Jan Fishler

Author and Happiness Coach

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Press Releases – How Newsworthy Stories Can Drive Traffic to Your Site

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Because of the Internet, rules for the use of Press Releases have changed, and savvy business owners can use them to their advantage.

In addition to articles, press releases — statements traditionally sent to the news media — are a great way to distribute your message. Because of the Internet and access to search engines and RSS feeds, press releases are now being seen by a wider audience, one that is likely to include your prospective buyers. This is great news because it means that your release is no longer relegated exclusively to journalists who are looking for a story to write. In fact, most press releases are published as is.

Often, releases serve as direct marketing pieces about your business, services, or products. They are used to attract buyers, achieve high rankings on search engines, drive traffic to websites, and much more. Because they can be posted directly on your website, you can be the publisher of a wide range of content, from introductions and updates to information about your marketing efforts, community activities, and accomplishments.

Has your company launched a new website or redesigned an old one? If so, write a press release. Are you or members of your staff available to speak on a topic of interest or have you written an article that has recently been published? Write a press release. Have you landed a new client or account, received an award, given an award, volunteered in a community project, met some kind of challenge, or overcome adversity? Write a release.

The format for a press release is somewhat different from that of an article although many of the rules for writing good articles do apply. Webwire offers some universal guidelines as well as a sample release. The following tips will get you started, but be sure to adhere to all of the specifications before submitting a release.

  • Write in third person.
  • Begin with the text immediately below, “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE”
  • Keep the headline to one sentence. Capitalize the first letter of all major words (title case), but do not use all upper-case letters.
  • Keep the release to fewer than 500 words total.

After you’ve written the release, you’ll want to post it on your website so that search engines can find, index, and rank it. Like articles, press releases achieve high rankings through strategically placed keywords. You’ll also want to put an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Feed on your site so readers can be automatically notified of new posts. For wider distribution, use one of the press release wire services like PRWeb, PRNewswire, Market Wire or Business Wire.

Filed Under: Writing for SEO Tagged With: Press Releases

Blogging – 10 Reasons it Helps Your Business

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

If driving traffic to your website is your goal, then blogging needs to be part of your online marketing efforts. Blogging showcases your expertise and passion about a particular topic and is a way to send hundreds of visitors to your site.

Blogs are a great tool for telling your target market about your products and services. There are several ways blogs can help your business. Blogs:

1.      Are easy to start

Creating a blog takes less than five minutes, and posts can be added almost instantaneously. All you have to do to start a blog is go to one of the blog sites like WordPress, Google Blogger, or Typepad and sign up. Populating a blog with relevant content takes some time, but if you write about something you know and are passionate about, you should be able to write between 300 and 500 words in less than half an hour.

2.      Lead to updates

How often should you post? It depends on how much you have to say, how much time you can spend promoting your posts, and how much time your target market is willing to spend reading. Keep in mind, high posting frequency can attract new visitors and help you retain repeat visitors.

3.      Provide a platform for building credibility and establishing yourself as an expert

Clients and customers feel more confident buying from someone who is perceived as an expert. Even if you’re a relative newbie in your field, a series of well-researched posts can go a long way toward setting you ahead of your competition.

4.      Have a longer shelf life than an email blast or a newsletter

Depending upon your business, you might want to use your blog posts to show photos of your product line, instruct clients about processes and procedures, feature members of your staff, or provide health tips and other strategies. The beauty of a blog is that content is easy to record, and references will last for years to come.

5.      Allow for commentary, questions, and feedback

Once you have a following, you can turn your blog into a focus group of sorts. By asking questions or making comments and requesting feedback, you can gain valuable insight about your products and services and make your customers feel like they are an important and valuable asset.

 6.      Help build a consumer-based community

Community building means developing authentic relationships among people who have a common interest. A group of people who read your blog and support your work and efforts can be a key factor in creating a viral buzz about your products and services. This can be a very good thing.

7.      Create a permanent online record

Having an archive of what your company is thinking and the direction it is headed can be a very useful tool. It can enable you to see how far you’ve come, when the most innovative and creative processes took place, and what trends developed into worthwhile ventures.

