Adam Oakley - Express Writers - Page 13
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

Adam Oakley

Your Mega-Awesome Content Marketing Statistics List

by
Your Mega-Awesome Content Marketing Statistics List

There’s no question content works. That’s right – no question. That means investing in content marketing isn’t a gamble. Not if you do it the right way. Need proof? Look at the state of the industry: Its projected worth will reach nearly half a trillion dollars by 2021, according to forecasts from Technavio. Why is investment reaching this all-time high? Because the evidence that content works is right there for anyone to see. Ready to see for yourself? Check out this mega list of content marketing statistics for 2019. These are the most powerful stats we could find that will prove content marketing to anyone. (For even more proof, add our post on proving the ROI of content marketing to your reading list, too.) 17 Content Marketing Statistics That Matter: Table of Contents Top Digital Marketing Statistics for 2018-2019: Why SEO is Super-Powered Content Strategy Stats: Compelling Reasons to Start Planning Content Creation Statistics: Why Invest in Content? Stats on B2B Content Marketing Effectiveness Let B2B Content Marketing Statistics from 2019 Inform Your Future [bctt tweet=”Read our list of 17 powerful content marketing statistics that prove content worth (free ebook included!) ” username=”ExpWriters”] Top Digital Marketing Statistics for 2018-2019: Why SEO is Super-Powered Search engine optimization powers much of content marketing in 2019, and it will continue to do so. Let’s examine why. 1. The #1 driver of all traffic on the web? Google. Google is not only where most web searches start – but also where most web browsing begins. It’s not surprising. They own 76% of the total search engine market share, according to Net Market Share data. Using SEO to rank in Google for keywords your audience is searching is, therefore, an incredible strategy. If you don’t want to grab some of that traffic for your site or your brand, well, why are you here? 2. Search drives more traffic than social media – 34.8% compared to 25.6%. (Shareaholic) Search is even more powerful than social media for driving traffic. Search Engine Land reported that search beats social networks by nearly 10 percentage points in this arena. Shareaholic conducted the study and found that the algorithm changes to the News Feed on Facebook had a big impact on the numbers. Along with that, more and more, search engines like Google are indexing and displaying results from social media channels. For instance, search for any entity on Google (person, company, organization), and you’ll see results displayed from their Twitter feed: Generally, posting on social media shouldn’t be your marketing end-all, be-all. Instead, social media marketing should complement your SEO and digital marketing efforts for best results. 3. The average conversion rate for organic traffic-to-leads across industries is 16%. (Marketing Sherpa) Since a conversion generally refers to the instance when a buyer converts to a new role in your marketing lifecycle, conversion rates are a big deal. After all, most marketing aims to encourage buyers to convert in some shape or form. When we talk about a traffic-to-leads conversion, we’re talking about the point when the traffic coming into your site from a Google search becomes intrigued, interested, and invested in your content. As a result, they’ll demonstrate that interest through action. In their study, Marketing Sherpa asked marketers how they define a conversion. The results reveal how multiple actions show a buyer’s mindset and willingness to commit to a brand: Submitting a form with multiple fields (like a survey) Submitting a form with one field (like signing up for a newsletter with an email address) Making an online purchase Reading the content through to the end The 16% conversion rate the study found is therefore super-important. This is for organic (non-paid) traffic clicking your content in search, liking what they see, and converting on it in one of the above ways. 4. Google’s #1 organic position brings in 33% of the search traffic for any given SERP. (Search Engine Watch) When you’re #1 in Google, you’re pretty much Queen (or King) of the Mountain. On average, 33% of search traffic will go to you, while only 17.6% will go to whoever graces position #2. (That’s a 15.4% drop.) Even if you rank at #5 (which many brands would kill for!), you’re only getting 6.1% of all search traffic from that page. Bottom line: The higher you rank organically, in SERPs, the more traffic you can expect to see! (And, as you know, more traffic = more lead potential.) By the way, one of the keys to ranking higher is knowing which tools to use for SEO and keyword research. I put together a guide on Content Hacker on this exact topic to help. 5. The click-through rate (CTR) for organic position #1 is 30.97%. (Advanced Web Ranking) Let’s keep going with the bonuses of ranking in organic position #1. If you sit in that top spot, you’ll also enjoy an average CTR of 30.97%, according to data from Advanced Web Ranking. Why is that number such a big deal? Well, as far as CTRs go, it’s incredible. To see what I mean, move on to the #6 statistic for marketing. 6. Meanwhile, for Google Ads on the search network, the average CTR is 3.17% across industries. (Wordstream) Comparing Wordstream data about average CTRs on Google Ads across industries to the CTR for position #1 is a good way to see the whole picture. The average CTR on search network ads is 3.17%. Meanwhile, organic position #1 enjoys a CTR over 10 times higher than that. Plus, you won’t have to pay for that visibility. Content creation isn’t free, but it’s definitely cheaper than paying for search ads. [bctt tweet=”Why SEO matters in 2019? Google is still #1, search > social media, the avg. conversion rate for organic traffic-to-leads is 16%, and ranking first in Google gets 33% traffic + 30.97% CTR, 10x higher than search ads CTR.” username=”ExpWriters”] Content Strategy Stats: Compelling Reasons to Start Planning Content strategy is necessary to pull together all the pieces of your … Read more

You Need a Professional Content Writer – Now What? How to Hire & Collaborate for Superstar Content

by
You Need a Professional Content Writer – Now What? How to Hire & Collaborate for Superstar Content

