Writing for the web, Pub Con 2006
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The document emphasizes the importance of understanding consumer choices and decision-making processes in content creation and marketing. It outlines strategies for effective storytelling, connecting with audiences, and optimizing content for both readers and search engines. Additionally, it provides guidance on content development, SEO best practices, and hiring strategies to enhance business success.
Writing for the web, Pub Con 2006
- 1. Byron White Las Vegas LifeTips.com 2006
- 3. Understand the Paradox of Choice Understand the new age expansion of choice Discover the rules for decision making Develop decision making map and process Create new methodology for buying decisions Forge simplicity into the art of content creation Resource: The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz
- 4. Get in Tune with the Vision Get under the skin of the target audience Inhabit the lives of the target audience Touch the heart of the audience
- 5. Set the Right Course Add new meaning and distinction Create new confidence with your readers Create new energy for your sales team Create something that matters
- 6. Learn to Tell Stories Great stories introduce great characters Great stories are contagious Great stories focus on “what happens next” Great stories teach us to be smart Great stories surprise and delight Resource: Content Critical, Gerry McGovern and Rob Norton
- 7. Learn to Story-Tell and Sell Connect with readers Information A Story Fills You Up Moves You On Turn browsers into believers Facts Acts Turn believers into buyers Citing Exciting Reams Dreams Motivate the sales process Promotional Emotional Static Dramatic Check lists Casts of Characters Compiling Compelling Annotated Animated Feeding the Brain Touching the Heart Expires Inspires Resource: Sisomo, Kevin Roberts, CEO Saatchi & Saatchi
- 8. Understand Web Readers Readers want to be able to find specific things Readers are in a hurry Readers love personalization, “it’s all about me” Readers want advice Readers want up-to-date, relevant, straightforward content Resource: Content Critical, Gerry McGovern and Rob Norton
- 9. Map Out Your Readers Needs Readers want credibility, belief and logic Readers want exposure to new worlds Readers want to laugh and cry Readers want intimacy, mystery and bravery Readers want surprise and delight Resource: Content Critical, Gerry McGovern and Rob Norton
- 10. Develop a Content Haiku Haiku: Japanese 3 line poem, 17 syllables Create several different content Haiku Split test the conversions of each style Select the winners and apply rules
- 11. Keywords Without Compromise Harvest the rich search keywords The challenge is to pepper keywords without compromising the story Reader must come first, the search engine spiders second
- 12. Find the Positive Story Finish these sentences – We are not____________________ – We are not____________________ – We are not____________________ – We are not____________________ Then cross out the negatives. Build a story around the positives.
- 13. Keep it Simple Speak the language of readers Create deep info for deep readers Create light info for impulsive buyers Use super-simple navigation architecture
- 14. Understand the Power of Links Not all links are created equally Distinguish contextual validation vs. orphans Build Internal links that support your SEO Surround the link phrases with rich keywords Find direct external links that support your SEO
- 15. Learn to Make Meaning Find new value in products Try and make the Web world better Deepen the understanding of your products Right a terrible wrong Offer value, insight and wisdom
- 16. Act Like An Actor Get under the skin of the target audience Develop an engaging and passionate voice Learn the lines (rich keywords) Revise the script (split testing) Perform flawlessly, day after day (conversion)
- 18. Respect the Art “Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank piece of paper (screen) until the drops of blood form on your forehead.” —Gene Fowler “There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a keyboard and open a vein.” —Red Smith
- 19. Recognize the Talent Well-furnished minds and well traversed experience Exceptional curiosity about every subject Above average wit and sense of humor Vivid imagination and powerful analytical thought Resource: Story, Robert McKee
- 20. Fish Where the Fish Are JournalismJobs.com MediaBistro.com AJR.com (American Journalism Review) Online news sites (BostonWorks, Providence Journal Online, etc.) Craigslist.org Resource: Melanie Nayer, Editor, LifeTips
- 21. Define the Priority Improve organic listing positions Increase organic traffic VS Improve conversions rates Increase sales Resource: 200 Clients at LifeTips
- 22. Create Company Mantra “A sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer, meditation, or incantation, such as an invocation of a god, a magic spell or portion of a scripture containing mystical potentials.”
- 23. Sample Mantras Winning is Everything Greenbay Packers Think IBM Fun Family Entertainment Disney Save Babies March of Dimes Healthy Fast Food Wendy’s Kick Butt in Air and Space Air Force Resource: The Art of the Start, Guy Kawasaki
- 24. Encourage Working Smart “It is no bad thing to learn the craft of advertising by copying your elders and betters.” —David Ogilvy
- 25. Be Open to Creative Risks Make teeth chatter Make people talk Make people laugh Touch the heart Create something that matters Create something that creates buzz Resource: The Write-Brain Workbook, Bonnie Neubauer
- 26. Demand New Data Mining Search box on the clients website and log files FAQ emails submitted to customer services Discussion with customer service reps Discussion with customer Keyword popularity research
- 27. Develop a Flawless Process Brainstorm session that uncovers the story Methodology to get under the target’s skin Research the rich keywords and scent trail Nail the value proposition Clarify the call to action Manage the feedback
- 28. Agree on a Sales Funnel Preliminary: First impressions and headline architecture Investigating: Knowledge seeking and trust building Demonstrating Capability: Show how products solve problems Obtain Permission: Drive action, sign up, download or buy Resource: Spin Selling by Neil Rackham
- 29. Help Shape Perception What’s worth living for? What’s worth dying for? What’s worth buying? What’s worth upgrading? Why should I take action? Resource: Story, Robert McKee
- 30. Implement Smart SEO Rules Clean and unique meta strategy Create original content (no dup content issues) Consistent site maps and architecture Avoid “stuffing” keywords Build less obnoxious internal link strategy
- 31. Bring Science to the Art A/B split testing Track conversions Monitor traffic Perpetually Revise Track stickiness
- 32. Use Smart SEO Tools LifeTips Page Strength Tool
- 33. Hire the Pros “If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.” —David Ogilvy Resource: Ogilvy on Advertising, David Ogilvy
- 34. Drop off your business card after the session for a link to our proprietary Page Strength Tool