Hopefully, you had a chance to read my article on blog best practices. (If not, I’ll wait. :)) Today, we’re going to discuss how to structure a blog post for SEO (search engine optimization).
I recommend watching the video I recorded (embedded at the end) because I share my screen and walk you through one of my blog posts. Methinks it will help to see the different pieces in action.
But here’s a brief overview of how to structure a blog for SEO.
First, make sure you have an engaging topic.
This involves understanding your client’s target audience and their “pain points,” as we like to say. What questions do they have? What problems are they trying to solve? What do they plug into Google when researching solutions to their problems?
Then, do keyword research to find the best keyword phrase to focus on.
Create a “compelling” title that includes the keyword phrase.
Keep in mind that what’s “compelling” is relative. Your title needs to be effective. An effective title compels a person to click. Check out the title of this post. My focus keyword phrase is “how to structure a blog post for SEO.” That probably doesn’t sound like a “compelling” title to most people. But for new copywriters interested in learning how to write optimized blog posts, the title will likely resonate with them.
Have a clear introduction that includes the keyword phrase.
You also need to situate the reader for what’s ahead. I often outline (in a bulleted list) what I’m going to discuss. My blog post on “What is a primary source” can show you what I mean about including an outline of what you plan on discussing.
Use the keyword phrase in headlines/sub-headlines if it makes sense.
Don’t stuff in the keyword phrase simply to include it. You don’t want to come across as spammy.
Use the keyword phrase naturally throughout the copy.
Don’t worry about so-called keyword density. (And share that link with anyone who tells you it’s still a thing.) Google is smart. Again, you don’t need to stuff the phrase into the copy.
Use synonyms for the keyword phrase. Because, again, Google is smart.
Write for people first, search engines second. Your goal is to write helpful, high-quality content that will satisfy the reader who landed on your blog post via search. How you format your content will depend on the topic. Maybe you set up the content in a question-and-answer format. Maybe it’s a checklist. Or maybe it’s more like a case study with a problem/solution/results format. Let the topic guide the flow.
Make sure your copy is punctuated correctly and grammatically correct.
Link to relevant internal content. Don’t be afraid of linking to reputable external content, either.
Don’t link words like “Click here” or “read.” Instead, the anchor text should make it clear what you’re linking to. This helps readers AND Google.
So, to recap: Are you writing for people first, search engines second, and using the keyword phrase naturally throughout the copy to create a well-written, helpful article that resonates with your client’s target audience?
If so, congrats! You’ve learned how to structure a blog post for SEO.
Got a Question for the Copy Bitch?
That’s me! I’m the Copy Bitch. Contact me or visit my YouTube channel and leave a comment on one of my videos. I might make a blog post or video with the answer.
https://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.png00Robyn Bradleyhttps://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.pngRobyn Bradley2023-05-20 15:10:152023-05-20 15:04:15How to Structure a Blog Post for SEO [Guide for New Writers]
Figuring out what to charge for copywriting can be one of the most confounding things for new copywriters and veterans alike. You want to get paid well. You want to be fair to the client. Or at least, I’m assuming you want both of those things. 🙂 I have another blog post (video included) on how to charge for your copywriting services. But today, I’m going to discuss something super specific: how much to charge for copywriting a website.
BTW: If you learn better by watching a video, I got you. Jump to the end where I’ve embedded a video on this topic.
How Much to Charge for Copywriting a Website: Don’t Underestimate Your Value
Let’s discuss the value you’re delivering when you write website content. (For the purpose of this exercise, I’m going to assume that you know how to do SEO copywriting. If not, go learn that first. Then, come back here.)
A website is a company’s virtual storefront that’s open 24/7. Good websites will . . .
Draw in targeted traffic.
Turn that targeted traffic into leads.
Keep the leads engaged and guide them through the buying journey.
Websites are critical to the success of so many businesses.
So when you’re tapped to write a website, it’s a big deal.
Talented SEO copywriters bring a ton of value to a website project.
As an SEO website copywriter, you’re tasked with making sure the messaging and branding are consistent page-to-page while keeping the user experience and search engine optimization top of mind.
Doing a kick-ass job with SEO copywriting involves . . .
Digging deep into the client’s business and their industry
Making sure you thoroughly understand the client’s audience
Reviewing your client’s competitors
Analyzing the existing site—what pages work, what pages don’t work, what messaging resonates, etc.
You do all that before you put finger to keyboard.
Then, you need to figure out the framework for the site.
You need to do keyword research.
You’ll likely develop messaging concepts for the client to review.
Again, this ALL happens before you write any website copy.
Once all of the above is done . . . THEN you start working on the copy.
Bottom line: Websites are A LOT of work.
This brings me to the approach that I DON’T recommend when trying to figure out how much to charge for copywriting a website: hourly rates.
No one likes hourly rates. Intuitively, clients might “get” it, but their psyches won’t. They’ll fixate on how long something is taking. Or they’ll question whether something really needs to take you three hours or six hours. They’ll end up losing sight of the value you’re delivering. And invoices will always be nerve-wracking to deliver because you’ll never know what sort of response you’re going to get.
That’s a crappy way to work.
Hourly rates suck for writers, too. You’re going to put pressure on yourself. There will be days when you’re crushing it because you’re in the zone and churning out awesome copy quickly. Should you make less just because you’ve gotten faster? Of course not. The value is still there.
On the flip side, you’ll have days where it’s more of a slog. Maybe something took you six hours instead of four, but you feel “guilty” about charging for six, so you don’t.
Ugh.
There’s a better approach: Project quotes.
Project quotes are neat and tidy. Everyone knows where they stand.
Hi, Awesome Prospect.
My quote for writing a 10-page website is $x.
This quote covers the following:
Kick-off call
Buyer persona discussion
Messaging discussion
Research and review of all relevant collateral
Competitor review/analysis
Keyword research
Drafting and optimizing 10 website pages for search
One round of revisions
For any pages beyond the initial 10, I charge a flat fee of $x per page.
Best,
Brilliant Copywriter
Again, nice and tidy, right?
That said, I realize you might be reading this blog post because you’re like, “I HAVE A PROJECT I NEED TO QUOTE NOW AND OMG I DON’T WANT TO EFF THIS UP JUST TELL ME WHAT MONEY NUMBERS I SHOULD USE”
I got you.
Maybe this is your first website project (or second or third).
You’re still figuring things out.
If that’s the case, how do these numbers feel to you for a 10-page website?