So – you’ve decided to take the plunge and invest in your brand’s content (or your client’s). You want to hire outside help to do it. *cue Ghostbusters theme music* Who you gonna call? Content writers! A-hem. That is, a professional content writer (or a high-quality content writing service) will be your best bet. You can’t just hire anybody and/or leave the rest up to chance, though. ? You have to understand WHY pro content writing will make a difference in your content marketing, and you need to know the steps to take to make sure you achieve success. The thing is… Brands everywhere are realizing the value of great content and want to add it to their web presence. According to HubSpot’s 2018 State of Inbound report, 55% of marketers are setting blog content creation as their priority. Meanwhile, an additional 61% say generating traffic and leads is their top marketing challenge. Is that your problem? Zero traffic and not enough leads? …Well, the solution could be staring you in the face. Carefully crafted, purposeful content is ace at just that: generating REAL traffic and leads. It’s no wonder people are climbing aboard the content train. ? Now that you’re buckled in, the next step is understanding what a professional content writer adds to your marketing strategy. Then, we’ll discuss how to find your ultimate content writer for hire, plus tips for getting the best content possible when someone else is doing the actual writing. Onward! How to Find and Work with a Professional Content Writer:  Table of Contents What Is a Content Writer, and Why Do You Need One? Content Writers Wanted: How to Find the Right Professional Content Writer Search Trusted Freelance Marketplaces Read Their Samples (Or Ask for a Trial Content Piece) Know What to Avoid in Your Professional Content Writer Search 4 Tips for Collaborating with a Professional Content Writer Seamlessly Don’t Leave Them Hanging Give Concrete Guidelines Provide Feedback Respect the Job [bctt tweet=”Looking for a professional content writer who you can trust to craft the content you’ve been dreaming of publishing? ? @JuliaEMcCoy lists down the best ways to find the perfect one for you, and how to best collaborate with them. ?” username=”ExpWriters”] What Is a Content Writer, and Why Do You Need One? So, why are you planning to hire a freelance web content writer? Is it because your hands are full with other marketing tasks? Or do you lack the time or skills to pull off rankings-worthy content by yourself? Whatever your reason(s), you’re probably aware of the value of great content. BUT – are you also aware of why content writers for websites can do it better? First, let’s define “content writer” – what this role demands, and what it doesn’t. A good web content writer job description might fall along these lines: A content writer is a creative who specializes in writing blogs, articles, web pages, ebooks, and other types of online content. They understand how to drive traffic with SEO and generate leads with user-centered writing techniques. Here is an example of content writing that serves both of those purposes (driving traffic, generating leads for the brand) from Farmers Insurance: The blog provides insights into the finances involved in owning and maintaining a boat. There are no sales pitches urging readers to get boat insurance or talk to an agent inside the blog – instead, the information is meant to stand on its own and build trust with readers while building the company’s authority about financial matters. On top of that, this blog is SEO-ready so people who are interested in this topic will find it via Google search. It’s ranking #1 for “maintaining a recreational boat.” Lastly (but never least), the quality of this blog is enough to make you want to read more. As you browse additional articles on the Farmers site, you’ll see all of them are of equal caliber – compelling stories, useful information, and great reads. You might become a follower, then a fan of this brand. Eventually, when you need insurance down the road, what’s the first name you’ll think of? You guessed it: Farmers. It’s a long-term game for lead generation, but the ROI is incredible once you start earning that trust and brand loyalty. THAT is the essence of content marketing – and a professional content writer’s work is the lynchpin in all of it. Writing search engine optimized, user-centered, engaging, readable content requires skill. When you hire a professional content writer for your online writing jobs, that’s the investment. [bctt tweet=”A content writer is a creative who specializes in writing online content like blogs. They understand how to drive traffic with SEO and generate leads with user-centered writing techniques. – @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] Content Writers Wanted: How to Find the Right Professional Content Writer for Your Website or Copy You’re ready to hire content writers. Where do you start? Right here. 1. Search Trusted Freelance Marketplaces Good professional content writers are out there, looking for exactly the type of opportunity you’re offering. To find them, it’s a matter of knowing where to look. To contract professional content writing services, check out one of these great job platforms: Cloud Peeps – This is a freelance marketplace where you can search for pro content writers, post a job, accept proposals from experts, and find the right fit for your needs. Fiverr – On Fiverr, content writers post “gigs” where they essentially market their skills. Comb through the “writing and translation” category to find blog and article writers, copywriters, technical writers, scriptwriters, and more posting web content job descriptions that match up with your requirements. nDash – On this platform, writers will pitch you content ideas (as well as their services) based on your needs. Psssst… our content writing agency at EW can help you out, too. We have dozens of hand-picked expert writers on our roster with a multitude of industry specialties. To see what we can do, check out how we … Read more

Sneak Peek at My Upcoming On-Stage Talk at #CMWorld 2019 (Video)

by
Sneak Peek at My Upcoming On-Stage Talk at #CMWorld 2019 (Video)

Hey, YouTube viewers! It’s been a while since I’ve come on my YouTube channel, so I wanted to start by giving you a quick update in my life. This June, I finished writing my next book — it’s in editing stages as we speak! Then, in July, my hubby and I took our 5-year-old to San Diego’s Zoo and Safari Park in California, which was amazing. (See a few video clips from our San Diego trip in today’s video!) Next, I’m buckling down to work on my stage presentation for one of the industry’s BIGGEST conferences: Content Marketing World in Cleveland, Ohio. Join me in today’s video for a fun “life” update! Sneak Peek at My Upcoming On-Stage Talk at #CMWorld 2019 (Video) [bctt tweet=”See @JuliaEMcCoy this September in one of the biggest content marketing conferences: Content Marketing World in Cleveland, Ohio! Here’s a sneak peek — and a bonus offer — on her upcoming on-stage talk. ” username=”ExpWriters”] This September, I’m taking the stage at one of the biggest conferences in my industry of content marketing — Content Marketing World in Cleveland, Ohio! Founded by Joe Pulizzi, who is one of the most authentic and real influencers in (as well as the “godfather” of) content marketing, CMWorld is my all-time favorite conference. Thousands of marketers getting together around content marketing — what could be better? This will be my third year in a row attending CMWorld, and my first year speaking! The last time I attended CMWorld, in 2018, I lost count of how many people suggested I should speak this year. One of those persons? Joe Pulizzi himself. When the godfather of content marketing himself recommends a next step for you, well… you should do what he says. My session is very unique. I’m co-presenting with a funny, awesome, genuine content marketer Jason Schemmel, who’s been my friend in the space for a while. I’m super excited to take the stage with a good friend. Over the past weeks, I’ve been structuring and creating all the content for this session. It’s going to be one-of-a-kind and unique because I’ve formulated it like an intensive, yet easy-to-follow, masterclass! I will be teaching you how to create and publish authority-building content — and inspiring you along the way to get it done! You’ll learn what growth-focused content looks like, you’ll hear from top content marketers that we’ve interviewed for exclusive insights on what it takes to put together a high-converting content marketing campaign. You’ll see the difference between “sexy” vs. “high-ROI” content in real-life. You’ll learn what drives real content growth, the right KPIs to track, what content tools I use every day and what metrics to look for, and how to get executive buy-in for your content campaign. I’ve spent weeks working on this session. It’s going to be one of my best educational masterclasses on authority-building content, ever! Come join me at CMWorld. Learn more at ContentMarketingWorld.com, and use code MCCOY to save $100 if you decide to join me. We could meet at the opening party at the Rock ‘ N Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio! Don’t forget to subscribe and catch new videos that hit my YouTube channel. Till fall, I’ll publish less frequently while I focus on my new book and this massive speaking gig; but I plan to get back on consistent video creation after September. And don’t forget to stay up to date with my new projects! Follow me on Twitter @JuliaEMcCoy. See you around! – Julia

