Business Building Tips

How to Write a Blog Post – What to Include (and What to Leave Out)

September 2, 2021 by Jama Leave a Comment

We recently shared some thoughts here on how to develop content for your blog in just 5-10 minutes. To reiterate, the process we described WORKS! And, even if you think it looks so easy it can’t possibly work – what the heck? You can spare a few minutes to give it a try. Once you do develop your list of subjects though, the next step may stump you again. So, we’re going to share a few tips about how to write a blog post that our copywriters use for our clients.

Not many people know this but, a really short blog post will likely be ignored by the search engines: Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. the same is true of the copy on your website’s pages. The rule of thumb here is to ensure you write at least 300 words if you hope to get noticed (about 275 is OK). Basically, the SEs (Search Engines) think, “If you can’t write 300 words about something it must not be very important. (And you know what? They’re probably right about that!)

They won’t punish you by refusing to rank your website due to lack of content, they’ll just ignore it. So, your first goal when creating blog posts or page copy is… 300 words minimum!

Use Section Headings to Break Up Your Content (Like This One)

Next, split your copy and posts into sections and introduce the subject that follows with a “Heading”, that H1, H2, H3, H4 stuff you’ve heard about. You see, the search engines are designed by human beings who tend to be kind of lazy. As a result, the easiest way to figure out what your content is about is for the SEs to scan the title, headings, Metadata, and the code for images. Only if they can’t figure out what your subject is will they actually “crawl” the content for more clues. So, simply make it easier for them by optimizing your content as we described.

As a reminder, visitors to websites can also be lazy, or busy, and they want to know what your subject is and what you have to say about it as quickly as possible. You literally have about half a minute to catch and keep their attention!

They also scan instead of reading, trying to decide if your content has value to them. If their scanning tells them “NO”, they’ll leave (and may never return!). One way to slow them down and (hopefully) get a better idea of what you have to offer is to break up the content even more with bullet points.

Bullet points naturally attract the eye.
Once you catch their eyes,
You have a better chance of actually getting their attention.
Once they stop scanning and start reading though,
You’d better deliver some good content or they’ll again be gone!

The idea is to “play to your audience” not just with what you have to say but in the way you say it – a way that they can absorb. In other words, give them what they need in smaller doses using tricks that slow them down so they take the time to absorb your content.

The Best Length for a Blog Post is…

We’ve already shared the tip about minimum word count for posts and page content. Now we have a whole new dilemma – recommended maximum word count, or – how long should a blog post be?

That’s a tough one to answer here because it depends on what you do, the makeup of your audience, and how technical your posts might be. Generally, we recommend posts be about 500-750 words max. This should be enough to get your main points across without turning it into an online novel. It’s also short enough that you won’t scare readers away when they realize you’re asking them to spend an hour digesting your content.

(If you have something really important to share and can’t reduce it to a blog post, go ahead and write that book. Then, we’ll help you turn it into an eBook you can use as a giveaway to build your subscriber list. Or sell!)

Within the text itself, you can also toss in bold text, italics, and underlining to catch the eye of your visitors. These techniques are used by professional copywriters worldwide to stop the reader from scanning content and actually read it.

We’ve Hit the Limit!

Well, we’re a little over 700 words right now so we’re going to follow our own advice and stop to let you ruminate on this. But please, consider taking your new content plan and create some fresh content using these tips for how to write a blog post. We think you’ll find it much easier than expected.If not, we’re here to support you with professional copywriting services, training, or whatever else you might need. All you have to do is click here to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Without Purpose in Business – Your Mission and Vision Will Go Unrealized

August 12, 2021 by Jama Leave a Comment

The YOMT Team comes with more than a century of collective experience supporting small businesses among the members of our team (both virtually and in the “real” world). Because of this, a few things have become second nature. We’re not alone in this and we don’t mean to find fault but (there had to be a “but”, right?), concepts that are ubiquitous to online marketing can lack depth. Among these are Purpose in business, Mission, and Vision.

