Ask just about any mobile user, and the answer will probably be the same.
We could all do without those intrusive pop-ups that block content and ask us to click one of two choices that go a lot like, “Yes, I want to know more about…”, or “No, I don’t like free stuff.”
And more recently developed in the marketing sphere, what about the pop-ups out there now that downright insult our intelligence, revenue and status?
This screenshot of ad opt-out choices was pulled from a leading content marketer’s site:
Sucky, that last choice!
Back to the main point of pop-up ads as a whole.
Overall, the truth is, no one likes to be interrupted. Most of us are taught from very early on to say “excuse me”, or at least wait our turn before speaking.
So, why is it okay for us to be interrupted when we visit a mobile site?
Turns out, it is NOT okay anymore.
In mid-January, Google launched the intrusive interstitial-killing algorithm update, and it is going to have an impact on content marketing efforts and our attempts to reach our audience with relevant content. Read on for all the details.
Intrusive Interstitials 101
Intrusive interstitials are a fancy way to describe pop-up ads, those page-covering, content-blocking images on mobile and desktop sites. These ads can be almost as annoying as a line-cutter on Black Friday (no one likes them).
Intrusive interstitials block the intended destination, forcing Google searchers to go through a process before proceeding. Interstitials can cover an entire page, making it especially frustrating for mobile users.
The poor experience can make content less accessible to a site visitors by:
Covering a page with a popup
Displaying an interstitial that must be dismissed before proceeding
Delaying the show of content a user was originally trying to access
Thanks to Google’s new algorithm, webpages where content is not easily accessible may now not rank as high. Google is currently only looking at those popup ads that appear when a user initially arrives at a mobile website; as announced during a Google+ hangout, the goal is to look for interstitials that show up between the time when a user searches and sees the intended content.
The Good, the Bad, the Popups: What Won’t Be Penalized vs. What Will
So, what does this mean for content creators?
To put it simply, if it’s annoying, bothersome, or frustrating, it risks being de-ranked.
This change may not impact those popups that are for more helpful purposes, like in the case of a live chat box.
Here are examples-in-action to demonstrate the good vs. bad.
The Good, Non-Penalized Pop-Ups: Defining & Example
Obviously, having a user-friendly mobile site right from the beginning is the first step in appealing to the growing population of mobile-only web visitors (our EW team learned about this way back in November when they traveled to New York for the SEJ Summit).
These types of pop-ups are permissible and will NOT be penalized:
Banners that are easily dismissible and use up a reasonable amount of screen space. While what is “reasonable” may be open to interpretation, Search Engine Journal recommends keeping it at 15% or less.
Interstitials that are used for legal reasons, like age verification. In cases where an interstitial is in place for ethical or legal reasons, no penalty will be dealt.
Login dialogs on sites not publicly indexable, like in the case of email and other private sites.
Here’s an example of a GOOD, effective ad we’re doing for our Content Shop.
It’s a tiny banner at the top, meets the 15% or less rule (“Start your New Year with great content! On any of our services, check out with an instant 5% savings with code five 2017″), doesn’t block significant content on mobile (we tested, it works), and offers a code that customers can simply checkout with–no additional clicking, email signup, etc. needed. It works, too: 100% of the inbound leads that don’t need a sales call have been using it.
The Bad Pop-up Examples
We did turn off our live chat popups that blocked content on the lower-right hand corner of our site (no example to show: it’s gone).
Irrelevant and uninteresting content that is preceded by intrusive pop-ups is a recipe for low conversion rates, not to mention those Google ghosts lurking around the corner.
Never do the following types of ads with an opt-out phrase that insults intelligence or status. Just don’t.
We love you Neil, but really? How do you know we don’t like our traffic stats as they sit? Are you some omnipotent presence instead of a mere marketer?
Dear lord how insulting. No, I’d prefer my prospects convert today, thank you very much, and luckily for me, not you, they are. 😛
And last but my top favorite…a pop-up from MarketingProfs suggesting we read an article called “Your Pop-Up Ads are Annoying Your Prospects.” It’s so ironic, it’s funny. 😀 😀
3 Types of Intrusive Interstitials that Will Be Penalized
Three interstitial types are currently at risk for being penalized by Google. Knowledge is power:
1. Regular Popups
These windows block the content of a page and often dim everything else on the screen. They often look like this:
2. Full-screen interstitials
Full-screen ads often stand alone and sit above the header of the website, forcing the user to scroll before viewing the intended content.
3. Standalone interstitials
These full screens block all content with no opportunity for content preview.
Remember, anything that covers over 15% of the page content, as an ad,is at risk of being penalized.
