So You’re Trying to Market Online, but Don’t Know How

These days the money marketing games are raging online and withering in the real world. Countless ambitious people want to make a living online, but don’t readily know how.

Me, I may not be an internet marketer per se, but I am the guy that writes their web content for them. I’m the freelance writer/ghostwriter that puts the web content together they use to get eyeballs on the page and clicking/converting.

Quick example:

Over the last week I put together 50 unique articles for a client (at $12 a pop) that revolve around the fitness niche. Like a smart marketer he wasn’t after SEO keywords or content written for search engines, but rather well-written copy that engages certain topics and presents specific ideas/solutions. Anything from why saturated coconut oil is actually good for you, to ways that modern athletes incorporate a type of active meditation during training.

That’s what I do for a living. It’s my job. Therefore, I know a thing or two about selling ideas, concepts, products etc. online. So, with that said check this out:

The Basics of Website Content for Marketing Purposes

Here is how to compose, or how it should be composed, website content with the purpose of basically making money.

1.      Spit some knowledge: That’s right, teach! Ideally, whoever is coming to the website harbors an unfulfilled need or problem that your product or service remedies. First, the idea is educate, educate, educate; it’s the lifeblood of Inbound Marketing.

2.      Make light of the solution: Yes, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s my job to make sure people know there’s a solution to their problem/issue connected to the words they’re currently reading. If you’re not getting to the point, you’re wasting time.

3.      Insert product or service: This isn’t about banging on digital doors here. The people who arrived at your site should have done so through inbound, not outbound marketing. More on this in a second.

4.      Spit more knowledge: Now’s when I simply educate this person with a need or desire about the solution (your product/service) and why it’s the best option. Most consumers enjoy learning something about something before they buy something.

5.      Lay down the offer/CTA: They know about their problem, they recognize a solution exists, they understand how your product or service solves the problem, and now it’s time to make an offer and suggest they take action on it.

Understanding Your Visitors/Audience

At the end of the day there are what could be called plateaus of understanding, or awareness, when it comes to online consumerism. Everyone that surfs and searches the net falls within them. Here they are, and website content writers like me know them intimately:

Zero Problems/No Conversion

These are the last people who anyone selling something online wants to stop by their page. Who are they? Well, they’re people that don’t have a problem. Maybe they’re zoning out at work, or maybe they’re just clicking things at random, or maybe they clicked the wrong thing. Regardless, they only stay for seconds and couldn’t care less about your product or service. Trying to market to these people is costly and time consuming, avoid it like the plague.

Some Problems Exist

These visitors have a problem, they know it, and so they’ve gone online to find the solution. However, they don’t really know that solutions exist. Furthermore, they have absolutely no idea that your product or service exists, but they’re open and ready to learn about and discuss your solutions.

Solutions

These visitors know they have a problem or a desire, have ventured to the digital world to solve it, and they know that solutions exist if they can just find them; ideally the best one (yours). They’re looking for web content that discusses/presents specific to-the-point solutions.

Your Solution

These folks are high value targets. They know they have an issue, they know solutions exist, and they are already aware of your product or service. However, do they fully understand the features and benefits? They’re not yet convinced. Maybe they’re searching for things like, “why X service sucks” or “X product reviews” etc.

Benefits

This traffic simply needs to make up their mind on whether to buy or not. They know everything else, that they have a problem, that solutions exist, and they understand the overall benefits of going with your product/service. For these people it’s about nailing down why yours is the best way to go, and that’s about it.

Decisiveness

For these people, they are ready to click the buy button so they typically only require a basic splash or sales page. Not much mystery about content written for them.

So, the point is that any truly successful site that’s going to get awesome conversion rates has a mixture of content for people in the last four stages or plateaus. I’ve written tons of content for all of them, even content for random visitors who have no idea there’s a problem and could care less about solutions.

Obviously the point of 100% of this content is geared towards helping people move right along to the “buy now” button or splash page.

While on the one hand, it all comes down to the quality of the product or service, it’s all for not without good content that brings them to the page.

Hope this helps

Cheers!