 8.      Collect your thoughts and present them in a succinct manner

If you take the time to write an idea or thought down and then share it with others in a public forum, it’s more likely to become a reality than if you simply make a statement at a meeting or send an email around to co-workers.

9.      Provide a constant source of fresh, relevant content that search engines love

Like articles, press release, web pages, eBooks, and other content, blogs give search engines what they’re looking for. As a result, rankings go up and more people find your site, ultimately increasing sales and your bottom line.

10.  Are free or very affordable

Even in these difficult economic times, every business can afford a blog – one of the most effective tools available for growing your online presence.

Filed Under: Writing for SEO Tagged With: blogging, writing

Article Submission –- Why You Want To Do It

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Articles about your products and services can be a huge boon to your business. They will not only drive traffic to your website, but also increase your credibility and boost your bottom line for years.

Let’s say you’ve hired a freelance writer to develop a series of ten articles about your business. Each article is compelling and covers a keyword or keyword phrase. What are you going to do with them? You start by posting them on your blog, placing them alongside product information, and adding them to your help page. If you want to maximize traffic to your site, you’re also going to make sure they go to various article submission sites.

A quick Internet search is all you need to find a list of Article Directories. Here are ten with high rankings: ehow.com, squidoo.com, hubpages.com, ezinearticles.com, examiner.com, Technorati.com, articlesbase.com, seekingalpha.com and buzzle.com. Submission requirements vary, so you’ll want to visit each site to see which best matches your content. I’ve found ezinearticles to be very easy to use, but you might prefer a different directory.

Placing articles on Ezine is easy. Go to ezinearticles.com and open an account. Then, submit a bio. If you have written your article in advance, submission takes less than five minutes. Simply click on the “Submit New Article” tab and enter information into their handy template for Title, Category, Summary, Body, Resource Box and Keywords. If you submit something that doesn’t meet Ezine’s requirements, a text box will pop up to let you know what to change. After you submit an article it takes Ezine approximately seven days to review your content and get back to you.

When your article has been accepted, you can begin to reap the benefits that come from advertising your services in the Resource Box, discovering your article has been appearing on other sites because of RSS (Really Simple Syndication), and boosting your overall credibility as people begin to see you as the authority in your chosen field.

There are other benefits as well. Submitting articles will also drive traffic to your site, exposing your content (and your business) to a wider audience than you ever thought possible. In fact, you’ll be able to generate leads and sales directly from the article. Prospects will be able to find you without seeing your website. Once your article is posted, your words may be seen by thousands of visitors who, if they like what you have to say, can become your fans. By simply posting an article, you’ll be reaching people you didn’t even know were interested in what you have to offer. If your article is well-researched and written, it could be posted for years to come.

So what are you waiting for? If you don’t have time to write articles yourself, then hire a freelance writer, start posting your content in one or more article directories, and see what happens. There’s no cost for submitting, and think of the benefits you might reap.

Filed Under: Writing for SEO Tagged With: Article Submission

Hiring a Freelance Writer — Three Qualities to Look For

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Of course, writing great copy, delivering on time, and staying within budget are important qualities to look for when hiring a freelance writer, but there are other traits worth considering.

I started freelancing when I decided that full-time work in the corporate world wasn’t for me. That was over twenty years ago. Don’t get me wrong — I loved the work, but as a creative person, I needed a schedule with more flexibility. That’s when I decided to step outside the box and become a freelance writer. At the time, I assumed that the only skills I needed were an ability to write anything and everything my clients required — from articles and brochures to training manuals and corporate training videos.

Competition was fierce, and I quickly discovered that I had to set myself apart from other freelance writers — especially those who had been in the business for a long time. This meant I had to look into my skill set and see what unique traits I had that would make me stand out. In other words, I had to offer more than my ability to write clear, concise copy, an impressive list of clients, and an elegant portfolio. If I was going to have a steady flow of freelance work, I needed my Excalibur.

It was then that I sought the advice of a business coach who asked me to state the three traits that made me unique. It took some conversation to uncover these qualities, but passion, desire, and integrity have kept me working over the years when others have been less fortunate.

If you are in the market for a freelance writer to help you grow your business through strengthening your online presence, then look for someone who has the following skills.

1.    A passion for work and for life.

People who are passionate about what they do will bring their enthusiasm to the table, be fun to work with, and energize your staff. People who have passion tend to be sincere in their efforts and bring out the best in others. These are people who you will want to work with again and again.

2.    A desire to do their best.

Writers with a strong desire to do their best will work relentlessly to exceed your expectations. They’ll go the extra mile just to prove their value and worth. They are only happy when you, the client, are happy. They are interested in creating a win-win relationship and look forward to receiving additional assignments from you.

3.    Personal integrity.

People with integrity are honest. They’ll tell you the truth about whether they can adhere to your schedule and meet your deadline.  They will be forthright about expressing concerns about the project should there be any, show up when they are supposed to, and be truthful about their skills and what they bring to the project.

The next time you’re in the market for a freelance writer, consider hiring someone who brings passion, desire, and integrity into the mix.

Filed Under: Writing for SEO Tagged With: freelance writing

Keywords – What Every Business Person Should Know

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be a mystery unless you have a basic understanding of terminology and how to put SEO to work for your business. For now, the most important thing to know is that Google rewards pages that are keyword focused.

Five years ago I took my first internet marketing course. That’s the first time I heard the terms SEO, PPC, Google PageRank, Linkjuice, Wireframe, ROI, and keywords. While many of these acronyms and words are now more familiar, then, the only one that made sense to me was keywords. Hey, I’m a writer — words are something I understand. I admit it took me a little time to grasp the concept, but keywords are literally the key to driving traffic to your website. If you don’t use them, it’s a lot like being on a dating site without a photo or a profile, or placing an ad without giving your contact information. You’re likely to end up alone.

Here are three questions and answers to help you understand what keywords can do for your business.

1.    What are keywords?

Keywords are the words and phrases people use when they are searching for something online. Last night, for example, I wanted to make something interesting with the ground lamb I already had in the fridge. My husband remembered a recipe where ground beef was shaped around skewers, so I entered “ground lamb on skewers recipe” into Google and found several options. I ended up making Ground Lamb with Moroccan Spices on a Stick, which I found at http://shecookshecleans.net/2011/08/20/kefta-kabobs/ Kefta Kabobs. Delicious!

2.    How can you find the keywords that will drive traffic to your site?

You need to know what keywords people use when they are looking for goods and/or services that you offer. Because Google wants to help you find those relevant keywords, they have created two invaluable resources: Google Keyword Tool and Google Trends. The Keyword Tool lets you enter your website, a category, and words or phrases to help you identify keyword ideas.

For example, my friend owns a feed store, and among other things, supplies hay, chicken feed, dog food, and food for horses. On the Google site, I entered the store’s URL, chose “livestock feed” as the category, and let the site search for keywords. Voila! Google provided a list of words that should be included in press releases, articles and other content. The three most searched words for the site were pet and feed, pet feed, and animal feed, followed by feed supply, farm supplies, feed store and store and feed. With Google Trends you can get insight into the traffic and geographic visitation pattern for your website.

 3.   What you can do with your list of keywords?

By targeting one keyword at a time in a series of articles, press releases, blog posts, and other content, you can help Google point the way to your website. This is not an exact science, but if you track conversion rates (the number of people who take a certain desired action) over time, you’ll know which keywords are the most relevant. Because most business owners are too busy to develop an original flow of fresh content for their site, they often rely on freelance writers to help them. A writer who understands Search Engine Optimization knows where to place the words and how to format articles to generate optimum results.

Keep in mind: keywords are a crucial component of online marketing. If you use them in your website copy, you’ll improve your rankings on Google, Yahoo, MSN Bing, and other search engines. If you ignore them, your site and your business could be lost in space.

Filed Under: Writing for SEO Tagged With: Keywords

SEO Articles — Guidelines for Effective Writing

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

There are differences between articles written for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and those targeted for a more general audience. Here are some helpful guidelines for writing effectively when the goal is driving traffic to your website.