Product Description Writing: Your Master Guide for Creating SEO Product Descriptions That Convert

by
Product Description Writing: Your Master Guide for Creating SEO Product Descriptions That Convert

Fact: Product description writing can determine whether a customer clicks “add to cart” – or whether they abandon the product page entirely. Great copy in your product descriptions is necessary to an enjoyable, memorable online shopping experience. Why? Because buyers can’t use four of their senses when shopping online to determine whether the product is what they want and/or need. That’s how many senses they miss out on when they shop online — but does it stop them? Heck no. In fact, e-commerce and online shopping is an industry that will include 2.14 billion people worldwide by 2021 (up from 1.66 billion global digital buyers in 2016). Whoa! So, we don’t care that we’re missing four of our senses when we buy online. But, your buyer does have to read and depend on the information you give them to decide if they’re ready to buy. It’s a delicate balance many online shops get wrong. For instance, here are a few common e-commerce product description errors: Provide too little information, and the buyer won’t know if the product is right for their particular problem. Describe the product too blandly, and the casual browser won’t become a buyer. Exclude the essential facts from your e-commerce product description, and the buyer will look to other sellers who answer their product questions fully. On the other hand, when you get it right, you’ll earn more buyers, more sales, and more happy customers. (A desirable trifecta, to say the least ) Ready to learn how to hone your product description writing services and get it “write” every time? Let’s get to it. Your Product Description Writing Guide: Table of Contents The Anatomy of a Product Description: 4 Essential Elements Focus on Product Benefits Address Look, Feel, Smell, Touch, and/or Taste in Your Product Description Copywriting Remember to Answer Buyer Questions Add Special Product Notes, As Needed 3 Rules on How In-Depth to Go with Product Description Writing Analyze the Product, Including What Your Buyer Already Knows About It Analyze What the Buyer Needs from Your Product Description Writing Go Brief or In-Depth Depending on Your Conclusions 6 Rules to Make Your Ecommerce Descriptions Irresistible (with Examples) Stay Buyer-Focused Describe the Problems the Product Solves (Benefits, Benefits, Benefits) Use Compelling Words and Phrases Optimize Correctly Keep Your Product Description Writing Easy to Read Stay Honest Product Description Writing is a Learned Skill You Can Master [bctt tweet=”Your customers may not feel, hear, smell, or taste your product online, but the right words can tickle their senses. Get your customers to click that ‘add to cart’ button with this #copywriting guide.” username=”ExpWriters”] The Anatomy of a Product Description: 4 Essential Elements of Product Description Writing You Must Include A product description (PD) is the copy that appears on a product page describing that product to the buyer. Ultimately, the product description helps the buyer decide whether or not to pull the trigger and purchase. So, how do you describe a product to a new customer? The best product description copy includes a basic foundation of elements that make it effective: Product benefits Descriptive words that appeal to the senses Answers to buyer questions about the product Anything unusual about the product that will affect the buyer’s experience: longer-than-usual production times, special shipping needs, etc. Let’s discuss them in detail: 1. Focus on Product Benefits The most important aspect of product description writing is including how the product benefits the buyer. Above all, the buyer wants to know how their lives will improve if they purchase. Beware: Many people confuse features with benefits. They aren’t the same thing at all. Features tell what the product can do. Benefits sell by relating how the product features help the buyer. Here’s a great example of the difference from Help Scout: So, the question is not “What are the cool features of this product we can describe?” but rather “How will the product features benefit the buyer?” Focus on answering this question in your product description writing, and you’ll have the beginnings of a great product page. [bctt tweet=”Features tell what the product can do. Benefits sell by relating how the product features help the buyer. More on #productdescription #copywriting ” username=”ExpWriters”] 2. Address Look, Feel, Smell, Touch, and/or Taste in Your Product Description Copywriting You may think your beautiful product photos will do all the work of showing off the look and feel of that particular item. The truth is, it’s often not enough. The buyer still can’t experience that product. They can’t truly tell what it’s like to use it: what it feels like, how it smells, and in some cases, what it tastes like. That’s why any good, creative product description writing takes the buyer and puts them right inside the experience of using the product. Your descriptive words should evoke at least one or two of the five senses. [bctt tweet=”Good product description writing takes the buyer and puts them right inside the experience of using the product with descriptive words that evoke at least one or two of the five senses. #productdescriptionwriting” username=”ExpWriters”] For example, if you sell hot sauce, describe the fiery zing it adds to even the blandest of foods. If you sell vacuums, describe how lightweight the model is and how smoothly it helps you go from cleaning carpet to hardwood floors. This PD from Truff Hot Sauce is a good description of the experience the buyer will get when they taste it (“heat experience,” “ripe chili peppers,” “black truffle,” “savory spices” “unprecedented flavor profile”): “Our sauce is a curated blend of ripe chili peppers, organic agave nectar, black truffle, and savory spices. This combination of ingredients delivers a flavor profile unprecedented to hot sauce.” 3. Remember to Answer Buyer Questions Before any customer commits to a purchase, they have questions that need answering. For example, when I want to buy a t-shirt, I need a few important details ironed out: Does this t-shirt come in my size? Does it come in a color I … Read more