While Google continues to focus on the user, the company also recognizes that corrections need to be made every so often in order to improve how sites perform. This includes smacking down on mobile pop-up ads and other algorithmic changes geared toward providing an optimal web experience.
Are Pop-Up Ads Worth It?
Pop-ups work, but only if you do them right. Companies continue to include them on sites because they have the potential to provide a certain level of effectiveness.
Unless, of course, they shove their way in like an intrusive early-morning shopper.
Which begs the question: are pop-up forms always worth it?
Content marketers want to generate as many leads as possible, but using too many pop-up ads and forms may actually do the opposite and detract from reader engagement and conversion growth.
But maybe there is a middle ground, one in which the user is not put off by the pop-up and the marketer sees results from the effort.
How & Why Not All Pop-Ups Are Poopy
Not all pop-ups are evil. In fact, some can actually be good and – dare we say it? – healthy for inbound marketing.
If we focus on intentional development, pop-ups can be less poopy and more profitable.
Pop-up best practices include elements like:
Attractive colors
Free stuff
Engaging headlines
An image as a CTA
SumoMe took a look at over one billion pop-ups and found that the top 10% highest-performing pop-ups averaged a 9.28% conversion rate, meaning the user took action in response.
After all of that analyzing, there were some elements that increase conversion rates, which include:
Increased context that builds on the page’s value
Valuable offers in exit pop-ups
Clear and direct headlines that include the action and value
Personality – attention-grabbing, unique, and friendly
Should Content Marketers Use Pop-Ups?
In its simplest form, a pop-up has to be compelling and relevant, or you risk losing that potential reader or customer. If a visitor is engaged with the content that pops up, that’s good news. On the other hand, if it turns them off, they’ll click and dash faster than Hatchanimals flew off the shelf at Christmastime.
There are some positive benefits to pop-ups, especially when a visitor signs up for your email list, coupon, or content download. The key is in using a pop-up as a tool at the right time and with the most appealing call-to-action.
Refer to our Good vs. Bad section again to see actual ads that we recommend / recommend against.
What’s a Content Marketer to Do in An Age of Intrusive Interstitials? 4 Takeaways from the Mobile Penalty
There are certain boundaries that content marketers should be aware of in the age of intrusive interstitials.
1. Practice Relevancy
Do you have a bleh gift-giver in your life? You know who we’re talking about – always showing up to the party with something, but it’s usually a re-gift or last-minute afterthought.
No one likes a bleh gift.
Do your readers want what you’re offering? If not, change up your strategy and work toward a more attractive product. The time between their landing and exit is short, and you don’t want to waste precious resources offering them something they don’t want or already have.
The issue with many pop-ups is that they do not offer relevancy, and combining an irrelevant message with the blocking of their target content is a double reason to leave and look for answers elsewhere.
The question here becomes, Do I know my audience and what they’re really looking for? If not, it’s time to dig a little deeper into your gift-giving skills.
2. Give Readers Some Time
After analyzing over 110,000 emails, AppSumo found that waiting 5 seconds after someone visited before asking for an email resulted in a much higher response.
How long you should wait is not set in stone, and the research on this is sparse. It is clear, however, that waiting a bit longer and giving a reader time is much more effective than using the attack of the pop-up ad as soon as they land on your site.
Understanding the timing here must be strategic, which goes back to knowing your audience. How do they interact with the elements of your content? When are they most engaged?
To gain a better understanding of how your audience engages with various components, try using a tool like Google Analytics, which will provide you with a more complete picture of your site and its visitor performance.
3. Don’t Be a Nag
Have you ever heard this proverb:
A nagging wife is like a dripping faucet. – Proverb
Yikes. Well, once your reader has made a decision, which is pretty clear when they click “no” or “x” out of the content, your job as a content marketer is to respect that choice.
Rather than force them to look at something they have already decided to ignore, focus instead on offering multiple avenues for great content.
Offer an email signup, but don’t block the page view. Give out a coupon, but keep it as a banner that doesn’t act as an intrusive interstitial. Be consistent, not pushy.
Don’t be that nagging, dripping faucet.
4. Identify and Take Action
The risk for de-ranking is alive and active. When content is not easily accessible to site visitors who use mobile search, Google is going to take action, which may lead to less interaction and conversion.
Now is the time to recognize your own intrusive interstitials and do something about how those pop-ups impact your audience.
Check to ensure all your site’s interstitials are necessary for legal and ethical purposes, like cookie notifications and age-verification questions.
