Did you know that, on average, 27 million pieces of content are shared daily, and that number is projected to increase? 27 million is a colossal number. The majority of users who see and share this content use mobile social media apps. Mobile usage is expected to increase by 23 percent this year alone. Industry leaders, such as Moz, are rightfully preaching the importance of investing in social media advertising to spread our content reach. We all get it. We all agree with it. So why do we still label content as a “cost” instead of an “investment”?
Cost vs. Investment: What’s The Diff?
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “cost is the price of something” . When we use the term in business there is usually a monetary value attached. On the other hand, “investment” is the spending of money with the expectation of a profitable return. Investments are more favorable than costs because they hold the potential of returning more than we spend, thus increasing our profit margins.
Investments are like social etiquette, they are largely a matter of perspective. For example, prior to 2010 the majority of small business owners likely saw social media advertising as a cost. It wasn’t strongly relative to search engine optimization. Users were addicted, but they weren’t all streaming their news feeds via mobile applications. Social media advertising was just like any other type of advertising, the cost required to reach an audience and (hopefully) generate leads. If advertising reaped effective results, small business owners labeled it as an investment; if not, it was simply a cost.
Online Content: Cost or Investment?
It’s 2014. Social media advertising is big business because Google uses social media in rankings! The majority of your audience is glued to their mobile device(s), and they get their “fix” on an almost minute-to-minute basis. With 27 million pieces of content being shared every single day, shouldn’t smart businesses owners be reevaluating the label they’ve assigned to content?
If you have previously thought of content as a cost, it’s time to step into the 21st century. Content is not cost. It’s an investment. And it is PRICELESS in today’s SEO game. But this does not mean that some nasty misconceptions about buying content don’t exist.
The Dreadful Dollar Days Are Done
Rewind back to 2010 again, and you will find yourself smack in the middle of the dollar days of online content. I shudder to relive these days. You see, around 2010 the popular means of winning the SEO game was to order up content overflowing with keywords. The practice is commonly referred to as keyword stuffing; however, in hindsight, it was more akin to ordering that fast food burger from the local greasy spoon that hits your lap overflowing with excess grease. Nasty! That’s what readers thought of keyword stuffing, but to businesses, it was the cost of success.
You’re a smart businessperson. What is your primary goal in the Cost vs. Gain Game? Is it not to reduce costs and increase gains? How do you do it? You decrease and/or eliminate costs. THIS is where the dollar days came from, from the businesses who wanted greasy content at dollar menu prices. And it made sense! They didn’t expect quality. They expected the cheapest possible “content” stuffed with keywords to drive their SEO. End of story.
Readers and writers the globe over are elated that the dollar days are done. Fast food content is out. Gourmet content is in.
Preparing For Global Exposure
The nature of the Internet has made us all global enterprises. You never know who will visit your website. Launching a website isn’t like opening a storefront that’s only seen by passersby and noted on a local community level. Search engines don’t discriminate by country or nationality. Therefore, the content you publish—your daily share of those 27 million pieces at the world’s fingertips—has to be ready to handle global exposure. As a result, online content is absolutely priceless. Ask yourself:
Is your content ready for international exposure?
Does it take into consideration other cultures?
Even within the continental U.S. we market to a bilingual audience, does your online content do the same?
Is any of your content translated into a non-English language?
If you’re a non-English company, is your content ready for an English speaking and reading audience?
Investing In Your Future
Online advertising and marketing are the way of the future. They have been since the invention of the Internet. The backbone of the Internet may be computer code and a level of technical knowledge that most of cannot hope to fully grasp, but the backbone your clients and potential customers see is composed of your content. Isn’t it time to stop looking at content as a cost and instead see it for the investment that it truly is?
The ocean is enormous. It’s made up of five separate bodies of water, but there is really only one ocean broken up over the planet. In fact, as of 2013, it takes up approximately 71 percent of the Earth. It’s pretty amazing too because it houses about 99 percent of the biosphere and is home to some of the grandest geological features on the planet. But it’s also made of saltwater, something that isn’t all that awesome for humans dying of thirst. I don’t know about you, but if I were stranded in the middle of the ocean dying of thirst, I’d look out across all that water and say, “Well, this is downright crappy!”