Google Core June Update: How It Rocked Search Visibility & What You Can Do to Rebound

by
Google Core June Update: How It Rocked Search Visibility & What You Can Do to Rebound

From June 3 – 8, Google rolled out a broad core algorithm update that is now called the 2019 Google Core June Update. This update shook the SEO world because a few big-time sites took big-time hits (The Daily Mail, anyone? ?). One site that looked pretty darn reputable even had to shut its doors because the loss in search visibility cut their revenue by as much as 90%. (That’s not a typo. More on that later.) So, what the heck happened? What did this Google Core June Update do, and who did it affect? More importantly, how can you rebound from this Google update if your site tanked in the SERPs? We’re exploring all of that today. Google Core June Update: Table of Contents What Did the Google Core June Update Do? The Google Core June Update is Broad and Not Specific to One Area It May Have Affected Site Relevance to User Searches What Sites Did the Google Core June Update Impact? Cryptocurrency News Sites Health, Travel, and General News Media Sites Retail and Image Sites How Can Site Owners Recover from the Google June Core Update? Double-Down on Quality… …But Understand What Quality Actually Means to Google Think of Your Users First, and Strive to BE Useful Takeaways from the Google Core June Update: What Can We Learn from This? [bctt tweet=”Big-time sites dropping their search visibility big-time this 2019?! Oh no! ? @JuliaEMcCoy explains more about what happened in the 2019 Google Core June Update and how site owners can recover. ” username=”ExpWriters”] What Did the Google Core June Update Do? We can only speculate as to what aspects of ranking the Google Core June Update actually affected. That said, there have been rumors and guesses aplenty circulating the web. 1. The Google Core June Update is Broad and Not Specific to One Area The Google June 2019 Core Update was largely broad and not specific to one area of SEO or search, according to statements from John Mueller, Webmaster Trends Analyst for Google, and Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison. That means rushing to add more biographical information to your content or cutting out intrusive ads to improve your site’s E-A-T isn’t the answer for regaining rankings. 2. It May Have Affected Site Relevance to User Searches More specifically, Mueller said there was “nothing to fix” for site owners or SEOs – instead, the Google Core update had more to do with a broad range of factors outside of what webmasters can control, including their content’s relevancy to user searches. As Mueller said in a Google Webmaster Hangout summarized by Search Engine Journal, user expectations for searches change all the time. Google is trying to make sure they meet those expectations: “Sometimes what users expect evolves and similarly, sometimes our algorithms are, the way that we try to determine relevance, they evolve as well.” Danny Sullivan also plainly stated on Twitter that the Core June Update was broad, and that people should think more broadly about how their site could improve: We tell lots of things to do. Improve site speed. Consider secure. Etc. But that’s not what this update was about. It’s broad. And respectfully, I think telling people there’s no particular thing to “fix” is indeed helpful. It means, hopefully, they think more broadly… — Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) August 1, 2018 What does a “broad” update mean in this context? SEOs like Roger Montii have posited it means your site and content aren’t to blame for any rankings you lost. Instead, perhaps user search intent has changed for the specific queries you’re targeting, and your content is no longer relevant or useful for the questions people are asking. “…it’s not a problem with your site, but rather a change in user habits that may be reflected in the kinds of pages that Google shows in the search results.” [bctt tweet=”What did the Google Core June Update do? Rumors say that 1) the update is broad and not specific to one area of SEO and 2) it may have affected site relevance to user searches. ? It’s not your content or website, it’s just Google.” username=”ExpWriters”] What Sites Did the Google Core June Update Impact? This update affected several BIG sites in a major way. What happened, and which sites were hit hardest? Here’s what we know and what SEOs are speculating. 1. Cryptocurrency News Sites According to CCN, major sites that saw the brunt of hits from the Google June Core Update were news media sites centered on cryptocurrency. In fact, CCN itself has been forced to close its doors because of the steep, dramatic decline in search visibility they saw after the update rolled through. Their mobile traffic from Google searches dropped by over 71% within 12 hours. Other cryptocurrency news sites affected include Cointelegraph, U.today, and CryptoPotato, according to CCN and Forbes. [bctt tweet=”The 2019 Google Core June Update affected cryptocurrency sites such as CCN, which dropped its mobile traffic for over 71%! ? Check out @JuliaEMcCoy’s post about Google’s latest shocking update. #SEO” username=”ExpWriters”] Here’s a chart showing other domains with major drops in search visibility from the data Sistrix gathered: 2. Health, Travel, and General News Media Sites Other websites that saw a major impact from the Google Core June Update include those publishing news media for industries like health, travel, and general topics. As you can see in the chart above, the second website in the column of names is The Daily Mail, which saw up to 50% decline in search visibility. Other major publishers affected include NFL.com, Conde Nast Traveller, Mercola, Dr. Axe, Mind Body Green, and Prevention. According to Sistrix, NFL.com’s search visibility dropped by 24%. Travel news media sites like CNTraveller.com dropped by 18%. Health news sites like Prevention and Mind Body Green dropped by 29% and 30%, respectively. [bctt tweet=”Popular sites like The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller, and Mind Body Green dropped their search visibility too after the 2019 Google Core June Update! … Read more

Your Content Bullets Aren’t Working: Why the Answer to Content ROI Lies in a Content Ecosystem

by
Your Content Bullets Aren't Working: Why the Answer to Content ROI Lies in a Content Ecosystem