Home page: $500
Discovery call: $150
Competitor research/materials review: $500
Keyword research: $500
Website page rate: $150 (9 pages x $150= $1350)
Grand Total: $3000
Now, even though I don’t recommend giving clients hourly quotes, you still need to have a sense of how much you’re making an hour so you can figure out the larger plan: as in, how much money do you want to make a year and how much work do you need to do to achieve that number. But that’s a different subject, for a different post.
For now, let’s consider the above money numbers and assign rough hours per task. Your mileage will vary . . . and it will change over time, and depending on the client.
Website page rate: $150 – 2 hours per page (9 pages x 2 hours = 18 hours)
(*Keyword research: Keep in mind that keyword research is relative. It will take much more work for larger sites and for businesses that have aggressive conversion goals. I optimize all websites I work on, but I do plenty of sites where clients aren’t expecting a ton of business from their sites. I also have clients who DO expect business from their sites.)
That comes to 31 hours if my math is correct.
That’s an hourly rate of $97/hour.
Some people reading this might be like . . .
SCORE!
That feels low. I want to make more per hour.
I love the idea, but I’m not sure I have the confidence to sell that. Am I worthy?
All of those reactions are normal.
Here’s the thing, guys. For some copywriters, the above quote is low. For others, it might be right on target. And, of course, different writers will spend different amounts of time on the tasks.
And the really smart writers are going to be like, “Well, it depends on the business. For a small business that’s just opened its doors, like a local coffee shop, $3000 might be a bit rich for the copy for their new site. For a local, but established accounting firm that brings in one million in revenue, $3000 for copy for its new site might be in the ballpark.”
Just as I advise new writers on the importance of knowing your client’s audience before you write . . . you need to know YOUR audience before you quote. Some businesses will have higher tolerances for bigger quotes.
You also need to consider where YOU are in your copywriting journey. If you’re just starting out, and you really need business, you might go with a project quote you feel more confident about and build from there.
I DON’T think you should work for free (with rare exceptions), and I do think you should be paid “well.” But “well” is subjective. And everyone has to start somewhere.
So let’s pretend you’re giving a quote to the owner of a local coffee shop that just opened. Maybe you recognize her budget is tight. And you also recognize she doesn’t need the same level of copywriting services that go into a big project for a bigger brand. For example, you can likely skip the competitor research in this case. (Or simply do a very quick drive-by in Google. What other coffee shops are in a five-mile radius?)
You can likely skip in-depth keyword analysis since the coffee shop owner’s site needs to be optimized for local search, which usually includes some form of “coffee shop near me” and “coffee shop + town/city.” You can glean this info quickly.
The coffee shop might not need a 10-page site. Maybe a five-page site will work for now. (Along with an optimized Google Business Profile.)
And because the home page doesn’t need to work as hard as a home page for a brand where conversions are more important, you might go with the same per-page rate for the home page.
If the original quote above for a 10-page site for a new local coffee shop didn’t feel right, does this one feel better?
Discovery call: $150
Per-page rate: $150 (for five pages, that comes to $750)
Total: $900
Does that feel doable to you?
There’s no right or wrong answer here. Some folks reading this might think, “Nope. I’m going to pursue work where I can bill the true value.” Other writers might say, “This is low, but it’s my first paid gig. I’ll get a good piece for my portfolio. And there might be an opportunity for future work if the coffee shop does well.”
Both reactions are fair.
I wish I could tell you there’s a formula for how much to charge for copywriting a website. But all I can give you is guidance.
Even organizations like American Writers & Artists Institute (AWAI), which puts out this handy guide yearly on copywriting rates (definitely check it out, starting on page 36) . . . even AWAI gives ranges.
Here’s my guidance on how much to charge for copywriting a website:
Don’t do hourly rates.
Give project quotes.
Think of all the pieces that you’ll need to do, depending on the client.
Apply money numbers to each piece.
Figure out your ideal per-page rate (beyond the home page, which I recommend dealing with separately).
Assign an approximate number of hours it will take you to complete each task.
Add up everything and ask yourself how you feel about the quote and the hourly rate.
Note: When you give the quote to the prospect, you won’t break down the money numbers. Just give one number (the grand total for the project) and simply list all the tasks that number includes.
For your pricing “terms,” I recommend:
Getting a deposit that’s 1/3 of the project quote.
Having the balance due 30 days after you deliver the FIRST draft. Don’t make it contingent on the final draft. And definitely don’t make final payment contingent on the website going live. (I’ve written sites that have never gone live . . . or that have taken nearly two years to go live.)
You’ll learn from the first couple of copywriting projects you do. You’ll make mistakes and misses in your quotes, and that’s OK. You need to start somewhere.
Got a Question for the Copy Bitch?
That’s me! I’m the Copy Bitch. Contact me or visit my YouTube channel and leave a comment on one of my videos. I might make a blog post or video with the answer.
https://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.png00Robyn Bradleyhttps://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.pngRobyn Bradley2023-05-19 07:00:282023-05-13 17:17:10How Much to Charge for Copywriting a Website [A Guide for New Copywriters]
Whew! Before I get to today’s topic about blog editorial calendar templates, let’s recap the blogging topics for new copywriters that I’ve recently covered:
OK, so here’s the blog editorial calendar template that you can download and customize for your clients. But read on if you want more context. Note: The link will download an Excel spreadsheet.
BTW: Do you learn better by listening or watching a video? I got you! Scroll to the end of this article, and you’ll find my video on this topic.
Why do you need a blog editorial calendar anyway?
If you blog regularly for clients, editorial calendars are essential. A good blog editorial calendar will help ensure that . . .
Your blogging strategy aligns with the overall content marketing strategy. Marketing should never happen in a vacuum. The person who holds the keys to the overall content strategy can make sure the blog posts you’re planning align with the overall strategy and that you don’t have any major content “gaps.”
You’re planning the right topics with the best keyword phrases. A calendar helps provide that all-important 30,000-foot view.
You stay on target with deadlines. Include deadlines for first drafts, approval, and publication dates.
What’s the most effective type of blog editorial calendar?
The most effective blog editorial calendar is the one that you and your colleagues will stick with.
It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it does need to be something everybody uses.
You’ll need to discover what format works best for you if you’re tasked with creating and managing a calendar for a client. You also need to be flexible and willing to embrace the tools your clients are already using.
For example, it’s not unusual for me to be working with different editorial calendars for different clients, like Asana, Basecamp, Monday, and Microsoft Teams—along with my own “down and dirty” calendars that I create in Excel or Google spreadsheets.