Make changes for those pop-ups that are relevant and necessary for effective interaction but are intrusive. If they do nothing for your content, take them down.
Visit your own site from a Google search so you can identify which ones will act as annoyances and which should stay.
The All-New Intrusive Interstitials Mobile Penalty: Concluding Thoughts
It’s the new internet – the brave, new world, where more and more of it’s users are smart and know exactly what they’re looking for.
Don’t try to con them into something with a pop-up that blocks everything they’re reading and tries to compel them to your action. It won’t work anymore. Google is backing that up with an effective intrusive interstitials mobile penalty. It’s a thing.
Arm yourself with these tips, and keep looking out for any future algorithm changes Google may unveil that may impact the user experience.
Are you looking for more relevant, audience-friendly, engaging content for your site? Connect with us at Express Writers and let’s chat!
Today, content marketing is one of the lowest-cost, highest return marketing efforts.
But don’t take my word for it – for example, listen to Kraft, who publicly revealed at Content Marketing World last year that their content marketing ROI was four times higher than that of their most targeted advertising! Or, check out our own case study that reveals how content marketing is responsible for 95% of our business revenue.
Right now, marketers are creating more content than ever to see return, and inbound marketers are spending more time than ever before creating content. In fact, 93% of inbound marketers are now creating content on a weekly basis. What’s more, more than half of the surveyed marketers say they spend more than six hours a week doing so. That’s a lot of time and commitment!
It’s clear that content is the way of the future for 2017 and beyond and that if you want to succeed in the coming year, you need to invest in it. Read on to learn more about the upward trajectory of content marketing, and how it can boost your business this year.
Will Investing in Content Make Your Brand More Successful this Year?
The simple answer is, YES!
Today, most marketers understand that there’s no way around content. After all, it’s the only reliable way to get around the influence of ad blockers, the best way to connect with audiences, and the longest-lasting way to build relationships that last with customers.
Just because most marketers understand they should be creating content, however, doesn’t mean most marketers have invested adequately in doing it. In fact, many marketers halfway it, pumping out cheap, poorly written content that does little but clog up the search engines, and fails at meeting readers’ needs entirely.
Contently calls this: “the zombification of content marketing.”
Sound terrifying? It is, and it’s a growing epidemic.
Fortunately, there’s a whole host of things you can do to combat it.
When you pour your best into your content marketing – in creating engaging, valuable, authentic content, that you’re tremendously proud of – you break the growing zombie mold of typical content, and your brand will stand out online.
5 Content Marketing Pillars to Focus on Right Now
Before we talk about which types of content you should be investing in, let’s talk about which content traits you’ll need to focus on to be successful in 2017. Here are the top five.
1. Storytelling
Scheherazade from Arabian Nights, featured in a post we wrote late 2015.
We’ve touted the importance of storytelling before, and we’re not planning on stopping anytime soon. There are a few great things about storytelling in content marketing. Namely, storytelling works with all types of content – ranging from video to written material, which makes it the ideal foundation strategy for your various content pursuits. What’s more, it appeals to readers on a universal level.
Think about it for a moment: Didn’t you love hearing stories as a kid? Don’t you still love commercials that make you laugh, riveting travel tales that make you gasp, or a great novel that sucks you in and won’t let you go? Of course, you do, and it’s all because these things are stories!
The appeal of storytelling is broad and universal. Include it in your content marketing and you’ll immediately see your audience transform from “ho-hum,” to engaged, compelled, and genuinely interested.
2. User-Focused Content
Nobody likes a narcissistic company that just tells everyone how awesome they are all the time. In fact, this is a recipe for failure! Instead, a critical foundation of modern content is that it be user-focused. The more you can involve your customers in your online content, tailor it toward their experiences, and ensure it reflects their voices, concerns, and passions, the more successful they’ll be.
In fact, if you look around at modern content, you’ll find that many of the most successful companies out there barely enter their digital content. Sure, they’re in there as supporting cast members, but the target audience is the star – always the star.
This is as it should be, and it’s a wise thing to consider as you think about how to invest in content for a more profitable 2017.
3. Mobile-Friendly Content
No matter what you choose to invest in, make it mobile friendly. On the same level of importance as story-dense, user-focused material, mobile-friendly content is everything right now, and you can’t expect your brand to make much progress online if you’re not catering to your share of the more than 50% of Google search queries that come from mobile platforms.
4. Strategic Content
All the content you create should be strategic and intentional. While it’s one thing to put out short-form content or funny, original videos, everything you do should be supporting a larger content or marketing goal. If it’s not, you’re wasting your marketing budget and your team’s time.