Damien Darby

5 Tips for Successful Fitness-Based Content Marketing in 2013

There’s an incredible amount of competition in the online world, and rigorous demands drive virtual businesses to buy fitness articles en masse. Which is good for me because I’m a full time web content writer that deals with a fair amount of fitness-based stuff.

I’ve worked with a vast array male and female fitness models, published authors, and plenty of aspiring virtual entrepreneurs. Here are five tips from me to you on how to be successful moving forward.

1) Does Your Writer Understand Search Engines?

A solid and professional web content provider should have an up and running knowledge of search engine marketing. For example, Google’s Panda and Penguin updates completely changed the way they view authoritative sites. This is happening again in 2013 with another update, which at this point is being rumored to be named Zebra.

Good fitness writers know about this stuff, and will be able to compose the content that gets the best results. At the end of the day it’s another push to rid their search results of spammy or over-commercialized crud, with an emphasis on getting rid of fake social media network links.

Likely Scenario with Up and Coming Google SEO Update

• From the old standard of 350 words to 500-600 words per article/blog post.
• Basically keywords are out the door. Nearly any content that is/was written expressly for search engines is increasingly worth less and less. Human beings don’t care about keywords and don’t want there to be a bunch layered throughout what they read.
• Affiliate marketing will be a bit more challenging with such an increase in the amount of flow, words, and human engagement needed in web content to rank well.
• The next major update is also going to target sites that rely on fake social networking profiles to boost their ranking.

2) Pay What the Content is Worth

I myself charge  roughly $13-$15 per 500 words, and trust me I pump out a megaton of it every month. From my perspective there are two types of online business owners 1) the kind that pay for and expect quality and 2) those that I turn away on a regular basis because they want low quality work for extremely low pay.

The good news for me is that in the near future I can expect far less spammy job offers. The low quality stuff isn’t going to be in demand anymore. To be successful you need to hire quality writers like me, not the ones willing to write piss-poor stuff for $3 a pop.

3) Go Completely Organic

Your best bet is to avoid keywording period. Content should read as though search engines don’t exist. Let’s use an example. Let’s say you’re a company that’s looking to make a decent profit off of exercise equipment and affiliate sales.

• Ok, each one of the articles tailored around the product is going to need to be 500 words long.
• I’ll be placing absolutely no emphasis on keywords. I’ll just be writing naturally.
• In everything I do, all the small details, I’ll keep the reader in mind. Namely someone looking for a product to help them fulfill their goals.

4) Being Niche Will Always Count

Fitness is great because there are so many immediately relevant sub categories. Search engines are getting more manically intelligent all the time. They’ll know what percentage of the content is focused on this and that. As long as it isn’t all over the map. Pick something, or a small number of things that have to do with fitness and stick to them.

This won’t ever go away. It’s likely that algorithms and web crawlers will be able to detect with lightening speed what a site is all about cumulatively. Not from a collection of keywords, but long phrases, and overall content both written and visual.

5) The Evolution of Authoritative

By the end of 2013 the internet landscape will have completely changed. For professional ghostwriters and web content writers like me, it means that not only will the demand for our services increase by leaps and bounds, but the price it’s worth.

Authoritative writing informs, engages, compels readers to act, and also pleases the search engines. Without having to worry about shady techniques and outdated SEO tactics, we’re free to write naturally. It’s a good thing.

Social Media Holocaust Unleashed

Interested in a truly engaging techno-thriller with dark nuances of Cultural Revolution? Social Media Holocaust is worth a look.

A real mind-bender, it takes you from sitting comfy in your chair of technological bliss, totally unaware, to a thrilling and frightening world of paranoia, social decay, and fear. Never again will you easily accept a friend request from a stranger…

Reader Reviews

“As I was reading this book, I couldn’t help but think what a field day the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI would have with it.”

Currently it’s…

• #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Fantasy > Dark Fantasy
• #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers > Political

“A nonstop page turning thriller that was very well written and keeps you wanting to read what happens next. A must have for your horror collection. Now if you will excuse me, I have to ignore few requests…”

Check it out at your own risk…

“From the moment I picked up this book, I was in a trance. Taking me from my reality and into the land of social networking takeover! The start had me on the edge of my seat and the end had me begging for more.”

