that inspires you. The same goes for videographers, graphic designers, and every other type of content creator: They continually use their skills and focus on improving them.
2. Stay Current on Digital Trends, Including SEO Best-Practices
The digital realm is one of lightning-quick changes.
The popular social platform on Tuesday can be outdated by Thursday. Google can roll out major algorithm changes within 24 hours that transform the search landscape. New technology may take the world by storm over the course of a week or two.
The point is, the best content creators stay up on what’s happening. They monitor trends and keep abreast of algorithm changes and SEO best-practices. Since they create for the digital space, this is absolutely necessary to continue producing relevant content.
Every successful content creator knows and understands the audience they’re targeting. This isn’t magic – it’s due to a combination of innate curiosity and good research.
Anybody can use Google to look up topics. The difference between everyday Googling and research lies in following links and leads down rabbit holes.
The content creators who push harder, who ask follow-up questions, who wonder “where is the original source for this statistic?”, who love picking people’s brains, who nerd out over gaining deeper insights into a topic, are the ones who create the best content.
4. Clearly and Effectively Communicate Ideas and Information
Have you ever read a blog where a tough concept was explained so clearly and accurately, the clouds parted and birds started singing because you FINALLY understood?
That’s the power of amazing content with effective, clear writing.
If you can explain a difficult concept on your audience’s level so they not only comprehend it, but totally GET it, that’s it. You win at content.
5. Read Up on the Best Industry Content Regularly
How can you stand head-and-shoulders with your peers and competitors if you have no idea what they’re up to? What will you aspire to if you don’t read the best content your industry has to offer?
Reading and digesting inspirational, educational, or aspirational content should be a regular habit for all content creators, no matter their industry or medium.
Don’t limit yourself to blogs, either. Go to the library or a bookstore. Watch the news. Listen to podcasts and audiobooks. Download ebooks, studies, and whitepapers. Read everything you can and expand your perspective in every way possible. Your content will be better for it.
[bctt tweet=”5 key habits for successful #contentcreators via @JuliaEMcCoy: 1) Use skills to improve skills, 2) Stay current on digital trends, 3) Make research instinctual, 4) Communicate clearly, 5) Read obsessively ??” username=”ExpWriters”]
Bottom Line: Content Creation Needs an Expert Touch to Succeed
Content creation is not for the faint of heart.
It’s not easy – far from it.
From the slush pile of crap content out there, you can see just how difficult it is to stand out and make an impact.
Luckily, the role of content creator exists. There are people out there who can craft not just amazing content, but content that gets tangible results.
You now know what these people look like, what they do, and the habits they form to grow in their profession.
Whether you aspire to be a great content creator or are considering hiring one, you know their worth. With that knowledge, go forth and conquer. ?
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…As of today, we are just six days away from that!
Crazy to think that, as it seems the beginning of 2020 just rolled around.
Over here at Express Writers, it’s the beginning of a new season.
And it’s time to share the details of this ‘new season’ with all of you.
For a while now, we’ve been listening to our clients who have brands in high-level, advanced niches; watching the hiring industry change for expert writers; and testing what works.
About three months ago, we launched a higher-priced industry writing service called Legal Copywriting, and we’ve found that it was an absolute no-brainer for our law industry clients to invest in $120/500w and get a practicing or retired attorney-turned-copywriter on their work.
(We headhunt and do all the hard work of finding that expert for them, and then train them on modern content writing using my elite, Express-Writers-only training.)
Our test with high-level writing experts for the legal industry was a success. It made sense — we’ve had clients leave over not receiving a true depth of expertise in their industry content, but we’ve found we simply can’t hire deep industry experts at the same pay rate we pay general experts.
So, here’s what just went down today in a short TL;DR (too long, don’t read) summary:
Our Industry Expert Blogs are now called Blogs, and feature a basic industry expert writer. This is the same price you’ve already gotten familiar with, if you’re an existing client: $90/500w. We aren’t axing that at all — yes, you can still get this price and service — and we still have phenomenal writers for that category.
However, if you are looking for a more tenured industry expert writer that will craft authoritative writing to satisfy a very high-level niche industry, that is now $120/500w, and you can pick your industry from the revamped Content Shop. The writers we hire for these industries must have a degree in the industry, 10 years of experience, and industry accomplishments under their belt. (It takes some serious HR time. And then we continue to train them once we hire them.)