In short, a business without purpose is like a rudderless ship, pushed in directions beyond the Captain’s control. So, even if he understands his mission is to get the ship from Point A to Point B, and he has the vision to get it done if possible – he is unable to follow through on either.

Vision and mission come from PURPOSE; that is, the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. (Lexico.com)

While purpose is the natural foundation of these two commonly accepted business branding steps, your Vision and your Mission will have little value if not based on a clearly defined Purpose.

As in life, purpose in business offers direction; it motivates; it gives a reason for your business to exist. It also helps when making decisions, allowing you to focus on things that serve your purpose while discarding the rest.

Define Your Business Purpose

Your purpose for starting a business does not have to be based on some grand universal design for saving the world, or even humanity. (Most of those are self-indulgent and impossible anyway.)

However, it should be about something that does reflect your values; those things that matter most in your life. It can even be something as simple as, “My purpose is to create wealth for future generations of my family”.

Since we don’t have the space to examine every possible purpose each of you might outline for your business, we’ll simply offer this little exercise to help you articulate it for yourself.

Write about how you feel – and think – of and about your business. Try journaling with a pen and paper, or grab your laptop and just start writing. Write about how you truly feel and what you want out of life. Then, imagine how you might be able to Captain the ship of your business in the direction that will get you there.

Remember that no one is going to read this but you, so don’t be afraid to express your thoughts and feelings. Then, reduce it to a single sentence or two and create a Purpose Statement for your business that reflects your conviction to make it happen.

And there is the secret to this exercise, and to discovering your business purpose. Unlike a Mission Statement or Vision Statement which should be published to your website, your Purpose Statement belongs to you alone. It’s a way to clarify both your mission and your vision, with a solid foundation for future growth.

Doing this will also help to provide clarity about exactly what you and your business are capable of providing, within the framework of what you have to offer.

Finally, your Mission and Vision Statements should (must) reflect your business purpose, but without a published “Purpose Statement”. That is a private guide for the business owner and/or their team.Still have questions? We can help. Just click here to schedule a complimentary consultation and get answers to your questions about how you can use Purpose in business to build a foundation for your Mission and Vision.

Content Marketing Tip – How to Create a Content Plan in 5 Minutes

July 29, 2021 by Jama Leave a Comment

Are you a list-maker; in your head, on paper, or digitally? Then this post is definitely for you. On the other hand, for those of you who dislike listing to-do stuff and feeling like lists are somehow limiting, it’s time for us to set you free with this content marketing tip!

We hope that, by now, you know we believe strongly in the power of content marketing as the key to growing your business online. However, once you get your head wrapped around that little gem, a new challenge rears its head – how to create a content plan.

And so, you ask, “Just where do all these fantastic ideas for creating content come from?”

Take it as a given that you’re not alone in wondering. We get that. We also get that it’s vital for you to also understand that, in the highly competitive world of online marketing, you simply cannot “wing it” with your content.

As with everything that has to do with online marketing, you need to take a strategic approach. You need to make a plan for creating high-value content that attracts both the search engines and your target audience. Believe it – without a solid content plan, you will continue to struggle to create anything that engages and converts.

But, hey. Once again, we’re here to help and support you by letting you know that there is a very simple way to create a solid content plan that you can complete in 5-10 minutes – literally!

The 5-Minute Content Plan

If you’re willing to invest just 5 minutes of your time and energy, your new content plan can be completed in five minutes. Then it will become the foundation for all of the content that you produce, for three months, or six months, even for up to a year. Here is a step-by-step process for creating a fresh content plan:

Grab a blank piece of paper – landscape not portrait (Did we say “paper”? Who uses paper anymore?)
At the top, write your topic title – “Life Coach Content Plan” (as just one example)
Below that, list 5-7 category topics – broad subject areas that matter to your prospects or clients, and you!
Next, give yourself five minutes to list as many related sub-topics as you can think of – specific issues or pain points you or your clients may deal with regularly
After five minutes – stop and check your list (You can expand on it whenever you need to)
Keep it close at all times, in a place where you see it every day – tape it to the wall near your desk or pin it to your dog’s tail. (NOT! LOL). Just make sure you have easy and regular access to your new content plan.

Wonder of wonders, you now have a couple dozen or more, clearly defined subject ideas! targeted And yes, this works for all types of content: blog posts, videos, social media content, emails and newsletters, articles, opt-in freebies – even ideas for products and services!

Tada! No more saying, “I don’t know what to write about!” Because you will!

Content Plan Example

Need a little clarification? Check out the content plan example below.

Easy peasy, right?

It should go without saying that the categories and subject ideas for each will vary from coach to coach and business to business. (Which is great, BTW.) This is just an example. But, it should be clear just how you can use your areas of interest, training, experience with past clients, and even market forces to determine what each will be.

Two of the best things about this approach are: 1) none of it is etched in stone and it can be revised at any time; 2) you now have a plan of action in place. You can finally stop trying to improvise your content and hope for the best!

And finally, while the details of your content plan will be different, the basics of this approach are the same everywhere and this exercise can work – and has worked – for thousands of entrepreneurs and online business owners.

What would your categories and sub-topics be after investing five minutes in this content plan exercise? Feel free to share a few ideas with us by commenting below.Of course, if you still have questions about this content marketing tip that we didn’t answer in this post, click here to schedule a complimentary consultation for answers, or to let us help.

Generating and Screening Leads on Social Media – Is it worth it?

July 15, 2021 by Jama Leave a Comment

Is social media a valuable tool for generating and screening leads? If you’ve read anything about online marketing over the past year (or 10, 15, 20 years), you may wonder how we could even ask such a question. The idea that we could express doubt about such a fundamental marketing principle must have you shaking your heads.

In reality, we’re not suggesting social media is a poor choice for marketing your business, generating leads, or screening them. On the contrary. What we are suggesting is that not every platform is right for every business – and that likely includes yours.

But wait. Doesn’t every business coach in the world say you have to be on Facebook? Isn’t it true that if you don’t have a YouTube channel loaded with videos, your business will die, die, die? And hey, what about Twitter? My sister’s husband’s cousin is in sales and he told me it’s the best way to reach my largely female target audience. (Turns out 70% of Twitter users are male, while only 30% are female.)

Which Platform Should You Target?

The question of which social media platform you should focus on to best engage your target audience is not one we can answer for you in a blog post. Too much depends on the nature of your business, your short and long-term business goals, your personality, and the types of people you want to work with. Yes, you can choose who you’d like to work with – and whom you’d rather not! (What a concept, huh?)

Let’s take a quick look at some of the social networks that are most popular with online marketers, shall we? (And please, excuse the hints of skepticism we display here. Again, there is no single answer to the question of which one is best for your business.)

Facebook – Do you have what it takes to compete for the attention of your target audience with some one-third of the world’s population? (That’s 2.6 billion of the 7.9 billion or so on the planet who are on FB.)
Twitter – If you want to work with clients who have the attention span of a hamster, the 240-character messages allowed in tweets is the perfect venue for finding prospects.
Instagram – This media-sharing platform would seem an ideal place to market a design-related business. And it is, that is if you’re looking for a platform that’s dominated by Gen Z and Millennial females under age 34 (about 34% of all users).
YouTube – While many do not recognize the video-sharing site to be a social media platform – it is. With some 2.3 billion subscribers, it is second only to Facebook and ranks as the second most popular search engine behind its parent company, Google.
LinkedIn – For those who work with businesses of any size, this B2B platform offers quite a bit of potential. With 310 million active monthly users, with 196 million in the US, about 43% are female and 57% are male worldwide. More than 50% of US College Graduates use LinkedIn and there are 61 million senior-level influencers and 65 million decision-makers on LinkedIn. (Omnicore)

Now what? Where do you go from here?

Your Ideal Client Profile

You’ve probably heard it before … we’re saying it again. It’s time to do some homework. And yes, we know that the infinite number of coaches who tell you social media is a must also hammer this idea home, as well. (That includes us, too!)

The good news is there’s a super simple way to get started on this task. To get started, remember that although your ideal client profile will be a fictional persona, it should be firmly based on reality. Take a look at your current clients and identify the ones you enjoy working with most and the types of projects that have brought you the best business.

Better yet, rank them. Who did you love working with and why? Who was OK to work with, and who caused more problems than they were worth? (Sometimes, it’s easier to profile the “Never again” persona than the “I loved working with them” client. But, both have value and can be used to build opposing profiles.)

Then, build your ideal client profile on those relationships and projects for a realistic target you’re more likely to hit, moving forward. And, while it may sound counterintuitive, the more specific you make your ideal client profile, the stronger it will be. A detailed profile allows you to focus your search and screening processes to find exact areas and client types that will grow your business.

And the real golden nugget to be found by doing this… With this kind of profile in hand, it will be much easier to find and target the social media platform they use. Easy peasy, right?

Of course, there’s plenty more to say about generating and screening leads for your business, whether on social media or elsewhere. Don’t worry though, we’ll be posting more on the subject soon.For now, if you have one or two (or more) questions we didn’t answer in this post, click here to schedule a complimentary consultation for answers, or to let us help.

Can Blogging a Blog Lead to a Big Bump In Business?

July 1, 2021 by Jama Leave a Comment

What the bloggity blog is going on with blogging a blog these days? Does blogging even matter anymore? Well, according to the SEO and marketing mavens at HubSpot – if you want a bump in business – heck yeah, it does!

Let’s begin with a couple of ideas we shared in previous posts: first, that more than anything, marketing your business is about educating your audience, and second, that being an expert in one area may not translate to others. And yes, that can include writing valuable blog posts.

Now, one of the most common frustrations we hear from clients who dislike blogging is that they can’t come up with subjects to write about. (This happens with other content marketing too, like vlogging, for example.) Turns out, developing ideas for your blog is one of the easier challenges to overcome and we’ll address that soon.

Before we go there though, concerns like that beg the question of what you want to teach your audience! After all, if you don’t know what your goal in writing a post is, how can you address a subject effectively? (Simple answer is, you can’t!)

There are many types of blog posts, including a “How to” type, a “Newsy” type (also known as “Newsjacking”), an “Interview with an Expert” type, the tried and true “Infographic” post, the definitive “Final Authority” type of post, the Google-friendly “What is… [insert subject]” post, and more. (What? More? Yep!)

However, those are merely different kinds of blog posts; that is, the various ways you can approach a certain class of subjects that will (hopefully) capture the interest of your target audience.

3 Classes of Blog Posts to Work On

Essentially, there are just three things you can teach your audience, despite the many ways you can teach them. In other words, whether you choose the “How to” or “What is” approach to an individual blog post, they must address your industry, your brand, or your products or services.

This does not mean that these three categories cannot overlap in one post but, best practices suggest that maximum clarity is best achieved through a narrower focus on your subject. Doing this will also allow you to address the same issue in alternate ways.

If you want to get a bump in business through blogging, think about these three classes of blog posts:

Big Picture or Industry Info – It is very often the case that prospects simply don’t know what they don’t know. This frequently includes a Big Picture view of your industry or niche. An example of this might be online coaching. What’s available? Well, there’s career coaching, business start-up coaching, and profitability coaching. Or, your audience might be curious about coaches who specialize in online marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, and/or messaging.

Then you have an almost mind-bending variety of personal approaches, like life coaching, nutrition coaching, weight loss and maintenance coaching, happiness coaching, yoga, Pilates, flexibility coaching, personal training, and just about anything else you can imagine. What type of coach are you? Where do you fit into the massive menu of online coaches who make themselves available in a staggering variety of markets today?

You can literally define your niche, as well as yourself, using any type of blog post you choose. And, if you’re creative, you can do it over and over again! (BTW… Creating an informative Infographic is a great way to approach the Big Picture post.)

Brand Comparison – How do you match up against your competition? Why do you deserve their business over another (coach?), when you all seem to offer the same things, at least to them? Where do you excel, and how?

