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	<title>Written By Sumer &#187; SEO</title>
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		<title>Top 4 Tips for Optimizing Web Copy</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/top-4-tips-for-optimizing-web-copy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/top-4-tips-for-optimizing-web-copy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:30:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Copywriting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[keyword optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[keyword research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michelle Salater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing copy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[optimization tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[optimize website]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[optimizing website copy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[search engine optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[search engine ranking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web content writer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copywriting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web search engine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=9804</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tweet If you’ve decided to include web copy as part of your overall marketing strategy, you probably already understand at least the basics of using keywords in your online marketing [...]
<h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/10-web-copy-blunders-to-avoid/' rel='bookmark' title='10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid'>10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/a-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research/' rel='bookmark' title='A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Keyword Research'>A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Keyword Research</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/06/what-on-earth-is-meta-data/' rel='bookmark' title='What on Earth is Meta Data?'>What on Earth is Meta Data?</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="tweetbutton9804" class="tw_button" style=""><a href="http://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F11%2Ftop-4-tips-for-optimizing-web-copy%2F&amp;text=Top%204%20Tips%20for%20Optimizing%20Web%20Copy&amp;related=&amp;lang=en&amp;count=horizontal&amp;counturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F11%2Ftop-4-tips-for-optimizing-web-copy%2F" class="twitter-share-button"  style="width:55px;height:22px;background:transparent url('https://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-tweet-button/tweetn.png') no-repeat  0 0;text-align:left;text-indent:-9999px;display:block;">Tweet</a></div><p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/top-4-tips-for-optimizing-web-copy/" title="Permanent link to Top 4 Tips for Optimizing Web Copy"><img class="post_image alignleft frame" src="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/optimized-web-copy-e1322049090804.jpg" width="300" height="141" alt="optimized web copy" /></a>
</p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>If you’ve decided to include web copy as part of your overall marketing strategy, you probably already understand at least the basics of using keywords in your <a href="../2011/05/are-you-hungry-for-seo-social-media-and-blog-content-tips/">online marketing copy</a>. If you don’t, here’s a (very brief) primer: keywords help <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/5-essential-qualities-for-your-professional-online-marketing-strategist/" target="_blank">search engines rank your page</a>.</p>
<p>A page with a high keyword density (i.e. lots of relevant keywords and phrases) may rank higher than one with a low keyword density. But there’s more to the equation than simply repeating keywords and phrases over and over. Take a look at these tips so you can optimize your web copy without getting labeled as spam by search engines.</p>
<p><strong>Identify Keywords before You Write Your Copy</strong></p>
<p>Before drafting your web copy, take time to do some <a href="../2011/10/a-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research/">keyword research</a>. List words and phrases that directly describe your business, focusing on terms people are likely to search. For example, if you sell handcrafted toothbrush holders, that phrase should be a primary search term.</p>
<p>Secondary terms might include “handcrafted accessories,” “bathroom accessories,” “hand-made toothbrush holders,” and anything else a person might type in when trying to find your products.</p>
<p>As you build your keyword list, you might want to use Google’s free keyword search tool to determine how many people search for your keywords and how many pages include those words. This will give you an idea of your competition.</p>
<p><strong>Don’t Stuff Your Copy with Keywords</strong></p>
<p>As you write, your goal is to include your keywords and phrases as often as possible without making your copy unreadable.</p>
<ul>
<li>Too many keywords: “If you’re looking for handcrafted toothbrush holders, you can find your handcrafted toothbrush holders and other handmade accessories at the Handcrafted Toothbrush Holder Depot.”</li>
<li>A better keyword balance: “If you’re looking for handcrafted toothbrush holders, you can find them—and other handmade accessories—at the Handcrafted Toothbrush Holder Depot.”</li>
</ul>
<p>Remember that even if such keyword stuffing earns you a high page rank, the people who land on your page may be turned off (or just plain confused) by your copy. This could lead them to quickly navigate away from your page, without buying anything.</p>
<p><strong>Headers &amp; Links Matter in Web Copy</strong></p>
<p>When optimizing your web copy, it’s important to know that not all copy is ranked equally. Keywords included in headers and <a href="../2011/08/8-link-building-techniques-you-should-avoid/">links</a> provide more of a punch than those in ordinary text. Take this as a lesson in organization: if you aren’t already breaking your marketing copy into sections that are directly relevant to what you’re selling, start doing so for optimization purposes.</p>
<p>A nice bonus? Readers tend to interpret headers differently from ordinary text, meaning that you can include keywords more frequently, without sounding mechanical, when you break a page into several sections than you could in a page of plain text.</p>
<p><strong>Reread with an Eye for Keyword Opportunities!</strong></p>
<p>Finally, when you edit drafts of your web copy, do so with a list of keywords at hand. Train yourself to see opportunities to include the words and phrases that will help get your page ranked higher—and watch the magic happen!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>For more web copywriting tips, <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/category/copywriting/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</strong></p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/top-4-tips-for-optimizing-web-copy/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-9804"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p><h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2></p><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/10-web-copy-blunders-to-avoid/' rel='bookmark' title='10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid'>10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/a-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research/' rel='bookmark' title='A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Keyword Research'>A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Keyword Research</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/06/what-on-earth-is-meta-data/' rel='bookmark' title='What on Earth is Meta Data?'>What on Earth is Meta Data?</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/10-web-copy-blunders-to-avoid/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/10-web-copy-blunders-to-avoid/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:30:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Copywriting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[copywriters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[editing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing copy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michelle Salater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professional web copywriter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professional web copywriters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web content writer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copywriter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copywriter service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copywriting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[website copy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=9778</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tweet When building a website or maintaining a marketing blog, it can be tempting to view your copy as the “filler” that surrounds your product or service offerings. But beware [...]