If the Internet were the ocean and you were dying of thirst for quality content, you’d find yourself in the same predicament because we are literally drowning in crappy content! Yes, it looks like the web is flooding with content, but instead of, “Oh no! Too much content!” going on, there’s actually a dire lack of quality and an overabundance of non-quality content. It’s like searching for a fresh water oasis (quality content) in the middle of mile after mile and gallon after gallon of never ending saltwater (low quality, crappy content).
“Dollar Days” Have Produced More Saltwater vs. Freshwater Content
We wrote a piece on LinkedIn that received over 300 views in a few days called, The Dollar Days of Online Content Are Gone. The response from the professional community has been intense, and the comments we received validate our belief: we’re drowning in crappy content.
Years ago, it was commonplace for Webmasters to hire the cheapest writers on the Internet (and perhaps the planet) to “write,” and we use this term loosely, their content. The process was simple:
Locate the writer who would accept pennies on the dollar pay averaging $1.25 to $2.00 USD per page, article, or blog.
Send said writer a list of keywords to cram into the content.
Receive said content and publish.
I so badly want to sing the Sesame Street song that says, “One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn’t belong.” But to tell you the truth, NONE of these things belong.
Webmasters and business owners have been so driven by profit margins that they’re gung-ho about skimping on the fundamental staple, the ultimate moneymaking tool that sits so ready at their fingertips: content. Now, it’s understandable that business budgets aren’t what they used to be. After all, economics and the economy affect every last one of us. But the fact that a talented, professional writer (not one these non-English speaking yahoos with zero educational background, no relevant experience, and a complete lack of understanding of even the basics of English grammar) is considered a waste of money is absurd, not to mention more than a little insulting.
I apologize for being so blunt, but the Great Quality Content Depression and subsequent flood of crappy content is a direct result of the hiring of underqualified and often completely UNqualified fakers wielding the title of Writer. As a result, the rest of us are trying to turn the tide on misinformation, a terrible reputation, and a world that scoffs at the idea of writing being a legitimate, demanding profession!
The ‘Anybody Can Be A Writer’ Idea
So you think you can be a writer, do you? It’s easy, right? I mean, everybody writes. We all went to school. We all wrote essays and papers. We all know how to spell and write complete sentences. Writing is easy! It doesn’t take skill, talent, or technique. Hell, it doesn’t even take a lot of time.
If you were lying on the floor dying of a heart attack, what’s the one thing in this world you would want above everything else? Think hard. You would want a paramedic. Why? Because they are highly trained and skilled responders, capable of keeping their cool and doing whatever it will take to keep you alive while rushing you to a medical facility. Why would you want to be rushed to a medical facility? Because there are dozens of trained professionals there who can and will do everything possible to save your life. Thanks to their training, chances are they’ll succeed.
Did you know that a well-researched, properly written, engaging, and emotionally moving piece of content sometimes takes hours to write—even for the professional writer who writes 5 days a week, 8 hours per day?
Did you know that while some people wrote essays and papers in school that barely squeaked by with a passing grade, others wrote A+ papers that actually moved the teacher and left a lasting impression—one that 10 years later the teacher remembers like yesterday?
Did you know that there’s more to writing than spelling and complete sentences? Can you spot misuse and errors involving subject-verb agreement, clauses and phrases, pronouns, prepositions, ellipses, and confused words? Can you confidently explain what any or all of those terms truly mean in practical working fashion?
Did you know that storytelling is the art of using the written word to craft mental pictures, tickle the five senses, and connect with readers on such an intimate level that each reader believes the content was written just for them?
Anyone can be a writer? Writing is easy? It doesn’t take skill, talent, or technique? If all of this is true, then you don’t need a paramedic or even a heart surgeon. Anybody will do!
