5 Tips for Writing an Effective Business Blog

Corporate blog write-up tips
Modern B2B Marketing to fill up your sales funnel | Canada

5 Tips for Effective Blog Marketing

Customer-Experience

Successful business blog marketing is both a science and an art. Although there are many ways to write a corporate blog, without proper marketing, you will not achieve the traffic you seek. Here are some qualities of an effective business blog that takes the necessary steps to meet their viewing targets:

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Direct Objective can help you build a successful business blog with shareable content that gets you noticed and increases your web traffic. If you have any questions about writing a blog and how blog marketing works, we welcome you to contact us.

Testimonials

“Ranking our Web site high on search engines results, designing a professional Web site look and developing engaging relevant content for a heavy technology company like us resulted in a dramatic increase in client leads that we receive from our Web site.”

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

Top Five SEO Best Practices for 2016

SEO tactics

Top Five SEO Best Practices

SEO tactics

Is it time for a better Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? Google is constantly making drastic algorithm changes. Here are a few Google SEO directions:

    • Focusing less on individual keywords
    • Rewarding better quality and authentic content
    • Assessing web usability and performance
    • Relying on established online reputation

We chose the top 5 search engine optimization best practices to assist you in  achieving a higher rank for your site.

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1. Ensure Proper Website Coding

Keywords no longer play as crucial a role in SEO as they used to. Regardless, your site must maintain a lexical correlation between the following:

    • Web page’s title
    • Meta description
    • Header (H1)

These elements need to be unique and should describe the page well. Make life easier for Google’s search engine when it is differentiating between content and code. The more you use structured data methodologies, the better your website will rank.

Additionally, ensure your coding is errorless to avoid search engine crawling failure.

This alone is not enough to achieve a high SEO ranking. All the same, these are mandatory prerequisites for all optimization efforts!

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2. Post Unique Content

One of the top SEO practices is to write quality content. Google likes to index sites that offer valuable information in response to specific questions. As such, Google looks at pages to see if they provide a good answer to a frequently searched question.

This means that Google is now after long-tail keywords and highly readable content. For example, “What is SEO”  Long tail content consists of:

    • Short sentences
    • Words with two syllables

Google chooses to feed selected content into its Direct Answers box at the top of the search results or into its knowledge graph box on the top right (see examples below).

What is SEO Google Direct Answers Box

When searching “What is SEO”, a Google box appears on the top with a definition taken from a highly ranked page.

Google Knowledge Graph: when you search for a term such as “Direct Objective Consulting”, Google will display a box on the top right, providing all the key information about the company.

Google Knowledge Graph Direct Objective Consulting
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3. Create a Positive User Experience

SEO ranking is no longer based only on your site’s design and content. Instead, Google is looking to understand how readers react to your website. The more positive experience your site is projected to offer users,  the more likely your efforts will further online lead generation.

Here are some things Google looks into:

    • Do readers spend a long time on your pages? (Time on site)
    • What links do users click on? (Click-through rate)
    • What is your website’s performance?
    • Is your site mobile-ready?
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4. Integrate Social Media

Social media plays a major role in our life today. Google knows this and looks at how accepted a brand, product, or service is based on its social presence. It is essential to integrate social media into your website. Google will then be able to see traffic coming and going from your social channels.

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5. Build Your Online Reputation

This is the most difficult practice to achieve. In a way, your online reputation will grow over time. However, this is only true if the other SEO best practices are well implemented.

In order to foster a strong online reputation, we should aim to constantly increase our authority in our fields. You can do so by:

    • Referring to domains with an established online reputation in your business area, or
    • Serving as a source of reliable information in a specific area of interest.

Here’s the bottom line: Strive to become the authoritative source in specific subject matters related to your business.

As we have seen, SEO best practices have changed quite dramatically. But as long as you keep these tips in mind, you will see results. Start by error-proofing your website code, then focus on creating original content. Offer a rewarding user experience and incorporate social media. Over time, your online reputation will grow.

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Contact us today for more advice on implementing top five SEO best practices.

Testimonials

“Ranking our Web site high on search engines results, designing a professional Web site look and developing engaging relevant content for a heavy technology company like us resulted in a dramatic increase in client leads that we receive from our Web site.”

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

Make Your Website an Online Lead Generation Machine

Online lead generation

Top 3 Tactics to Turn Your Website Into an Online Lead Generation Machine

Online lead generation

Websites have advanced significantlycome a long way from the online brochures they once were. Beginning as catalogues, websites quickly evolved into information and knowledge providers. Savvy business owners then began creating e-commerce sites. Social media giants took it a step further by using websites as communication and community building tools. While websites continue to develop over time, one common theme remains consistent: the use of websites to further online lead generation and create demand.