I was listening to a live talk from Jay Baer not too long ago, and this quote hit me hard: “Stop doing random acts of content. Stop firing content bullets into the air hoping that a customer bird will fly by and that it’ll WORK.” As this quote permeated my brain, subconsciously stewing while I carried on a typical month interacting with marketers, going through meeting after meeting, leading my team, writing and brainstorming content for all my publications… this thought hit me: The reason why random content acts don’t work, and why so many believe these low-ROI tactics are still worth trying. here’s a concept I teach in my Content Strategy & Marketing Course called the “content net.” It’s the antithesis to random acts of content. But, it’s not the norm. I’m bringing it up today, because, well: content bullets. They need to STOP. Why? Because one-off content tactics result in dismal content marketing. In an industry that’s already ridiculously tough to break into, relying on content bullets makes NO sense. Consider this: According to a Backlinko study, 94% of blog posts earn zero external links. If only 6% of blog posts published get any backlinks, that means it’s a mighty feat to build your link profile and brand authority – especially if your site is brand new. Even worse, when you ARE able to rank in Google, settling for position #2-10 isn’t enough. You need to be #1 to get the best shot at traffic and leads. That’s because click-through rates (CTR) drastically drop as soon as you fall to position 2, according to an Advanced Web Ranking study. In fact, at position 2, CTR is cut in half. Unfortunately, ranking #1 for a keyword requires much more than random acts of content. You need more than one bullet to hit the bullseye – especially when that bullseye is a moving target. So, what exactly does it take? Let’s get into today’s original concept by yours truly, called the “content ecosystem”, developed to help you understand how and why a long-term, consistent approach to content over time works. Your Content Bullets Aren’t Working (Why You’re Still Trying Them) [bctt tweet=”Learn about @JuliaEMcCoy’s original concept called the ‘content ecosystem,’ developed to help you understand how and why a long-term, consistent approach to content over time works.  ” username=”ExpWriters”] Marketers and brands are still relying on content to be their magic shot – the golden bullet that will miraculously hit whatever targets or goals they’re aiming for. They regard random content as their “golden egg” that will bring in ALL the traffic, leads, and sales $$$ they’ve ever wanted, much like the mythical golden egg from Jack and the Beanstalk (which ensures Jack and his mother live in comfort the rest of their days). But content doesn’t operate that way. For it to work, content needs work. It needs a basic foundation of strategic fundamentals in place to succeed. Most marketers don’t do this, or they don’t fully understand how to do it. According to a ClearVoice survey of 1,000 marketers, the biggest content challenges are centered around production: time, content quality, creating content, scaling content, and generating ideas. But, instead of getting strategic and putting in more legwork, they expect a one-off content bullet to make the magic happen and the sales fly in. How did this happen? How did so many marketers come to think of content as a miraculous solution? No matter the situation, pretty much nothing in life works like this. One random act rarely to never equals a level 10 success. Does a workout, for instance, lead to an instant buff physique? NO. If you pick up the violin, will you be able to play Bach in a week? AS IF. Look at any major “people” success story. Oprah and her empire. Elon Musk and Tesla. Steve Jobs and Mac. NONE of these mega-brand legacies came about from overnight success or a shot in the dark. These people all worked their butts off to succeed. Does any good thing in life work this way? Typically not. So, why are we trying to apply this line of thinking to marketing, to business? If you could get one-on-one advice from Oprah or Steve Jobs’ ghost or Elon Musk (dreams, am I right?), what do you think they would say? Here’s my guess: Quit wimping out and trying to take shortcuts. Quit copying and pasting what “experts” do or say and hoping instant success will come. Stop trying one little tweak and expecting the world to fall in your lap. Success is about hard work. Not luck, not a shot in the dark, and certainly not a magic bullet. And that absolutely holds true for content. [bctt tweet=”Success is about hard work. Not luck, not a shot in the dark, and not a magic bullet. And that absolutely holds true for content. ” username=”ExpWriters”] Why Today’s Audience Won’t Stand for the Content Bullet Let’s take this one step further. Content bullets won’t work for you, but also, they won’t EVER work for your audience. Look at the state of marketing online – people can smell an inauthentic, fake, or “doing it for the likes, follows, traffic, $$” approach from a mile away. The CTR of Facebook ads is dismal – 0.5 – 1.6% – because people are seeing through the bullsh*t marketers and the Lamborghini lies. Every marketing channel you’ve ever relied on is decaying. Andrew Chen calls this “the law of shitty clickthroughs.” It just means that, even when you find a marketing strategy that works, it will inevitably stop working due to increased competition, fading novelty, and more scale. “First to market” means nothing in an online world where saturation happens FAST. As recently as 2018, Instagram has doubled-down on eradicating fake bot accounts, fake likes, and fake followers. People who used to pay to fake a super-popular, engaged account are up a creek without a paddle. (It’s no wonder users prize authenticity online since so much of what we see is … Read more

6 Steps to Building a Successful, Profitable, Results-Focused Content Marketing Strategy

by
6 Steps to Building a Successful, Profitable, Results-Focused Content Marketing Strategy

