Defining The “Right” Content for Your Business

The right content is profitable, but this requires great skill in combining SEO with writing that people actually want to read. There are some tips that you must keep in mind to achieve the “perfect” balance today.

It All Begins With Keyword Research

Your keyword research is there to inform and help you improve your content. While doing your research, take the time to allow it to define your angle and give you a deeper understanding of what your customers are searching for. Content marketing and SEO must work together to get you noticed.

Stop Focusing on Short-Tail Keywords

In the past, you could easily attain high SEO rankings by building your content around your keywords or phrases. However, this led to “thin” content that people weren’t interested in reading. Google’s Panda changed all of this, but some businesses haven’t taken heed. Now, you must focus on creating “thick” content that focuses less on keywords and more on keyword phrases.

Don’t Guest Post Just for the Sake of It

Guest posting is a controversial subject. While this is still a good content marketing strategy, it can no longer be about link-building (something Google frowns upon). So, you need to be very cautious here. Only guest post on sites that have actively engaged social media fans and followers, a large email newsletter, frequent blog posts, high-caliber guest posters, and plenty of links posting to their website.

Watch How You Syndicate Your Content

Since your site needs a lot of content, temptation to syndicate runs high. This doesn’t only give you the content that you need, but it also gets your content seen. However, there’s a correct way to do this so that you’re not penalized by Google. This is via rel=canonical. Make sure that the sites you’re syndicating on is using this element so that you don’t have issues with duplicate content.

Mobile SEO Strategy Requires a Mobile Content Strategy Too

Mobile SEO is vital, but so is mobile content marketing. Therefore, make sure you:

Know where and how people are accessing and using your site

Pay attention to headlines in order to attract these busy people

Understand what type of content these visitors are after

When You’re Still Confused, There’s Help

These things are challenging for someone who doesn’t consider themselves a “wordsmith.” Fortunately, I am here to write this content for you. As you can see by looking through my portfolio, I’ve successfully done this for many clients. Are you next?

Should You Be a Freelance Writer?

Have you ever wondered if you should be a freelance writer? Or if you have what it takes to be one? I think it’s natural for us to doubt ourselves occasionally but when you really stop to think, “Should I be pursuing the course of becoming a freelance writer?”, then it’s time to do something about these thoughts. After all, it’s going to take time, clients, hard work, and dedication if you want to make real money from this business instead of just slaving away for free. If this intimidates you, then you’re starting off on the wrong foot already. There’s no doubt that you need to have thick skin and a good work ethic, but there are also some other considerations you should make along the way as well. With this in mind, here is a flow chart to help you decide whether or not freelance writing is the right career path for you.

Social Commerce Isn’t a Fairy Tale

I’ll be the first one to tell you that content marketing takes a lot of time and hard work. You’re investing in something from which you should expect to see a good return though. This isn’t how you gain followers or respect though. While these are great added benefits, the real point to content marketing is to make sales or gain clients. For this reason, you need to create content that is useful and helps people trust you more.

When you start looking at your content marketing in this way, your blog will be transformed from an outlet into a resource. This is because now you’re trying to appeal to your ideal clients in order to grow your own business. You’ll see your business grow and more people looking at your site every single day. In time, this will lead to more inquiries and booking for your services.

Try it! It really does work! And if you need some help along the way, don’t forget I’m available at Online Writing Biz! 

Being a Freelance Writer Today

I have been doing freelance writing online for around 10 years now. During that time, there have been a lot of changes. Some good, some bad, all have changed the way that I work.

When I first started writing online there was a site around that some of you may still remember: Associated Content. At that site, I could write about anything and get paid for doing so. From there, I went on to write at content mills, which paid well for some time. Unfortunately, after Google’s Panda update most of them crashed and burned. At that point, I was feeling burnt out, and so I decided it was time for me to take a break. It wasn’t that I didn’t write for that period of time. I simply chose to write for myself while working in transcription, which actually helped strengthen my grammar and editing skills.

I’ve been back for a while now writing for private clients and still doing some things for a few of the content mills that are still in existence today. I floundered for a bit, trying freelancing sites where you’d bid for jobs. Soon, I discovered that was a waste of time as people weren’t willing to pay me even a penny a word. I knew that I was a good writer and thus deserved better than that. When telling an online friend how I was feeling, she lit a real fire under me as she laid out for me how lucrative doing your own thing can be. So, I decided to set up my Frugal Living Today domain “the right way” and fix my portfolio at Online Writing Biz.

Now for a new plan of action…

I have both of my domains set up now and will be concentrating on populating them and making money from them. (I will be successful!) Fortunately, I have one good-paying client that I make money off of each day, so I only need to make a little extra along the way. So, I’m doing some transcription and writing a few content mill articles that I grab now and then. Mainly I plan on writing ebooks and PLR content for sale. While I keep saying that I’m going to do this, I really need to make it happen this time. I’ll be sharing with you my plan of writing and forgetting it. I honestly don’t think it’s a good idea to spend much time promoting each product but promoting these two sites (and more that I’ll build in the future) is the way to go instead.

During this time, I’ve noticed that you can no longer be “just a writer.” You also have to be a photographer, website designer, and content marketer. Fortunately, I have most of those skills, to some extent, so I’m now reaching out and giving it a real try. Wish me luck!

Hello!

Welcome to A Writer’s Heart and Soul, a blog ran by OnlineWritingBiz.com This is where I’ll share helpful information about writing so that you can grow into a profitable writer. I’ll also share information about content marketing for those who purchase my content. You’ll also find my triumphs and challenges as well.

Happy blogging!