Here’s our list of industry-specific expert content creation services, available at $120/500w:
[bctt tweet=”Did we just decide to pay our expert writers… double? ? We did. Learn all about our Spring 2020 changes in this Write Blog post by founder @JuliaEMcCoy.” username=”ExpWriters”]
We’re Doubling What We Pay Expert Writers… & More: Spring 2020 Updates at Express Writers
You can still receive $90/500w expert content; it will feature a basic, high-quality expert writer. Our writers for this category are rockstars. You’re getting beautiful content.
What you’re not getting at $90/500w is a tenured industry expert writer that will craft authoritative writing to satisfy a very high-level niche industry.
The reason we had to go up to $120/500w for these industries, and pay double, is because we simply cannot hire industry experts (true experts) and train them into expert industry writers at the $90/500w price.
Storytime: How We Found Ourselves Up Against a Pay Wall
Last December, I spent an entire month trying to hire for one specific expert category we needed to fill at the “old” rates (the non-doubled pay rates).
Guess what happened?
After going through 1,500+ applicants and spending hours testing and interviewing, I didn’t find a single person. ?
I remember even working on vacation in the terminal during our Christmas family trip to Boulder, Colorado. If I had a photo to document the stress, I’d share it, but you can imagine in your head: my five-year-old was running around the terminal, the hubby right behind her, juice and snacks in hand. There I was, typing away furiously on what should have been a family vacation — spending every spare moment I had like a madwoman to hire for the open vacancy.
We went through so many resumes and did not find anyone to stick in our team for the industry I was hiring for. At the time, we weren’t ready to raise rates yet because we weren’t sure it was the right decision.
Well, after not finding a single expert available to put in their talent for us at that pay rate, we decided it was time to implement a simple campaign we called Pay-Our-Experts-Double. Our Content Manager, Korilynn, suggested it — good thing she did. To put it bluntly, there was no other choice. I couldn’t find an expert available at our old pay rate.
We began by hiring in the Legal industry at the new pay rate/client bill rate, and I worked closely with Korilynn to hire actual J.D.s who had passed the bar and practiced as attorneys. We found a former patent attorney with 20 years of experience who was ready to transition and work from home. We hired him full-time, and he has written some phenomenal content for our law clients.
Our new team of high-level legal writers, hired with a J.D. as the basic requirement and then trained by us in content writing, not only worked happily at the new pay rate (so important to a great work culture!), but also made every client that hired us for the $120/500w legal expert content writing service incredibly happy. ? Win, win.
So, we’ve decided to apply this to 9+ more industries, and that’s what just happened today.
At $120 per 500w, we are paying double to hire expert writers that fulfill our new “deep expertise” requirements. These are the requirements we’ve learned work best for our industry-expert clients (especially brands in tech, finance, medical, insurance, real estate industries, etc.):
Have a minimum of 10 years of experience in that industry, as well as an advanced degree (preferably a Master’s), accreditation and/or a license, and verified, real-life industry accomplishments (achieving a #1 ranking in Google with content if they’re a content marketing/SEO expert, for example)
Have a minimum of two years of freelance content writing experience, or if less, are willing to immediately start training with our internal courses once hired
We’ve found a serious need for deep, truly authoritative experts among the brands we service. High content quality has become a whole new level. We can’t pay the same rates we’ve always paid to hire these deeper industry experts, and then work to train them on content writing. We plan to spend more time, effort, and money on our side in HR to recruit “deep experts” — for example, a retired J.D. with a Master’s in Law that practiced patent law for 20 years in New York City is one of our legal-experts-turned-copywriters, and we are applying this hiring depth to all of our industry expert levels.
Authority content now includes all of these expert areas, as well. With authority content, you’re getting a deep industry expert as well as an authority-trained writer. (I train industry writers on my internal, exclusive Express-Writers-only authority writing training, which instills mastery in online content writing for blogs and websites — extremely readable, engaging, powerful online copy.)
Blog Plan Changes
Our blog plans now feature both of our expert-level rates.
You can still hire top-notch quality blog writers from us at $90/500w: but if you want that deep-level expert, with industry experience, you’ll need to go for our new and revamped Industry Expert Blogging Plan.