I’m often asked the same question – how did Express Writers get where we are today? The journey to becoming a leading content creation and writing agency wasn’t easy. It came with all the sacrifices you’d expect – long hours, lack of sleep, and learning from every ups and downs I encountered. But if I were to point to one thing that made our approach to content marketing so successful, I could sum it up in a single word – strategy. I’d been in the business of creating content for years. However, great content wasn’t enough to get us to a seven-figure status. For that, it required a strategic approach to researching, building, and promoting content that audiences can benefit from. I’ve got an entire book and a comprehensive course about content marketing strategy – but today, I’ll give you a preview in the form of a six-step process you can start implementing right away. 6 Steps to Build Your Winning Content Marketing Strategy 1.    Define Strategy and How it Relates to Content Marketing 2.    Understand Your Audience and How to Reach Them 3.    SEO: Learn It, Master It, Implement It 4.    Build Brand Authority (and Use It) 5.    Combine Strategy with Content Creation 6.    Keep the Momentum with Smart Content Management [bctt tweet=”@JuliaEMcCoy shares the 6 best steps to build your winning #contentmarketingstrategy ” username=”ExpWriters”] 1. Defining Content Marketing Strategy: Framework for Success Content marketing is undoubtedly a must-have in the modern marketer’s toolkit. The numbers don’t lie. Over 90% of B2B marketers use content marketing, and over 85% of B2C marketers call it a key strategy. But in terms of content marketing strategy, also called content strategy for short, we’re talking about a process that begins with planning and extends all the way through management. Content strategy could be thought of as your knowledge base for creating and promoting great content. It involves knowing the following: What is your area of expertise where you can offer the most valuable information? What is your differentiating factor that makes you stand out from other content marketers? Who is the audience you’re trying to reach and what are they looking for? Strategy will help your content get discovered easier, stand out better, and deliver results more efficiently. I’m talking real results – traffic, leads, subscribers, and of course, ROI. [bctt tweet=”Over 90% of B2B marketers use #contentmarketingstrategy, and over 85% of B2C marketers call it a key strategy.  – @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] 2. Who Is Your Audience? How Can You Reach Them? One of the main struggles many content marketers face is something I went through, too. Pumping out blogs every day and sending out emails to everyone on my list – trust me, I’ve been there. It’s a content rat race. Roughly 60% of people find consistency to be one of the hardest parts of content creation. If you want to see more results from each piece of content you publish, make sure you know your audience. The key to knowing others is to know yourself. That isn’t just a philosophical-sounding word salad. It’s the foundation behind building a successful content marketing strategy framework. How does your current audience view you? Where in the marketing lifecycle do most of your audience members land? Remember, today’s “buyer journey” looks a lot different than the funnel of yesteryear. You can’t always predict what stage your buyer will be at. Their footsteps could lead backward, forward, up, down, and all around before they make a final decision. A content marketing strategy is about making sure your content gets to the people who could benefit most from it. They’re out there. They want to learn your knowledge, buy your products, and become ambassadors of your brand. The seven-figure question is, how do you reach them? [bctt tweet=”Roughly 60% of people find consistency to be one of the hardest parts of content creation. If you want more out of each piece of content, make sure you know your audience. – @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] 3. Understanding SEO: A Cornerstone of Content Marketing and Strategy Content marketing and content strategy are forever intertwined – and search engine optimization (SEO) plays a major role in both. From a strategic perspective, knowing what your target audience is inputting into search engines is a great way to help them find your content. With the right keyword strategy, you can climb search rankings and get more traffic to your content. Good SEO practices involve having the right keywords – plus having them in the right frequency and the right places. There’s an added benefit to understanding SEO. Not only will your content get more views, it will get quality views. People won’t just find it by accident and think “what the heck is this?” They’ll find it and think, “this is just what I was looking for.” [bctt tweet=”With the right keyword strategy, you can climb search rankings and get more traffic. Good SEO practices involve having the right keywords – in the right frequency and the right place. – @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] 4. Build Authority for Your Content, Brand, and Website The benefit of having good strategy is that people who are looking for your content can find it – and luckily for us content marketers, search engines pick up on that sort of thing. When your content consistently gets good views, repeated engagement, and positive feedback, it gains authority. What does this mean? Your content will be viewed as more trustworthy, and therefore able to rank higher. Authority also means search engines could give you priority in some cases – we don’t fully understand the inner-workings of Google, we do know they prioritize older sites with a lot of credible links. The more great content (backed by strategy) you have, the better you’ll do. I like to explain the concept of building online authority like a content house. The stronger your website is (and remember, you need to build on your house – not someone else’s platform), the better and stronger your presence and house is. With … Read more

The Story Behind My New Brand, The Content Hacker™ (Video)

by
The Story Behind My New Brand, The Content Hacker™ (Video)

I’m so excited to reveal my new brand, Content Hacker™. After a ton of work, it finally went live on Friday, June 28. This was a project that came after eight years of hard work in content marketing, leading my content agency Express Writers, writing two books, teaching and leading two courses, not to mention writing over a thousand blog posts! I couldn’t be more thrilled to share this adventure with you. In today’s video, walk with me down memory lane a minute and listen as I share the full story behind this new brand I’m launching. [bctt tweet=”.@content_hackers is here! Watch and read the story behind @JuliaEMcCoy’s new brand for growth-focused content marketers ⭐️” username=”ExpWriters”] The Story Behind The Content Hacker: Video I remember taking one of my first ever reading comprehension tests, back when I was in homeschooling in the early 2000s. It felt like so much fun, I thought I was playing a game the whole time. I earned an A+ on that test. That was when my love for writing stories and narratives begin. I’ll also never forget when I heard a dialup modem connect us to the internet when I was 7 years old. [bctt tweet=”I’ll never forget when I heard a dialup modem connect us to the internet when I was 7 years old. @JuliaEMcCoy shares the story behind @content_hackers launch” username=”ExpWriters”] I watched my mom connect to the internet, and saw her send an email to someone online for the first time. That person emailed her back in minutes. I was blown away at the power of the internet. Ever since then, I’ve pretty much loved the internet. I figured out how to make money online at 12 years old. Today, finding an avenue to connect “making money online” to “writing content online” simply delights me. It’s a wonder that I can get online, craft thoughtful words or teach others to, and make more in a month than my parents did in a year back in the ’90s. Online content has been my favorite realm–a creativity outlet, and a full-time living–ever since I dropped out of college and a nursing degree back in 2011 at 19 years old to seek my passion. My Competitive Edge in Content: How It Was My Only Financial Means Out of a Cult Here’s the thing about how I learned to create content. When I started diving into following my dreams and building my writing agency, Express Writers, at 19 years old, every single dollar I earned had to go towards paying my way. Otherwise, I was broke. And in 2012, at 20 years old, I used those hard-earned dollars to help get out and escape my dad’s religious cult. I escaped and finally built the life I always dreamed of by growing my company Express Writers to over $4.5 million in sales in the past 8 years. (This is a story I’m telling in a book I just finished writing. I can’t wait to share when that comes out. If you follow me on social media, you’ll hear all about it!) So, there’s no doubt. I’m a hard-knocks, bottom-line focused, reality-checking content creator. My success comes from the hard work I put in. Nothing I do comes from luck. I have zero time or patience for what doesn’t work, and I’m motivated by results. [bctt tweet=”I have zero time or patience for what doesn’t work, and I’m motivated by results. @JuliaEMcCoy on @content_hackers launch #story” username=”ExpWriters”] It helps that I have a passion for what I do. I love the science of the internet, and I love making magic with words. Where Does ‘Content Hacker’ Come From? When I first heard the term content hacker, it was from Garrett Moon at CoSchedule. He coined it in 2014, simply defining it as a ‘growth-focused content marketer’ and taking inspiration from Sean Ellis’ term, growth hacking, originally coined in 2010. I can’t think of a better term than content hacking to describe my day-to-day content lifestyle. Ever since I began my journey in content creation in 2011, I’ve worked hard to create and execute content in a lean way that directly relates to bottom-line growth. We have over 16,000 organic keyword positions and a million yearly site visitors at Express Writers. Plus, the clients we’ve written for have also seen incredible success with our content. But, here’s the thing. My content wasn’t always successful. In fact, many of my best life lessons have come from the “Ph.D. in Failure” university. But, as I’ve worked in content for the past eight years, I’ve noticed a truth. There is a serious lack of true growth-focused content in the enormous efforts and investments by marketers and brands in content marketing today. Backlinko did a study revealing that 94% of content doesn’t get noticed enough to earn even a single backlink. I see a ton of same-old, same-old. I see marketers trying a few tricks here and there, hoping to tape-and-glue it — and content efforts failing, time and time again. I see content falling flat. Budgets fizzling out. No profits earned. But here’s the thing. I believe our broken content marketing is fixable. Because it is. Content marketing, done right, is magical. Seriously. And that’s why it’s time for Content Hacker. Elite, proven, working content marketing methodologies are needed — more than ever. Our standards in marketing, both as practitioners and in the education arena, need to be guided to a new level. I’m thankful and honored to know more than a few brands, marketers, and agencies that are breaking the mold. But there are far too many today that still aren’t. And that’s why Content Hacker™ is here. What Content Hacker Will Be All About My new brand serves several purposes. First, Content Hacker is a resource for elite content marketing education. From our graduates in high school considering a marketing degree, to the marketer, agency, or freelancer that desperately needs this kind of help, to the entrepreneur growing their brand from … Read more