<h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/writing-easily-digestible-marketing-copy/' rel='bookmark' title='Writing Easily Digestible Marketing Copy'>Writing Easily Digestible Marketing Copy</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/top-4-tips-for-optimizing-web-copy/' rel='bookmark' title='Top 4 Tips for Optimizing Web Copy'>Top 4 Tips for Optimizing Web Copy</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/09/the-importance-of-proper-grammar-and-punctuation-in-your-web-copy/' rel='bookmark' title='The Importance of Proper Grammar and Punctuation in Your Web Copy'>The Importance of Proper Grammar and Punctuation in Your Web Copy</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
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</p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>When building a website or maintaining a <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/professional-blogger-shares-all-about-successful-blogging-part-ii/" target="_blank">marketing blog</a>, it can be tempting to view your copy as the “filler” that surrounds your product or service offerings. But beware of paying too little attention to your web copy: if you aren’t careful, shoddy copy could deter potential clients.</p>
<p><strong>Before you draft your next blog post or landing page, make sure you aren’t committing these 10 web copy blunders:</strong></p>
<p>1. <strong>Talking about yourself.</strong> Even if your expertise and experience are key aspects of what you offer, it’s important to avoid “Let me tell you about my dream” type writing. Why? Because it puts the focus on you and leaves out your potential clients. Instead, focus on your clients—<a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/top-5-ways-to-find-out-what-your-target-audience-wants/" target="_blank">identify what they want</a> and explain how you can help them get it.</p>
<p>2. <strong>Using too much industry jargon.</strong> Sprinkling industry jargon into your copy establishes credibility, but lay it on too thick and you risk alienating readers who are newcomers to the industry. Focus on clear, simple language that communicates the same ideas.</p>
<p>3. <strong>Losing focus of the purpose of your web copy.</strong> Very few of us are so interesting that strangers will hang onto our every word, no matter what we decide to expound upon. If your web copy dithers out without making a point, your readers will lose interest and leave the page. Avoid fizzling out by sketching out your copy before actually writing it.</p>
<p>4. <strong>Not </strong><a href="../2011/10/a-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research/"><strong>incorporating keywords into your copy</strong></a><strong>.</strong> Remember: marketing copy is part of a bigger marketing strategy. To do its job, it must play by the rules, which means it must include keywords that will help it rank in search engine results so that potential clients can find you when they want you. Writing web copy is different from writing books, newspaper articles, or commercials—take some time to study <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/8-link-building-techniques-you-should-avoid/" target="_blank">SEO basics</a> and implement them on your website.</p>
<p>5. <strong>Forgetting to add metadata to your web pages.</strong> You don’t have to be web savvy to understand the importance of metadata: in earlier incarnations, it was the information that appeared in your library’s card catalog. Imagine trying to find exactly the right book without that handy box of drawers. Today, search engines catalog <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/06/what-on-earth-is-meta-data/" target="_blank">metadata</a> to help users find relevant websites. If you don’t provide “cards” for your web content, it’s highly unlikely that anyone will ever find it.</p>
<p>6. <strong>Leaving out a call to action.</strong> Marketing copy is no place to be ambiguous—encourage your readers to do what you want them to do. That doesn’t mean you have to go into “BUY! BUY! BUY!” mode, however. Use an imperative command that appeals to your readers’ desires. For example, instead of “buy my book now,” try “discover how you, too, can learn to whistle like a bird.” And hyperlink to your book-selling page.</p>
<p>7. <strong>Boring your visitors.</strong> One of the best features of the Internet is that nobody has to politely read to the end of a page that bores them, as they do when talking with boring people face-to-face. Keep that in mind. If you aren’t sure whether you’re being boring, get a good editor or hire an experienced copywriter.</p>
<p>8. <strong>Misspelling words.</strong> Mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and usage kill credibility. If writing isn’t your thing, that’s fine—but remember that the written word is the first way many potential clients will encounter you. Plan accordingly.</p>
<p>9. <strong>Explaining features of your products / services but not their benefits.</strong> Think about technical fabrics that so much athletic gear is made from. While the science that created these fabrics is likely awe-inspiringly complex, they fly off the shelves because they keep sweat off people’s skin. Tell people how they will benefit from the specific features that your products or services offer.</p>
<p>10. <strong>Skimping on effective professional web copywriter services.</strong> Even if you aren’t a great writer, you can likely recognize the difference between well-written and poorly written copy. Your readers can too. If you aren’t the writing type, save yourself the stress and time of scraping together mediocre web content—you can hire a <a href="http://www.sumercopywriting.com/Services/Copywriting.aspx" target="_blank">professional web copywriter</a> to produce top-quality copy that will both read and convert well.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>For more web copywriter tips, check out our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WrittenBySumer" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/writtenbysumer" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</strong></p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/10-web-copy-blunders-to-avoid/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-9778"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p><h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2></p><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/writing-easily-digestible-marketing-copy/' rel='bookmark' title='Writing Easily Digestible Marketing Copy'>Writing Easily Digestible Marketing Copy</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/top-4-tips-for-optimizing-web-copy/' rel='bookmark' title='Top 4 Tips for Optimizing Web Copy'>Top 4 Tips for Optimizing Web Copy</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/09/the-importance-of-proper-grammar-and-punctuation-in-your-web-copy/' rel='bookmark' title='The Importance of Proper Grammar and Punctuation in Your Web Copy'>The Importance of Proper Grammar and Punctuation in Your Web Copy</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>5 Essential Qualities for Your Professional Online Marketing Strategist</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/5-essential-qualities-for-your-professional-online-marketing-strategist/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/5-essential-qualities-for-your-professional-online-marketing-strategist/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:04:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Online PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[internet marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing strategist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing expert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing experts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing strategist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing strategy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[search engine optimization]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=9731</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tweet For many entrepreneurs and small-business owners, finding an Online Marketing Strategist (OMS) is an exciting and nerve-wracking experience. After all, you’re hiring this person specifically to provide services that [...]