These are all important questions to answer for prospective clients and they too can be approached in a variety of ways. You can display your expert status by writing a comprehensive “Final Authority” post on subjects that address any pain point common to your clients. You can offer real-world solutions to those pain points with a well-crafted “How to” blog post. Or, you can offer the latest information from studies on those solutions with a thoroughly researched “Newsy” post.

These are all brand building steps that are possible with blogging because they can clearly set you apart from your competition. (BTW… You can do this without naming names. Simply say that, while others do it this way, my clients feel/are better doing it like this!)

Products and/or Services – OK, it’s no brainer time here. Your online business either offers products or services – or both. What are they? How are they better? How much do they cost? Why are they worth it?

The book you wrote and are selling about how to do, or be better at, something clearly lends itself to a “Final Authority” post. However, it may also be a fantastic opportunity for an “Interview with an Expert” post with another recognized authority who’s willing to praise your unique approach. Have you and your book been in the news? Well…

Whether you offer some type of personal or professional services, answering the most popular search engine query about it should generate both traffic and a bump in business. Oh yeah, that would be the “What is… [insert subject or service]” question.

Think about it. How often do you find yourself sitting around and typing “What is [this, that, the other thing]” into a Google, Bing, or Yahoo! search? Weekly? Daily? Hourly? (Minutely? Can we write that? It’s our blog, so yeah. We can!)

Well, this is a pretty long blog post so, we’d like to ask you this question: What type of post is this and which class does it fall into? We have our own ideas on this but would love to get your impressions in the Comments section below! (Truly. We would love to hear from you.) Oh, and stay tuned for that post we promised about how to develop subject ideas for your blog.

Or, if you’d rather discuss the things we’ve shared about blogging for a bump in business, feel free to get in touch with us today.

When Being an Expert Can Be Dangerous to Your Messaging

June 17, 2021 by Jama Leave a Comment

While it’s not particularly flattering to admit, we all tend to seek approval from others. Being an expert in a particular niche, that sort of confirmation will most commonly come from others in your field. Ok, so?

So, it should come as no surprise that those with similar interests find comfort and support by associating with each other. Educators tend to associate with educators; online coaches tend to hang together; website designers and marketers are often most comfortable with others of a like mind. Whole industries can become exclusive and the subjects of discussion among experts climb to higher and higher levels.

In fact, this is the very reason industry-related associations exist.

The danger with such insular relationships is two-fold: first, that our view of the world can become dangerously narrow, and second, that we may forget who butters our bread – those with less knowledge.

Why Messaging is So Critical to Online Marketing Success

We’ve written about this before but it seems important enough to mention it again. (And, we don’t doubt, will again. And again.)

The reason for this redundancy in our messaging should be obvious by now. It is that not everyone “gets it” the first time around, or even the second sometimes. That is precisely why well-crafted messaging is so critical to your online marketing success.

Receiving support from other experts is rewarding but, what happens when you’re thrown together with a group of laypeople; or just one, a potential client?

Both clients and prospects will commonly voice a desire but, because they lack the base of knowledge to make it happen, they search for an expert. In the “information age”, they’ll jump online to search for solutions but will surely need more.

That is where you come in. And, that is where your experience, and your respect for them and their efforts to learn, will enable you to deliver a message that will resonate with them – and help you close more clients.

While you obviously can’t “know too much” about your area of expertise, you always be mindful that most of your clients and prospects will know far less. It’s your job to help them learn what they need to make an informed buying decision.

When you’re able to use being an expert to help them, the fact that you’re the one who did so should take care of the rest. (That is, closing the sale.)

Need Help with Your Messaging?

If you need help with turning your expert knowledge into a clearly articulated marketing message, the professional copywriters at YOMT are eager to help and support you.Still have questions? We can help with that too. Just click here to schedule a complimentary consultation and get answers to your questions about the types of copywriting that are best for you.

Find perfect clients (and say goodbye to problem clients) using our free Ideal Client Worksheet.