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Whenever we explain to newcomers to the internet how important, even vital, writing is as part of establishing an online presence that will lead to business, they nearly always nod in agreement. But then the vast majority don’t do anything about it, apart from perhaps the odd status update on Facebook or the occasional half-hearted tweet.
That isn’t what we had in mind.
Of course there are always exceptions. Like those business owners who launch into email marketing and/or blogging with gusto – sharing lots of promotions but unfortunately little substance to engage their readers. Wrong kind of impact.
If you’re unsure where or how to start writing to use the internet to promote your business, there are several related posts & great resources right here on this blog.
Impactful writing from the beginning
Keywords are what people type into their browser bar to look for information. To give your online writing a chance of being found you need to first establish and then include the right keywords, both in your heading and body text. (Sam explains it much better than I can in this post.)
Headline, Heading or Subject Line. Probably the most important part of any marketing material anywhere. And yet so often it’s treated as an after-thought and ends being lacklustre and uninspiring. If the heading lacks impact, the chances of your newsletter, webpage, blog post etc. being read are much reduced. A useful free tool used by many writers is the Headline Analyser at http://www.aminstitute.com.
Impact doesn’t mean being spammy
Steer clear of exaggeration and hype. From 1st March in the UK, the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) regulations include online advertising and marketing messages.
Deliver what you promise. On a related note, not only do you want to avoid being spammy or misleading, you need to make sure your article delivers what the headline promises. If you want people to continue to read your articles, blog posts and newsletters that is.
What impactful writing have you come across – for whatever reason? We’d love you to share.
About Louise
Louise Barnes-Johnston has been working in social media marketing since 2007 after realising that it was a powerful marketing tool which would enable her clients to raise the profile of their businesses on the internet, even when working to a limited budget. Her specialism is in researching social media practices; trying out the most effective online tools and then sharing the best of them with her clients.