How to Improve and Transform Your Writing Skills and Create Powerful, Zero-Fluff Content

by
How to Improve and Transform Your Writing Skills and Create Powerful, Zero-Fluff Content

What separates good writing from great writing? You’ve got the fundamentals down and then some. Your grammar is flawless. Your flow is impeccable. Your source formatting is perfect. Those are all fantastic qualities – but they aren’t all you need to produce outstanding content. For that, you need something more, or, in some cases, something less. The key to creating top-notch content your clients and readers will love is to lose the fluff. Replace your empty phrases with power words. Cut out the filler, and make room for more actionable, insightful language. Trust me, it works. Power words and stronger language tap into our emotions. Harvard research has proven that emotions are a bigger driving factor in our decisions than logical calculations. A style of writing like this doesn’t just come to us. It takes research, practice, and dedication. Today we’ll discuss steps on how to improve your writing skills and transform your content. 6 Steps on How to Improve Your Writing Skills 1.    Understand the Basics of Good Writing and Why They Matter 2.    Take a Closer Look at Your Language 3.    Cut and Cull Filler, Fluff, and Fallback Words 4.    Use These Exercises to Build Better Habits 5.    Proofread with Power Words in Mind 6.    Final Checks: See How Your Work Measures Up [bctt tweet=”The key to creating top-notch content your clients and readers will love is to lose the fluff. Learn transformative #writing skills in this post by @JuliaEMcCoy ” username=”ExpWriters”] Starting Out: Make Sure You Have the Fundamentals Down I did mention that good grammar, flow, and citing practices are fundamental to good writing. So before you set out to empower your content with stronger words, make sure you’ve got all the basics taken care of. This isn’t to say you won’t ever make a typo or fail to link to a source properly – everyone does it. Yet, we need a solid base to work off of. Think of the blog you’re creating like a house you’re building. Even if you paint and clean the exterior, it won’t cover up for using old materials. Consider it like a piece of music. You can have the best mastering toolkit out there – but a poor mix can only be polished so much. If you’re wondering how to improve your writing skills and grammar, I recommend a tool like Grammarly. It’s a free add-on for Chrome that’s helped millions of people improve their grammar, and even find better word choices. I also wrote a book for online content writing beginners back in 2016, the book I wished I’d had when I started out, called So You Think You Can Write? The Definitive Guide to Successful Online Writing. Check it out on Amazon. For sourcing your work correctly and getting better flow, there’s nothing better than analyzing the experts. I love Jon Morrow from SmartBlogger, and Henneke at Enchanting Marketing. Stay original, but draw inspiration from the content you want to emulate. Now onto the main part of our guide – how can you take a piece with perfect grammar and great fundamentals and make it even better? [bctt tweet=”If you’re wondering how to improve your writing skills and grammar, I recommend a tool like Grammarly. – @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] Examine Your Vocabulary and Pick Power Words Great writing isn’t just about saying something – it’s how you say it that is important. Take the following example – examine the difference between the first and second image. Images from OptinMonster Those power words trigger something in our psychology. Think about how bad it would feel to miss out on something – or how good it would feel to get a freebie. Power words can activate positive or negative responses. In either case, they drive some type of reaction. They can take the same message and magnify it, enriching the copy and facilitating a better connection with the reader. I get this question all the time. How do you know what constitutes a power word? Admittedly, some subjectivity is in play. If you want to get a quick start on empowering your vernacular, check out this resource from my agency containing 120 amazing power words – plus 10 calls-to-action you can use for more results. The importance of writing skills for content creators doesn’t just mean the ability to crank out thousands of words per day or follow client instructions. It means being able to go above and beyond with language that commands reactions. Here are some tips for choosing power words: Be Unique and Ultra-Specific: The more your words stand out, the better. If you can choose a word that describes what you’re talking about in more detail, do it. Remember, being as specific and precise as possible strengthens the overall message of your writing. Express Urgency and Describe Degrees: As shown in our last example, power words can reinforce the time-sensitivity of a message. You should also look to reinforce the degrees of what you’re talking about. If something is better than good, or worse than bad, pick a word that expresses it. Always Stay Relevant and Useful: Remember, we aren’t beefing up our vocabulary just for the sake of it. Don’t use elaborate words just to be using them. Make sure your choices reflect the content you’re writing and the mood you’re trying to create. Otherwise, you’re being wordy for the sake of it, which could count as fluff – but more on that later.   Image from Pinterest [bctt tweet=”‘Choosing power words tips: Be unique, specific, express urgency, and stay relevant’  – @JuliaEMcCoy on improving writing skills” username=”ExpWriters”] Mood is another thing to keep in mind. There are different power words to use depending on what emotion or vibe you’re trying to cultivate. Creating a step-by-step guide? Give your readers amazing advice to help them command results and see incredible changes. You can do this for the entire spectrum of emotions and human urges. Fear, excitement, lust, bravery, and more. Even with a general idea of power words, you … Read more