Nowadays, although having a website is an essential part of your business’s marketing efforts, client leads should be the ultimate goal of your cyber endeavours. After all, there’s no better way to reach out to potential clients than by having a website that impresses visitors at first glance. Chances are, you’re already investing in your website’s design and the necessary technology to keep it up-to-date. Although these are essential elements of a good website, they won’t further B2B lead generation on their own.

Read on to learn more about the three main tactics that contribute to increasing leads for your business:

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Make Your Website Easy to Find Through Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Through a targeted SEO strategy, your website will benefit from a higher ranking on search engines like Google and will receive more attention (i.e., visits, reads & clicks). Some of these clicks will turn into leads which is why, though it is a complex process, establishing a successful SEO strategy is absolutely essential. Start by choosing the ideal keywords for your business. Once you’ve picked your keywords, infuse them naturally into your content. Don’t sweat it if you don’t see results immediately, as it sometimes takes several weeks or months for websites to rank high on search engines.

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Engage Your Audience With a Focused, Relevant Message Which Provides Value

Prospective clients will spend more time on a website that is informative and relevant to their needs. If you have a focused positioning message that flows well and is engaging for your audience, your website will achieve a higher ranking. Through this increased visibility, your site will attract and convert additional traffic into business inquiries and leads. When creating content for your website, ask yourself what potential clients want to know about your solution and explain it to them in a clear manner. Once prospective customers have reached your website, if they find the content to be well-written and well-structured, chances are you will see a surge in your lead generation (i.e., inquiries).

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Improve Your Online B2B Lead Generation With Authentic Content

One thing search engines love is authentic content and, if search engines are happy, this means that your website is far more likely to attract additional traffic and generate new leads. Show potential clients that your products and services stand out from your competitors’ by offering something innovative when they click through your pages. Use catchy headlines, well-written, original text, and offer a fresh perspective on industry trends and challenges. Unique content isn’t limited to the website’s text – it also includes the website’s design, videos, forums, podcasts, and infographics. A stylish, original design in-line with your company’s branding not only consolidates your business’s image but will enhance your visitors’ experience, ultimately building trust and increasing new client leads.

Once you have optimized your company’s website for the search engines by crafting a focused message and ensuring the content you display is authentic, you will be ready for increased visitor rates, daily relevant web inquiries, and more time spent on your site by potential clients. Attracting new prospective clients may take some restructuring of your website but it is well worth the effort.

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Ready to get more web inquiries and increase your B2B lead generation? Contact us to see how we can assist you in making online lead generation happen today!

Testimonials

“Revising our eBusiness strategy and improving the user experience, these are just some of the significant support that Direct Objective has helped us with.”

David Cohen, Founding Partner, Campbell Cohen Law Firm and CanadaVisa.com

The Company Blog: Is Your Business Up-To-Speed?

Business Blog

Blog Writing: Is Your Company Up-to-speed?

Business Blog

We all know the value of a business blog writing, but do we all take advantage of it? In a recent study about the State of Inbound Marketing, marketing software company HubSpot reported 57% of businesses using company blogs have acquired a customer from a blog-generated lead; an increase of 11% since 2010. Further, corporate blogs were ranked by 55% of the respondents as the lowest inbound marketing tactic to result in “below average cost per lead” (see figure below).

hubspot blog EN

When it comes to marketing, there’s no question that business blogging is effective. It drives clients to corporate Websites and companies gain new customers from blog-generated leads. These days, blogs, along with other social media tactics, can play a crucial role in your company’s online presence.

Despite this, company blogs are only effective when they’re updated regularly. Business blogs provide real value to readers through authentic content, which means consistently updating your company blog is as important as ever.

HubSpot’s study reveals most company blogs publish at least monthly, if not weekly. Unfortunately, most businesses lack the time and resources for regular business blogging. This is where Direct Objective can help.

By meeting with the Direct Objective staff once a month to define blog goals, companies can reap the benefits of blogging,  while freeing themselves from the task of actually writing it.

Together we can explore blog ideas, ensure blog posts respect company guidelines, customize the blog to be SEO-friendly, and most importantly, attract new prospects.

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Does your company blog need updating? Consult with us to see how we can help with blog writing.

Testimonials

“Ranking our Web site high on search engines results, designing a professional Web site look and developing engaging relevant content for a heavy technology company like us resulted in a dramatic increase in client leads that we receive from our Web site.”

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

How Does Marketing Content Drive Business?

Content marketing development

How Does Marketing Content Development Drive Business?

Content marketing development

Before we examine why content development is so crucial, let’s first define what original content means. Professional copywriting isn’t just filler built around a sales pitch; it should be original, enlightening, and written in a sophisticated way. Prospects who read it shouldn’t feel like they’re being marketed to, rather the content should try to capture an idea, thought, or a piece of advice that your target market will find informative and helpful for their business. It is often the toughest kind of selling, marketing without appearing to sell. It’s not just a wolf in sheep’s clothing, it’s a sheep in wolf’s clothing, wearing a sheep costume.

Content development has become especially powerful due to its direct impact on your online and offline industry reputation. Using professional content writing services to generate well-written content in your sales marketing materials can land you a prime place in prestige industry magazines and draw attention to your company and/or solution.

Content has grown  to become an essential marketing tool  while readers determining the right information before they buy a solution. By utilizing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics when writing original and authentic Web content, you enable your webpage to rank higher on search results.

Even though it is a powerful online tool, professional copywriting is not only for the Web but for email marketing campaigns, too. Each email should have an attractive subject line so that your prospects are enticed to open the message, while the copywriting content in the body of the marketing campaign should tempt them to click.

Further, social media marketing should feature original content that will add value and engage your followers. Both online and offline advertisements should feature attractive content and clear call-to-actions because, ultimately, these procedures will help you drive more business, and create new opportunities for your salespeople that are easier to close.

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Content development is a delicate balance between information, selling points, and wordplay. If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to contact us for content writing services, or to discuss how marketing content can leave its mark on your future clients.

Testimonials

“Ranking our Web site high on search engines results, designing a professional Web site look and developing engaging relevant content for a heavy technology company like us resulted in a dramatic increase in client leads that we receive from our Web site.”

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

Business Blog Writing & Email Newsletters

Blog vs newsletter

Email Newsletter Marketing and Business Blog Writing : What’s the Difference?

Blog vs newsletter

Html email newsletters and business blog writing  are great ways to remind prospects of your company’s presence. By maintaining the awareness of prospects, you significantly increase the likelihood that they will become clients. So which should you use? Strive to have both, as business blogs and email newsletters marketing can often work in tandem. Business blogs have quite different content from Html email newsletters and it is important to understand the difference:

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Business Blog Writing

Business blogs are an opportunity to lay out an opinion on any given subject and weigh in on industry news or trends. Business blogs are usually brief, concise, and informative, teaching readers about a single topic. A blog will let you educate readers about new concepts and trends that you would like to introduce to the market. They are valuable because they reflect the personal attitude and experience of the blog writer themselves, and are a great way to build trust and credibility. With relevant content and well-written blog writeup, you can encourage regular visitors to read your thoughts on your business blog.

Good blog copy is not always easy, and a business blog can be time-consuming and difficult to maintain. For one, blog writers must take into account Search Engine Optimization practices. By infusing relevant keywords, a business blog will rank high on search engines and generate a high amount of traffic, provided the blog is well integrated into your site.

Still, even with good search engine ranking, audiences only read business blogs when they want to. You have to entice them to subscribe to your blog so that they will read it regularly. Writing business blogs is a commitment and thus, many companies outsource their business blog writing to a marketing company. Companies will typically come up with the subject, decide their stance, and choose how they would like to present it. The actual write-up is performed by a professional marketing copywriter.

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HTML Email Newsletter Marketing

Html email newsletter marketing is perfect for a company requiring a long sales cycle. If your buyer needs time and information before deciding to go with your company, it’s important to remain in contact with this prospect. Html email newsletters shed light on the offering and support decision-makers in being more knowledgeable over time. Over the long-term, email newsletter marketing will reinforce to decision-makers that yours is the right service/product for them. Otherwise, prospects may visit your site, but never return. If they subscribe to your html email newsletter, there’s a constant reminder to read your business blog, or look at new web content. The result will cement your credibility and expertise.

Html email newsletters, as opposed to blogs, are not so much about broadcasting personal opinions as they are about keeping in contact with existing clients, distribution channels, and prospects. Email newsletter marketing is an easy way to keep clients abreast of what is going on in your company as well as current industry news. When you update your business blog, make changes to your website, or come out with a new product, a great way to let prospects know is through email newsletter marketing. If you acquire a prestigious client, receive an award, or recruit a new staff member, you can also inform your target audience with email newsletter marketing.

While the content of email newsletter marketing is all about what is newsworthy, it is crucial that an html email newsletter is properly written with an aesthetic appeal. The subject line has to be tantalizing but clear. To avoid having your email intercepted as spam, the body of the email must avoid using certain words which will surely send your html email newsletter straight to the junk folder.

Last but not least, if your company intends to send out monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly newsletters, you need to make sure that you are delivering these on time. Some companies may outsource their email newsletter along with their blog. This way everything is sent out regularly with content that will increase traffic to the business blog.