5. Helpful, Relevant Content
Regardless of whether it’s a video, blog post, meme, or infographic, your top priority in all of your content creation efforts should be to make everything you create relevant, helpful, and quality. Without these three pillars, your content will fall short, and you won’t enjoy the massive ROI content is so capable of producing.
Successful Growth in Content Marketing: What Kind of Hot Content Should You Invest in?
If you want to succeed in content marketing, you need to invest in the RIGHT content. Otherwise, you could risk adding to the fluff that’s already clogging up the content sea. Here are the top 5 types of content to focus on in 2017 and beyond:
1. Expert Content
Expert content is no secret. Google demanded it in its 2015 Search Quality Evaluator guidelines, and influencers in virtually all industries have touted its importance since then. In addition to helping you rank better (Google may punish sites that feature poorly written content, or content that doesn’t possess the level of expertise the subject requires), expert content is the only real way to build your business.
By positioning you as an authority in your industry, giving you a platform to showcase your knowledge, and helping you gain more qualified leads, expert content can go a long way toward overhauling your entire online presence and making your content investments more lucrative in the coming year.
Still not sure what expert content means? It means content written by expert copywriters, like the ones we have on staff here at Express Writers. Readers can tell when a page is written by a subject-matter expert, and when it’s written by a novice. And, believe us – they’d rather read the former.
2. Live Streaming
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely noticed how much traction live-streaming content has gained in recent months. From platforms like Periscope to Facebook Live and Meerkat, live streaming is a hot trend in content right now, and when you use it right, it can boost your brand big time.
According to Variety.com, live-streaming overtook television in 2015 as the media delivery choice of preference, and that trend has extended to social platforms and apps in spades. Today, customers expect a company or brand to be available to them 24/7, and any brand that falls short in this will fall out of favor with its clients.
That said, investing in live-stream video can give you a highly approachable way to engage with your audiences and grow your online following. Once more, though, don’t take my word for it: consider platforms from Facebook to Twitter, which have made live-streaming the near-center of their content strategy in recent months.
3. Newsletters
If you think newsletters sound so 2015, think again. Today, newsletters are a critical content platform that can allow marketers to expand their audiences and produce positive ROIs. Companies from Buzzfeed to The Washington Post have used newsletters to dramatically expand their audiences (The Post, for example, increased newsletter subscribers by 145% year-over-year), and promote more sales.
For best results, ensure that your digital newsletters are optimized for all viewing devices and filled with relevant content. You should also include an exciting CTA that links to something relevant within your company or website.
4. Native Advertising
Did you know that more than 200 million people are currently using adblockers? Unless you’re a superhero, there’s virtually no way you’re going to get around all that software, and your chances of having your banner ad clicked are practically shrinking before your eyes. Don’t despair, though! There’s still a way to get into customers’ heads and hearts.
When you use native advertising, which offers helpful information rather than intrusive CTAs that disrupt user experience, you’re more likely to enjoy engagement and interest from your audiences. What’s more, since Native advertising integrates smoothly into various host environments, it’s easier to implement and use – even for small businesses.
Even The New York Times has named native advertising as one of the top tactics that allowed it to survive the explosion of adblocking software!
5. Virtual Reality
Sound a little wild to you? This is 2017, and VR has become a massive part of the tech landscape!
Today, many of the smartest brands on the web are using VR as a unique way to engage clients and differentiate themselves from the competition. While it might not be the one-stop-shop that social media or blogging is, it’s still a helpful tool that can benefit your company and your brand.
What’s more, it’s right in line with what the influential millennial consumer group wants.
According to a study conducted by the Harris Group, 72% of millennials would like to put more money into experiences than physical things. With this in mind, investing in VR content can be a great way to snag these high-value consumers and keep them with your brand.
Check out a few ways to include VR in your marketing strategy on Entrepreneur.
Invest in Content for a Bright 2017
The growth of content marketing is upon us! From expert copywriters to virtual reality content, there are dozens of smart investment opportunities facing your brand this year. To start your content game off strong, don’t be afraid to revisit your content budget and invest more in these cutting-edge technologies and content types.
Not only will your ROI increase, but your readership and sales will, as well.
Looking for the right copywriters to make your digital content shine this year? Visit our Content Shopto view our content packages and choose the one that’s right for you!
Check out the resolutions a lot of us made way back in early 2016:
According to Money, the top goal for Americans was to “enjoy life to the fullest”, and a close second was “live a healthier lifestyle”. Far down at the bottom was “pay off debt.” As a country, most of us are fairly realistic and stick to one goal.
It’s good to make goals, even if we don’t always achieve them.