Luckily, the most popular tools are incredibly intuitive. (They have to be—otherwise, no one would use them.)
Keep in mind that you might not always be in charge of creating or managing the client’s blog editorial calendar—you’ll simply be assigned certain blog posts. That’s how it works for me and one of my clients who uses Monday. I’m assigned a blog post within Monday. I see all the details in the “card.” I draft the blog post in Word and upload it to Monday for review.
For other clients, I’ll create and manage their blog editorial calendar for them. I usually create it using Google Spreadsheets. That makes collaboration much easier than passing around an Excel spreadsheet.
What should you include in a blog editorial calendar?
It depends. At a bare minimum, I include the following . . .
Proposed blog post title (optimized with a keyword phrase)
Primary keyword phrase
Secondary keyword phrase (if applicable)
Relevant notes (usually for myself, like an article I want to make sure I include)
Due date
Boom! Like I said, down and dirty, right?
From there, you can include whatever you need that will help make the client happy and keep everything and everyone on track.
For example, for the urology practice I blog for, I create and maintain the calendar. I have an additional column called “subject matter expert,” which identifies the doctor I can interview for a particular blog post. I also include a column that indicates a particular month’s “health awareness” designation. For example, June is Men’s Health Month and September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
I have a text box at the bottom of the calendar with notes about future topics, SMEs I’ve reached out to, and anything else I want to remember.
If you’re managing a team of writers, you’ll want to get a little more granular with due dates:
First draft
Client feedback
Revised copy
Approval
Publication
Here’s a blog editorial calendar template you can download and use.
Here’s the blog editorial calendar template I created in Excel. It will download an Excel spreadsheet to your machine. You can upload it to Google Docs and customize it accordingly. I filled in a couple of blog post titles (for a fictional pest control company . . . if you’ve read my other blogging-related posts, you know this subject is on my mind due to an ant problem in my house).
As I said above, your editorial calendar doesn’t need to be fancy . . . it needs to be effective.
So if a bare-bones spreadsheet is what keeps you honest, that’s great. But if you prefer something a little fancier or aesthetically pleasing, go for it.
Got a Question for the Copy Bitch?
That’s me! I’m the Copy Bitch. Contact me or visit my YouTube channel and leave a comment on one of my videos. I might make a blog post or video with the answer.
https://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.png00Robyn Bradleyhttps://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.pngRobyn Bradley2023-05-18 07:00:192023-05-11 18:25:19Blog Editorial Calendar Template [Free for New Copywriters]
You’ve structured your client’s blog post for SEO and written a compelling article that follows blogging best practices. You’ve reached the end of your draft, wondering, NOW WHAT? It’s a good question. Because HOW to conclude a blog post is a skill, just like writing an engaging intro is. And that’s what we’re going to discuss today.
Below, I’ll get into . . .
Why your blog post’s conclusion might be even more critical than the intro or body copy
What a call to action (CTA) is—and why you need one (or more) in your blog posts
How to write strong CTAs
Should you end every blog post with a CTA
How to conclude a blog post: four other ways (in addition to a CTA)
If you learn better by watching a video, scroll to the end of this blog post for my vid on this topic.
Why your blog post’s conclusion is SUPER important
If you’ve done an excellent job writing an optimized blog post around a keyword phrase that your target audience is searching on, chances are good that the blog post will bring in targeted traffic over time. Meaning prospective customers will land on the blog and begin reading it.
Whether they read the entire blog will depend on many factors like . . .
Does the blog post deliver? They likely clicked on it because they were hoping it would provide specific info, like an answer to a question or a solution to a problem.
Is the blog post written well? People don’t have patience for confusing prose.
Is the blog post interesting? If you hold their attention, you stand a better chance of having them read to the end.
Do they get distracted by something shiny?Listen, life happens even if we’re locked into an interesting blog that’s giving us the info we’re looking for. Like, the work meeting might be about to start, the dog needs to be let out, the kids need to be fed, etc.
But here’s the thing: If the reader makes it to the end of the blog post, that’s a BIG deal because it suggests they’re genuinely engaged with the topic—and quite possibly (or potentially) with whatever it is that your client is selling. Maybe not right away—but soon-ish.
They consumed the content you gave them . . . and now you need to let them know what you’d like them to do next. If you don’t tell them, they’ll do something on their own—which may or may not be what you had in mind.
Left to their own devices, the person might . . .
Bounce off the blog post.
Head to a page that might not be the next best step for them based on what they just read.
Click on one of your social media icons and quickly get sucked into their own feed.
Go to a competitor’s site.
Decide to feed the kids or dog.
The person could do any number of things, right?
Your job is to direct them to the next logical step. In marketing parlance, this is called a “call to action.”
What is a call-to-action, and why does your blog post need one (or more)?
A call to action, or CTA, is exactly that: You’re calling on the reader to act. You’re asking them to take a specific next step.
You’ve encountered CTAs before, like . . .
Download our guide.
Book an appointment.
Shop now.
Call now.
Read more.
Get started.
Register for free.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel (no, really . . . please subscribe!)
How to write strong CTAs
CTAs use action-driven verbs, and CTAs are usually short and punchy. When you have digital CTAs, like the ones you encounter on websites or banner ads, the CTA should make it clear where people will end up when they click on it.
Not all CTAs are graphics, either. You could have what’s known as an “in-line” CTA, where a phrase is hyperlinked.
Think of CTAs like guideposts. They help guide prospects on their buying journey. When prospects finish reading your blog post, they should know where to go next, thanks to a CTA that guides them there.
A reminder about what blog posts are and how they serve your content strategy
JARGON ALERT! Blog posts are usually considered top-of-the-sales-funnel content. People at the top of the funnel are in the learning/research/educational phase of their buying journey. In fact, they might not even realize they’re on a buying journey.
Going back to our ant example . . . if someone is searching “Does Lysol kill ants,” they might not be on the market for a pest control company yet since they’re likely hoping they can take care of their ant problem with a home remedy.
Once they read your fabulous blog post, “Does Lysol Kill Ants: Our Honest Take,” some folks might be convinced they need a pest control company, but they’re not necessarily sure your client’s company is it. Some folks might want to know more about ant extermination, like what chemicals are used and if they’re toxic. Other folks might be panicking over the potential costs.
Your job is to determine the best CTA to include at the end of your blog post. No, it’s not always easy.