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</ol>]]></description>
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</p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>For many entrepreneurs and <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/three-keys-to-unlock-your-wealth-that-is-hidden-in-your-environment/" target="_blank">small-business owners</a>, finding an Online Marketing Strategist (OMS) is an exciting and nerve-wracking experience. After all, you’re hiring this person specifically to provide services that you can’t, because you lack either the time or the expertise.</p>
<p>If you’re in the latter situation, it’s important to know what you’re looking for so that you can grow your business effectively and sustainably—without worrying that you’re paying the wrong person’s salary. Fear not: here’s a rundown of essential qualities to look for in an Online Marketing Strategist.</p>
<p><strong>SEO Expertise</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/category/seo/" target="_blank">Search engine optimization</a> (SEO) is a complex and constantly evolving part of <a href="http://www.sumercopywriting.com/Home.aspx" target="_blank">online marketing</a>. The person you hire must be familiar with how to conduct keyword research and other types of web analytics, and should have a finger on the pulse of the dynamics and developments of SEO.</p>
<p>SEO expertise also includes at least basic knowledge of HTML and related coding.</p>
<p><strong>Social Engagement</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>As you probably realize, online marketing—just like “regular” marketing—is all about relationships. You can tweet till you’re blue in the fingers, but if you don’t have any followers, all those pithy comments won’t do you any good.</p>
<p>A successful <a href="../2011/10/effective-tips-for-measuring-social-media-success/">online marketing strategy</a> involves techniques for developing and maintaining relationships with clients through the various social networks and online communication platforms available: Facebook, Twitter, blogs, <a href="../2011/10/have-you-forgotten-about-the-networking-power-of-linkedin/">LinkedIn</a>, forums, YouTube, email, etc.</p>
<p>Your OMS needs to recognize that real people are sitting behind keyboards, that they can be actively and meaningfully engaged online, and that such engagement can benefit your business!</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Familiarity with Marketing Platforms</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>Whether you’ve already got a substantial email list or you’re just beginning to build one, you’re going to need an OMS who can choose and / or manage a platform that meets all your needs, ensuring that . . .</p>
<ul>
<li>Your emails are deliverable. The best <a href="../2011/10/how-to-add-a-personal-touch-to-all-of-your-marketing-materials/">marketing copy</a> in the world won’t sell anything if it lands in your readers’ junk box.</li>
<li>Your emails have maximum impact. Your OMS should understand how to improve open rates and click-throughs.</li>
<li>Your needs can be met. Whether your priorities are ease of list segmentation, resource integration, or excellent tech support, your OMS should know how to find the most suitable platform.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Other Essential Skills</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>When you’ve found someone who has the technical knowledge you need, make sure he or she will be able to put that knowledge to use. Your OMS should demonstrate excellent critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, communicate well with you and your other team members, and help you establish concrete, <a href="http://www.sumercopywriting.com/copywriting-reviews.aspx" target="_blank">measurable goals</a>.</p>
<p>Happy hiring!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Did you find this blog post valuable? We&#8217;d love to hear your feedback in our comments section.</strong></p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/5-essential-qualities-for-your-professional-online-marketing-strategist/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-9731"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p><h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2></p><ol>
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</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Press Release Writing 101: How to Write an Effective News Release</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/press-release-writing-101-how-to-write-an-effective-news-release/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/press-release-writing-101-how-to-write-an-effective-news-release/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:30:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Copywriting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Online PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing expert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[news release]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[press release]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[press release writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copywriter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=9508</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tweet A press release is an inexpensive marketing tool, but it must be crafted and written correctly. News releases tie your company to a newsworthy event, and failing to create [...]
<h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/social-media-release-engage-journalists-and-bloggers-through-multimedia/' rel='bookmark' title='Social Media Release: Engage Journalists and Bloggers through Multimedia'>Social Media Release: Engage Journalists and Bloggers through Multimedia</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/what-poetry-can-teach-us-about-writing-marketing-content/' rel='bookmark' title='What Poetry Can Teach Us about Writing Marketing Content'>What Poetry Can Teach Us about Writing Marketing Content</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/05/best-practices-for-promoting-an-upcoming-event/' rel='bookmark' title='Best Practices for Promoting an Upcoming Event'>Best Practices for Promoting an Upcoming Event</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="tweetbutton9508" class="tw_button" style=""><a href="http://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F10%2Fpress-release-writing-101-how-to-write-an-effective-news-release%2F&amp;text=Press%20Release%20Writing%20101%3A%20How%20to%20Write%20an%20Effective%20News%20Release&amp;related=&amp;lang=en&amp;count=horizontal&amp;counturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F10%2Fpress-release-writing-101-how-to-write-an-effective-news-release%2F" class="twitter-share-button"  style="width:55px;height:22px;background:transparent url('https://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-tweet-button/tweetn.png') no-repeat  0 0;text-align:left;text-indent:-9999px;display:block;">Tweet</a></div><p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/press-release-writing-101-how-to-write-an-effective-news-release/" title="Permanent link to Press Release Writing 101: How to Write an Effective News Release"><img class="post_image alignleft frame" src="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/press-release.jpg" width="315" height="225" alt="press release" /></a>
</p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>A <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/social-media-release-engage-journalists-and-bloggers-through-multimedia/" target="_blank">press release</a> is an inexpensive marketing tool, but it must be crafted and written correctly. News releases tie your company to a newsworthy event, and failing to create a good link is one of the most common reasons press releases are rejected. Make sure your <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2010/09/5-characteristics-to-look-for-in-a-pr-agency/" target="_blank">press release</a> is accepted and effective with the following tips.</p>
<p><strong>Make it newsworthy.</strong></p>
<p>This may take some creativity on your part, but a news release is just that: news. Every release is written from a particular news angle, and some ideas for making your release newsworthy include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Launch of your new website, blog, or project.</li>
<li>Change of name, executive staff, or location.</li>
<li>Announcement of awards, trade show appearances, sponsored events, or new products and services.</li>
<li>A link from your product or service to a current news story or statistic. One example would be a release about your company’s vehicle anti-theft device in light of a rash of car thefts in the area.</li>
</ul>
<p>Before you begin your release, determine which angle you want to focus it on, and keep that in mind as you write.</p>
<p><strong>Decide which keywords to use.</strong></p>
<p>Not only will your press release give your company exposure when it is released, but it will also help people find your company in the search engines for months to come (if not longer). Choose a few keywords you want to use in your release. For example, if we wrote a press release for Sumer, we might focus on the keywords <a href="http://www.sumercopywriting.com/Services/Copywriting.aspx" target="_blank">SEO copywriting</a> and website copywriting. According to PRWeb.com, you want to use those keywords in the headline, summary, and lead sentence.</p>
<p><strong>Use the correct format. </strong></p>
<p>To ensure your press release is accepted by the submission sites, the format must be correct. Every press release should adhere to the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE should be in the upper left-hand corner.</li>
<li>Headline: In less than 80 characters, tell the main idea of the release in a way that grabs attention. Use a subject and verb and make it interesting, if not exciting.</li>
<li>Summary: Use one or two sentences to summarize the release and make readers want to continue. Even if they do not read the rest of the release, they should get the idea from the summary alone. Be sure to use your company name.</li>
<li>Lead paragraph: Start with the city and state in capital letters, then a dash, then the date, and then another dash. The lead paragraph should be written much like the first paragraph of any other news story: it should tell who, what, where, when, why, and how.</li>
<li>Body: Develop the story in 3–5 paragraphs. Explain who the company is what it does, and include some quotes from the owner or an executive. Tell the reader what the news is and why they should care. PRWeb states that a good press release ranges from 300–800 words. Keep in mind the short attention span of most people, and begin the body with the most important information and end it with the least important. Add a link to the company at the end of the body.</li>
<li>Boilerplate copy: Tell the reader about the company in 3–4 sentences and add the website link again.</li>
<li>Contact information: Give the reader several ways to reach you. Designate one person as the contact for press releases and use name, title, company name and website, phone number, and email address.</li>
<li>End mark: Use ### to signify the end of the press release.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>If you have used press releases in the past, what types of newsworthy events did you announce?</strong></p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/press-release-writing-101-how-to-write-an-effective-news-release/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-9508"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p><h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2></p><ol>
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<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/what-poetry-can-teach-us-about-writing-marketing-content/' rel='bookmark' title='What Poetry Can Teach Us about Writing Marketing Content'>What Poetry Can Teach Us about Writing Marketing Content</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/05/best-practices-for-promoting-an-upcoming-event/' rel='bookmark' title='Best Practices for Promoting an Upcoming Event'>Best Practices for Promoting an Upcoming Event</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Keyword Research</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/a-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/a-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:30:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Copywriting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[keyword optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[keyword research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[keyword research tool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professional web copywriter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professional web copywriters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[search engine optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO copywriting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copywriting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=9479</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tweet One of the best ways to help the search engines find your company is to add keywords to your website copy, images, and meta tags. Keywords are words and [...]