Setting goals gives us a vision for the future and puts something in our sights that we can reach for. Personally, we aim for better health, more time with people we love, and a more financially stable lifestyle.
On the content development and marketing side of things, setting goals and looking to the most useful SEO content tactics for the next year also gives us something to look toward. Quality content comes from using SEO as an effective tool, drawn from your supply of strategies and experience. Ready to dive into our most useful SEO content tactics to share for the New Year? Grab a latte and join me!
SEO Roots: A Look Back at the Beginning Before We Look at the Future
I was born in 1991, when the launch of the world’s first website happened. (I like to say it was fate bringing the internet and I together – since eight, I’ve had a natural affinity and love for our world wide web.) As the ‘net grew to include Google (1997) and Yahoo (1994), marketers took advantage of keyword stuffing and spammy backlinks in order to rank high on search results.
The art of SEO, or search engine optimization, came along in the early 2000’s to help connect users with the information they needed to find local results. Since that time, user-focused SEO and changes to Google meant rankings had to be earned through relevant, quality content rather than an overuse of keywords.
Today, relevant content and mobile optimization are required to rank at all, and must be backed by authority and expert links.
Content no longer ranks high simply due to a large amount of spam or repetitive keywords throughout a piece of content: it ranks high based on a lot of factors, many of which are now human-based more than bot or algorithm based. (Check out my post all about how semantic search is the way of the future.)
6 SEO Content Tactics to Use in 2017
Search Engine Journal recently gathered the wisdom of 44 SEO experts to ask their views of what trends will define 2017. We gathered about 15-16 for our roundup in the last week of December 2016. While everyone has a different view of what the year will look like, there is one thing they all agree on: as we move forward, it becomes even more important to stay aware of the latest technology and how our strategies need to adapt, no matter what year it may be.
Here are the SEO tactics we need to watch as we go into a new year, one still unwritten, yet full of possibility and growth.
1. AMP
The Accelerated Mobile Pages Project (AMP) was integrated by Google early in 2016. The open initiative encourages publishers to create mobile-optimized content—pages load quickly on mobile devices for more efficient use.
The goal with AMP is to deliver the best mobile experience to the average user, lessening the wait time for things like videos and graphics. Experts across the board believe that this new year will be the deciding factor in whether AMP stays or gets shelved.
2. Mobile experience
Apps will continue to be a part of the user experience, which means indexing them will be important going forward. As the introduction of RankBrain has made its impact in the world of algorithms, so too has the continued focus on mobile.
Google has already talked about making their index mobile-first and restructuring algorithms to first use the mobile version of a site’s content to rank pages. This will continue to be important in 2017, especially as 3 out of 4 Americans own a smartphone, up from 2015.
Mobile activity will intersect with search engine optimization and ranking going into this next year. As Duane Forrester reminds us at SEJ, “the shift has already happened…if you’re still ‘thinking about mobile’, consumers won’t be thinking about you.”
3. Content optimization
As industry experts point out, our focus needs to be on content optimization rather than keyword optimization. And while it remains important to a content marketer’s SEO strategy, there is the temptation to get trapped in the “content is king” cycle.
With millions of articles published each month, there has to be something to make you stand out from all of the other voices who want the attention of your audience. Long-form content is a start in the right direction.
4. Machine learning
Innovative technology and its capabilities will reveal previously unseen patterns of searcher behavior. Advanced machines like Google’s RankBrain and the rise of artificial intelligence will make it even more important to put forth the effort in order to rank with the best.
The area of search engine optimization will move forward as a technical approach. The challenge may lie in not knowing why a piece of content ranks at a certain spot, as machine learning has an influence on the algorithm.
5. Voice search
Billions of searches are done each year via voice commands, and the number is only expected to grow. This trend will have an impact on our keyword optimization since we don’t speak in the same way we write—think asking a question versus typing a statement into a search box.
The move toward conversational search among a variety of devices will definitely have an impact on SEO, especially as we consider the “one correct answer” given by a device. This goes back to quality content and making sure you are providing the most thorough and most readable answer.
Kleiner Perkins Caufiled & Byers 2016 Internet Trends Report
6. Quality links
Well-organized resources filled with useful content can make quite a difference in the building of trust with your audience. Links still matter and contribute to rank, and as Google reminds us, creating “unique, relevant content that can naturally gain popularity” pays off.
Experts differ on the importance of link building. Adam Audette at SEJ believes that content developers would do well to focus on link building for amplification rather than for SEO purposes. Think of it like a circle: if you create great content, and promote it well, that content willbe linked to and subsequently return value to your site.
We’ve seen it happen: a year after I published this podcast with Joanna Wiebe, CrazyEgg picked it up and linked back to our site, citing it in their post defining conversion copywriting. The link quality was almost 80 DA (domain authority) – a huge link boost!
So, remember: backlinks still matter. These links back to your webpage still need to be authoritative and relevant as it relates to SEO. Create amazing content, publish it, share it: you’ll get links from high quality sites if they think it’s good enough!
4 Key Tactics to Keep in Mind for Creating More Fantastic Content in 2017
While predictions from a host of experts can be helpful going into the new year, what exactly are we supposed to do with all of this information?
1. Optimize for mobile
Accessing the internet via the phone and tablet surpassed desktop usage in 2016. Those numbers alone should be motivation for all of us to better understand AMP and mobile-first indexing.
It isn’t enough anymore to build a site for desktop usage and then scale it back for mobile users. Not only does this drive users away, but it may prevent them from visiting at all. As Search Engine Land notes, content and links on a mobile site are key drivers in search engine visibility while ranking is still based on the desktop version of a site.
2. Focus on long-form content
Every SEO strategy should focus on the building of high-quality content that is relevant and authoritative.
Joe Pulizzi talked about the rebirth of long form in an exclusive email that went out just last Friday to the CMI audience in an exclusive email, PDF export here:
Now how, in this world of “snackable” content, multiple smartphones, and no attention span, are we seeing these longerform pillar collections of content cutting through the clutter?
The point I’m trying to make is that nearly every marketer we talk to has run to shorter posts, shorter social media updates, shorter videos, shorter podcasts … thinking that audiences don’t have the desire to invest themselves in content for a longer period of time. But they absolutely do … if the content is worthwhile. Those marketers who take a longerform approach can immediately position themselves and their stories as differentiated simply because of the length.
So, when all your competition is going small, maybe it’s your time to go big – indepth article series, hearty and detailed podcast interviews, a fullfledge custom print magazine, and possibly even a customer event. When everyone else zigs, you zag. – @JoePulizzi
[clickToTweet tweet=”When all your competition is going small, maybe it’s your time to go big in content. – @JoePulizzi” quote=”When all your competition is going small, maybe it’s your time to go big – indepth articles, hearty and detailed podcast interviews. – @JoePulizzi”]
Joe hits the nail on the head.
Long-form content also gives the writer an opportunity to share authoritative information with quality sources to back it up. Readers will return if they know they are going to receive solutions to their need.
3. Keep pace with technology
The chatter about artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and voice-search innovation. Over the course of just two years, Amazon sold nearly 5 million Echo devices, which allow users to control their home through smart technology and perform voice searches.
The rise in the use of digital personal assistants will change how the average user searches, increasing the number of conversational queries during the process. Whether we are asking Siri or Google Assistant, the way we search with our voices is different than how we type in a search query.
Adapting your SEO strategy according to how the audience is using your site and developing content with a conversational tone are just two ways to stay engaged with the newest digital inventions.
4. Progressive Web Apps (PWA)
Google tells us that PWAs are engaging, reliable, and fast, bringing a new level of quality to a home screen. These apps are live and installable, eliminating the need for an app store.
SEO efforts can be boosted by utilizing PWAs while you increase the level of engagement through an app-like experience for your audience.
Moving Forward in Your SEO Journey this Year
Every content developer should know that SEO copywriting is only as good as the skills and tactics behind it.
While 2017 lies open like a crisp book full of blank pages, content developers can continue to keep learning and keep connected with the latest updates on the most effective SEO tactics.
If your resolution is to create better content, connect with us over at Express Writers for some goal-worthy ideas!
With blogging as a source of 97% more inbound website backlinks, 126% more business lead growth, and much more (stats below), it’s a major, major foundation of content marketing you don’t want to miss out on in 2017.
To start January off with a bang, we decided to help share some inspiration for our fellow content marketers and create a list of 10 top resolutions to help you blog this year (better than you’ve ever blogged before)!
Print the following infographic below out, and hang it up to inspire your blogging and content progress all year. 😉 Here’s the PDF version, resolutions only, to download.Enjoy – written and designed by our team at Express Writers!
Why Make Blogging Resolutions for 2017?
Here’s some (serious) inspiration.
More than 200 million people (and a whopping 16% of the U.S. population) use ad blockers – so organic content (blogging is best!) is the only way to reach them.
Companies that blog have 97% more inbound links.
Small businesses that blog get 126% more lead growth than small businesses that do not blog.