Industry Expert Blog Plans are now our basic expert Blog Plans (that include the $90/500w rate).
Go for the gusto with our Industry Expert Blogging Plans, where we actually field a real, tenured expert for your advanced industry. As a reminder, we cover Medical and Healthcare; Health, Fitness, and Wellness; Finance; Real Estate; Insurance; Tech and Engineering; Marketing; and Sports in our advanced, updated expert industry writer staffing structure.
Content Shop Experience: Changes Are Coming
We’ve heard and listened to many of our clients complain about the lack of features when it comes to communicating inside an order, and being able to read status updates.
We’re working on solving this for good. Behind the scenes we’re working on a completely new version of the Content Shop that will come out after our new, internal writer-and-team-only teamroom comes out. We don’t have a date, because, well, technology development is a bear — but, it’s coming! ?
Conclusion: It’s Worth it to Pay for Quality Content (& Get Happy Writers!)
Hiring industry experts that know how to write blogs and web pages is a real feat; it takes hours of time to staff and recruit, and then the art of retaining them is just as important. We’re working on nailing both by hiring experienced industry writers at a higher pay rate.
Happy writers, happy clients… happy life and real brand growth.
And although you believe what the experts are saying, you wonder: why?
Why does content work? What’s the science behind it? Should you start your own content marketing campaign?
Let’s dig into the data to find out!
Why Does Content Work? Plus, 39 Reasons You Should Invest in Content – Table of Contents
What Kind of Content Works?
1. Content with a Strategy
2. High-Quality Content
3. Consistent Content
Why Does Content Work? 40 Reasons to Invest in Content Marketing
Does Content Work? How to Move Forward with Your Marketing Goals
[bctt tweet=”Why does content work? What’s the science behind it? Should you start your own content marketing campaign? Dig into the data with @JuliaEMcCoy via the Write Blog ” username=”ExpWriters”]
What Kind of Content Works?
Before we dive into why content marketing works, it’s important to point out that not all content works.
You can’t just get on your keyboard and type up a frenzy of random blogs to publish online. Doing this is a waste of time, energy, and even money.
So, what kind of content should you be producing? Here are three things to aim for.
1. Content with a Strategy
Approaching content marketing without content strategy is like going on a trip without a destination.
No matter how many miles you travel, you’ll never reach your goal because you don’t know exactly what your goal is.
To keep your content from going in circles, you need to develop a content strategy.
This is your master plan and blueprint. It’ll guide you on what type of content to create, the target audience to create it for, where to publish it and how often, and all the details that’ll make your content unique, purposeful, and powerful.
2. High-Quality Content
When publishing content, remember that quality trumps quantity every single time.
And when I say quality, it’s not just making sure your blogs are free of grammatical errors.
It’s superb content. Share-worthy content. Content that gets your audience hooked.
So, if you’re tempted to click publish on the mediocre blog you wrote, just stop. Publishing a day or two late is better than damaging your online authority with low-quality content.
3. Consistent Content
That being said, try your best to stick to a regular schedule.
Your readers will lose interest if you publish content randomly and inconsistently.
[bctt tweet=”What kind of content should you be producing? 3 things to aim for: 1) Content with a strategy 2) High-quality content 3) Consistent content ⌚” username=”ExpWriters”]
Why Does Content Work? 40 Reasons to Invest in Content Marketing
Let’s start with exactly why content works, then explore statistics that’ll get you excited about content marketing.
1. Why Does Content Work?
Content works because of what the buyer’s journey is like today.
Buyers nowadays can’t be bullied into an old-fashioned sales funnel.
They don’t like feeling “sold,” or “closed.”
Instead, they want to feel powerful. They want to be in control during every step they take towards the solution they’re looking for.
So no, you can’t put your audience into a rigid, linear sales funnel.
What you can do is offer them value.
For instance, let’s say your potential client wants to feel attractive and confident with a flashy white smile.
If you’re selling teeth whitening products, you can do two things:
Bombard your prospect with paid ads, or
Teach your prospect how to whiten his teeth through quality content.
As you’ve guessed, your prospect will respond positively to your brand if you choose the second option.
He’ll see you as an authority in your industry. He’ll trust you. He’ll consider your expert advice and feel attracted to your product.
That’s how content marketing works.