<h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/top-4-tips-for-optimizing-web-copy/' rel='bookmark' title='Top 4 Tips for Optimizing Web Copy'>Top 4 Tips for Optimizing Web Copy</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/06/what-on-earth-is-meta-data/' rel='bookmark' title='What on Earth is Meta Data?'>What on Earth is Meta Data?</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/10-web-copy-blunders-to-avoid/' rel='bookmark' title='10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid'>10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="tweetbutton9479" class="tw_button" style=""><a href="http://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F10%2Fa-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research%2F&amp;text=A%20Beginner%26%238217%3Bs%20Guide%20to%20Keyword%20Research&amp;related=&amp;lang=en&amp;count=horizontal&amp;counturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F10%2Fa-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research%2F" class="twitter-share-button"  style="width:55px;height:22px;background:transparent url('https://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-tweet-button/tweetn.png') no-repeat  0 0;text-align:left;text-indent:-9999px;display:block;">Tweet</a></div><p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/a-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research/" title="Permanent link to A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Keyword Research"><img class="post_image alignleft frame" src="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/keyword-research.jpg" width="300" height="214" alt="keyword research" /></a>
</p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>One of the best ways to help the search engines find your company is to add keywords to your <a href="http://www.sumercopywriting.com/Services/Copywriting.aspx" target="_blank">website copy</a>, images, and meta tags. Keywords are words and phrases people use in the search engines to find what they’re looking for. Proper research will help you determine which keywords will boost your website traffic and give you more opportunities to <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/how-to-maximize-online-marketing-efforts/" target="_blank">convert prospects to clients</a>. Following is a brief introduction to keyword research.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Create a keyword list by brainstorming or using your website’s analytics. </strong></p>
<p>If you were looking for your product or service online, which search terms would you use? For example, we would use terms such as <a href="http://www.sumercopywriting.com/Services/Copywriting.aspx" target="_blank">SEO copywriting</a>, web copywriting, and <a href="http://www.loveyourblog.net/" target="_blank">blog marketing</a>. Take a few minutes to brainstorm keyword ideas, and make a list. Asking a few employees or clients to help you with this step will help you see possibilities you hadn’t thought of before.</p>
<p>If your website has an analytics module, you’ll know which terms people have used to find your site, and you’ll be a step ahead.</p>
<p><strong>Find a keyword tool to help your research.</strong></p>
<p>A keyword tool will show you how many times your keyword is searched every month. The most popular tool is the <a href="https://adwords.google.com/o/Targeting/Explorer?__c=1000000000&amp;__u=1000000000&amp;__o=cues&amp;ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_IDEAS#search.none" target="_blank">Google keyword tool</a>, and you can search for others to use. It doesn’t matter which tool you use, as long as you are using one.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/google-adwords.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9482" title="google adwords" src="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/google-adwords.jpg" alt="google adwords" width="653" height="338" /></a></p>
<p>Enter each of your search terms to see how much traffic it pulls every month. The more traffic, the better. Write down the number of monthly searches.</p>
<p><strong>Narrow down and be specific. </strong></p>
<p>If you have generic keywords like “wedding planner” or “travel agent,” you’ll want to be a bit more specific. Most keyword tools will show related keywords or suggest more targeted keywords and show their search numbers. You can add a city, such as “Aspen, CO wedding planner” or “Charleston travel agent.” While adding a city or state does help your target audience find you, geographic keywords may not pull up search results in your keyword tool.</p>
<p>While targeted keywords such as “coaching for women” or “online landscape design” have far fewer searches than “coaching” or “landscaping,” they help your website to show up in the search engines. Generally speaking, you’re better off with keywords that register 5,000 searches a month than keywords that register 2 million searches.</p>
<p><strong>Create your final list. </strong></p>
<p>Decide which keywords you’d like to rank for, create a final short list, and then begin adding them to your meta tags, <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/09/the-importance-of-proper-grammar-and-punctuation-in-your-web-copy/" target="_blank">webpage copy</a>, and images. You don’t want to stuff keywords into your copy, but work them in naturally. If you’ve chosen well, your keywords will easily slide into place on your website.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/writtenbysumer" target="_blank">Follow us on Twitter</a> for more keyword research tips and other marketing advice.</strong></p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/a-beginners-guide-to-keyword-research/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-9479"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p><h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2></p><ol>
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<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/06/what-on-earth-is-meta-data/' rel='bookmark' title='What on Earth is Meta Data?'>What on Earth is Meta Data?</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/10-web-copy-blunders-to-avoid/' rel='bookmark' title='10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid'>10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>8 Link Building Techniques You Should Avoid</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/8-link-building-techniques-you-should-avoid/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/8-link-building-techniques-you-should-avoid/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:30:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[link building]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[link building techniques]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professional blogger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professional writer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO tactics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[small business owners]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=9188</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tweet Guest post by David Murton We’re delighted to have David Murton appear on our blog for a second time as a guest blogger. David, a professional writer and blogger, [...]
