Time for a few more copywriting and marketing related snippets…
Crappy copywriting guide
First, an email I got last week about a downloadable copywriting guide. Would you trust information about quality content from someone who writes like this? I wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole.
“Introducing my copywriting course! I am mainly writing to you to tell you that because of this acquisition, my guild will no longer be available for download. However, I would like to let those who could benefit from my guide have one last chance at downloading it. Thus, I’m offering you a 50% discount code, which you can personally use to download the guide. Alternatively, you are welcome to offer it to your readers as a way of enhancing the value you provide them. The original guide is available below; use the discount code to get 50% off.”
Flip book fibbers
I update my marketing ebook every month, creating a fresh flip book each time. So far, so good, until the tool I use decided not to play ball after the creators redesigned it. Unable to wait, I looked for a good alternative, something I could use for free just this once while my usual tool’s bugs were fixed. And what a palaver it turned out to be.
I have only one thing to say to the flip book people who claim their tool is free then demand payment before letting users download the resulting file: disappointing and annoying potential customers is rubbish marketing. I mean, really… get your act together.
What is a quality website?
It’s all very well banging on about creating quality websites to maximise the chance of achieving good natural search results rankings. But what, exactly, does ‘quality’ mean in a website context? I thought it’d be useful to jot down a list of attributes that make a site the best it can be.
33 essentials for brilliant quality websites
- a domain name that accurately describes the business
- sensible, reader-friendly, short URLs, not great long strings of gobbledegook
- beautiful design with consistent styling
- a blog on the same url, not separate
- neat, logical blog categories and subcategories wherever appropriate, and the right number and type of tags
- unique, relevant, engaging, relevant content
- content that takes key terms into account and maps them properly to each page…
- … and takes on-site SEO best practice seriously
- a clear focus
- accurate spelling and grammar
- no jargon or business speak – make everything plain language
- great meta data
- fast loading speed across all browsers
- full contact and legal details included somewhere prominent
- top quality images at the smallest possible file size, named correctly with alt attributes in place
- a flat structure, so people are never more than a couple of clicks away from the information they need
- simple, intuitive navigation
- a variety of payment options – as many as you can offer, to suit every visitor’s preferences
- no broken links or 404 errors
- no duplicate or copied content
- minimal adverts on any one page
- a better overall user experience than competing websites
- disabled accessibility – not a requirement, but the law! Stuff like transcripts of video scripts and easy-to-see colour contrast
- the chance to speak to a human being if visitors need or want to
- named individuals included, with photos wherever it’s appropriate
- social media sharing and following buttons
- real-life case studies or customer feedback
- clean, W3 compliant code, free of junk
- links from and to trusted,high authority websites
- a clear, plain privacy policy
- plain language T&C
- regular updates to keep things fresh and accurate
- a site that answers every possible question visitors might want answers to
As search engine algorithms become even more picky and sensitive, it becomes even more important to check every available quality box. Tick these off and you’re more or less there. Well bloody done!