You see the point. Writing is no less demanding than any other profession, and writers are not entitled to mere pennies on the dollar for high quality work. Crappy content, that’s what you pay a couple of bucks for. Quality content comes with a price because it’s quality—just like YOUR quality product or service. You get what you pay for.
How to Levitate Above an Ocean of Crappy Content
Thanks to the dollar days of content, the Internet is crawling with downright scary bad content. When is the last time you took a good, long, hard look at your content? Are you part of the saltwater infested ocean, or do you stand out as engaging, compelling, and fresh-water?
Business 101: In order to succeed you must stand out as different. Something has to be unique. How can you levitate out of the Crappy Content Ocean and make it to the Quality Content Clouds where you will be seen both near and far? Get yourself an Industry Copywriter.
As a business owner and/or webmaster, you face a tricky challenge. How do you create a strong online presence, reach your target audience, AND appease the great Google gods? It’s a tall order. You might have tried keyword stuffing, but we all know that thanks to Google’s array of algorithms, those days are gone with the wind. Maybe you use redirects and link building tactics. Are you—perhaps without full knowledge—using black hat SEO techniques? Such techniques only inundate the web with more crap content. STOP!
Google’s goal is focused and singular. They are creating the best possible experience for the user, whether they are mobile or in front of a desktop. Who is the user? The user is every person on the planet who pulls up Google and googles. They want legitimate, relevant, well-crafted results. And they’re only going to see you if your voice is stronger than everybody else. The best way to achieve this is through quality content.
Quality content isn’t just landing pages and website content. It’s sharable content, from blogs and PRs to Tweets and G+’s. It’s media for the busy audience like videos and podcasts. It’s SlideShares and social media re-shares. It’s all those words from big to small, and the word and character counts that have to encompass it all.
Don’t throw you money away by being a cheapskate and hiring the “writers” still trapped in the dollar days! If you think that will save you money, just wait until the content has to be rewritten by a professional because it’s riddled with errors and shunned by Google.
Industry Copywriters – Your Best Investment
Industry copywriters are experts. They are specialists with proven, tangible experience in YOUR industry. They are the combination of an industry expert and a skilled, talented writer with up-to-date copywriting knowledge. The benefits of hiring a professional copywriter far outweigh the woes of not.
Sure, you can hire that so-called writer who’s coming to you live from the cheap pricing of a third world country, but why would you put yourself through that headache? When it comes to the business of online presence and search engine rankings, here are some words to live by: Quality over quantity and return over initial cost.
Writing ain’t easy, folks! It takes a professional to know when to fudge the rules versus when to hold fast to them. And it takes an industry expert to craft copy that appeases the almighty Google whilst drawing in your ideal clients and supporting conversion. Will you continue to drift in the saltwater or levitate above as a sparkling, freshwater oasis?
2014 is here! We’ve all ushered in the New Year, some at small, intimate gatherings and others at large, happening parties. Now that the celebration is over and the hangovers are subsiding, it’s time to dig back into the hardy topics at hand. Content marketing predictions are one of the meatier online conversation topics. Social Media Today hit this topic square on the head by presenting a beautiful infographic depicting the digital marketing trends of the New Year. They boldly stated that “2014 will again transform the digital marketing landscape in the form of: content marketing, advertising, big data and mobile marketing.”
The Rise of a New Kind of Content Marketing
In truth, during the last two quarters of 2013, we saw an unprecedented transformation in the what, where, why, who and how of content marketing. To a large degree, the very definition of “content” underwent transformation from a keyword caterpillar to a content-rich butterfly. Reputable online sources have published hundreds of articles with 5, 10, 15, even upwards to 50 online content marketing predictions for 2014. While most of these prediction hold a certain amount of merit, which ones should you zero in on as we plunge into an exciting year of content-focused marketing? That’s what we’re here to discuss:
Prediction #1: Content Will Be Its Own Full Fledged Department
According to a Mashable post on content marketing in 2014, CMOs and agency heads are already “looking to hire new roles with content in the title.” In the past, we’ve seen journalists enlisted to run editorials, but in 2014, we can expect to see Content Marketing Managers, Directors of Content, and Chief Content Officers. Their talents will be in high demand as content becomes its own significant department.