<h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/11/10-web-copy-blunders-to-avoid/' rel='bookmark' title='10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid'>10 Web Copy Blunders to Avoid</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/10/list-building-tips-and-advice/' rel='bookmark' title='List Building Tips and Advice'>List Building Tips and Advice</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/09/five-tips-on-how-to-avoid-a-social-media-disaster/' rel='bookmark' title='Five Tips on How to Avoid a Social Media Disaster'>Five Tips on How to Avoid a Social Media Disaster</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="tweetbutton9188" class="tw_button" style=""><a href="http://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2F8-link-building-techniques-you-should-avoid%2F&amp;text=8%20Link%20Building%20Techniques%20You%20Should%20Avoid&amp;related=&amp;lang=en&amp;count=horizontal&amp;counturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2F8-link-building-techniques-you-should-avoid%2F" class="twitter-share-button"  style="width:55px;height:22px;background:transparent url('https://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-tweet-button/tweetn.png') no-repeat  0 0;text-align:left;text-indent:-9999px;display:block;">Tweet</a></div><p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/8-link-building-techniques-you-should-avoid/" title="Permanent link to 8 Link Building Techniques You Should Avoid"><img class="post_image alignleft frame" src="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/link-building.jpg" width="246" height="308" alt="link building" /></a>
</p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong><em>Guest post by David Murton</em></strong></span></p>
<p>We’re delighted to have David Murton appear on our blog for a second time as a guest blogger. David, a professional writer and blogger, shares <em>8 Link Building Techniques You Should Avoid </em>for today’s post.</p>
<p><strong>See below for David’s guest post:</strong></p>
<p>Different people have different ideas about the reputability of certain SEO tactics. For example, some <a href="http://www.inetzeal.net/" target="_blank">SEO Services</a> warn against using black hat tactics like cloaking, while others claim that tactics like mosaic cloaking are in the gray area. The same is true for link building. Many of these &#8220;don&#8217;ts&#8221; are debatable to one degree or another, but ultimately should probably be avoided.</p>
<p><strong>1. Paying for Site Wide Links</strong></p>
<p>From a purely SEO point of view, there is little value in paying for a link to every page on a certain site, as this could involve paying for many individual links that Google counts as a single link. This defeats the purpose of buying those links in the first place. Site wide linking generates traffic, no question; but in terms of SEO, the practice is arguably unprofitable. Building good links manually takes time, but it pays off.</p>
<p><strong>2. Independent Backlink Networks</strong></p>
<p>IBLNs are costly to join, and you don&#8217;t necessarily get what you pay for with this strategy. Search algorithms detect such rings of people linking to each other, and those people get banned when they are caught. Joining an IBLN is a method of networking with others who share the goal of building links. That said, there are plenty of people to network with—it takes longer to network using just elbow grease, but it negates the possibility of a ban.</p>
<p><strong>3. Poor Configurations</strong></p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.robotstxt.org/robotstxt.html" target="_blank">misconfigured robots.txt file </a>can affect your investment in link building negatively. Link building is a means to an end—generating traffic and increasing conversion rates. Failing to update robots.txt after updating content and links means that spiders will not index the additional material.</p>
<p><strong>4. Ignoring Content Quality</strong></p>
<p>As stated above, the goal is increasing traffic and revenue. A good link building strategy is damaged by poor content quality, which can really hurt user experience. Post links out there to your website&#8217;s poor or mediocre material, and even though people may follow the link out of curiosity, it is unlikely that they will return.</p>
<p><strong>5. Doing Too Much at Once</strong></p>
<p>If paying for links, keep a steady and reasonable pace because <a href="http://www.seoptimise.com/blog/2011/03/what-happens-when-you-build-10000-dodgy-links-to-a-new-domain-in-24-hours.html" target="_blank">incredible spikes draw attention</a>. Google warns webmasters against buying links, so if you choose to anyway, your mileage may vary.</p>
<p><strong>6. Free-for-all (FFA) Link Farming</strong></p>
<p>How many visitors reach your site because of directory listings? Other questions to address in deciding if FFA link farms are profitable options are: Do the farms use rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221; on their links? How many dead links do they have? Dmoz, for instance, contains over 10,000 dead links. Generating and maintaining an advertising budget could be a better option.</p>
<p><strong>7. Concealing Links with Hidden Text or CSS Layering</strong></p>
<p>Using this tactic is akin to calling Matt Cutts, head of Google&#8217;s Webspam team, and asking him to blacklist your site personally. There are other ways to hide links on a page, and they will work until discovered. If your goal is a lasting revenue stream, refrain from using this technique.</p>
<p><strong>8. Stocking Up on Low Quality Links</strong></p>
<p>Linking to and from so-called low quality sites is not a bad technique in and of itself. However, relying solely on them to help boost traffic is a bad idea. Some of those links will become inactive after a while, so keep tabs on them over time to make sure they still work. This holds true also for higher quality links from sites that gained their rank in a manner Google deems inappropriate.</p>
<p>This is a list of &#8220;don&#8217;ts&#8221;, and a list of &#8220;do&#8217;s&#8221; deserves a post of its own. Be creative in building links. For example, you could host a contest for Best Post on a certain topic—a post providing an inbound link—and give the winner a prize. One final “don&#8217;t”—don’t let this list of &#8220;don&#8217;ts&#8221; get you down. Just use your imagination and follow your instincts—if a link building technique seems suspect to you, don&#8217;t do it.</p>
<p><strong>About David Murton:</strong></p>
<p>David Murton has been helping companies build and maintain their  online relationships with customers since 2006. He is also a  professional writer and blogger, with a particular interest in the open  source Drupal platform. On a more personal note, David is an avid piano  and accordion player, drawn especially to music of the classical and  romantic periods.</p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/8-link-building-techniques-you-should-avoid/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-9188"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p><h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2></p><ol>
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		<title>Get Ahead of Competition in Local Search</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/get-ahead-of-competition-in-local-search/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/get-ahead-of-competition-in-local-search/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:30:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business Success Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Google Places]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[increase SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[local search]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[optimized web copy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[search engine optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[search results]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=9093</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tweet Just how important is local search when it comes to business success and how can you increase your rankings in local search? Let’s break it down with an example: [...]