[bctt tweet=”Buyers nowadays can’t be bullied into an old-fashioned sales funnel. They don’t like feeling sold or closed. Instead, they want to feel powerful. ” username=”ExpWriters”]
2. Your Audience is Constantly Online
In the U.S. alone, 81% of people go online on a daily basis. Of this number, 28% are online constantly, and 45% go online more than once a day.
3. The Number of Internet Users is Growing Each Year
Today, there are 4.54 billion internet users worldwide. That’s more than half the total population of the world!
4. There Are Six Billion Searches on Google Per Day
That’s 230 million searches every hour, and two trillion searches per year.
5. Google Is the Number One Place People Go When Searching for a New Product or Brand
Every single day, hundreds of millions of people go to Google to perform shopping-related searches.
6. People Are Spending More and More Time on the Internet
The Philippines leads the pack on total time spent on the internet with a whopping nine hours and forty-five minutes per day. Worldwide, it’s six hours and forty-three minutes per day (the same number with the U.S.).
7. 90% of B2B Marketers Use Content as Part of Their Strategy
The brands using content for marketing aren’t all small. In fact, hugely successful brands like Toshiba, Cisco, and Marriott all take advantage of content marketing.
8. A Huge Chunk of Marketers are Investing in Content Marketing
It’s not just B2B marketers, it’s B2C marketers as well. 70% of all marketers now invest in content marketing.
9. 3/4 of All People Who Use the Internet Read Blogs Regularly
That’s 3.4 billion people who’d potentially be interested in reading content you publish.
10. 55% of Marketers say Blogging is a Top Inbound Marketing Priority
While outbound marketing pushes your messages at people who aren’t interested in your brand, inbound marketing works like a magnet. It draws in prospects who are actively looking for your product or service.
Since more than half of marketers consider blogging a top inbound marketing priority, why not jump in?
11. If You Increase Your Blog Posts by 100%, You’ll Get a 300% Increase in Traffic
Let’s say you have 100 blogs and 2,000 daily visitors. If you increase the number of blogs on your website to 200, you’ll get a total of 6,000 daily visitors.
12. Companies with More than 400 Blog Posts Enjoy Three Times more Leads than Companies with Fewer than 100 Blog Posts
Consistent blogging with quality content and keywords improves your SERP ranking and brings in more leads. It also alerts Google’s web crawlers to your site and keeps your readers entertained and engaged.
13. Companies that Publish 16 or More Blog Posts Per Month Enjoy 3.5x More Traffic than Companies that Publish Less than Four Times a Month
If your goal is to increase organic traffic, publish as much optimized content as you can (sticking to amazing quality, of course).
If your goal is brand awareness, keep your content diverse, valuable, and useful while sticking to a consistent publishing schedule.
14. 70 Million New Blog Posts Appear on WordPress Blogs Every Month
These blog posts generate around 77 million comments from 409 million monthly internet users.
And that’s just WordPress! An alternative is Tumblr, which has 450 million blogs.
15. Longer Blog Posts Get More Shares
Blog posts above 3,000 words get the most online shares.
16. Marketers Who Use Blogging as a Strategy are 13x More Likely to Enjoy Satisfying ROI
Blogging as a part of your overall strategy will drive more ROI – by an amazing 13x!
17. 40% of Your Traffic is Driven by Only 10% of Your Blogs
Not every one of your blogs helps generate traffic. If you can focus on what’s right in the blogs that fall within the 10% that bring in quality traffic, your website will quickly become a success.
18. 64% of B2B Marketers Outsource Their Blogging
Blogging consistently is tough, which is why it’s a great idea to invest in hiring skilled expert writers to create content for you.
19. Users Share Content They’re Impressed With
As an example, take this infographic from Demand Metric. It got 7, 937 shares and 452 pins.
20. 72% of Marketers Say Content Increases Engagement with Prospects
Successful content educates, entertains, and helps prospects gain their needs and desires. The more value they get from content, the deeper the connection they feel with a brand.
[bctt tweet=”72% of marketers say content increases engagement with prospects, via @optinmonster. That’s because successful content educates, entertains, and helps prospects gain their needs and desires. ” username=”ExpWriters”]
21. 72% of Marketers Also Report Content Marketing Has Increased Leads
Content marketing, done consistently and with quality and a user-focus at heart, equals more leads. See our case study on ranking through content.