The Moz Blog, a strong source of dependable predictions, says, “Resumes listing ‘content marketing’ will grow faster than either SEO or ‘social media marketing’ [resumes].” This is because the new motto of 2014 will be “less isn’t more.” Content in 2014 is the killer strategy for rankings, engagement, credibility, and authority.
Here at Express Writers, we predicted in December that 2014 would be “the year of the Informer.” In essence, if your content isn’t informing, you won’t be ranking. Content needs to be your new priority, and here’s how you accomplish this:
Plan content ahead of time. Don’t fall prey to the pitfall of “winging content.” Instead, take time to plan. Brainstorm topics and research their appeal to your target audience. Review the analytics of your website and see which pages are getting the most visits. Use the content of these pages to stimulate further content ideas. With a little planning, you can even repurpose old material—such as presentations and speeches—for articles, blog posts, press releases and social media. If you find your creative well running dry, join communities and subscribe to feeds in your niche to generate new ideas. Try to plan a daily—or at least weekly—release of new, engaging content.
Keep content interesting. The average person spends about one minute on any given webpage. Your goal should be to make content impressionable and easily digestible in this timeframe. Keep paragraphs short and insert attention catching subheadings and lists. Include client reviews and success stories. Stay hip by referencing pop culture or current events; this can keep your content fresh and timely.
Keep content relevant and fresh. You’ll miss the point of quality content completely if you don’t keep copy relevant and fresh. Relevant copy informs the reader how your product or service relates to their immediate needs and why they should choose you over the competition. If your content lacks relevancy, don’t expect potential customers to spend more than a minute skimming your page. They will quickly move on, giving their business to the competitor who provides relevant copy. Likewise, fresh copy is all about keeping the material fresh. You can do this by referencing current trends, new information or approaching the topic from a unique or new perspective. The last thing a potential customer wants is to read stale content.
Search engine optimization still matters. Although we are trending away from keyword stuffing, optimizing your content by including keywords and keyword phrases is still important. Therefore, properly done keyword research should still be a priority for the content department.
Create backlinks. Your content should be created with backlink opportunities in mind. Season the content with links back to your website, social media profiles, blog, or previous posts. This practice will help boost your search engine ranking. You can even comment on blogs, articles, and forums around the web with links back to a relevant post on your website. But, be sure your comment adds value; otherwise, you will risk being branded a spammer. Remember:linking is about adding value. Do not randomly link to credible sources just for the sake of linking, as this will detract from ranking. Links should add value by furthering the discussion.
Use social channels. In 2014, social channels are going to work hand-in-hand with content. Your content department should be nurturing this relationship. Use social platforms to promote blogs, articles, videos, podcasts, press releases, whitepages, and any other content you release. You can even submit this type of promotion to discussion pages, groups, and communities that encourage it.
Content marketing is going to tie in with every other avenue of online (and even offline) marketing in 2014. The Content Marketing Institute is an unrivaled source of content marketing predictions. In fact, they’ve been around longer than any other content marketing predictor on the planet, and they make it very clear in their “50 Predictions for 2014” that quality content is at the heart and soul of success in 2014. It will affect everything, from Google SERPs to sales conversions. If your content is weak, your entire marketing plan will likewise be weak. Moving forward, hiring a content professional or content agency will be in your best interests—even if they are only on-staff for consulting purposes.
Prediction #2: Mobile Marketing Is Exploding, Catch the Wave
Our obsession with mobile devices is no secret. We like convenience. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love having the Internet at my fingertips. I can be anywhere in the world and have the ability to look up whatever I need whenever I need it, instantly. I love it, you love it, and customers love it.
In 2014, mobile phone traffic is expected to exceed that of traditional desktops. Over 50 percent of mobile users depend on local searches, and this percentage will only increase. As a result, mobile marketing is imperative to success in 2014. Websites need mobile optimization in order to display properly across the variety of devices currently used by potential customers. By catering to local and mobile searches, you can be sure of increasing your Internet traffic, which leads to higher sales conversion.