<h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/launch-yourself-ahead-of-the-competition-with-online-video/' rel='bookmark' title='Launch Yourself Ahead of the Competition with Online Video'>Launch Yourself Ahead of the Competition with Online Video</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/why-seo-is-your-golden-ticket-to-buyer-ready-traffic/' rel='bookmark' title='Why SEO is Your Golden Ticket to Buyer-Ready Traffic'>Why SEO is Your Golden Ticket to Buyer-Ready Traffic</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="tweetbutton9093" class="tw_button" style=""><a href="http://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2Fget-ahead-of-competition-in-local-search%2F&amp;text=Get%20Ahead%20of%20Competition%20in%20Local%20Search&amp;related=&amp;lang=en&amp;count=horizontal&amp;counturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2Fget-ahead-of-competition-in-local-search%2F" class="twitter-share-button"  style="width:55px;height:22px;background:transparent url('https://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-tweet-button/tweetn.png') no-repeat  0 0;text-align:left;text-indent:-9999px;display:block;">Tweet</a></div><p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/get-ahead-of-competition-in-local-search/" title="Permanent link to Get Ahead of Competition in Local Search"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/local-search.jpg" width="512" height="342" alt="local search" /></a>
</p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>Just how important is local search when it comes to <a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/get-more-time-each-day-marketing-efforts-that-can-be-outsourced/" target="_blank">business success</a> and how can you increase your rankings in local search? Let’s break it down with an example:</p>
<p>You have just moved to Greenwich, Connecticut and you are looking for a nearby spa and salon for a relaxing massage. So you type “Greenwich Connecticut salons and spas” into the Google search engine. The first thing you’ll see is a map that showcases some of the salons and spas in Greenwich. Next to this map, you’ll see a list of links to those salons and spas. This area is called Google Places and it pulls up local businesses related to your search. When a business owner adds his or her company to the Google Places listing, this business owner increases the chances of having his or her company name and information appear in local searches. It’s an opportunity that should not be missed.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/google-places1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9103" title="google places" src="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/google-places1.jpg" alt="google places" width="631" height="333" /></a></p>
<p>When you add your company to <a href="http://www.google.com/places/" target="_blank">Google Places</a>, you can add pictures, see reviews of your business, add links, describe your business, post hours of operation, showcase the address and contact information, and so much more.  Not to mention, Google Places is perfect for smart phone users because they can perform local search on the go. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to use Google Maps on my smart phone to call a restaurant or locate it on the map. And the best part about using Google Places on a smart phone is that the company’s phone number, next to the name of the company in the Google Places section, is clickable. You don’t have to leave your browser to make a call!</p>
<p>In addition to using Google Places to power up your local search results, you can also ask customers to review you on Yelp!, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/WrittenBySumer?ref=search" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, Twitter, and other platforms that enable users to search within that particular site. When you have your name appear on these social platforms you increase your chances of appearing in social search.</p>
<p>I also suggest creating a blog that you can use not only to share your expertise, but also to increase your SEO. When you add fresh, keyword-rich content to your blog on a weekly basis, your blog is likely to be ranked by Google. Why? Because Google loves new content! When you use keywords that relate to your business location, Google will take these keywords into account when pulling up results for local search.</p>
<p>When you write your blog, keep in mind to add at least two keywords throughout (naturally weave these keywords into your content) your post that relate to your business location. For example, if you own a private yacht chartering company in San Francisco and wanted your blog to pull up in local search, you could add the following keywords throughout your posts: SF Bay yacht charters, private yacht charter San Francisco, San Francisco charter cruises, etc.</p>
<p>And always remember to add optimized meta data to your blog posts to further increase its probability of pulling up in search results. If you’re not sure what meta data is, visit one of our previous blog posts, “<a href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/06/what-on-earth-is-meta-data/" target="_blank">What on Earth is Meta Data?</a>”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/writtenbysumer" target="_blank"><strong>Follow us on Twitter for more SEO tips.</strong></a></p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/get-ahead-of-competition-in-local-search/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-9093"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p><h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2></p><ol>
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<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/why-seo-is-your-golden-ticket-to-buyer-ready-traffic/' rel='bookmark' title='Why SEO is Your Golden Ticket to Buyer-Ready Traffic'>Why SEO is Your Golden Ticket to Buyer-Ready Traffic</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>It Takes More than Great Written Content to Make a Blog Successful</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/it-takes-more-than-great-written-content-to-make-a-blog-successful/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/it-takes-more-than-great-written-content-to-make-a-blog-successful/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:30:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blogging Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog stats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[software]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web copywriter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wordpress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wordpress blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=9082</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tweet As part of our Love Your Blog Series, where we interview blogging and marketing experts, we interviewed Doug Stewart, owner of DSC Web Services, Inc., to share valuable advice [...]
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</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="tweetbutton9082" class="tw_button" style=""><a href="http://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F07%2Fit-takes-more-than-great-written-content-to-make-a-blog-successful%2F&amp;text=It%20Takes%20More%20than%20Great%20Written%20Content%20to%20Make%20a%20Blog%20Successful&amp;related=&amp;lang=en&amp;count=horizontal&amp;counturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F07%2Fit-takes-more-than-great-written-content-to-make-a-blog-successful%2F" class="twitter-share-button"  style="width:55px;height:22px;background:transparent url('https://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-tweet-button/tweetn.png') no-repeat  0 0;text-align:left;text-indent:-9999px;display:block;">Tweet</a></div><p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/it-takes-more-than-great-written-content-to-make-a-blog-successful/" title="Permanent link to It Takes More than Great Written Content to Make a Blog Successful"><img class="post_image alignleft frame" src="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dsc-web-services-e1311881616170.jpg" width="350" height="73" alt="web services" /></a>
</p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>As part of our<a href="http://www.loveyourblog.net/" target="_blank"> </a><em><a href="http://www.loveyourblog.net/" target="_blank">Love Your Blog</a> Series,</em> where we interview blogging and marketing experts, we interviewed Doug Stewart, owner of <a href="https://www.dscwebservices.com/" target="_blank">DSC Web Services, Inc.</a>, to share valuable advice on running a successful blog on WordPress.com. Specifically, Doug outlines essential design elements, discusses plugins, and offers tips for blog optimization.</p>