If I were writing the “Does Lysol kill ants” post, I’d probably include two CTAs. Something like . . .
Need help getting rid of ants? Let’s talk.
Learn how ant extermination works.
Picture two buttons (different colors) side by side. This gives people a choice, which I think is important. It enables the prospective buyer to decide where they want to go next after consuming your awesome content.
Should you end every blog post with a CTA?
I say yes. The CTA doesn’t always have to be a button or graphic. The CTA shouldn’t necessarily be pushing a sale (unless it makes sense). And the CTAs shouldn’t be the same. Thing. On. Every. Post.
Consider who you wrote the blog post for and why you wrote about that topic. Put yourself in the prospect’s shoes. Where should they go next? Create CTAs that guide them there.
Note: Sometimes, you might not have the perfect content to send them to next. That’s a great example of a content “gap”—a gap YOU can fill by writing a blog post that fills the gap. This is why having a blog editorial calendar and an overall content strategy makes sense. You can identify content gaps and natural linking opportunities between pieces of content.
MIND BLOWN POINT OF THE DAY: Your CTAs don’t always have to go at the END of your blog post.
Sprinkling CTAs throughout the blog post, especially articles that clock in over 1000 words, can be a great way to engage people, especially those thinking about bouncing away anyway.
You should also monitor your CTAs’ performance.
Pay attention to CTA click-through rates (CTR). Just as you monitor engagement with other pieces of content, like blog posts, you’ll want to pay attention to how well your CTAs are working.
Which ones get the most clicks?Note: Good marketing automation software, like HubSpot, lets you set up A/B tests for CTAs.
Do people engage with the content the CTA is sending them to? It’s not enough to have people clicking your CTAs if they immediately back away from the content they’re being led to.
Like everything else in marketing, you need to experiment, learn what works for a particular readership, and do more of what works and less of what doesn’t.
How to conclude a blog post: Are there other ways besides CTAs?
In addition to including a call to action, here are four other ways to end a blog post:
Tell them what you said. For long blog posts (over 1000 words), it can help to summarize your main points in a concluding paragraph before the CTA. (I used to teach a public speaking course, and the structure for speeches is the same as blog posts: Tell them what you’re going to say. Tell them. Then, tell ’em what you told them.)
Ask a question. If your client leaves the comments section open on their blog, you could ask readers a question. For example, Have you had luck killing ants with Lysol or other home remedies? Let us know in the comments. Ensure someone monitors comments, removes inappropriate comments, and engages with comments.
Encourage people to follow the company on social media. You can also encourage people to share your article on their social media feeds.
Create a “You might also like” section. This could be seen as a CTA. But offering a call-out with something that says, “If you liked this article, you might also like these . . .” is a great way to share more helpful content and keep people on your site.
Drum roll . . . here’s how I conclude my blog posts. I usually use some version of the following . . .
https://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.png00Robyn Bradleyhttps://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.pngRobyn Bradley2023-05-17 07:00:512023-05-11 18:20:22How to Conclude a Blog Post [Tips for New Copywriters]
If you’re a new copywriter wondering how to write a compelling blog post, you’re not alone. First, what the heck does “compelling” even mean? You’re going to hear that word a lot as you’re learning about copywriting and content marketing. You’ll also hear the word “engaging.” Write engaging copy, they said. Write compelling copy. Write copy that resonates.
OK, so that last directive—write copy that resonates—is the one to focus on. Why? Because at least it references the audience who’s reading the content.
For example, a blog post titled “Does Lysol Kill Ants?” might be of ZERO interest to most people. But for the 480 people searching on that phrase every month, the copy will likely resonate.
My point: One person’s idea of compelling or engaging copy might be another person’s snoozefest.
[BTW: Do you learn better by listening or watching a video? I got you! Scroll to the end of this article, and you’ll find my video on this topic.]
When considering “how to write a compelling blog post,” always frame it from your target audience’s perspective.
What will they find compelling?
What do they care about?
What questions are they asking?
What are their “pain points”?
What keeps them up at night?
To find out this info, turn to your client’s . . .
Formal buyer personas (if they have them)
Actual customers
People on the frontlines who interact with customers, like sales reps
Now, I know I still haven’t answered your question about how to write a compelling blog post that will genuinely resonate with readers.
I think the better question to ask is this: How do you write something that your target audience CAN’T find anywhere else?
Because if you’re able to find that special something-something, that’s when you’ve got what’s necessary to create a compelling blog post.
1. Look for those odd-ball stories, amusing anecdotes, and cautionary tales.
Let’s go back to my “Does Lysol kill ants” example. Any pest control company can address the topic of whether Lysol kills ants. And most would likely say the same thing.
But maybe the pest control company you’re writing for has an amusing story about a couple that bought three cases of Lysol to attack their ant problem. But the only thing that happened was they ended up with a house that smells like “mountain breeze” Lysol and ants marching around high on fumes, overtaking the place.
I’m riffing here, but you get the idea. That would be an amusing cautionary tale to use in your blog post’s intro before getting into whether Lysol works, do other home remedies work, what about ant traps, and when should someone finally call in a professional.
A blog post that includes all that would likely be considered “compelling” by all those folks who are googling about their ant problem.
So, how do you unearth these nuggets? Talk to your client. I guarantee they have these stories. Do a free-wheeling interview and record all the little anecdotes in a tickler file that you can dig into whenever you need a good story to liven up a blog post.
2. Get more mileage out of the client’s Google reviews.
Or their reviews on places like Yelp, Trustpilot, and Capterra. Reviewers often serve up interesting tales or new pain points you hadn’t considered.
You could curate five amusing 4- and 5-star reviews about a similar theme. For example, going back to my ant infestation obsession, the pest control company could pull reviews about happy customers who were dealing with an ant problem. Take screenshots of their reviews and embed them into the blog post. Have the client (or appropriate sales rep or whatever) provide context for each situation.
This idea isn’t a one-trick pony, either. Find other themes in other reviews. For example, maybe other reviewers talk about their problem with wasps. You could do another blog post on that.
You get the idea. Reviews offer a treasure trove of info—ideas for blog posts, good phrases for branding, and questions or comments that could lead to a winning keyword phrase for a blog post.
This obviously won’t be the type of blog post that you put in regular rotation. And you’ll want to be careful in how you present it. (NOTE: I’m not talking about an apology that you MUST put out there because your business made a massive error. That’s a different thing: crisis management.)
Make sure several people review your apology post before it goes live.