Mobile marketing strategies will need to be built into your content. Daily blogging, press releases, and articles can hit your audience instantly via their mobile devices if you plan it well and tap into social media channels as a distribution source. A lot of people feed RSS and subscriber feeds into their mobile devices. It will be important to ensure your content is visually appealing and easy to digest as readers view it on the go.
Prediction #3: Location-Based Marketing Will Matter
Google search engine result pages are not static, which is one reason why keyword stuffing isn’t going to do you any good in 2014. And as we said, mobile searches are skyrocketing. Google is catering to the individual searching from their cellular device, likely endeavoring to find a local establishment that meets their query. As a result, marketing strategies need to include local search parameters.
In many ways, location-based marketing is great news. It’s handing you the opportunity to increase sales in your own local community. Embrace this change by getting more involved with the audience right there, in your local community. People want to connect to local establishments, and will likely stream to your social media channels if they know you exist.
National and even international search parameters will also be important, as these will be separated from local searches. Location-based marketing will be a heavy focus for advertisers and businesses. Expect a need to incorporate location-based keywords and keyword phrases into your content.
Prediction #4: Everything Will Start and End with Your Customer
An article published by Business2Community had this to say about content and your customer: “You know what you’re selling. But just as important is figuring out who you are selling it to.” Everything from your content creation to content marketing must start and end with your customer in mind. In the competitive, mobile world of information, people won’t spend time reading or listening to content that doesn’t:
Affect them emotionally
Apply directly to them
Address an issue they face
Effectively solve a problem or issue
It’s imperative to feed the greatest need in marketing today: people want to be educated. They want to make informed decisions. They don’t just want a service or a product from a reputable company. They want to buy from a company that has a story.
Prediction #5: Stories Will Sell
Since the dawn of literature, great storytelling has been at its heart. We’re all attracted to a good story, the kind that reaches into our soul and provokes thought. Content marketing is starting to incorporate this staple of literature into copy.
Why does your audience love social media? It’s because it gives them the opportunity to cultivate a one-on-one relationship with individuals, organizations, and companies. People want to be a part of something, not a sales number that hits your quarterly report. They want to matter, and they want to know why you matter. Therefore, it’s important for them to see beyond your company logo. They need to see the people behind the brand, the inspiration, and passion that lead your business to the place it inhabits today. They want to see the struggles you’ve overcome and be there for the next hurtles you’ll face. They want to see you in the community and contribute to your own internal community. In 2014, stories will make a huge impact on content marketing. We just might see copy that includes stories like:
How the business got started
Who started it and what makes it unique
Why your niche is whatever it is
What prompted your business to reach out to the community or adopt certain values
How customers have been affected by your business
Why customers keep coming back
Content isn’t just about presenting statistics, specs and facts. It’s about connecting with the audience and making them feel a connection to you. This type of association builds trust and loyalty between customers and businesses.
Prediction #6: Content Translation Will Increase
The Content Marketing Institution made the interesting prediction that as the need for quality, relevant content increases in 2014, “the need for translated content will increase, perhaps exponentially.” As your business reach expands from the local to national and eventually international level, you will find that an English-only strategy is limiting (even if you only conduct business within a single country). It will be time to step into the world of translating copy into multiple languages to reach a diverse audience of potential customers.
2014 Is All About One Killer Strategy: Quality Content
As you can see, 2014 is most definitely “The Year of The Informer.” Informative, engaging content should be at the center of everything your business endeavors to achieve. Content doesn’t have to be a headache to create. Today you have numerous avenues to create and display engaging, relevant content through:
Daily blogging
Informative, technical or educational articles
Press releases
Whitepapers
Infographics
E-books
Videos
Podcasts
PowerPoint Presentations
And More
The styles and avenues you can choose to present your content to the world are practically limitless. One common denominate is the 2014 essential: creating killer content. It’s the best content marketing strategy for achieving rankings, audience engagement, established credibility and more.
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