<p><strong><em>See below for this exceptional interview:</em></strong></p>
<p><strong>1. Can having the right WordPress plugins increase traffic to your blog? If so, which plugins do you suggest?</strong></p>
<p>Installing the right plugins is one of the fastest and easiest ways to get more traffic to your blog. Some plugins help you craft blog posts that rank higher on the search engines. Some plugins help your blog pages load faster (Google really likes pages that load fast). Some plugins help people stay on your blog longer. Some plugins help people share your blog with their friends. And some plugins help new blog visitors signup for your blog updates.</p>
<p><strong>Here are eleven plugins we recommend for <a href="http://powertofightthebigboys.com/" target="_blank">increasing traffic to your blog</a>:</strong></p>
<p>1. SexyBookmarks Plugin:<a href="http://www.sexybookmarks.net/"> http://www.sexybookmarks.net/</a></p>
<p>2. Facebook Like Button Plugin: <a href="http://martinj.net/wordpress-plugins/facebook-like-button/">http://martinj.net/wordpress-plugins/facebook-like-button/</a></p>
<p>3. TweetMeme Retweet Button: <a href="http://tweetmeme.com/about/plugins">http://tweetmeme.com/about/plugins</a></p>
<p>4. WP Greet Box: <a href="http://omninoggin.com/projects/wordpress-plugins/wp-greet-box-wordpress-plugin/">http://omninoggin.com/projects/wordpress-plugins/wp-greet-box-wordpress-plugin/</a></p>
<p>5. Google XML Sitemaps: <a href="http://www.arnebrachhold.de/projects/wordpress-plugins/google-xml-sitemaps-generator/">http://www.arnebrachhold.de/projects/wordpress-plugins/google-xml-sitemaps-generator/</a></p>
<p>6. WordPress.com Stats: <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/stats/">http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/stats/</a></p>
<p>7. WP Google Analytics: <a href="http://xavisys.com/wordpress-plugins/google-analytics/">http://xavisys.com/wordpress-plugins/google-analytics/</a></p>
<p>8. WP Super Cache: <a href="http://ocaoimh.ie/wp-super-cache/">http://ocaoimh.ie/wp-super-cache/</a></p>
<p>9. Popular Posts: <a href="http://rmarsh.com/plugins/popular-posts-plugin/">http://rmarsh.com/plugins/popular-posts-plugin/</a></p>
<p>10. Broken Link Checker: <a href="http://w-shadow.com/blog/2007/08/05/broken-link-checker-for-wordpress/">http://w-shadow.com/blog/2007/08/05/broken-link-checker-for-wordpress/</a></p>
<p>11. SEO by Yoast: <a href="http://yoast.com/wordpress/seo/">http://yoast.com/wordpress/seo/</a><br />
<strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>2. How important are blog stats when it comes to analyzing your blog’s success? What other elements should you look at when measuring blog success?</strong></p>
<p>Stats will open your eyes to new opportunities and hidden issues with your blog. I don’t know how many times I’ve been surprised by the keywords people used to find a blog. Stats give you this information. With a little bit of effort, you’re able to tweak your content or improve your blog’s content based on what your stats tell you. These little tweaks can have a dramatic effect on your blog’s success.</p>
<p><em>Here are a few other signs your blog is becoming more successful:</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Growing number of newsletter signups or RSS feed subscriptions</li>
<li>People start calling or emailing you questions</li>
<li>People share information from your blog with their friends</li>
<li>People start asking you to speak about your area of expertise</li>
<li>Reporters and bloggers ask you for interviews</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>3. <a href="http://powertofightthebigboys.com/" target="_blank">Your WordPress blog </a>uses the Thesis theme. What are the benefits to using Thesis and is it user-friendly for businesses that are new to blogging?</strong></p>
<p>Thesis is one of the most search-engine-friendly WordPress themes available. I find that Thesis also saves me a lot of time. If I want to create a special landing page for a promotion, I’m able to do it quickly and easily without knowing programming languages. I’m also able to create custom pages quickly and easily.</p>
<p>With Thesis you don’t have to buy another theme if you want to change the look of your blog. You’re able to have a completely different look fairly quickly. And you don’t have to mess with learning a new theme every year or two.</p>
<p><strong>4. As a business blogger yourself, what elements of a blog do you believe are the most essential in engaging readers?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The headlines of your blog posts and opening paragraphs</li>
<li>Ease of navigation</li>
<li>Having a design that visually communicates the benefits of the blog</li>
<li>Having a blog that communicates one major benefit to your target audience</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>5. What three tidbits of advice would you offer to small business owners who are new to blogging?</strong></p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><strong>Tidbit 1:</strong> Clearly define your blog’s purpose and audience.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Tidbit 2:</strong> Before you write a blog post, think of one person you want to write your blog post to. Even if your blog post is meant to benefit thousands of people, write to one person.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Tidbit 3:</strong> Stick to a schedule. And if you don’t get immediate results, be patient. You’ll be glad you did.</p>
<p><strong>About Doug Stewart and DSC Web Services, Inc.:</strong></p>
<p>Doug Stewart, the owner of <a href="https://www.dscwebservices.com/">DSC Web Services</a>, Inc., built his first website back in 1998. At that time, he was working for an IBM Business Partner selling printers. As a commissioned salesperson good quality leads were extremely important to him. And the company’s website wasn’t bringing in any leads. No one could find the company website on the search engines – until he built and promoted his first website for them.</p>
<p>That first website ranked high on all the search engines and brought in a bunch of leads every week. Soon the IBM Business Partner wanted more. So Doug built 4 more websites for that first client. All the websites brought in a lot of leads. This was DSC Web Services first taste of helping a business dominate their space on the web. In January 1999, Doug Stewart Consulting was born, which later became DSC Web Services, Inc.</p>
<p><strong>Area of expertise</strong>: DSC Web Services, Inc., offers professional web page design—including Flash and graphic design work, as well as custom programming services, and HTML or web updates / maintenance.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Want to find out more about effective WordPress design elements?<a href="http://powertofightthebigboys.com/" target="_blank"> Visit Doug&#8217;s blog.</a></strong></p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/it-takes-more-than-great-written-content-to-make-a-blog-successful/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-9082"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p><h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2></p><ol>
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<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/how-to-effectively-weave-your-brand-message-into-blog-content/' rel='bookmark' title='How To Effectively Weave Your Brand Message into Blog Content'>How To Effectively Weave Your Brand Message into Blog Content</a></li>
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</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Why SEO is Your Golden Ticket to Buyer-Ready Traffic</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/why-seo-is-your-golden-ticket-to-buyer-ready-traffic/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/why-seo-is-your-golden-ticket-to-buyer-ready-traffic/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:30:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[increase conversions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[increase traffic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[targeted traffic]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=8966</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tweet Guest post by Kathy DalPra of The Online Close Don’t you just cringe when you find out that a new prospect signed on with a different provider, only a [...]
No related posts.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="tweetbutton8966" class="tw_button" style=""><a href="http://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F07%2Fwhy-seo-is-your-golden-ticket-to-buyer-ready-traffic%2F&amp;text=Why%20SEO%20is%20Your%20Golden%20Ticket%20to%20Buyer-Ready%20Traffic&amp;related=&amp;lang=en&amp;count=horizontal&amp;counturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F07%2Fwhy-seo-is-your-golden-ticket-to-buyer-ready-traffic%2F" class="twitter-share-button"  style="width:55px;height:22px;background:transparent url('https://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-tweet-button/tweetn.png') no-repeat  0 0;text-align:left;text-indent:-9999px;display:block;">Tweet</a></div><p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/why-seo-is-your-golden-ticket-to-buyer-ready-traffic/" title="Permanent link to Why SEO is Your Golden Ticket to Buyer-Ready Traffic"><img class="post_image alignleft frame" src="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/kathy-dalpra-e1300802692251.jpg" width="200" height="269" alt="Kathy Dalpra" /></a>
</p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p><em><strong>Guest post by Kathy DalPra of <a href="http://theonlineclose.com/services/seo/affordable-search-engine-optimization.html" target="_blank">The Online Close</a></strong></em></p>
<p>Don’t you just cringe when you find out that a new prospect signed on with a different provider, <em>only a week before meeting you?</em></p>
<p>Or get a sinking feeling when a friend of a friend tells you about the thousands they just thousands with someone else to get the exact same solutions you offer?</p>
<p><strong>If only they had known about you one week earlier…or even one day earlier?!</strong> That client could have been yours!</p>
<p>At one time or another, it’s happened to all of us. It doesn’t matter whether we’re the best fit for that individual in all of cyberspace, if they don’t know we exist or can’t find us when they’re on the hunt for answers, then they’ll wind up hiring someone else and we can kiss that business goodbye.</p>
<p><strong>Visibility is everything on the web.</strong> If prospects can’t find your website, at the exact moment when they are looking for your solutions, then they become someone else’s client and it’s another opportunity lost.</p>
<p><strong>Being in the right place, at the right time has never been more important than on the Internet.</strong></p>
<p>This is what SEO is all about. SEO, or search engine optimization, is the science (or art, if you will) of increasing your website’s visibility to search engines. It’s about landing your website a spot at the top of Google’s search results pages. Someone types in a keyword term, like “all-natural mascara” and your website appears with the exact product they’re looking for.</p>
<p>Since search engines are where the majority of the population goes to find solutions to their problems, it’s one of the best places your website can appear. Prospects look for answers, you show up to save the day!</p>
<p>But it gets even better…</p>
<p><strong>Buyer Ready Traffic</strong></p>
<p>Unlike Facebook or YouTube, which also get high volumes of searches, search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing! attract more buyer-ready traffic. As of today, when someone searches on Facebook or YouTube, they are mostly looking for news, education and brands they already know about. Very rarely will someone turn to these types of social media sites when they need to purchase a specific product or service. Search engines are where people go to start the buying research process, making them one of the most profitable places to market your business.</p>
<p><strong>Targeted Leads</strong></p>
<p>By far, my favorite benefit of search engine optimization, is the level of precision to which you can pinpoint your marketing efforts. The beauty of SEO is that you get to choose which search terms you want your business to be aligned with!</p>
<p>That means, instead of showing up when individuals are merely looking for information, you can deliberately appear when they are ready to buy….which makes a HUGE difference to your bottom line.</p>
<p>Individuals searching for how-to information and news = window-shoppers</p>
<p>Individuals searching for solutions = buyers</p>
<p>SEO allows us to weed out the tire-kickers and focus exclusively on the cash cow. What entrepreneur doesn’t love that?!</p>
<p><strong>Low Cost Marketing</strong></p>
<p>Of course, the icing on the cake for most small business owners is the affordability of SEO. Unlike pay-per-click ads, print advertising and direct mail, Google will list your website in its search results pages for free. Your only investment might be working with a small business SEO professional to outrank your competition. And, even then, if the SEO expert knows what they’re doing , they’ll be able to offer you some very <a href="http://theonlineclose.com/services/seo/affordable-search-engine-optimization.html" target="_blank">affordable search engine optimization</a> packages, which can be thousands of dollars less than other online and offline advertising.</p>
<p>Too many small businesses are missing out on massive amounts of free traffic from Google because they aren’t utilizing SEO in their online marketing toolbox. Maybe it’s time you found out whether SEO is the right fit for your business before you let even more opportunities pass you by.</p>
<p>Join us for a FREE class on Tuesday, July 12 at 4:00pm EST as part of the <a href="http://theonlineclose.com/AP.aspx?ID=1744&amp;EID=11278309" target="_blank">Traffic Explosion Telesummit series</a>.</p>
<p><strong><em>“SEO for Newbies: How to Get Google to Send You Free Traffic”</em></strong></p>
<p>Presented by Kathy DalPra of The Online Close</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theonlineclose.com/AP.aspx?ID=1744&amp;EID=11278309" target="_blank"><strong>Reserve your seat today.</strong></a></p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/why-seo-is-your-golden-ticket-to-buyer-ready-traffic/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-8966"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p>No related posts.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Launch Yourself Ahead of the Competition with Online Video</title>
		<link>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/launch-yourself-ahead-of-the-competition-with-online-video/</link>
		<comments>http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/launch-yourself-ahead-of-the-competition-with-online-video/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:30:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Salater</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online video]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/?p=8929</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TweetSEO expert, Bruce Clay, shares his tips for business success using online video. Specifically, Bruce explains how Universal search results are incorporating video into the mix. If you&#8217;re not using [...]
<h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/get-ahead-of-competition-in-local-search/' rel='bookmark' title='Get Ahead of Competition in Local Search'>Get Ahead of Competition in Local Search</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/12/what-will-the-new-year-hold-in-store-for-online-video/' rel='bookmark' title='What Will the New Year Hold In Store For Online Video?'>What Will the New Year Hold In Store For Online Video?</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/06/how-online-video-marketing-can-dramatically-increase-business-success/' rel='bookmark' title='How Online Video Marketing Can Dramatically Increase Business Success'>How Online Video Marketing Can Dramatically Increase Business Success</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="tweetbutton8929" class="tw_button" style=""><a href="http://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F07%2Flaunch-yourself-ahead-of-the-competition-with-online-video%2F&amp;text=Launch%20Yourself%20Ahead%20of%20the%20Competition%20with%20Online%20Video&amp;related=&amp;lang=en&amp;count=horizontal&amp;counturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writtenbysumer.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F07%2Flaunch-yourself-ahead-of-the-competition-with-online-video%2F" class="twitter-share-button"  style="width:55px;height:22px;background:transparent url('https://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-tweet-button/tweetn.png') no-repeat  0 0;text-align:left;text-indent:-9999px;display:block;">Tweet</a></div><p></p><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>SEO expert, Bruce Clay, shares his tips for business success using online video. Specifically, Bruce explains how Universal search results are incorporating video into the mix.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re not using video to position yourself above the competition, I assure you that you&#8217;ll start using video after hearing what Bruce has to say in this exclusive interview with ReelSEO:</p>
<p><object width="560" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iYR9nj-vkAI?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iYR9nj-vkAI?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Share this video with your followers on <a href="http://www.twitter.com" target="_blank">Twitter.</a></strong></p>
<div name="googleone_share_1" style="position:relative;z-index:5;float: right; margin-left: 10px;"><g:plusone size="tall" count="1" href="http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/07/launch-yourself-ahead-of-the-competition-with-online-video/"></g:plusone></div><div class="shr-publisher-8929"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><p><h2><strong>If you like this post, you might also like:</strong></h2></p><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/08/get-ahead-of-competition-in-local-search/' rel='bookmark' title='Get Ahead of Competition in Local Search'>Get Ahead of Competition in Local Search</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/12/what-will-the-new-year-hold-in-store-for-online-video/' rel='bookmark' title='What Will the New Year Hold In Store For Online Video?'>What Will the New Year Hold In Store For Online Video?</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.writtenbysumer.com/blog/2011/06/how-online-video-marketing-can-dramatically-increase-business-success/' rel='bookmark' title='How Online Video Marketing Can Dramatically Increase Business Success'>How Online Video Marketing Can Dramatically Increase Business Success</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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