Companies that published 16+ blog posts per month got almost 5X more traffic than companies that published 0-4 monthly posts.
Long-form blog posts earn 9x more leads than short-form posts.
70% of B2B marketers plan to create more content in 2017 than they did in 2016.
The average length of top-ranking blogs is increasing – sitting at roughly 1,050 words in 2017.
49% of marketers are focusing on aligning their content with the buyer’s journey.
Nearly 30% of the most successful marketers routinely repurpose their content. To join the club, though, you must have content to repurpose – and blogs are perfect for that!
45% of all marketers report that writing blogs is the single most important piece of their content strategy.
80% of decision makers would rather get information about a company through an article than they would through an advertisement.
10 Top Blogging Resolutions for the Content Marketer
To outperform last year’s results and make 2017 one to remember, stick to these ten resolutions:
1. I will get backup in my content creation this year
No more stressing out about deadlines, topics, and writing it all. (Express Writers can help!)
2. I will be authoritative in every content piece I put out this year
If it’s less than authority expert level in my niche, it might not be worth my time.
3. I will never put quantity over quality
I should publish more blogs this year to increase my inbound leads, but if I’m rushing and the content is low quality, I shouldn’t publish. Quantity comes second to quality.
4. I will give my audience what they want
I will be relevant, use tools like BuzzSumo to research and find out what my audience wants in topics. This will help me gain more loyal customers.
5. I will increase my rankings by finding and writing around long-tail keywords
This is one of the top ways to gain blog spots in Google’s rankings.
6. I will promote and create
Creating isn’t enough: I also need a promotion plan. I will have social media management and an active social account connected to my blog.
7. I will be creative with topics and approaches
Content burn-out will only hurt me and my readers. This year, I’ll dig deeper to come up with more creative topics and new ways to approach topics and news.
8. I will take notes from my competitors
I will monitor my competitors to learn things like which keywords they’re targeting, which social platforms they’re using (and how), and what I can do to enhance my content efforts accordingly.
9. I will try new content forms
Interactive content, newsletters, infographics, and live-streaming can all boost my content strategy in 2017. I will expand into these new content forms to grow my business and expand my audience.
10. I will repurpose my content to get more traction
Repurposed content can help my content strategy stretch further. I will find creative ways to repurpose and re-use content of all types.
Ten 2017 Blogging Resolutions for the Content Marketer (Infographic) Sources:
Web copy has the power to makeorbreak your online presence.
Think about it for a moment.
When new customers find your company online, what is the first impression they get? It’s coming from your web copy, but does that copy welcome them in or push them away? Does it educate them? Is it funny and relatable and written specifically for them? If not, it’s not fulfilling its purpose.
If you want to succeed online, you need to learn how to write web copy that intrigues, delights, and inspires your readers. Only through learning how to do this will you excel at online marketing and build the reputation your brand deserves.
Read on.
How to Write Web Copy (and Why it Matters)
Today, experts claim that we only have seven seconds to make a first impression. People who find their way to your website or social media profiles are developing an impression of you and your company as soon as they start reading, and that impression can either help or harm your business.
Think about the sites that publish web content that stands out in your mind. What do you love about them?
If you’re like most people, you love that these sites speak to you like a real human that wants to learn new things, rather than a “target persona” with no name or feelings.
These companies know how to create compelling web copy, and you can follow suit by paying attention to what they do so well.
How to Write Web Copy 101: 10 Smart Tips
If you want to learn how to write web copy, follow these ten quick tips:
1. Keep scanning in mind.
While people read books, people scan web copy. Because of this, you can’t write the two things the same way. Web copy must adhere to the way that people read web copy, which means it must be straightforward and easy to digest.
It must also keep the habit of scanning in mind. This means short, succinct paragraphs, headers, and subheaders that tell readers what to expect in a section, and bulleted or numbered lists that showcase must-have bits of information.
When your web copy includes these components, it will automatically become more reader-friendly, and it will perform better online.
2. Give your readers what they want.
People don’t read marketing blogs just because. In most cases, they’re looking for information, trying to solve a problem, or searching for a product to purchase. In other words, they’re on the hunt, and it’s your job to give them what they want.
The first step in doing this, of course, is to understand your readers. What do they want? If you don’t know, develop a buyer persona to help you put your finger on their top needs and desires.
Once you’ve done this, be sure that your content is positioned in such a way that it’s delivering what your customers are looking for. In addition to making your content more relevant to them, this simple step will also help ensure that your web content finds its niche and stays there.