Have your lawyer review it too if there are any questions your apology could lead to legal issues.
A company owning up to a mistake and showing the specific steps they’re taking to do better can be a compelling read.
And I realize this might not be your idea (or your client’s idea) of “compelling.” 🙂 But compelling doesn’t always mean something that’s rah-rah and full of rainbows and puppy dogs.
4. Share heartwarming stories.
Heartwarming stories are always crowdpleasers. People LOVE heartwarming stories. Consider human-interest features about the client’s employees, customers, or a charity your client’s company supports. Do an interview, get pictures, or record a video. There are LOTS of ways to tell heartwarming stories, and they always make for good reads—and can show the softer side of a business.
For the urology practice that I do a lot of writing for, I did a blog post interview with one of the physician assistants who did a mission trip to Malawi. That was a fun piece to write and share.
5. On the flip side, share a contrarian point of view.
For that same urology practice, when the U.S Preventive Services Task Force made new recommendations regarding prostate cancer screening, the CEO of the practice disagreed with the recs, and so we did a blog post with his response.
This can be an effective and compelling approach (and can help position your client as a thought leader in their space/industry).
Again, you’ll want to be careful with this sort of format:
Make sure several people review the content before it goes live.
Be careful about polarizing topics. If you go that route, be prepared for potential backlash from customers and non-customers alike. And have a plan for handling it.
Remember, when it comes to “how to write a compelling blog post,” look for the angle that readers won’t be able to find anywhere else.
And always ask yourself, “What do my client’s customers want to read about? What will THEY find compelling?” It’s not about what you think will be enthralling.
Got a Question for the Copy Bitch?
That’s me! I’m the Copy Bitch. Contact me or visit my YouTube channel and leave a comment on one of my videos. I might make a blog post or video with the answer.
https://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.png00Robyn Bradleyhttps://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.pngRobyn Bradley2023-05-16 07:00:402023-05-11 18:14:54How to Write a Compelling Blog Post [Tips for New Copywriters]
Maybe clients are (finally) knocking on your virtual door, but now you have to write two blog posts for one client, three for another, and possibly two more if the latest prospect accepts your proposal. And suddenly, you find yourself googling “how to write a blog post fast.” Trust me, I get it. You want and need the work, but it can be overwhelming when everything seems to hit at once. Luckily, you can and will get faster with your writing.
Below, I’m going to share six tips on how to shorten the blog-writing process.
Use a winning blog post formula.
Tap ChatGPT to produce an outline.
Gather your research and resources before you sit down to write.
Try the Pomodoro Technique.
Use dictation software.
Don’t forget to build in time for revisions and proofreading.
If you learn better by watching or listening to a video, check out the one I embed at the end of the post.
Let’s get to it.
How to write a blog post FAST
These strategies work for me, but you’ll need to figure out what works for YOU. And then stick with it.
1. Use a winning blog post formula.
Make sure you check out my blog post on how to structure a blog post for SEO. Because once SEO structure becomes second nature, the writing and editing will go faster.
Another way to make the drafting go faster is by choosing a winning blog post formula like one of the following:
Q&A format. I LOVE this format. The questions serve as keyword-rich sub-headlines. Then, I answer the questions. Site visitors like this format because it’s easy for them to spot the answer to their query. And Google loves this format as well. Do an excellent job, and one of your answers could end up in Google’s featured snippet, which takes up primo real estate on the search engine results page (SERP).
Problem/solution/results. This is essentially a case study or customer story. The keyword is “story.” Tell a great, compelling story.
Numbered lists. That’s the format I’m using for this post. (I use it a lot because if I identify my six or eight or whatever the number of “things” are up front, I simply write quickly under each heading.)
How-to posts and “ultimate guide” posts are also winning formulas. But these tend to take longer to write. However, you can cut down the time it takes to do a how-to if a how-to video already exists. You could get the video transcribed from a place like Rev.com, use it as the main content for your blog post, and embed the video. Boom! You’re done.
2. Tap ChatGPT to produce an outline.
Yes, I’m a freelance copywriter recommending the tool that is supposedly coming for my job. 🙂
I’m working on a series of ChatGPT blog posts and videos, but the short of it goes like this: ChatGPT is a great tool. But like any other tool, it has limitations. For one, you’ll need to heavily revise anything it spits out so you can match your client’s brand voice. This is why it doesn’t make sense to ask ChatGPT to write blog posts or long-form content because you’ll need to rewrite everything anyway. I don’t know about you, but I find rewriting someone else’s work takes a lot longer than simply writing something on my own from scratch. (Potential adverse SEO implications also exist. Google does not take kindly to people pumping out generic content to manipulate rankings.)
But ChatGPT can be good for short stuff and brainstorming. THAT’S where this tip comes in. You can prompt ChatGPT to come up with an outline for a blog post.
You should be SUPER specific in what you’re asking ChatGPT to do.
For example, let’s say my client owns a rug company, and we want to do a blog post on “how to choose a rug for a small living room.” It’s a long-tail keyword phrase with only 20 searches a month.
You figure this could be a good Q&A format blog post where you answer a bunch of questions about how to choose a rug for a small living room, like tips for measuring, how to make the living room look bigger, and other considerations.
Your prompt for ChatGPT might look like this:Hi, ChatGPT. I’m working on a blog post for the Totally Awesome Rug Co., which caters to helping homeowners, condo owners, and apartment dwellers find the best, affordable rug for their space, no matter the size or budget. We want to do a blog post titled “How to Choose a Rug for a Small Living Room.” We want to write it in a question-and-answer format. “How to Choose a Rug for a Small Living Room” should be the first question, but I want to craft a blog post with other helpful questions related to choosing rugs for small spaces. Can you come up with a blog outline that includes my initial question but also 9 other questions? Our tone is fun and carefree.
Here’s how ChatGPT responded to my prompt, in a matter of seconds.
Not bad, right?
You’ll want to edit it, of course. You might not like one of the questions, or maybe you’ll think of another. But it’s much easier to get going when you have an outline staring at you rather than a blank page.
ChatGPT is like a sous chef who cuts up all your veggies. You’re still the chef. You need to assemble the magical dish.
3. Gather your research and resources before you sit down to write.
By the time you sit down to write, you should have all the “pre-work” done. This includes creating an outline (or having ChatGPT do the honors) and compiling research and resources. I know this might seem like a chicken-egg conundrum—how do you know what research you need if you haven’t written anything yet? But your outline should clue you in on what research, like stats or stories, will help bring your blog post to life.