The Secrets of Grabbing Attention Online: Insights from YouTube’s “Skip” Button

by
The Secrets of Grabbing Attention Online: Insights from YouTube’s “Skip” Button

Creating ads is a tricky business. It’s a case of a phenomenon I’ve mentioned before: the marketer’s equivalent of the Hawthorne Effect, which was a study done in the 1920s that discovered changes to people’s experimental conditions (amount of light, time to work, etc.) led directly to increases in productivity. Well, interruptions lead to negativity — decreases in productivity, decreases in happiness. And most ads are, in fact, very interruptive. They were built to be. Today’s modern, savvy consumer doesn’t react well when they know they’re being promoted to, especially when ads are interrupting a current consumption or focus. Take, for example, clicking a YouTube video. An ad pops up — the viewer may already have their mouse in the lower-right corner, just waiting on “Skip” to appear. This could be said for all ads. I mean, just look at the ROA (return on advertising). Yikes. Source: Ad Strategist (see our summary on Express Writers) Just a few years ago, you could expect to generate nearly a dozen times your investment on Facebook Ads, whereas that number has plummeted in the present day. It isn’t just because of the woes of any particular platform. It’s because people are cautious about being promoted to. So, what’s the secret for getting them to stick around and hear what you have to say? Well, what about looking at the ads on YouTube that people simply have to stop and watch, and can’t skip? Yes, we can learn a thing or two from those captivating pieces of art. That’s what I’m here today on the Write Blog to explore. [bctt tweet=”What’s the secret in getting people to stick around and hear what you have to say, in an online world full of millions of other marketers? @YouTube’s skip button has some pretty cool insights.  More from @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] The Appeal of Storytelling: What Makes Us Gravitate to it? There’s something enthralling about a good story. Most people’s first exposure to stories comes when they’re small, hearing about fairytales before bed. Stories stick with us throughout life, both on the personal level of banter and campfire stories all the way to tales woven into books, TV, and movies. In a way, our lives are stories. Maybe that’s why we relate to the stories of others so well. Stories and the narratives that come with them are proven to help us construct memories, playing a greater role in our psyche than many realize. A group of neuroscientists at Princeton University did a study on brain patterns during storytelling. They found the response patterns in the brain were the same for the listeners as they were for the storytellers. Both figuratively and scientifically, stories connect us. [bctt tweet=”Learn what makes @YouTube audience members forget to hit ‘skip’ on ads. Stories connect us – both figuratively and scientifically! More from @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] It should come as no surprise that storytelling has emerged as a powerful strategy within marketing. Great content connects the creators with the audience and the brand with the customers. Check out this snippet of a great infographic from OneSpot. Source: OneSpot The connection between story-like ads and the tendency of people to avoid the skip button has been explored and reveals insights on what makes an ad good in the mind of a viewer. 3 Lessons on What Makes Ads Watchable and Inviting [bctt tweet=”3 secrets to grabbing attention, from @YouTube’s Skip button: 1. Personalized content 2. Genuine storytelling 3. Content that feels real ” username=”ExpWriters”] Telling your viewer a story rather than giving them a pitch is much more likely to make them stick around. Here are three examples of how it’s worked in the past, and how you can do it in your own ads. 1. Personalized Ads Help Bridge Taboo Topics Abreva had a tough task ahead of them when they marketed a solution to cold sores. While this is a problem many people suffer from, it isn’t one a lot of people like to talk about. Turning to YouTube and building over 100 personal ads, Abreva sent simple, six-second pre-rolls to users based on relevancy. Search interest boomed over 300%. Users who were searching celebrity gossip would get ads about how they couldn’t control the latest breakup but could stop cold sores. Users who searched up beauty tutorials would get ads on how they could keep pouty lips but lose cold sores. Personalized ads blend in – making them feel less promotional and more relatable. They also effectively bypass any defensive tendencies the viewer may have as a result. 2. Genuine Storytelling Grabs a Viewer’s Attention The volume of ads, and content, in general, is growing rapidly. With so many options to choose from, users are extremely selective. They’ll move on fast from video or an ad if it isn’t connecting with them from the beginning. Nearly two-thirds of people skip ads when given the chance, with nearly three-quarters of people admitting they do it out of habit. In a 15-second ad, you have a little over five seconds before the skip option pops up. In a 30-second ad, you have a little over seven seconds. Why do they do it? More often than not, it’s because they just want to get to the video. Source: MarketingSherpa So how do you stop them from skipping? Give them something just as interesting to watch. Your content becomes less like a barrier blocking them and more like a content appetizer before the main course. If you hear a good opening line in a book, a movie trailer, or a TV pitch, you may stick around. What’s this story about? The same thing can be done with an ad. To stop viewers from impulse skipping, you should start your story off from the beginning and build on it. 3. Content That Feels Real Gets Watched Going back to how people will automatically put up their guard if they feel a promotion coming on, real content is the way to go. What qualifies as real? If something is real, … Read more

No HR needed to get access to the best writers, editors, QAs and strategists. We are your all-in-one content writing service delivering publish-ready content.

Copyright – 2025 Expresswriter -All rights reserved