3. Arrange your content with the most relevant information at the top.
Think about how you bait a hook to go fishing. You don’t place the bait halfway up the line, where the fish is unlikely to see it, do you? Instead, you put the bait on the hook, right where the fish is virtually guaranteed to bump into it.
The same practice applies to your web content. When you top-load your articles and blogs with the most relevant and important information in the first few paragraphs of the body copy, you stand a better chance of “hooking” readers and keeping them there.
With this in mind, add all of the most critical details of your piece to the upper portion of the web page. Depending on the topic of the page, this could include benefits of a product, detailed information about an event or launch, or statistics that illustrate your point.
To take your web content a step further, use the personal “you” voice, and a selection of facts, figures, and statistics to appeal to your readers and draw them in from the get-go.
4. Don’t try to sound smart.
One of the most-shared blogs of the year was on exactly this topic. Published by Harvard Business Review on October 5, 2016, “Stop Trying to Sound Smart When You’re Writing” is all about how trying to sound smart often has exactly the opposite effect. Instead of impressing your readers, it alienates them. Instead of boosting your brand, it harms it.
That said, start writing the way you talk. In addition to being more authentic for you and your company, this approach will also help to keep readers interested. When you don’t speak down to people, they’re more likely to want to stick around and engage with your content. This is a great thing for both you and your brand.
5. Get rid of the jargon.
If the only people who can read your web page copy are people in your industry, you’re doing something wrong. To keep your web page copy reader-friendly and accessible, get rid of industry jargon or unfamiliar words. While it may seem like this helps you sound smart or professional (see tip #4) it more commonly alienates entire segments of readers and hems your online writing in too tightly.
With that in mind, get rid of the jargon and use familiar, simple words to communicate your point. For help, use an editor like Grammarly or Hemingway to make alternate word suggestions and help you catch overly complicated sentences.
6. Research your keywords.
Keywords, once the center of on-page SEO, have fallen from grace a bit in recent years, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t important. In fact, keywords still work hard to guide Google and your readers to understand what your content is about. Think about it: when readers search for online content, they do so using a string of keywords.
For example, if I wanted to find a business that served coffee in NYC, I’d type, “coffee shop NYC” into Google. That’s a keyword phrase, and using keyword phrases that relate to your company and offerings is an excellent way to improve the conversion rates of your web content and help readers find what they’re looking for. If you need help researching keywords, use a tool like Google’s AdWords Keyword Planner tool, or get in touch with us to discuss our keyword research services!
7. Format your content correctly.
Again, online writing isn’t the same thing as novel writing, and you need to format your online material properly to help it to convert. Do the following things before you publish your web content:
Break your paragraphs into short chunks. Each paragraph should have a maximum of 4 sentences
Shorten your sentences by eliminating any unneeded words and phrases
Simplify your language by removing jargon
Swap out passive voice for active voice
Delete areas of repetition
Use second-person voice to appeal to readers
Learning how to write web content can be tough, but these simple bullet points will go a long way toward helping you format your content accordingly. This, in turn, will make it easier for your online visitors to read and engage with.
8. Arrange your web content to be cohesive.
One of the most-overlooked aspects of learning how to write web content is that people don’t interact with web content chronologically. This goes for your website as much as it does your blogs and social media material. Because of this, you’ll need to make sure you’re not organizing your content so that people must interact with it in a sequential manner.
Arrange your content so that it is independent and free-standing. Every page of your website, for example, should have a link to take visitors to the home page. Your content should read as an individual chapter of a book and you should include your name, address, and phone number information in everything you write.
9. Include visuals in your web page copy.
Learning how to write web copy isn’t all about writing –it’s about learning to use visual content, as well. On the one hand, “visual content” refers to formatting, which we already talked about. Good formatting makes your content appealing and can help draw in readers.
The other offshoot of visuals is images. Think stock photos, infographics, screenshots, memes, and more. The reason for including these things is simple: people get exhausted by reading dense bricks of text, and adding relevant visuals throughout a piece of content can help break it up and make it more approachable for readers.
That said, use compelling and informative visuals like graphics, photos, and screenshots to illustrate points and provide a visual break for readers.
10. Keep it friendly.
It’s easy to make web content too stuffy and unapproachable. To make it as exciting and welcoming as possible for your readers, keep it warm. Write the way you talk and don’t be afraid to infuse your individual personality into the web copy. It’ll help it convert better and be more memorable for your clients.
How to Write Web Copy The Right Way
There are dozens of wrong ways to write web copy, but these ten tips will help you ace yours right from the gate!
By learning what it takes to craft compelling web copy, you can help your brand or business stand out online – both now and in the future!
Need great web copy? Trust a pro team. We can help!