1.      Write articles that are informative and instructional

Articles written to attract visitors to your website are slightly different than those written for a general audience. SEO articles will usually be informative and instructional, or compare various products and services, while articles not written with keywords in mind might be inspirational or present a variety of opinions. SEO articles might also contain lists of product features, the benefits of working with your company, or the definitions of industry-specific terms.

2.      Use the proper tone and style

The tone and style of the articles should be conversational, rather than informal and some humor can be effective. Unless the author is a subject matter expert or has useful, first-hand experience to share, the first person perspective is rarely used; second person is acceptable. It’s not uncommon to see phrases like, You’ll want to…, or Let’s move on to how you… Remember, the goal is to capture the readers’ attention and get them to take action.

3.      Pay attention to headlines and subheadings

Headlines and subheadings are a very important component of SEO articles. It is desirable to begin your headline with a keyword, or at least have a keyword in the title and also in the subhead. If, for example, your keyword is “SEO Articles,” you might want to change the title, “How to Write SEO Articles,” to “SEO Articles – Guidelines for Effective Writing.” The headline also needs to grab the reader’s attention with tools like lists, secrets, tips, and questions.

 4.      Help search engines do their job with summaries and anchor text

Search engines appear to like articles that have a one- or two-sentence summary. Summaries or teasers let the reader know what the article will be about and also provide an opportunity for keyword placement. Search engines also like anchor text, the hyperlinked words on a web page. These are the words you click on when you click a link. Anchor text can be used in links from other sites, links on your pages, navigation maps, and links on your main page.

5.      Include a resource box

At the bottom of the article, be sure to promote yourself, your website, and your product or service. Typically, the box is between three and six lines (although article directory guidelines do vary), and it contains all of the author details and website links. This resource box is the recommended place for promoting what you do.

Remember, the goal is to have people read what has been written. It needs to be relevant, current, and interesting — something your customers and prospects want to read.

Filed Under: Writing for SEO Tagged With: SEO Writing

Should the Writer You Hire Be a Subject Matter Expert?

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

When you’re looking to hire a freelance writer, how important is it for the writer to have previous experience developing content for your particular niche? It depends. How technical is your information? How motivated is the writer to learn about your topic?

In the twenty-five years that I’ve been a professional writer, I’ve written for a wide range of clients and have provided content on a variety of topics. On occasion, I’ve had to address the issue of whether my experience qualifies me to write about a particular topic. Nonfiction writers make money by providing clear, concise, and accurate content as quickly as they can. This is the reason many writers stick to a few chosen topics; once they have mastered the learning curve on a particular topic, it’s easier for them to meet the client’s needs. However, this is not true for all writers — especially those of us who like the challenge that comes along with learning something new.

I began my professional writing career as a scriptwriter for GTE Lenkurt — the largest independent telephone company in the United States during the days of the Bell System. Fresh out of grad school with a degree in Instructional Design, my job was to create training videos and other collateral designed to teach employees things like Crystal Filter Assembly and everything you ever wanted to know about microwave radios. While my formal education did provide me with a procedure for extracting information from specialists in any field, I can assure you that I knew absolutely nothing about the telecommunications industry when I landed this most coveted position.

Two years later, I left GTE to produce a telethon for United Cerebral Palsy Association. I wrote all of the segments for the five San Francisco Bay Area affiliates. At the time, I knew nothing about Cerebral Palsy, but it didn’t take me long to get up to speed. Five years later I owned my own writing business and was developing brochures, articles and videos about everything from the fastest motorboat on the planet (well, at least it was at the time) to a video series for Stanford University on Cardiac Recovery.

Because most writers are a curious lot, we are comfortable learning about a variety of subjects. Most of us do this at an astonishing pace because we know how to ask subject matter experts the right questions and craft their answers into insightful, intelligent prose. If you’re looking to hire a freelance writer, and the only thing they don’t have is experience in your particular field, then ask them if they are interested in your topic. If they are, then you probably have the beginning of a beautiful working relationship. As a bonus, keep in mind the fact that if you’re paying a flat rate per article, the burden to learn about your business is on the writer.

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life, Writing for SEO Tagged With: freelance writing, working with freelance writer

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