It seems Brian and I hit a home run with this one; horror lovers are sick creatures indeed…

“It slaps you in the face with what ‘could’ happen. It’s this sense of reality that really hits you on a personal level”

Dare you to take a look…

www.SocialMediaHolocaust.com

The Prolific Rise of Smart Fitness Technology

A technological fitness revolution is taking the modern world by storm. People are demanding new innovation to help them train, achieve smaller waist lines, and sport toned physiques.

Health-conscious folks aren’t merely focusing on eating better or going to the gym, the demands for “smart-fitness” accessories are running rampant and suppliers are happy to oblige. Below are some innovative products for the 21st century fitness guru!

Clothes Becoming Trainers

How is this possible? Sports and training clothes are becoming more intelligent than those wearing them! A decade ago this would’ve sounded ridiculous, but today the idea is fully accepted and common.

Clothing that helps burn fat or internally calculating jogging shoes connected to social media networks or apps that boost muscle performance are just a few of the remarkable threaded ideas coming out of the fitness scene.

Workout gear like weighted vests, shirts, or shorts offer maximum results without a ton of effort, because the body works significantly harder and burns vast amounts of energy. Some claim using weighted clothing boosts calorie burning up to 60%. Considering how hard it is to burn off excess fat, a weighted vest is a good option for those looking to see optimal results quickly. Furthermore, these smart shirts can tell the weather, judge metabolic output, and track heart rate…

Compression tights don’t just offer support for the lower body, they also assist in proper circulation, dehydration and swelling prevention. Remarkable, and they manage to do all this by assisting the user maintain perfect kinetic alignment for less impact and fatigue.

Smart shoes are definitely on the rise. The Reebok Easy Tone aids in muscle activation in calves, glutes, and hamstrings by giving the wearer an uneven instability. It makes the central nervous system try to correct its stance thus boosting muscular output which leads to burning more calories.

It’s important to do research on products that claim to give extraordinary results and anything using excessive heat can be extremely harmful, so be careful. A good idea is to let these products come out, get consumed and reviewed for a bit and then see what people are saying.

Online Health & Wellness Explosion

The online health and wellness explosion is expansive and invigorating. The sales of fitness DVD’s, apps, styles, new approaches, fads, equipment, smart clothes, accessories, and supplements are all the rage. Cyber resources are forming the future of fitness today by providing consumers with other options and outlets like social media, blogging, virtual trainers, and live video streaming. There has never been so much fitness data at humanity’s fingertips and so far the results are exceedingly encouraging.

Mobile Fitness Accessories

This is a popular way to get motivated and burn more calories. With techno-gadgets like tiny monitors, pedometers, and solar powered accessories it’s now easier to track many aspects of personal progress and stay motivated in the zone.

The Motorola MotoActv clips onto a watch or clothing band and uses GPS to track every move. This nifty thing uses Android wizardry, making it super smart like a miniature robotic trainer. It’s durable, water proof, and uses Blue Tooth technology to play music and recognizes which tracks cause the user to perform better…nice!

Becoming fit is getting easier these days, and more interesting with all the technological advances. Consumers demand high-end gadgets and 21st century equipment to achieve goals. With a slew of smart fitness products out there it’s obvious why the industry is booming.

What’s Better for Freelancers? Apple or Microsoft Mobile Products

Cyber culture is evolving rapidly and for freelancers everywhere it’s a dream come true. Utilizing mobile technology is far more desired than that typical bulky desktop, though those definitely still have their place in the home office.

With cosmically high demand charging towards techno-savvy corporate giants Apple and Microsoft, an epic battle is ensuing, but who will win? At the end of the day, which product line is better suited for freelancers?

An New Emergent Workforce

On the go freelancers are turning their attention towards versatile equipment in order to not only stay ahead of global/niche competition, but to squeeze workloads in wherever and whenever possible so there’s more time for fun stuff.

The days of sitting at the desk for umpteen hours are finally becoming obsolete with products such as iPads, smartphones, and all-in-one packages.  Let’s focus on a few of the latest high-tech gadgets our prolific titans have produced that truly compliment the freelancer lifestyle.

Microsoft, still an enormous and trusted brand (which I’ve been using since around 8th grade), features devices that offer competent technology for virtual magicians. For example, the Lumia 920 Smartphone takes efficiency to unprecedented levels. Its ability to browse content quickly is possible because of an impressive 1.5GHz dual core processor, and the touch screen makes browsing effortless.

With a large well-lit screen research can be done without the annoyance of sun glare or excessive squinting (this is huge). Running Windows 8 and internet explorer 10, this up to date hand held is a lounging freelancer’s dream.

Apple isn’t out of the game, however, not by a long shot. They continually hit digital home runs. Countless freelancers sport Apple product lines, and have them all synced and rocking. The new iPhone 5 packs a serious punch, with storage space up to 64GB and offering ultra-fast speeds.

A plethora of nifty accessories cater to freelancers and virtual business owners alike. Furthermore, the ability to view and publish documents such as word and adobe make it a fundamental resource for work on the go. Whether it’s Apple or Microsoft, either way these two companies have merged versatility with efficiency to make the pixilated workspace a charm.

Micro-Softing Freelance

Let’s face it, mobile technology is integrating into all levels of the freelancer business. It’s quickly becoming a must have and die-without tool that’s required in order to sustain a successful edge. Focusing on Microsoft tools like laptops, all-in-ones, and smartphones, each brings fundamental resources to the table. The smartphone takes mobility while all-in-one’s offer a compelling shade of convenience, easy access, and touch screen capabilities.

What about the operating system, Windows 8, is it a Godsend or a freelancer’s worst nightmare? The answer depends solely on personal ideas about usability and function. Here’s a quick-list of pros and cons:

Pros

• Merging technology, accessibility, and touch screen capabilities. Microsoft’s Surface is doing extremely well.
• Customer service, widely distributed, well known.
• Eight second boost time, with regular updates and innovative successive products.
• 3/4g support, allowing proper download of apps.

Cons

• No start up menu, making it a bit difficult to navigate for beginners.
• Heavy load as usual, with specific hardware requirements.
• Not as heavy in the freelance-friendly app department as they could be.

Depending on how technologically savvy one is will determine whether or not Windows 8 is a fundamental resource or a bust! There’s a learning curve, but after you get the hang of it, especially if you’re an old school windows user like me, the change in dynamics is infinitely refreshing.

Freelancing Apple-ability

Apple brings truck loads of current technology to the forefront and allows freelancers everywhere to choose multilevel gadgets to achieve workloads quickly while offering convenient user friendly interfaces. Whether it’s an iPad, iPhone, thin Mac laptop, or their version of all-in-ones, the experience is typically far more functional for the iGeek freelancer.

The pros and cons of Apple products are pretty much the same as Microsoft’s. As time passes, many of their differences become more branding and aesthetics than function. Soon there will be this sort of singularity between the two, and who knows what will happen then. Regardless, for freelancers new to the industry, step away from the desktop, and get into the hang of mobile technology!

Modern Mobile Technology for Freelancers

Throngs of obsolete & struggling middle class workers (who may not be extremely techno-savvy) are dropping the search for 9 to 5 jobs, and the freelance marketplace is exploding!

It makes sense, because as long as a computer with net is around work can go smoothly right? Not really.

• Freelancers need to be on top of their game.
• Competition worldwide is mounting.
• There’s no time to waste.

It’s important to employ competent technology and consistently produce, not to mention staying up to date.  With ever changing fields of pixilated techno-evolution there are more freelance-friendly mobile options than ever that make the job far less hectic or stressful!

Below are a few innovative and exciting laptops, smartphones, and accessories used by high-end freelancers to not only simplify, but become more efficient at their craft.

Perfectly Suited Laptops

• The Apple Mac Book Pro – This laptop features an Intel core 2 Duo processor clocking in at 2.4 GHz which means tons of multi-tasking for Apple users. 4GB of SDRAM means plenty of virtual space to work in, and the Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard Operating System is super fast and easy to use. Coming in around $600 used and $1200 new, it’s a good alternative if one is looking for a laptop with good speed, versatility, and storage.
• The HP Envy – This sleek and super fast laptop features 750GB/5400RPM hard drive, turbo boost technology up to 3.40 GHz, 8GB and Windows 8 operating system.  Coming in around $700-$1000 it’s a great laptop for the price, will last a while, and there aren’t many issues with overheating or battery problems.
• The Dell Inspirion 15z Ultrabook + Touch – These range from $700 to $1000+ dollars as well, but are high-end contemporary freelancing dreams. The touch screen is an interesting addition, and no matter what configuration one ultimately chooses, each model is going to last a while and sport plenty of juice to work with. The screens look great, and can get big for the price.

Smartphones for Work on the Go

• The new iPhone 5 by Apple is a perfect solution to any smartphone dilemma. Its speed is said to be the quickest available 150 mbs, and it won’t drain batteries like other phones tend to do when browsing the internet or streaming video.
• The Samsung Galaxy III is a top notch Smartphone it allows you to share PDF files or transfer files by touching another phone, and for research it won’t time out on you like other phones.

Smartphone’s are crucial if to stay at the head of virtual working pack, because mobile technology is taking over, and dominating everything these days. Freelancers don’t sit in front of their computer 24/7, but instead enjoy life on the go, so having a handheld device to check email, make social media updates, and communicate with clients instantly is defiantly beneficial.

Freelance Accessories

• The Apple IPad is a great tool for web-based writers. The ability to write on the go without a laptop or desktop is highly desired by the freelance community, and this things versatility is hard to match. Furthermore, the product has its own slew of accessories and apps. The one drawback is how much of a time-sink these can become, or possible a major distraction. For those that prefer windows, try the Windows Surface! It’s pretty awesome.
• Bluetooth Keyboard/Wireless Mouse- Anything without wires is awesome. Imagine writing laying down on kicking back on the couch. The Bluetooth Keyboard this is a remarkable device because it allows one to engage new age speak-to-writing rather than typing. It’s not perfect yet, and will evolve.

When it comes to freelancing though, time is money, so this is a great solution to slow typing speeds. However, one should most definitely not come to depend on this technology, and consistently brush up on their typing chops.

The technology out there to be an efficient freelancer is astounding when one considers where we were a mere 5 years ago. Invest, experiment, dig in, adapt, and enjoy the new global workforce.

Take Your Share of Fitness-Based Financial Freedom

What happens when an international bestselling fitness author and a successful fitness-based web-content writer come together?

How Did This Happen?

This is the story of how an unemployed recent college grad with no hope of finding solid work became a web content writer out of necessity. Then he ran into a heavy hitter in the fitness industry looking for help getting into the ebook market.

The kid tried his luck with ebooks, and while unemployed published fifteen of them. These included full-length fiction novels, non-fiction stuff, and even a fitness guide.

Our fitness author found the kid, offered him a job as a virtual assistant to help him publish four ebooks he’d written, and things took off from there.

The Obesity Bubble & Fitness Content

The kid was a freelance web-writer for a year, and the bestselling author had been in the American fitness game for decades. After about six months of working together, they realized some things.

1. There is no place on the net that virtual companies, web-content marketers, bloggers etc. can go to buy only fitness-related content. Instead they have to tangle with massive freelance sites that cover a vast array of subject matter and categories.
2. They could create such a company, then use the emerging freelance economy in America to put other people to work from the comfort of their own homes. All they needed to do was grab hold of the scattered but incredible demand for fitness-based web content, and then hire people to write it!

America, or the west, is languishing on a massive obesity bubble. Rather than excess spending that led to the debt bubble bursting, in their estimation excess consumption will soon bring about the explosion of the obesity bubble.

They co-wrote a compact, polished, and well written instructional ebook called “Fitness Writers Inc: How To Turn Your Fitness Passion into Paychecks.” It’s meant to get people who need money, and have a computer, to start bringing in a pay check from the virtual world. Furthermore to help combat the obesity and diabetes problems by spreading more fitness online.

What Can I Do?

If you know a thing or two about fitness (it’s a big niche), you should check out the ebook, and then take them up on their offer. If you have a computer and time on your hands, you’ve got nothing to lose.

If you’re in need of fitness based web content, contact the team at FitnessWritersInc.com. You’ll get high quality stuff, and help stimulate the economy the right way. It’s a far cry better than bank bailouts, and crony capitalism.