22. 61% of Buyers Are More Likely to Purchase from a Brand after Reading its Unique Content
In fact, prospects read 3 to 5 blogs before approaching a company’s sales personnel. Create more blogs, brands! You may not have to “sell” as hard.
[bctt tweet=”Prospects read 3 to 5 blogs before approaching a company’s sales personnel. Create more blogs, brands! ✏ You may not have to sell as hard.” username=”ExpWriters”]
23. 34% of Consumers Will Make an Unplanned Purchase When They Read Personalized Content from a Brand
Personalized content is content that’s created around specific needs, beliefs, and desires. It also addresses a prospect based on where he is on the buyer’s journey.
Personalized content is extremely effective. In fact…
24. …90% of Consumers Appreciate Personalized Content
Creating generic content is one of the biggest reasons brands don’t get conversions.
25. Traditional Advertising Is No Longer Working Like It Used To
Direct mail and TV advertisements used to work wonders for brands. Today, they’re largely ignored.
[bctt tweet=”One of the major reasons content works: Direct mail and TV ads are largely ignored today. Gaining trust is more important than grabbing attention. ✅ ” username=”ExpWriters”]
26. Although Online Advertising is More Successful than Offline Advertising, Businesses Using Paid Advertising Are Struggling Because of Ad Blockers
27. $35 Billion Worth of Paid Ads is Lost Every Year Because People No Longer See Ads
Users cite diverse reasons for using ad blockers. Some say they don’t want to be annoyed with irrelevant ads. Others say ads drain the battery life of their phones.
The result is a huge loss per year on money spent for paid ads.
The Chromium Blog recently announced that it will soon remove disruptive ads from videos to ensure Google Chrome users enjoy a better online experience.
These ads include non-skippable ads that play before video content, mid-roll ads that interrupt a viewer’s enjoyment of content, and ads that partially block a video.
29. Branded Video Content is Becoming the Powerful Alternative to Paid Video Ads
In fact, 87% of content marketers use video for marketing.
30. Video Content in Emails Can Channel Traffic to Your Website
When you create compelling video and add it to your email content, you’ll increase your click-through rate by 300%.
31. Video Content about Products Increases Purchase Intent by 144%…
32. …Which is Why Video Content is the Number One Form of Content Used by Content Marketers
34. An Attractive Website with Unique Content Will Increase Your Chances of Getting Recommendations from Users
On the other hand, an unattractive website will turn people away. 57% of internet users say they won’t recommend a brand that gave them a bad user experience online.
35. Email Content Helps with Customer Retention
91% of shoppers who buy from a brand say they want to hear from the company via email.
36. No, Email is Not Dying
Think social media is for the young and email is for the older generation?
Nope.
Actually, 73% of millennials say they want to read email content from brands.
[bctt tweet=”73% of millennials say they want to read email content from brands, via @hubspot. Email is not dying! ♥” username=”ExpWriters”]
37. Content Marketing is Cheaper than Paid Advertising
Even if you pay for content creation, you’ll still save up to 62% compared to paying for ads.
39. The Number of People Listening to Podcast Content is Growing
If you don’t have a podcast yet, here’s great incentive to start one. Podcast listening has grown by 200%!
Also, Google recently announced its intention to index podcast content. This means your podcasts can turn up in the search engine results, leading users to your blog or website.
[bctt tweet=”A majority of B2B marketers rate their content marketing success higher today than one year ago, via @contentmarketinginstitute. Content works because we’re FINALLY figuring out how to do it successfully. ” username=”ExpWriters”]
Does Content Work? How to Move Forward with Your Marketing Goals
There’s a huge chasm between marketing the way it was 50 years ago and marketing today.
Today, buyers are in control. They make the rules, and oftentimes break them. Their resistance to the traditional sales funnel is sky high.
So, does content work to break down your prospect’s walls? Absolutely. Content works because instead of asking, you’re giving. Instead of pushing advertisements into people’s faces, you’re building value-rich material and attracting people to your brand.
Digital content spans a wide range of media types and platforms. In general, if you can read it or view it online, then a content creator probably created it.
Here is a basic list of digital content types that content creators have a hand in:
According to a recent 
The best content creators take the time to nurture these 5 key habits. They:
