E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trust. Google uses these four factors to assess the quality of content published online. The more your content aligns with these principles, the higher it ranks in Google’s search engine results.

Understanding Google’s E-E-A-T algorithm

In order to optimize your content for SEO effectively, you must first understand how to write for Google’s E-E-A-T algorithm. Here are some examples of how you can implement each area in your marketing materials:

Experience: Google highly values firsthand familiarity and practical experience when it comes to the subject matter of your content. When authors demonstrate a deep, personal understanding and experience of the topics they write about, it enhances the overall content quality for Google.

Expertise: Google prioritizes content written by experts in their field. This implies that the author is highly knowledgeable and well-experienced in the specific subject matter.

Authority: Besides expertise, Google also considers the author’s reputation. This means how well-recognized they are in their field, which can be often judged by the number of references from other authoritative sources.

Trust: Trust is all about credibility. Google aims to provide users with reliable information. Therefore, content needs to be accurate, transparent and cite trustworthy sources.

Why E-E-A-T Is Important For Content Optimization

Simply put, Google’s E-E-A-T principles guide users to high-quality and relevant content, ultimately enhancing their search experience. In this view, understanding and applying E-E-A-T principles are a necessary strategy for effective content optimization. Higher E-E-A-T scores can lead to improved visibility, higher traffic and ultimately, better conversions.

I. Experience (E) Checklist

Writing about topics that you have experience in enhances the credibility and utility of information users come across, especially when they require personal insight or knowledge.

To optimize your content and align with E-E-A-T, create content based on your first-hand experiences. For example, when writing a travel guide, choose places that you’ve personally visited. Similarly, product reviews should ideally be written by individuals who have used the product. Personal stories, health advice, recipes and how-to guides also benefit from this direct, experiential approach.

II. Expertise (E) Checklist

Promoting expertise involves showcasing author credentials, professional recognitions and contributions. Let’s look at them one by one:

Author credentials and qualifications

Disclosing author credentials  underscores expertise. When authors provide information about their qualifications and professional background, readers are more likely to perceive them as knowledgeable in their respective fields or subject matter. This helps establish trust and enhances the overall credibility of the content created.

1. Include a detailed, well-written author bio
   
   An author bio provides valuable information about the background, qualifications and expertise of the writer, allowing readers to establish trust in their knowledge and experience. 

In order to create an impactful author bio, it is important to provide relevant details about yourself that are directly related to the topic discussed in your content.
 
2. Highlight any professional achievements, academic qualifications or certifications that showcase your authority on the subject matter.

Consider including specific examples of work you have done or projects you have successfully completed within your field. You can provide details about any certifications or licenses you hold that are pertinent to the subject matter at hand.

3. Highlight relevant experiences and professional affiliations.

If you are a member of industry-specific associations or professional organizations, make sure to include this information as it adds further validation to your credentials. 

Industry recognition and awards

Seek acknowledgment and recognition from industry peers to strengthen your reputation. This serves as a solid endorsement of your skills and knowledge in the field.

1. Feature any awards, recognitions, or commendations.

Incorporate your achievements into your web content. Doing so enhances your content quality and proudly displays your expertise.

2. Include testimonials and endorsements from clients or industry experts.

Positive feedback or accolades from professionals in your field provides tangible evidence of your skills. Weave these endorsements into your main content to boost your on-page SEO efforts.

3. Share participation in panel discussions, webinars or industry forums.

Since you want to establish authority in your content creation, Google wants to see proactive involvement in industry events. By featuring your participation, you can show that your content is up-to-date. This can boost your chances of appearing on Google Discover, which features content that meets Google’s standards of engagement and expertise.

The Expertise section of the E-E-A-T checklist focuses on demonstrating subject-matter proficiency through clear author profiles, recognitions and noteworthy contributions to industry publications. Following this checklist will help to improve your website’s E-E-A-T and ultimately, its Google ranking.

III. Authoritativeness (A) Checklist

Authoritativeness is one of the most critical factors that influence Google’s E-E-A-T ranking. Several signals can show that you or your site has industry authority. See the checklist below:

Backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites

Backlinks from reputable and relevant websites are like votes of confidence indicating that other authorities in your industry acknowledge your expertise. They trust the informative content you’ve created enough to link back to it. This is a clear signal to both users and search engines about the value of your content.

As part of your content strategy, consistently use Google Search Console to monitor and evaluate the kind of content that is gaining these valuable backlinks. It will help you find content areas where you excel and identify opportunities to update any existing or outdated content.

Google Search Console can also alert you if your site or certain content is at risk of being penalized due to SEO malpractices. This is why maintaining a high-quality backlink profile is considered a critical part of your SEO basics checklist. 

• High-quality content: The creation of insightful, meticulously researched content can garner valuable backlinks. Every piece of content you generate should be an asset, providing profound insights that resonate with your audience. This kind of content is more likely to be cited by others, improving your site’s authority and standing in the eyes of Google.
• Networking: Engage with other industry experts and potentially gain backlinks through guest posting or content collaboration.

Remember, not all backlinks are beneficial. Google has made it clear that the relevance and quality of backlinks play a significant role in a site’s reputation and ranking. If you suddenly acquire a massive amount of links in a short time, Google may interpret this as an attempt to manipulate its ranking system. 

Therefore, while developing your content marketing strategy, ensure that your networking efforts aim to produce content that aligns closely with your field of expertise. Foster relationships with niche-specific sites and professionals, which will not only enrich your online presence but also bolster your SEO strategies. 

Social media presence and engagement

An active social media presence shows Google that you’re involved with your audience and attentive to their feedback. To do this, ensure:

• Consistency: Regularly post relevant content on your social media channels.
• Engagement: Respond to comments, reshare user-created contentand encourage users to engage further (e.g., “Share your thoughts in the comments below!”).

Positive online reputation and reviews

Positive reviews and industry recognition can significantly boost your authoritativeness. When you receive positive feedback for your work, products or services, you’re not just getting a pat on the back. You’re demonstrating to Google that you’re providing helpful and informative content. These reviews don’t just speak to your audience; they also build trust with potential clients and enhance your standing in terms of Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trustworthiness . 

• Encouraging reviews: Ask pleased customers to leave reviews on Google, social media and other popular platforms.
• Maintaining reputation: Address negative reviews promptly and professionally, taking any criticism into account to improve your service or product.

IV. Trustworthiness (T) Checklist

Trustworthiness is assessed by looking at factors like website security, transparency of information about the business or organization, the website’s reputation and the quality of content. Here’s a quick checklist to guide you through the process:

1. Accurate and up-to-date information

• Content Accuracy: Draw from expert knowledge or reliable resources to substantiate any statistics, research results or data integrated into your content. 

• Up-to-Date: Make sure your content stays relevant and current by routinely updating old posts with fresh, pertinent details, revising statistical data or eliminating information that’s no longer applicable.

2. Transparent disclosure of affiliations and sponsorships

• Full Disclosure: Be transparent about any existing sponsorships or affiliations. Include a disclaimer at the beginning or end of your post to acknowledge sponsored content or affiliate links.

3. User-friendly website and mobile experience

• Website Design: Make sure to give your website a clean, user-friendly design. It should load quickly and offer easy navigation.
• Mobile Optimization: Regardless of whether your content aligns with what Google and other search engines favor, you need to optimize your website for mobile use. With the majority of users now browsing the internet on their mobile devices, you must ensure your site is clean, user-friendly, easy to navigate and loads quickly for a seamless user experience.

V. Content Optimization Techniques for E-E-A-T

While following this checklist should put you in a good place for optimization, Google actively changes its search algorithms to enhance user experiences. This dynamic environment poses challenges, particularly for those in the SEO industry. The rapid technological advancements and terms such as ‘technical SEO‘ or ‘E-A-T SEO’ might leave you feeling constantly lagging behind. However, instead of getting caught up in the intricacies of each algorithm update or attempting to decipher Google’s search quality rater guidelines, shift your focus towards creating content with high E-E-A-T.

Remember, regardless of the number of updates, Google still prioritizes quality content that is relevant to users. By following a comprehensive SEO checklist and utilizing SEO tools, your web pages will remain evergreen and adhere to Google’s standards. Transform your site into a valuable resource that Google relies on to deliver helpful information to its users by constantly optimizing and organizing your content.

2. Use of trustworthy and credible sources

Whether you’re creating evergreen content or updating existing content, always refer to authoritative sites, scholarly articles or official company websites.

3. Clear and concise writing style

Finally, a clear and concise writing style is important for E-E-A-T. Use simplified language, short sentences and bullet points when needed. Your goal is to make complex topics understandable for your audience. 

VI. Importance of User Signals

User signals are an auxiliary component of Google’s PageRank algorithm. They contribute significantly to SEO, offering valuable insights into how users interact with your content and website.

User Engagement Metrics and Signals:

User engagement metrics, such as bounce rate, click-through rate, dwell time and pages per session provide helpful insights into how your audience interacts with your content. 

• Bounce Rate: This measures the percentage of users who leave your website after visiting just one page. A high bounce rate may suggest that your content isn’t holding your visitor’s interest or isn’t matching their expectations.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): This quantifies the percentage of users who follow a specific link to your website. A high CTR generally means that your content is compelling and successfully entices users to explore further.
• Dwell Time: This is the duration that a user spends on a page before returning to the Search Engine Results Pages.
• Pages per Session: This metric indicates the average number of pages a user views in a single session. A higher number implies that your content is engaging enough to keep the user on your website longer.

Creating Valuable and Engaging Content for Users:

Create engaging content to maximize user signals. Engaging content encourages users to stay longer on your site, increasing dwell time and reducing the bounce rate. Valuable content should be well-researched, relevant, interesting and user-friendly.

• Keep your content fresh and up to date.
• Use multimedia (images, videos, infographics) to increase engagement.
• Ensure your content is easy to navigate, read and understand.

IX. Local SEO

Local businesses are ranked according to three factors: 

1. Relevance means matching your content to the searcher’s query. Provide Google with relevant information about your local business. Whatever you add in your website, make sure that your Google Business Listing contains the same information.
2. Distance plays a significant role in local searches. Google considers your business’s proximity to the searcher’s location. If the searcher doesn’t specify, Google calculates the distance using tools and location history.
3. Prominence refers to your local business’s reputation. Brands with positive reviews and frequent visits gain prominence. This often works in their favor in Google’s rankings.

Claiming and optimizing Google My Business listing

Google My Business (GMB) is the star player in the harmony of local SEO. Claiming and optimizing your GMB profile can greatly improve your online presence and local search visibility. It helps provide Google with accurate and updated information about your business, encouraging your customers to interact with your brand.

Consistent and accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information

• Consistency is key: Keeping your NAP consistent across all platforms helps Google identify your business and bolsters your brand’s trustworthiness.
• Accuracy is paramount: Mistakes in your NAP can lead to confusion, causing potential customers to lose trust in your brand.

Find out more about Local Citations.

It’s important to remember that, in the eyes of Google, trust is earned over time. So, keep making continuous efforts to improve your E-E-A-T score with a consistent and accurate online presence.

X. Monitoring and Measuring E-E-A-T Factors

As discussed above, E-E-A-T reflects how users perceive your website. A high E-E-A-T score means users likely see your website as a reputable and reliable source of information, which can lead to increased traffic and conversions. Changes in your ratings can indicate whether your SEO strategies are working or if adjustments are needed. 

Regularly monitoring the factors can help identify areas where your website needs improvement. For instance, if your trustworthiness rating is low, you may need to work on improving site security or providing more transparency about your business.

1. Using Google Analytics and Search Console for insights

Google Analytics and Google Search Console offer valuable insights into how your content performs. By tracking metrics like bounce rate, time spent on page, and organic search traffic, you can gauge user engagement and find areas for improvement.

2. Constant Monitoring And Updating Content

Improving E-E-A-T is an ongoing process. Regularly review and update your content to maintain its relevance and accuracy. Actively seek feedback from your audience to improve your expertise in the field.

• Regularly review Google Analytics for user engagement metrics.
• Keep an eye on Google Search Console for organic search traffic.
• Update content regularly to maintain expertise and authority.
• Seek audience feedback for continuous improvement.

Take A Holistic Approach In Content Creation

Your website’s intrinsic value depends on how much effort you put into it. E-E-A-T is a crucial factor that affects every aspect of your site. Google’s guidelines state that pages that lack E-E-A-T can be considered “low-quality.” Therefore, if your site does not show expertise, satisfy user needs, prove authority, or earn trust, it can harm the quality of your entire website.

To succeed in SEO and stand out from the crowd, you need to adopt a holistic approach that goes beyond just creating good content. You need to follow the principles of E-E-A-T and align your site with Google’s quality rating criteria and your users’ expectations.

If you need help producing high-quality content for your website or social media that follows the E-E-A-T principles, we can help you. We offer social media marketing services in Washington that can help you grow your online presence, reach more customers and boost your reputation. Contact us today to find out how we can help you achieve your goals.

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during July and receive a Social Media Management Guide valued at $475!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs – no strings attached. Call 408-218-2391 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!

Let’s back up, however, and ask ourselves one fundamental question before going further: what is marketing copy? According to Indeed, marketing copy is “content written to promote or sell a product or service or to persuade readers to take a certain action.” Copy is writing. Basically, strong marketing copy rests on the ability to convey a persuasive message quickly to an audience.

Make Sure Your Marketing Copy Reflects Brand Guidelines

Your marketing copy should fit within your brand guidelines.

The first key to creating powerful marketing copy is to know your brand guidelines. Yes, writing grammatically correct sentences with the right font and graphics is important, but before any of that, there must be consistency in how you present information. Do you have a concise representation of your brand guidelines that you can base this on? If not, here are a few, quick essentials to establishing these guidelines:

• Brand essence: This is the feeling you place at the center of all that your company does and wants to achieve. According to HubSpot, brand essence “…defines what a brand stands for, shapes the overall identity, and aims to invoke a particular thought, feeling, or emotion in consumers. Typically, it’s expressed in two to three words.”

• Brand pillars: Brand pillars define you even further than the essence. They are not only what you communicate to your audience, but how your audience sees you. HubSpot defines them as “the values and characteristics that make up your brand. Your brand should be about how you communicate your message to the world. Brand pillars help you do that by defining the fundamental points that set your company apart from your competitors.”

• Brand archetype: Iconic Fox provides a very thorough explanation of each of the brand archetypes. Essentially, they represent all personalities a customer or brand can have. They state that to use them effectively, “The trick is to identify your customer’s personality, then align your brand with the archetype that would most appeal to a desire within your customer.”

Once you have found what you think is your brand’s archetype, ask yourself the following questions: 

• Is that where you want to fit? 
• Do you think that is the kind of work you want to be doing? 
• Is that the way you can most ideally impact your audience the way you want to?

The good news is that if you find any uncertainty in these answers, you can change your archetype or tweak your brand to better fit your vision.

Establish A Target Audience For Your Marketing Copy

Marketing copy should be written with your target audience in mind.

The next thing you want to do is establish your business’s target audience. For this, make it as specific as you can.

For example, if you are an outdoorsy company that is trying to sell a new kind of traction-savvy flip-flop, you might say that your target audience consists of young, middle-class men that enjoy mid-level hiking and are always on the cusp of new trends. The point here is that just saying “hikers” isn’t enough. Consider every aspect of who your marketing target is. Who do you imagine walking around with your product?

Establishing your target audience is critical because it directs your voice in everything your company writes. Defining a specific target audience allows you to reach not only the people you have defined but those that want to be like them or those that fit one or more aspects of the traits.

Establish A Voice For Your Marketing Copy

Once your target audience is established, your brand is almost ready to start writing the marketing copy. But first, you need to make sure you have an established voice that your audience can recognize.

CoSchedule breaks down brand voice as “the personality and emotion infused into a company’s communications.” Overall, the idea is to make sure that everything is consistent and makes sense cohesively. Every piece of writing that leaves your business should adhere to the tone you created internally – which should, in every sense, reflect your brand essence and pillars.

By following this method of creating a company voice, you have the potential to make your product or service highly recognizable to any potential audience member or consumer. This creates a strong brand for your company because the deeply rooted message you established affects every aspect of what you do.

Do’s And Don’ts Of Copywriting

Keep in mind the do’s and don’ts of copywriting.

Now that you have everything you need, you can confidently go forward and develop marketing copy that is genuinely reflective of what your company does, aspires to do and stands for.

What are some tangible things can you do to write marketing copy that stands out? Backlinko’s guide to copywriting discusses tips to consider:

• Write like you talk (read your copy out loud to check for this)
• Use short sentences
• Write in active voice
• Write for skimmers
• Include a strong call-to-action
• Create a sense of urgency

We’ve covered some copywriting “do’s” but what about copywriting “don’ts”?

Even with all the tools to create the best marketing copy product, it is easy to fall into sticky situations when it comes to writing for your business. Wordstream shares common copy mistakes that copywriters tend to fall into:

• Weak headlines and subheads

• Lengthy sentences

• Too much jargon and buzzwords

• Ignoring or overdoing SEO 

Now that you have all the tools, you’re ready to go write perfect marketing copy for your company and target audience. The work that you put into your brand will reflect in the writing that you produce, as long as you stay true to your essence and pillars. Use them to create copy that engages and creates trust with your target audience and beyond.

Contact Us!

If you need help with writing marketing copy for your brand or have other questions about marketing or social media, contact us at Three Girls Media for a complimentary consultation. We have a full staff of seasoned marketing professionals who are eager to help you reach your marketing goals!

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during July and receive a Social Media Management Guide valued at $475!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs – no strings attached. Call 408-218-2391 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!

When marketing your business, one of your main goals should be effectively communicating with a target audience, but it is difficult to do so if your copy is filled with spelling and grammar mistakes. To avoid having errors, you need to carefully edit your content marketing copy before you share it with the world. This can mean the difference between a typo-filled quick idea and an eloquent call to action. Editing turns a rough idea into refined content that can make a mark on the world. In this article, we explore tips for the editing process, so you can successfully edit your own content marketing copy.

What Is The Editing Process?

Almost every piece of content you encounter online has gone through an extensive editing process. The process starts with a first draft that goes through several rounds of edits before becoming the polished final version you see on social media, a blog or other platform. 

Here is the most common process for editing marketing content:

1. First Draft: A first draft is the starting point for any piece of writing. Often, first drafts contain many mistakes or are underdeveloped. That’s okay! It’s important to get all your ideas out on the page, even if it’s not perfect. Remember, you can’t improve what isn’t there. 
2. Content Edits: Content editing looks at the substance in your writing. Narrative choices, plot lines, themes, messaging and ideas are all part of the content editing process. In this stage, look at what you want your work to say. This is big picture editing — don’t focus too hard on the little details yet. 
3. Line Edits: Line editing checks for attributes like style and word choice. Are you following your style guide? Check for excessive repetition, passive voice, jargon and sentence fragments in this step. Don’t be afraid to break out the thesaurus and upgrade your words to say exactly what you mean. 
4. Proofreading: The final step of the editing process is proofreading. At this point, your content should say exactly what you want, so now you’re just checking for smaller details like spelling and grammar mistakes. Tools like Grammarly are incredibly useful for finding and fixing little mistakes in your content. Check for any red spelling error indicators or misplaced commas in the proofreading stage. 
5. Final Draft: Congratulations, you have a finished piece of content!

Why Is Editing Important In Content Marketing?

Editing your content marketing helps take it to the next level.

Caroline Forsey of Hubspot wrote that, “[For content marketing,] I thought one skill — and one skill only — would serve me well enough to succeed: the ability to write.” She later learned that, while the ability to write copy is important, so is the ability to edit your copy. Editing is a fundamental pillar of content marketing, and it plays a pivotal role in ensuring your message hits the bullseye with your audience. Whether you’re crafting a blog post, a social media update or an email newsletter, taking the time to edit your content should never be overlooked.

This process also allows you to maintain consistency in your brand voice. When you’re consistent in your tone, language and style, your audience becomes familiar with your unique personality and begins to form a connection with your brand. This consistency fosters trust and reliability, making it more likely your audience will keep coming back for more. Imagine your brand as a person. It needs to have a consistent personality that people can recognize and relate to, which can only be achieved through careful editing.

Moreover, editing is crucial in improving your professional image online. In the digital world, where competition is fierce and first impressions matter, typo-filled and error-ridden content is detrimental to your credibility. In a recent study, Contentsquare found that “the average time [viewers spend] on a page across all industries is 54 seconds.” This number is often even less on social media sites. Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and unclear messages will make your audience question your professionalism and attention to detail and can cause viewers to spend less time reading your content. On the other hand, well-edited content conveys a sense of competence and respect for your audience’s time and intelligence.

Beyond that, editing ensures your content communicates effectively. You might have a brilliant idea or a fantastic product, but if your message is buried under a heap of confusing sentences and jargon, it won’t reach its full potential. Effective editing streamlines your content, allowing your core message to shine through and resonate with your target audience. 

Not only does editing polish your content, it also plays a crucial role in enhancing your online credibility. Misinformation runs rampant, so credibility is paramount. When you present well-edited, accurate content, you demonstrate you’re a reliable source of information. This leads to increased trust from your audience, positioning you as an authority in your niche.

Editing also helps tailor the content to your specific audience. Every demographic has its unique language, preferences and pain points. The same is true for different communication platforms, like social media, email marketing or blogging. Through the process of editing, you can fine-tune your content to speak directly to your intended audience, making it more relevant and engaging for them. This targeted approach can significantly boost your content marketing efforts, driving better results and a stronger connection with your audience.

Well-edited copy keeps your marketing strategy on track. By reviewing and refining your content regularly, you can assess what works and what doesn’t. This iterative process allows you to adapt your approach, making data-driven decisions that lead to improved performance over time.

By following best editing practices, you can transform your content from good to exceptional, capturing the hearts and minds of your audience and driving the success of your content marketing efforts. So, don’t skimp on the editing. It’s the key to unlocking the true potential of your content.

Writing out edits on a hard copy can help you look at your content in a new way.

Tips for Editing Your Content Marketing

Here are some of our favorite tips for how to edit your content: 

1. Have Someone Else Review Your Work 

One of the best ways to edit is to collaborate with other people. Ask a colleague to review what you’ve written and get their feedback. Different people bring different perspectives to the table, which is immensely helpful when editing. Even the strongest writer or editor can benefit from a second pair of eyes on their work. Content marketing is about reaching your intended audience, so find someone in your target demographic and ask them what they think. This can provide insight into what your audience is thinking when they read your piece. 

After someone else reviews your content, take a minute and sit with their feedback. Did they comment on the style or the wording? The message itself? Did they find grammatical errors? These are all important things to consider when making adjustments to your writing. Take the feedback and keep it in mind when writing other copy in the future.

2. Step Away And Come Back

If there isn’t anyone else around to look at your work, have no fear. There are still ways to bring different perspectives to your work, even if it’s just two perspectives from you. Often, once we are immersed in our own writing, we miss things because we see what our brain wants us to see. Once you get your first draft (or any subsequent drafts) completed, set the copy down and walk away. Take a walk, talk to someone or work on other things to clear your mind. 

Once you’ve taken a break, come back to your content. Often, you will find things you missed when you were initially writing. This is a good time to look for small details that may get lost, like spelling, grammar or incorrect word usage. 

3. Read Your Content Out Loud

Like stepping away from your content, reading aloud what you wrote can provide a whole new perspective without another person’s input. When reading your content out loud, you are forced to look at each individual word instead of just glancing over the whole passage. This is an especially helpful tip for the content and line editing stages, which focus on messaging, tone, voice and style. 

If you want to take it a step further and really look at the small details, start with the last sentence and read each sentence aloud from the bottom to the top. This breaks up the copy and forces you to look at it in new ways. 

Alternatively, if you do not want to read aloud yourself, many computers and phones have speech-to-text functionality that allows you to type words on the page and have the machine read it out to you. This provides the additional benefit of showing you how your content will be conveyed with accessibility functions like screen readers.

4. Print Your Copy

In this age of word processors and digital writing, sometimes it helps to work on a physical version of the text. Double space the writing on the page, print it out and grab a pen. Things like stepping away, reading aloud and printing out your copy are all methods of introducing new ways of looking at what you have written. When you look at something for too long, it’s hard to look at it critically and see where you need improvement. These methods break up the monotony and allow you to see what you’re doing more clearly. 

5. Use AI To Provide A Starting Point

As a writer, a blank page can be intimidating. As we said, you can’t edit what isn’t there. AI tools like ChatGPT and Jasper.AI can take your ideas and translate them onto the page. These tools take into account things like word count, keywords, style and tone to help you get started with your copy. Once you have the starting point, go through the editing process on the generated material and turn it into a piece of content marketing that fits your business’s style and message. 

A word of caution, however. AI generated material is not completely bulletproof, so always look for incorrect information, spelling and grammatical errors, repetition and stylistic inconsistencies when utilizing these tools. 

Still Need Help With Editing Your Content Marketing?

If you find yourself stuck in your content editing process, contact us at Three Girls Media! We offer a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO, Erika Montgomery, and offer a wide range of content marketing services. Let’s discuss your business’s specific needs and how we can help you! 

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during August and receive a Content Creation & Management valued at $475!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs – no strings attached. Call 408-218-2391 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!

The Benefits Of Blogging For Your Business

Blogging offers many benefits for your company. Here are ways your business can profit from an active blog:

• Boosted Visibility: Search engines love fresh, new content. Adding new posts on a consistent schedule will increase your odds of being found through an internet search.
• Reputation Of Industry Expertise: Knowledge is power. Show your audience and competitors you know what you’re talking about and have a vast amount of expertise in your industry.
• Increased Audience Reach: Blogging is a great way to reach people outside your local region nationally and internationally. Anyone who has access to a computer or mobile device can find you!
• Improved Credibility. Sharing information from other industry leaders and collaborating with them establishes your business as a strong force in your field.
• Amplified Brand Recognition: Publishing a blog post is quick and easy! This ability to share posts on multiple different channels increases your audience’s awareness of your brand.
• Boosted Website Traffic: People must visit your website to read your posts. These readers will be more likely to explore other areas of your site.

If your business isn’t blogging and building a social media presence, your potential customers will wonder why they don’t see you on the web and may go with your competitor instead.

Valuable Blogging Statistics

Blogging provides many benefits for your business.

Numbers don’t lie. These statistics back up how valuable blogging is for businesses and how you can benefit from it.

• Seventy-seven percent of internet users regularly read blog posts.
• Over fifteen percent of B2B buyers consume blog content.
• Sixty percent of people purchase a product after reading a blog post about it.
• Content marketing is 62 percent cheaper than traditional marketing.
• Sixty-one percent of Americans spend more time consuming blog content than emails.
• Having a blog increases your chances of ranking higher in search engine results by 434 percent.
• Once you publish 21-54 blog posts, your traffic can increase by 30 percent.
• Blogging influences six percent of e-commerce sales (12 percent for businesses that blog regularly).

It is amazing how effective blogging can be! The ability to share news, photos and opinions in one place is one of the greatest technological advances in the public relations industry to date. Surprisingly though, many businesses are still not taking advantage of the benefits and proven results.

8 Do’s Of Blogging

Make sure you follow these eight suggestions for blogging for business.

Now that you’ve seen the wealth of potential benefits, you’re probably ready to jump on the blogging train. As you start to put together your business’s blog there are some important tips you should know to get the greatest results. These eight suggestions will help you reach your blogging goals.

1. Use Catchy Headlines. Your headline is the first thing a reader sees and helps them determine whether your content is worth reading. There are numerous tools on the web to help you generate strong, attention-grabbing blog. CoSchedule has a terrific headline analyzer that scores your titles for SEO performance.
2. Post Frequently. The more frequently you post, the greater your results. Updating your blog at least once a week with new content is a great target, but posting more often is even better. Whatever you decide for your posting schedule, be consistent with it.
3. Use Keywords Strategically. Gone are the days of keyword stuffing. Stick to one or two specific keywords and use them strategically through your post. They should flow naturally in your writing and appear in your title, subheadings, first sentence and about every 100-150 words.
4. Stick With It. Blogging, like all other inbound marketing techniques, takes time – at least 12-18 months – to show results. Don’t give up if you do not see the results you want immediately. Your patience will be rewarded in the end.
5. Utilize Graphics. Graphics are a great way to catch the reader’s attention and bring them down the page to keep reading. Make sure they are relevant to your post and add to what you’re saying. Images with faces in them receive an extra SEO boost, too.
6. Write At Length. Typically, long-form blog posts of at least 2,200 words do better in search results than short-form posts. They provide more value and information for your audience and showcase your expertise. Short-form posts of 500-700 words also hold value and provide a quick resource for readers; however, the meat of your blogging efforts should focus on longer posts.
7. Edit: Editing is a vital part of successful blogging but is often overlooked. If this isn’t your strength, set aside your post for a few hours and come back with fresh eyes; it’s easier to see mistakes and typos after giving yourself a break. Before you publish your post, ask someone on your team to give it a once-over to make sure you didn’t miss anything obvious.
8. Share on social media. After you publish your blog posts, don’t forget to share them on all your social media platforms! This cross-channel communication is a great way to gain visibility, acquire new readers and reach potential new customers.

6 Don’ts Of Blogging

Pay attention to blogging “don’ts” when creating your posts.

Now that you know what you should do, it’s also important to understand what you need to avoid. When planning your blogging strategy and outlining your posts, these six mistakes can have a negative impact on your efforts.

1. Inconsistent Posting. Publishing blogs on a regular basis keeps readers engaged and returning for more. Have a set day of the month or week designated for publishing new blog posts. This will keep you on track, and your readers will be effectively engaged and know when they can expect your next post (plus it’s a big boost for SEO).
2. Irrelevant Topics. Readers stick with blogs they read on a regular basis because they can depend on the content to be reliably informative. While it’s important to have diverse content within your specific set of topics, straying too far might deter your audience from staying loyal readers.
3. Negative Posts. Positive content is more likely to be shared by readers than negative content. Blogs are a great way to convey your thoughts and opinions but keep them upbeat to increase your chance of a post getting shared on different channels.
4. Poor Design. Blogs that are outdated or unorganized drive away potential customers. A clean and simple design is better than a complicated setup that can hinder the audiences’ ability to find information.
5. Poor Platform Optimization. Your audience is just as mobile as you are, meaning they often attempt to read blogs on-the-go with a mobile device or smartphone. Ensure your blog is optimized for desktop and mobile viewing to reach everyone in your target audience.
6. Lack Of Focus. Your blog should not be treated as a diary for posting your random thoughts. Make sure that what you write is valuable to your audience and relevant to your brand. Keep your posts on topic and to the point rather than going off on tangents.

With time and effort, blogging will be one of the biggest game-changers for your company, at a fraction of the cost of other techniques. Avoid simple errors while putting into practice the effective tips we have offered to allow your blog to flourish and reach new heights.

Want to learn more about blogging? Contact us today for a complimentary consultation with our CEO, Erika Taylor Montgomery. She’d be happy to share more about how this tactic, and other content marketing strategies, can benefit your business!

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during October and receive an SEO Guide valued at $495!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs – no strings attached. Call 408-218-2391 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!

Is your company on Facebook?

The question on most business leaders’ minds is, “How can we get started on social media?” In this blog post we cover the ins and outs of Facebook and how your business can get the most from this wide-reaching platform.

Why Facebook? A Look At Demographics

Facebook is the third most visited website in the world. Unlike many social networking sites with a larger teen internet presence, Facebook’s main demographic is users in their 30’s and 40’s.

By setting up a business profile, your company will see increased brand awareness, name recognition and customer loyalty.

While there are advantages to each major social media platform and being on every channel can have its benefits, you should never take on more than you are prepared to handle. If you only have time to maintain, monitor and refresh 1-2 profiles each week, you shouldn’t open accounts everywhere all at once. Start small and consider hiring a social media pro to help you get the most of each site.

Tips And Tricks For Success On Facebook

1. Share Useful, Engaging Content

Social media is great for connecting businesses with customers because by its nature, it’s a social interaction. While on Facebook, your audience members will have their attention on cat videos, memes and their loved one’s images, so to get attention on your business’ posts you need to offer value.

Why not create a video for your company that will fit right into their newsfeed? For example, if you’re a restaurant, create a video of a popular meal being prepped, cooked and served. For bonus points, give your fans the recipe and let them cook alongside you.

Are you afraid that sharing this video means you’ll lose their business? The simple answer is no; they will now see your company as a brand authority and a trusted industry leader and will show up at your restaurant the next time they don’t want to cook for themselves.

2. Post When Your Audience Is Active

Posting social media updated when your audience is offline is just as effective as giving a sales pitch to an empty conference room. Instead, share your helpful and engaging content when your audience is most active. According to a recent article by Hootsuite, the best times to post on Facebook are on Mondays and Tuesdays at 10 a.m.

That said, these posting times may be different for your audience. Experiment with multiple times to see when you get the most engagement from your customers.

Do you schedule posts ahead of time?

3. Schedule Your Posts Ahead Of Time

To get your updates in front of your audience when they are most active, take advantage of scheduling tools that allow you to get posts queued to publish ahead of time. Some of the best are Sprout Social and Hootsuite. Facebook even has a built-in scheduling tool for company pages.

4. Listen To Your Customers’ Opinions

One of the most valuable aspects of having a business Facebook page is the opportunity to see what customers are saying about you. Facebook is not just about connecting and engaging, but it’s also about feedback. It can be a way to thank and show your gratitude to customers. Monitor the progress of your updates by using the Insights tab and pay attention to which posts receive the most likes, shares and clicks. Use this info to tailor your future updates and take advantage of positive momentum.

5. Update Your Profile Often

It’s important to keep your business page freshly updated.

It’s important to keep your business page updated with relevant content and the latest news about your company. At Three Girls Media, we suggest clients post at one or two times a day to give customers fresh content to come back to.

Posts are not the only area you will want to update. You should also regularly revitalize your profile. While we suggest keeping your profile picture the same for brand consistency, refreshing your cover photo might capture a potential customer who clicked away the first time.

Facebook Must-Haves

Ready to get started with your Facebook business page? Here are a few things to keep in mind as you get started:

• A Stellar Cover Photo: While your cover photo certainly isn’t the most important part of your company’s page, it is your first chance to make a good first impression. The cover photo should be eye catching (as readers are likely to see it when they first visit your page) and in line with your company’s brand. Read this article for some good examples.
• Consistent Brand Language: Come up with a standard tagline for your company and use similar language in every section of your company page. Consistency is key!
• Your Company Logo: If you aren’t using your logo for your profile picture, try incorporating it into your cover photo by using a simple image editing program like Canva. They offer pre-sized images you can edit for each major social media platform, or you can upload your own.
• Contact Information: If customers like your brand and want to purchase your products or services, they need to know how to contact you! Fill out the Call-To-Action section on Facebook and direct them straight to a landing page where they can place an order. Also, share your company phone number, email address and website in the About section.

Advertising On Facebook

Many small businesses who have used Facebook advertising credit the platform with significantly helping their growth and brand recognition. Facebook has two different advertising options businesses can take advantage of to increase their visibility on the social network.

Use Facebook advertising to experiment with A/B testing and see what resonates the most with potential customers. Check out our blog post on making the most of advertising for more tips.

Getting Verified On Social Media

Sites like Facebook and Twitter (X) offer verification for brand pages. This comes in the form of a blue checkmark next to the business’ name. Many marketers take advantage of this feature as it proves that your page is the official profile of your company or brand. Learn more about Facebook verification here.

Want Help With Your Facebook Business Page?

Are you ready to start getting better returns on your Facebook business page? At Three Girls Media, our team of marketing professionals is here to guide you through the process. We understand that social media can be daunting, but we can help you identify how to get the greatest returns. Our personalized approach will ensure that your marketing strategy is tailored to your unique business needs. We love assisting our clients and helping build their online image. Contact us today.

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during October and receive an SEO Guide valued at $495!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs – no strings attached. Call 408-218-2391 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!

Transform your writing with quality editing! It removes errors, improves your workflow and enhances your language and style. Fur real, why wouldn’t you give your writing a little pupgrade? Editing is where the magic happens before your writing debuts on the puplic scene.

For assistance with your business’s social media needs, reach out to us at Three Girls Media. We offer a complimentary consultation with our CEO, Erika Taylor Montgomery. Our team of marketing experts is prepared to enhance your brand’s growth!

Stay tuned for more of Phoebe’s insight with Three Girls Media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest tips and tricks from our favorite office dog!

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during December and receive an Annual Marketing Planning Guide valued at $495!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs – no strings attached. Call 408-218-2391 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!

So, what do you do when you’re in a content creation slump faced with an impending deadline? In this blog we discuss reasons why content creation can sometimes be stalled by writer’s block and that are sure to help you move past your brainstorming hurdles and back to stellar writing.

Why Does Writer’s Block Happen?

Writer’s block is common in content creation. Knowing tips for getting past your brainstorming hurdles can help with creating creative content marketing.

Writer’s block during content creation can occur for a myriad of reasons. Perhaps you’ve simply exhausted all your creativity for a certain client or business. It’s difficult to come up with daily content that is original, especially when you’ve been working on it for weeks, months or years. This feeling of immense pressure to produce can be a huge stumbling block in creating creative content.

The stress that rises out of this pressure is scientifically proven to push back on creativity. It can stifle your motivation and prevent you from coming up with novel ideas, but remember, this happens to everyone. Slow creative bouts are normal. Knowing this can alleviate some of that perceived helplessness.

In addition to stress leading to a lack of originality and writer’s block, Caroline Forsey with Moz speaks to how the focus on SEO and keywords can stifle creativity if you let it. While an SEO-driven strategy ultimately can lead to immense growth, it can sometimes feel like it takes the fun and creativity out of writing – but it doesn’t have to! There is room for analytics and creativity in content marketing, it just may take a little time to find your groove.

I cannot reiterate enough that writer’s block happens to everyone. The important thing to do when faced with it is not to panic. Instead, be prepared with strategies that will work for you when it inevitably occurs. The following eight ideas will not cure or solve your creativity issues in content marketing, but they will give you a place to start when you find yourself stumbling and in need of direction.

1) Walk Away From Your Content Marketing

One of the best and most straight-forward content creation tips is to simply walk away. This doesn’t mean ignoring deadlines. What it does mean is that it is immensely valuable and helpful to just get up and move around away from your computer when you’re feeling stuck. Take a walk, do yoga, grab a cup of coffee or tea or watch an episode of a mindless TV show.

What you do doesn’t matter as long as you’re away from your computer and can focus on something else for a brief amount of time. It may seem counterproductive to halt content creation, but the result is a boost in creativity that couldn’t have occurred without giving your brain a much-needed break.

2) Always Be On The Lookout For Inspiration

Creative content marketing ideas can be found anywhere! Keep your eyes peeled for inspiration everywhere you go.

Recording ideas that come to you when you’re not working on your content marketing can be a significant tool for combatting writer’s block. Taking photographs of things that spark your interest, keeping a list of ideas and topics and utilizing voice-to-text messages are all ways to record creative ideas when they hit you.

You may not have time to flesh these ideas out in the moment, but they’ll be available later and can lead to solid writing in the future. Furthermore, setting reminders to review these notes later will also help to keep these ideas top-of-mind when you find yourself needing to use them.

3) Just Start Writing

One of the things that I find most helpful in the content creation process is to just start writing. Sometimes this means I start with an outline, but oftentimes it means that I just start. I write what’s in my head right at that moment, and often the result is – awful. Just awful, BUT the simple act of getting something on my computer screen prompts my creativity to do the rest.

Sometimes the biggest stumbling block to content creation is a blank screen. All it takes is a little text on the page to get you inspired and moving again.

 4) Ask For Help

Asking friends or colleagues for content creation advice can lead to creative content marketing.

When creating content marketing pieces, business owners are often afraid to ask for help. Admitting that you need assistance can be scary, and it can be hard to know who to go to. If you’re not sure how to start that conversation, check out this blog post. Whatever the reason, there’s no shame in admitting that you need a bit of content creation help.

If you own a business, you might also suffer from the curse of knowledge, where the more you know about something makes it increasingly difficult to explain the basics to others. If your target audience includes people who aren’t experts in your field, this make creating content for them feel unattainable.

It doesn’t really matter who this help comes from. Friends, colleagues or other experts in the field are all fantastic places to start. Find someone who can provide a fresh perspective. You’ll find that most people are willing and even eager to provide some insight into your niche; you just have to ask.

5) Work When You Feel Most Creative

Figuring out your most productive times of day and scheduling your most creative tasks during this time period is essential to creating quality content marketing. Whether this time is morning, mid-afternoon or even in the evening, protect this time for content creation as much as you can. This may mean that you will find yourself needing to snooze Slack, put your phone away or turn off sound and notifications on your computer. Whatever it takes, carve out a time when you feel your best for tasks that require creativity and save to-do items that require less of your mental energy for other times of the day.

6) Connect With Your Audience

Putting yourself into your target audience’s mind when you’re working on content creation can go a long way as well. Search for the human element in your field. The following questions are great ones to ask if you’re searching for ways to incorporate more pathos:

1. Who are the people most affected by my product/service?
2. What do they need?
3. What is the story of how my product, service or business came to be?

Connecting with your audience can also involve engaging with them on social media. Keep an open mind, read books, articles and tweets – whatever it takes for you to see your content marketing from another point of view: the consumers.

Find out what is important to your audience and write from that angle. And if you’re not sure what this is, just ask! Take an informal poll on social media or send a survey through a newsletter. Taking the time to utilize whatever you can to discover your audience’s wants and needs will go a long way in helping you to create copy that authentically connects with your customers.

7) Review Your Analytics

Analyzing what has worked in the past, as well as what hasn’t worked, makes you a better writer. There’s no use in spending time creating something that has already been proven not to work.

It can also be helpful to review your competitors. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What decisions are others in my field making?
• Which of their posts have been successful?
• How can I recreate those in a way that aligns with my brand identity?

We also suggest using social media data to brainstorm and understand what’s happening in your product or service niche. Observing these trends is a simple way of guaranteeing that your content marketing hits the mark.

8) Outsource Your Content Marketing Creation

Creating content on a consistent basis can be difficult, let alone creating engaging, exciting and fresh content daily. Taking some of the steps above can save you stress, time and help to ensure that you enjoy the content your business creates and that it’s something you are proud of.

However, if you find that the above ideas still leave you struggling to create quality content, consider that it may be time to outsource your content creation. Utilizing professional content marketers can save you multiple hours a day, and dramatically reduce your stress so you can focus on the areas that make your business money.

Want Help With Your Content Marketing?

Three Girls Media, Inc. has a full staff of highly trained specialists ready to help with any of your content marketing needs. Contact us today if you need help coming up with fresh, exciting copy for your business.

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during December and receive an Annual Marketing Planning Guide valued at $495!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs – no strings attached. Call 408-218-2391 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!

• Improve traffic to your website with search engine optimization (SEO).
• Position you and your business as experts in your field.
• Expand your reach to a global audience.
• Amplify awareness and recognition of your brand image.

While most will agree that blogging for business sets your company up for success, it can be a time-consuming process.

If you don’t struggle with writer’s block, you may labor to discover what it is that your target audience is interested in? In this article, we discuss ten blogging ideas guaranteed to resonate with the most readers.

1. Ask Your Target Audience What’s Important To Them

If you don’t know what your target audience would be interested in reading about, ask! Create posts on your social media channels encouraging your audience to suggest ideas for blog articles they would like to read from you. This helps you generate a list of blog post topics to write about and increases engagement on your social media. Additionally, it shows your audience you care about what they want and that you’re listening. You may be surprised with how many ideas you can come up with from one simple post!

If your requests on social media don’t yield results, look for other places to consult your customers. If you have a physical store, ask people when they come in to shop. If you have an e-newsletter, ask them to respond to that. You could even come up with a contest where they win a prize for coming up with the next blog post topic!

2. Blog About What You Know

When you write about something you know and enjoy, blogging for business comes much more easily.

It’s no secret that it’s easier to write about something that is familiar to you. The words come more naturally, and you don’t have to look up as much information. So, when blogging for business, start with what you know. Tell the story of how your organization came to be, explain a concept or topic to your consumers or try to teach your audience with information from within your industry. Make sure to avoid jargon as much as possible or explain concepts in simple, concise language.

Whatever direction you take, ensure you are an expert in whatever you’re blogging about – or that you consult reputable resources to guide and inform you. Readers (especially those who are familiar with your chosen topic) will be able to tell if you don’t know what you’re talking about.

3. Create A Step-By-Step Guide

One of the best things you can do when blogging for business is create a step-by-step guide. These types of posts are helpful for your audience and are approachable. Not everyone has time to sit and read heavy, long articles, but when they are split into manageable chunks and tips, readers can opt in without sacrificing too much.

Think about something you can explain in the realm of your business or industry and go from there! There are bound to be several topics you can come up with that your readers would be excited and interested to learn about!

4. Discuss New Information Related To Your Field

Blogging about new information related to your industry is a great strategy to present yourself as an expert in your field.

Businesses and consumers alike prefer to stay in the know about what is going on around them. If you manage your website’s updates, you need to stay current on industry best practices, breaking news, new technology – basically anything related to your business. When something new comes up, write a blog post about it!

One of the advantages to writing about new information when blogging for business is that you have the potential to be one of the first to share your insights about the topic. This gives your business a chance to present yourselves as experts and innovative thought leaders in the field, giving you an edge over your competitors. This is also a great way to enhance your SEO for topics related to your industry.

5. Reflect On Mistakes You’ve Made

Consumers like to know the brands they are loyal to are real people with real experience. What better way to show this than blogging about mistakes you’ve made and the lessons you learned from them? Being relatable and showing you’re human through your blog posts will help your audience engage with you and teach them something in the process.

Writing about your flaws or mistakes helps others avoid those same mistakes. Sometimes it’s hard to be honest, especially if the mistake was particularly egregious, but being transparent can go a very long way in engaging customers and showing people that your brand can be trusted. You may even find that this reflection causes you to learn something about your business or yourself along the way.

6. Answer Frequently Asked Questions

Answer frequently asked questions when blogging for business.

Frequently asked questions are a perfect go-to resource for blog articles, and they are incredibly helpful for your audience. Many businesses have FAQ pages on their website, but there isn’t often a lot of space to fully explain the answer. A great idea for blogging for business is to take some of these FAQs and explain your answers in more detail.

You may find that as you write about frequently asked questions, your readers will submit their own follow-up questions. This offers the dual benefits of creating engagement on your posts and helping you identify topics to write about in the future.

7. Talk About The Future Of Your Industry

When blogging for business it’s helpful to look ahead. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What changes do you see coming for your industry?
• What do you hope will change about it in the future?
• How will new technologies like generative media affect your business?

This information is helpful to your audience, and it shows them you’re as up to date in your field as possible. Remember, in this type of blog post it isn’t necessary for the idea to be something achievable right now. The idea is to dream about what your industry could become in the future.

Webinars, in-person workshops and new articles from reputable sources are helpful ways to discover where your industry expects to find itself in the future. If you commit to being a life-long learner in some form, you’ll be able to stay on top of what is happing in your field.

8. Organize Link Roundups

One thing many organizations do when blogging for business is create roundups of current news and articles relevant to their field. This type of blog post is easy to write as it requires less content creation for you, but it does necessitate some research into which articles you want to share.

One way to help with this is to create Google Alerts for certain topics. Setting alerts allows you to be notified by email when a relevant article or link matches your alert terms. Keep a spreadsheet or folder to collect this information so that every couple of weeks you can write a blog post featuring several of the articles and a small write up about each one.

9. Promote A Local Business

Blogging about local businesses widens your audience and shows that you care.

Sometimes when blogging for business it’s a good idea to stray away from talking solely about your own industry topics and instead promote a local business near you. Writing about local businesses not necessarily related to your own field has several advantages. Here are a few:

1. It shows your readers that you’re invested in the community and want to help it succeed.
2. It shows the businesses you feature that you’re looking out for them and care about their success as well.
3. It can increase your exposure.

When businesses know you’ve written about their brand, they are likely to return the favor and share your link on their social media or on their own business blog. In other words, their audience has now become your audience.

10. Share Promotional Content

Here at Three Girls Media, we encourage you to be mindful about the amount of promotional content you share and to not focus on only selling to your customers. In fact, we typically subscribe to the 80/20 rule, where 80% of your content should be nonpromotional and only 20% promotional.

However, it is appropriate from time to time to write blog articles about the services and special offers your company may have.

Keep a healthy balance. It might be tempting to sell yourself as much as you can, but it can be annoying to consumers if they feel like you’re only trying to market to them. It’s hard to create brand loyalty and consumer trust if they feel like all you want out of the members of your audience is their money.

Need Help Blogging For Your Business?

Blogging for business can have a very positive effect on your brand. It establishes your company as a leader in your field, increases your brand’s visibility and potentially gives yourself a global audience. While it does take time and effort, it is something that is well worth it in the long run.

If you’re still struggling to come up with content for your business blog, Three Girls Media can help. Contact us today for a complimentary 30-minute consultation with our CEO Erika Taylor Montgomery to see what our team of experienced writers can do for you and your business!

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during January and receive an Email Marketing Guide valued at $475!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs – no strings attached. Call 360-955-1410 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!

The Sobering Stats On Abandoned Blogs

Statistics show over 90% of all blogs end up being deserted by creators within 12 months. That adds up to millions of discarded blogs annually, leaving perfectly decent websites stagnant without updates. Behind the sober figures lie the remnants of once-promising blogs that might have blossomed into thriving hubs. Instead, they are now decaying relics of the past.

Why does this ghost town phenomenon happen so often in the blogosphere and content marketing land? There are a few common culprits:

Lack Of Niche Clarity: Launching an undefined blog trying to attract a broad audience rarely works. Without a specific niche and target reader, it’s impossible to continually create content delivering tangible value to build community. When the theme is too diffuse, writers burn out trying to create relevant posts across too many disconnected topics. For example, a vaguely defined “lifestyle” blog leaves creators unsure whether to cover parenting tips, workplace advice, recipes, relationships or all of the above in a scattered way. With no clarity, posts become disorganized mixed bags nobody fully relates to. 

No Content Strategy: Many new bloggers wing it when publishing new posts. Lacking an organized editorial plan aligned to readership needs makes consistency nearly impossible long-term. It’s easy to burn out creatively when continually improvising themes at the last minute while trying to identify what sticks. Experimentation certainly helps find resonance, but completely ad-hoc efforts can devolve into grasping at straws just to meet self-imposed quotas. For example, posting random life updates or your latest thoughts may work temporarily but fizzle once daily inspiration or motivation runs dry. Sustainable production requires identifying audience issues and mapping possible solutions to their pain points.

Life Getting In The Way: Even the most passionate bloggers inevitably see momentum sputter at times when they run into workload, family or health issues. These temporary personal obstacles break consistency, which then falters motivation long-term. Months of output unravel after several weeks away or when trying to balance internal priorities with content demands. Without resilience through protecting spaces that nurture mental clarity, external pressures inevitably swamp already wavering discipline. For example, losing inspiration after relationship problems or career switches commonly topples creative side projects as we seek stability in chaos.

Five Growth Hacks

Explore growth hacks to transform your site from a struggling ghost town into a viral sensation that draws crowds.

If you want to avoid having your prized blog join these dire statistics and turn into a digital ghost town, check out these five growth hacks from content marketing experts sure to ignite sustainable success. Apply these inside tips carefully and you can transform your site from a struggling fledgling into an audience growth giant.

1. Deliver True Utility

The first non-negotiable ingredient for growth is delivering true and consistent utility to your readers. But what does “utility” mean in the context of content? Utility refers to the tangible value you provide visitors every time they read, watch or interact with a piece of content.

Useful content earns attention because it helps solve readers’ struggles and questions. It hands them actionable advice and gives them a proven plan for overcoming obstacles and reaching goals. Content with utility acts as a trustworthy advisor rather than just an entertainer. Focus on being the guide, tackling the steep learning curves and hazardous terrain facing your audience. 

Follow these guidelines to bake utility into all your posts:

Write To Solve Struggles: Anchor your ideas around resolving specific difficulties and questions plaguing your readers. Address their pain points directly by offering clear solutions, “how-to” guidance and next-step recommendations in each article. Share your hard-won industry insights through advice focused on handing readers an actionable way forward.

For example, digital marketing blogs would offer step-by-step tactics for getting content to rank higher in Google. Finance blogs may provide tutorials on saving for a down payment when you have student debt. Food bloggers can outline how to prepare healthy lunches when you have a busy work schedule. Identify your audience’s biggest and most common challenges, then position your content and expertise as the antidotes.

Structure Content As Checklists When Possible: An especially utilitarian and appreciated content format is the checklist post structured as sequenced action steps. These tactical guides resemble a recipe, walking readers through accomplishing goals critical to their jobs or lives. The checklist format naturally delivers immense value around priority tasks like:

• Improving Work Efficiency
• Making Career Advancements
• Saving Money
• Health Actions
• Life Milestones
• Hobby Instructions

The formula works across pretty much any niche, so lean into creating checklists whenever you can and carve your advice into concrete, step-by-step blueprints. Since all readers inherently ask, “What’s in it for me?” make the value proposition obvious through application guidance rather than just commentary.

2. Get Granular On SEO

Master niche-specific SEO with long-tail keywords to put your advice in front of new audiences and turn content utility into exponential audience growth.

Now that you know how to make content truly useful, it’s time for ignition step number two – getting granular on SEO to expand discovery. While utility ensures your existing readers receive value from every visit, honing SEO and topic targeting exponentially grows that audience base. It puts your advice in front of new groups beyond just loyal subscribers by making your pages discoverable across search engines and social media.

The key to maximizing search visibility hinges on understanding and catering to long-tail, ultra-specific search queries with significant volume for your niche. Long-tail keywords are the multi-word, sentence-like phrases people use when seeking out information to address nuanced needs.

For example, a food blogger may notice high search rates around queries like:

“keto recipes using almond flour”

“how to meal prep fast without getting bored”

“healthy portable breakfast ideas”

These long phrases capture the semantic details that outline exactly what readers are seeking help with. Optimizing your pages around these long-tail queries will organically attract readers because you address common struggles head-on. Lean into asking yourself what specific questions your audience has and crafting content that provides the sought-after answers.

3. Commit To Consistency

By now, you’ve unlocked immense value through utility and visibility through smart SEO. Yet many blogs still stall out because they neglect the next crucial ingredient – consistency. Creating content utility and channels for discovery only generates short-term growth spikes. To sustain growing engagement rather than see peaks taper off over time, you must continually publish new content aligned with your readers’ interests.

Simply having a site populated with content is just step one. The consistency habit separates the abandoned blogs from the long-term growth giants. Building content creation into your lifestyle demands establishing systems that facilitate regular publishing. Structure your days to support ideating, drafting and editing new posts across intervals for perpetual momentum.

Here is how to cement durable consistency habits:

• Set ongoing creation habits. The first pillar is setting habits through deliberate routines that become recurring patterns. For example, carve out Tuesday morning brainstorming sessions to generate ideas from reader questions. Friday afternoons can be drafting time for converting prompts into full posts.
• Map out ideas, titles and content formats for the next few months in an organized editorial calendar. Log themes and assignments to optimize creativity rather than constantly ad-libbing under pressure. Most importantly, stick to publishing each batch of scheduled articles in accordance with your timeline. Soon, you will reach a tipping point where ideation-to-publishing transforms into an innate habit powering the perpetual content engine.
• Balance evergreen and trending posts themes. Inside that routine, aim to balance evergreen and trending themes across your content mix for longevity. Evergreen articles stand the test of time with useful advice that retains relevance for years after initial publication. These cornerstone guides continue driving organic traffic and links as staple references.
• Augment these foundations with more time-sensitive posts riding seasonal waves, current events and cultural conversations. Capitalize on new product releases, holiday interest shifts and trending discussions that capture temporary attention. Analyze blog archives and customer lifecycles to determine ideal rates based on your niche. A general benchmark is 40% timely trending articles to harness spikes balanced alongside 60% evergreen foundations holding weight.

4. Diversify Distribution Channels

Now that you understand how to build an audience by delivering utility to your readers, expanding visibility through optimized SEO and retaining users through publishing consistency, we take a look at other channels to grow your blog. These pillars drive exponential content growth but still only gain you direct website traffic and email list followers. To spread your advice across platforms for massively expanded reach, the next phase is diversifying distribution channels. This broadcasting phase takes well-crafted content and republishes it in new mediums and external platforms outside your native site.

Syndicate On Industry Partner Sites: Publish and promote articles simultaneously on established media sites and influencer blogs in your niche. Contributor networks like Medium and blog partnerships represent captive external audiences. This magnifies your voice exponentially vs. just posting to owned domains.

Leverage these syndication networks by adapting posts with angle shifts tailored to new sites. Then insert backlinks from published articles to funnel traffic back to your property. Write for partners with a bigger reach than you currently have to utilize audiences you haven’t personally built yet.

Repurpose Long-Form Pieces: Take in-depth blog posts over 1,000 words and reformat the content into shorter spin-offs ideal for further promotion:

• Snippet Quotes
• Key Data Points
• Lists and Charts
• Short Videos

These are perfect for distribution via email newsletters and social media channels. Keep repurposing variants centered around intriguing stats, impactful advice and linkable resources. Each piece extends your content’s lifespan beyond just a single blog listing on your site.

5. Stay On Pulse Through Analytics

Shaping your ongoing content strategy to ignite sustainable growth depends entirely on keeping up with trends and reader preferences. How exactly do you keep your fingers on the pulse of audience interest as it evolves? The insights that bring accuracy into understanding what content resonates comes through content analytics. Specifically, by assessing performance patterns around specific topics, formats and types of posts that achieve the highest engagement over time. Observe which article themes, headlines and content styles attract the most web traffic, subscriber sign-ups, social shares and comment dialogue. Track which emails drive the most opens. Monitor what links get clicked in your newsletters.

Then, build on empirical strengths by catering to explicitly expressed reader interests with more of the specific content types demonstrating traction. Continually refine and sharpen your creative approach based on these statistical signals to keep outpacing expectations.

Here is a checklist for the analytics-driven refinement process:

• Identify preference signals. Sort content by performance benchmarks – pageviews, time on site, shares, click-through rates, etc. Look for outlier pieces that massively over-performed compared to others.
• Categorize the specific themes of your best content, empirically driving the highest traction. For example, which topics or headlines attracted the most page views and shares? Do posts with a certain emotional style or storytelling format stand out? Flag any patterns around post qualities and themes that pop as resonating differently.
• Deliver more of the goods. Armed with insights around reader preferences, double down on more of the content styles and themes showing viral potential. Give readers more of the specific topics demonstrating engagement based on real signals. Pay attention to profiles of posts attracting involvement and channel findings into future ideation.
• Continually refine approaches. Creative growth depends on actually applying learning through continual tests and published experiments across intervals. Don’t get stuck on one ‘winning formula’ for long without iterating.

While data reveals indications of current preferences, reader interest evolves across longer timespans. Consistently assess analytics and recalibrate assumptions around what is diversely captivating at any moment. Let empirical clarity guide the ongoing evolution of ever-sharper content rather than assumptions. Surpass expectations by responding in step to expressed interests.

Conclusion

In summary, sidestep the abandoned blog fate by reinvigorating your content marketing machine around five growth pillars:

• Deliver True Utility

  Reverse blog decay by doubling down on value, search visibility, output volume, syndication and insights for continual reach.

• Get Granular on SEO
• Commit to Content Creation Habits
• Diversify Distribution Channels
• Stay on Pulse Analytically

Applying these amplifying strategies transforms your website from an empty ghost town into an audience growth giant. Channel the fuel of resonant content, discovery optimization and creative consistency through systems, syndication partnerships and responsive analytics.

Then, brace yourself as the flywheel effect kicks in. Each hack crystallizes more value and visibility for your content, which compounds back into more ideas and partnership potential. Momentum builds as you align and react to customer needs in step. Soon, your site will shift into a self-propelled expansion machine, attracting, engaging and assisting more readers daily through an optimized content marketing engine.

Now the keys to escaping lackluster content marketing results are in your hands. Implement these methods before it’s too late by crafting a scalable framework around delivering value, promoting discovery, facilitating publishing habits, repurposing across platforms and iterating based on data. Join the league of growth giants by igniting your content strategy into an amplified expansion machine!

Are you ready to apply these content strategy secrets to ignite sustainable blog growth? 

If your goal is to ignite growth through captivating content or omnichannel distribution, Three Girls Media, Inc. is here to provide your blog with a flywheel spin by unlocking the right conversion and engagement strategies for your niche. Discover more about partnering with us through a free 30-minute consultation.

Special Offer:

Sign up for a complimentary consultation during January and receive an Email Marketing Guide valued at $475!  We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs – no strings attached. Call 360-955-1410 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!