Going back to our rug outline . . . you might add a question that asks “How do I measure my living room rug size.” Before you sit down to write, you might email or talk to someone from the company to see if they have existing collateral, like a chart or calculator. If not, you might simply ask your subject matter expert how they advise customers to measure. Get their answer in writing or record their answer on Zoom and have Rev.com transcribe it. You’d then have this info ready to insert into your post before you sit down to write.
4. Use dictation software.
Speaking of recording, another way to speed up the writing process is by using dictation software. With your blog post outline in hand, you can record yourself talking through the content for each section. (Use the memo function on your phone to record.) Then, use Rev.com or Temi to provide an automated transcription. (Currently, Rev.com costs .25/minute. So a 10-minute spiel would cost $2.50, which isn’t bad.)
From there, you can revise, optimize, and polish.
5. Try the Pomodoro Technique.
When you do sit down to draft your blog post, do a “down and dirty” draft. Don’t self-edit and don’t worry about SEO. Just WRITE.
The Pomodoro Technique is an excellent way to build this muscle. Pomodoro means tomato in Italian. (Picture those egg timers shaped like a tomato—that’s the idea.)
The gist: Set your timer for 25 minutes. Put fingers to keyboard and just write. Don’t stop. Don’t look up. When the timer goes off, take a break for five minutes. Lather, rinse, and repeat as often as you need to complete the project.
I’ve used this technique a lot over the last 20 years, and it works—for me. But if it doesn’t work for you, that’s OK. Plenty of other time management techniques and apps exist. Find what works for you.
6. Build in time for revising, optimizing, and proofreading.
Once you get the draft down, you need to optimize it for SEO, revise it for clarity and tone, and proofread the heck out of it. This takes time. Don’t skimp. If you want to get faster at blogging, you’ll need to get faster at all phases, not just the drafting part. And this most certainly includes revising and proofreading:
https://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.png00Robyn Bradleyhttps://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.pngRobyn Bradley2023-05-15 07:00:482023-05-10 09:55:13How to Write a Blog Post FAST [Tips for Beginning Copywriters]
If you’re a new freelance copywriter, I can almost guarantee you’ll be doing a lot of blogging for clients. Why? Well, blogging is an essential element in an effective inbound marketing strategy. This means you must understand blog best practices. You can’t just write any old thing, slap it on a blog, and call it a day. I mean, you could. But you certainly won’t get the results you or your client seek.
So let’s talk about blog best practices. If you prefer watching rather than reading, jump to the end of this article for the video I recorded.
But before we get to the best practices, let’s step back and answer this question:
Why is blogging an essential element of inbound marketing? How does blogging work?
OK, so a little history lesson. Thirty years ago, marketing consisted of casting a wide net. You blasted a marketing message to a large number of people, hoping someone would be interested in whatever it was that you were selling.
Think billboards, direct mailers, TV ads, radio ads, telemarketing, etc. Sure, with this method, you might know the audience demographics. But your direct mailer on landscaping services still hit plenty of people with ZERO interest in landscaping services.
Inbound marketing does the complete opposite. The goal is to attract people already on the market for whatever you’re selling.
So instead of blasting tons of people with ads about your landscaping company, the goal is to draw in people who are already looking for a landscaping company . . . or who are researching the best ways to care for their lawn and maybe realizing they need help.
It makes sense, right? Why not engage folks already looking for the products or services you sell rather than trying to engage with someone who will never be interested in what you’re selling, no matter what you do? (I’ll never forget when everyone in my apartment complex, which had 1000 units, received a direct mailer postcard for lawn care services. Talk about a big, fat marketing FAIL.)
This brings us back to blogging. When someone is on the market for a product or service—or they have a problem that will require purchasing a product or service—they will go online to do their initial research. And if a helpful blog post comes up in search that gives them the information they need, well . . . that’s when the marketing magic can happen.
With blogging, your job isn’t to sell the reader whatever your client is selling but rather engage and educate them on whatever they’re researching. You make it about them, not your client.
And if you do your job well, meaning the reader finds the content helpful, they might read another blog post or poke around the client’s website. Maybe they’ll download a piece of content (which requires them to give their email address), or they follow the company on social media. Your blog post will have done its job of engaging the reader because now your client’s company is on the person’s radar . . . and your client can continue to stay in front of them through emails, social media, or retargeting ads.
Nifty, right?
OK, so let’s get back to the subject at hand.
Blog Best Practices
1. Know the audience.
When you begin working with a client, one of the first things you should discuss is their audience. Does the client have formal buyer personas? (If not, that might be another project you can help them with.) In a nutshell, a buyer persona is a fictional representation of a client’s ideal buyer. Often, your client will have multiple ideal buyers.
If the client doesn’t have formal buyer personas, that’s OK. You’ll need to ask them specific questions about their ideal buyer. Think basic demographic info, like age, gender, income, and education.
But also think about the person’s “pain points,” as we like to say in the biz.
So what do I mean by pain points?
Let’s pretend your client owns a local pest control company. Think about the folks on the market for pest control services, their pain points, and how they might go about alleviating their pain.
For example, if someone is suddenly dealing with an ant infestation in their home, maybe they turn to friends on Facebook and ask for advice, and someone suggests Lysol. From there, maybe they hop on Google and search, “Does Lysol kill ants.”
See how that’s helpful content and not self-serving?
BTW, “Does Lysol kill ants” is an excellent keyword phrase to target. See the results in Semrush below. (More on keyword research in a moment.)
2. Choose compelling topics that speak to people’s pain points.
Developing compelling topics will involve you and your client having a free-wheeling conversation about their customers, including their pain points, the questions they ask, the questions your client wished they ask, etc. Record this convo on Zoom. Then, you should get on Google.
Pretend you’re a prospect. What kind of content would you be interested in? Do some searches and see what shows up in organic listings, but also in the featured snippets and the “people also asked” at the bottom of the page. Both are good places to find compelling topics your target audience might be interested in.
For example, let’s pretend your client is a rug company. Someone on the market for a new area rug for their living room might be struggling to understand what size rug is best for their living room.
I didn’t look at Semrush for this search. I typed in what I’d search on if this were my problem. Here’s what came up for related questions. Some of these would be good questions to answer in my blog post.
And here’s what showed up in the “people also asked” section—more great stuff for this blog post . . . and perhaps some others.
3. Choose the right keyword phrase for the topic.
People search on the query “How big should a living room rug be” 480 times a month. It has a keyword rating of 49. According to Semrush, this number means the blog post could possibly rank well with “well-structured and unique” content,
Guess who’s responsible for writing that well-structured and unique content? YOU! That’s why you get paid the big bucks.
Bottom line: You must do keyword research. I use Semrush, which costs money. But Google’s Keyword Planner is free.
Doing keyword research is a whole separate topic. I’ll likely do a blog post on my process at some point. But why reinvent the wheel when excellent resources exist, like Semrush’s article “How to do keyword research for SEO”?
4. Format your blog post for readers first, search engines second.
Keyword-rich sub-headlines, where appropriate (you don’t want to stuff keywords)
Body content that . . .
Is skimmable
Uses short paragraphs and sentences
Has bulleted and numbered lists
Includes visuals (make sure you’re using alt text mindfully for those with sight impairments)
Keeps mobile devices in mind.
5. Write awesome content that the reader can’t find anywhere else.
Or, as we say in Boston, write content that’s wicked pissah, dude.
So for the Lysol and ants blog post . . . maybe you open with a true story of a customer who tried Lysoling their ant problem away, but it didn’t end well because the ant infestation took hold, resulting in a much more complex problem to deal with than if the person had called a pest control company from the get-go.
I’m riffing here, but you get the idea.
The type of content people can’t get anywhere else will be those personal stories, anecdotes, and real-life pics and videos. That’s NOT the stuff an AI generator like ChatGPT can come up with . . . or your client’s competitor down the street. It’s content that will be unique to your client’s company.
This is why writers are still necessary. It takes a good writer to draw these interesting little nuggets out of our clients and then write about them in a way that will interest readers.
Other aspects of wicked pissah content include . . .
Talking to subject matter expertswithin the company.
Talking to the client’s customers (or pulling quotes from review sites)
6. Pay attention to the “post-publish” work you must do.
When a blog post is published, clients usually promote it on social media.
But the promotion shouldn’t be “once and done.”
Sure, an optimized blog post will continue working whether you promote it or not. But you can get much more mileage from each blog post if you continue promoting it. And as a smart and savvy copywriter, you should remind your clients to repurpose the blog content . . .
Use it in lead nurturing emails.
Promote it in newsletters.
Highlight it on the home page.
Put it into regular social media rotation.
You and your client should also have a plan for revisiting and refreshing blog posts. Info can go out of date. This doesn’t have to be a heavy lift, either. For example, that excellent blog post you wrote two years ago with compelling stats about mobile phone usage could use a refresh with new stats.
You’ll want to monitor analytics as well.
Is the blog post bringing in traffic?
Do people read the whole thing or bounce off?
Do people click through to other content on the site?
Do any of the blog readers become customers over time? (In other words, what’s the conversion rate?)
For underperforming blog posts, revisit the keyword phrase, the copy, etc. Test and experiment to see if you can get it to perform better.
Blog best practices can evolve, but the ones above are evergreen, IMO.
No doubt, you’ll encounter other suggestions or “must do’s” for blogging. Use what works and makes sense. And keep reading and learning. To that end, here are a couple of other articles I’ve written about blogging.
That’s me! I’m the Copy Bitch. Contact me or visit my YouTube channel and leave a comment on one of my videos. I might make a blog post or video with the answer.
https://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.png00Robyn Bradleyhttps://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.pngRobyn Bradley2023-05-13 07:00:432023-05-15 08:26:36Blog Best Practices [Tips for New Copywriters]
If you own a business, you’ve probably heard that a blog is a great way to add regular content to your site and that it will help get you found by potential customers who want whatever it is you’re selling. Both points are true.
But you want to know what else is true? Your blog won’t “make it big” overnight. Your blog might never make it big, depending on your definition of “big.” And if your blog does make it big, I can guarantee you one thing: it will require a lot of hard work, even after you make it.
Want proof? Here it is:
I recently stumbled on Young House Love, a husband-and-wife blogging team that has turned what started out as a simple blog to keep friends and family updated on the couple’s home improvement projects into a marketable, enviable brand. These are two beautiful people who are in love and doing beautiful work, so I was quite pleased when I read this honest assessment from Sherry on her blogging adventure, and I quote:
We’re not gonna lie – it’s the hardest job we’ve ever had. The biggest misconception is that our blog is a part time thing that we spend a few hours a day on. When friends and relatives picture me out on the patio with a magazine and a cocktail I snort with laughter. It’s hard to put into words how we manage to spend every waking moment working on the blog, but we’re essentially writing over 45 posts a month AND taking and uploading photos AND running an online shop AND offering design services AND coordinating giveaways AND answering up to 100 email and comment questions a day AND making & editing videos. Not to mention actually doing the projects on our home that we then photograph and write about. It’s pretty much a never ending to do list! In all honesty, I’m a million times busier than I ever was in my old New York City 60+ hour a week job. We work nights, weekends and on vacation (after all, the internet is 24/7!) so sometimes it can all be very exhausting. And I don’t make as much as I used to. I actually took a pretty hefty pay cut to see this full-time blogging thing through.
Sherry also makes another important point: she didn’t set out to write a blog that would fill a niche. She and her husband simply wrote about what they were passionate about, and the followers, slowly but surely, began to flock.
This point is worth repeating in Copy Bitch clarity: passion-filled blog posts will attract more followers than writing around keyword phrases and creating optimized titles. Ideally, you should do both. But start with your passion. Unleash it. Let it lead you.
So you wanna blog for your business and have the sort of success YHL has experienced? Well, be prepared to:
work your ass off
write about things you really, really care about
do it regularly – yes, even when you don’t want to; yes, sometimes on weekends; yes, maybe even some holidays; yes, possibly on vacation
make mistakes
learn from your mistakes
ignore critics (well, most of them)
write, write, write
oh, and write some more
I realize not everyone is looking for their blogs to go ga-ga like YHL. But you know what? Even if you’re not looking to make it big like them, the bullet points above still apply, even for your modest 3-times-a-week business blog.
Update: It’s July 2017 and YHL took a major blogging hiatus a few years ago. They’re now doing a podcast and the occasional blog post.
My point: your blogging life will evolve. I’ve seen people hot-and-heavy with their blogs for years, and then they hit a wall. Others, continue on slow and steady.
So does your business need a blog? HubSpot and other marketing gurus say all businesses MUST blog. I hate “must” directives. You shouldn’t do something just because someone tells you to. Understand how your business *could* benefit, understand the drawbacks, and be realistic about what you can and can’t commit to. Blogging is a big part of my business, meaning I do lots of blogging for clients who are too busy to do it themselves. This a great compromise. Learn more about my blogging services here.
https://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.png00Robyn Bradleyhttps://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.pngRobyn Bradley2010-07-21 08:44:542017-07-08 12:56:27Blogging – A Reality Check
Dear Copy Bitch: As my favorite bitch when it comes to critiquing copy and writing style, would you take a peek at my blog? I’m interested in any feedback on writing style, length, readability, etc. If it’s boring shit that nobody would want to read, please let me know. http://www.viewfromsection29.com
—DJK, Wellesley, Mass.
Answer: Here’s what I tell my clients: the key to a blog is passion and consistency. You need to be passionate about your topic, and you need to blog at least 3 times a week. Since yours is a personal blog, rather than a business blog, the rules regarding consistency might not need to be strictly enforced, but the passion part is a must. And you got that! Baseball and radio are two of your biggest passions. I’ve enjoyed reading your posts. They’re informative and entertaining. So write what you’d want to read. The fans of both will enjoy reading the posts…if they can find your blog.
Which brings me to the issue that may be plaguing your blog: promotion. Here are some simple things you can do to promote your blog…and to keep fans coming back: [Editor’s Note: Some of these suggestions were implemented right away, so if you look at the blog listed above, you might actually be viewing some of the solutions as opposed to the “problems.”]
1. Add an RSS feed at the top of the upper-right hand sidebar. You’ll need to claim your feed through something like Feed Burner (it’s free)
2. Add a “Subscribe via email” option right below it. Think of both of these things like the pre-program buttons on your car radio. Let fans of your blog have an easy way to find you and be reminded of you (the email subscription will send an email to your subscribers whenever a new post shows up…I believe you subscribe to my blog, so you probably know how this works).
4. Consider rebroadcasting your posts automatically to Facebook and Twitter through Twitterfeed (again, this is free). The reasons why you should opt for this as opposed to doing manual updates are 1) it saves time 2) it automatically shortens the permalink to bit.ly and 3) you can see how many people click on the link. Oh, and it’s my favorite price: free.
5. Add a “share button” of some sort to each post. Blogger probably has a plugin. Or if you google “add share button to Blogger,” I’m sure you’ll find tutorials and info. I’m on WordPress, which, unfortunately, has some limitations. I use a free service called Get Social. After I publish a post, I immediately create the “share button” through Get Social. I add the HTML to the end of the post and then update the post. It takes maybe a minute. The purpose of the share button is you want to make it super simple for readers to share your posts with others through Twitter and Facebook etc. This will get you more exposure and more readers.
7. I’d remove the Google Followers widget, if you can. Wait until you have a healthy number of subscribers, and then you can show it again or show a “feed reader.” [Editor’s Note: This was done immediately by the blog owner, per my suggstion.]
8. You should be able to manipulate the title tag of your blog. Right now in the title tag (the blue bar at the top of your screen), the URL is showing up. Instead, you want it to say something like “View from Section 29: Musings on Baseball, Radio, and Whatever.” That way, if people bookmark it, they’re bookmarking an actual title. Plus, people expect to see words there, not a URL.
9. Create a more robust profile…actually include a little paragraph of info about you (see mine and look at others).
10. Promote complementary blogs by listing them in your blog roll (also, comment on these blogs…that’s the way to get them to potentially comment on yours).
Those are my quick-hitting thoughts. Let me know if you have any questions.
https://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.png00Robyn Bradleyhttps://etrobbins.com/website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/robin-bradley-logo-300x105.pngRobyn Bradley2009-11-13 14:50:512017-07-31 18:16:52Case Study: Simple Steps to Better Blog Promotion
Dear Copy Bitch: I met a chiropractor in my local BNI chapter who is looking to possibly launch a blog. I took a look at his website today, and it seems that he has used this special web provider for chiropractors: [name redacted]. This provider provides all sorts of content with automatic content updates and a full newsletter library. The trick is, you have to be a “member” to log in and see this content.
Do you have any ideas about what benefits this doctor will get by having a personal blog that he won’t get by simply having the mass-produced content available? The one thing that I can think of is that potential customers who are just browsing for information may not want to become a member just yet, and that this requirement may send them away never to return. But I thought you might have some additional ideas.
–Addie Z.
A: Okay, if I’m reading this right, it sounds like he has a blog with automatically generated content, but people need to login to view the blog posts. If that’s the case, here’s my take: I can’t think of any business blogs where people have to register to see the content. The whole point of the blogosphere is to have immediate, relevant content at your fingertips when you need it. Many blogs require people to register in order to post comments, but I can’t think of any business blogs where you have to register just to SEE the blog (personal blogs are different; many people lock those, and for good reason). He’ll lose a lot of people right there who don’t want to bother with registration or who don’t want to surrender their info. And he’ll also lose those valuable inbound links. One reason businesses have blogs is so that people will link to their blog posts. Those links can help rankings (if the blog is integrated correctly with the website) and help drive traffic to the business site.
As for the auto-generated content, there are two issues. First, Google doesn’t like duplicate content. So if a blog post is being published on his blog and 20 others, Google doesn’t like that. No one (except the folks inside Google) can say what sort of “penalty,” if any, exists, but a good rule of thumb is to avoid duplicate content. Which brings me to the second issue. One of the other reasons to have a blog is so that you can create a community, engage with your customers or potential customers, position yourself as an expert, and give something back for free: your expertise. The best blogs do all these things.
I imagine he’s doing the auto content thing because he feels he doesn’t have enough time to devote to a blog or that he doesn’t have enough ideas. I do believe that the key to blogging is consistency; I always encourage my clients to blog at least three times a week. Blog posts needn’t be long or Pulitzer-prize worthy. They need to be real, relevant, and conversational. As a chiropractor, I bet he has a ton of topics to blog about. If he doesn’t have the time to do it, he could hire someone (like you) to ghostwrite his posts (option #1) or be his blog writer (#2). If he gave you 30 minutes of his time per week, he probably could give you enough copy points for at least three blog posts (and they don’t all need to be text heavy; you could link to interesting articles related to chiro or other forms of complementary medicine, you could have a poll or survey, you could post a relevant cartoon, you could do “video cam” posts [e.g. maybe of an exercise demonstration that helps with lower back pain]).
Encourage him to make his blog public and to create fresh, customized content.