Blog writing and email newsletters build trust. Want to stay in the forefront of prospects’ minds? Ask yourself whether it might be worthwhile to maintain a business blog and/or invest in a regular email newsletter now. Read more about email newsletters in my next blog.

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The above-mentioned marketing consulting and lead generation services are how our B2B marketing agency accompanies organizations in their quest to grow. Contact us today and allow us to look at your specific marketing challenges and suggest how we can assist you specifically.

Testimonials

“Ranking our Web site high on search engines results, designing a professional Web site look and developing engaging relevant content for a heavy technology company like us resulted in a dramatic increase in client leads that we receive from our Web site.”

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

Achieving Top Website SEO Ranking

Top website ranking

Achieving Top WebSite Ranking: How SEO Services can Boost Website Lead Generation

Top website ranking

Achieving the top website ranking for a keyword is often difficult, but it is extremely worthwhile. Subsequent to my last blog posting on website lead generation, I’ve received some questions about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services and how sites can achieve top website ranking. Here is a breakdown of some of the main elements of SEO which can help you achieve top website ranking:

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Keyword Research for Targeted Website Lead Generation

Keyword selection is a crucial part of SEO, and it should never be based on intuition alone. Systematic research ensures that SEO efforts are not wasted on keywords that are either not searched by the general public or are too competitive to achieve top website ranking.

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Readable, Keyword-Infused Copy for Top Website Ranking

It is difficult to achieve top website ranking against your competitors when you use similar or industry-standard keywords. Thus, to reach top ranking, web content should be infused with relevant key phrases and the right keyword density. Of course, the copy content should be professional and seamlessly written, so as not to compromise your website lead generation.

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Keyword-infused HTML Tags for More Effective Website SEO

Newcomers to the field of SEO may not know that Search Engine Optimization goes beyond just web content. In fact, good SEO services createcontent that is optimized for both readers and search engines.  A major aspect of this is keyphrases which should be inserted in image tags and various parts of HTML coding that are not visible on a web page so as to achieve top website ranking.

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Develop Incoming/Outgoing Links for Stronger Search Engine Optimization and Web Site Lead Generation

SEO optimization services should strive to develop inbound and outbound links to raise a site’s Google PageRank, which is a measure of a site’s quality and relevance. PageRank is a rating analysis algorithm developed by Google that assigns numerical weighting to each HTML page in order to measure its relative importance. A higher PageRank helps a site achieve top website ranking on search engines relative to others competing for the same keywords.

These steps are merely an introduction to SEO. Website lead generation is a long process comprised of many elements,, all of which contribute to the overall lead generation strategy. It is important to realize that Search Engine Optimization is always changing, and as search engines adjust their algorithms, website rankings will fluctuate accordingly. That is why SEO must be continually maintained to ensure consistently high ranking.

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Want to learn more about how your website can also achieve top website ranking with SEO services? Start by having a professional assess your site.

Testimonials

“Ranking our Web site high on search engines results, designing a professional Web site look and developing engaging relevant content for a heavy technology company like us resulted in a dramatic increase in client leads that we receive from our Web site.”

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

Reassess Your Web Layout Design & Content Copywriting

Webiste optimization

Assess your Web Layout and Content Copywriting for Better Lead Generation

Webiste optimization

Professional web layout design and content copywriting are increasingly important contributors to a company’s credibility. Since your website acts as the face of your company, you should always invest in professional web design, and outsource content writeup to an experienced copywriter or marketing agency. But, all too often, I have seen great sites struggle to attract traffic despite having professional look and great content. It’s a shame to see how such investments fall short of their potential. After all, what’s the point of investing in great web content if nobody is reading it? Particularly, businesses can’t afford deserted websites.

That’s why it’s important to think of your website as a lead generation tool. It can be tempting to structure your web design into an electronic brochure for your products or services and to simply create your content accordingly. But, while this approach can make for a great-looking site, it won’t necessarily drive traffic. To function as a lead generation tool, you must employ advanced strategic web content copywriting methods.

This means investing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your content copywriting and structuring a professional web layout using methods that are proven to attract more search engine traffic. Other strategies include using newsletters and email campaigns to bring targeted leads to your site, submitting your site to relevant directories, and going beyond just web content into other forms of promotional writing, such as white papers.

Web layout and content copywriting are important parts of any website, however, with increasing online competition, they are simply not enough to bring leads to your site.

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Contact Direct Objective to discuss online marketing strategies and  professional SEO so you can create a website that functions as a lead generation tool in its own right.

Testimonials

“Ranking our Web site high on search engines results, designing a professional Web site look and developing engaging relevant content for a heavy technology company like us resulted in a dramatic increase in client leads that we receive from our Web site.”

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent