LJ Sedgwick

Content Writer for Coaches and Course Creators

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Why do you need to think about starting a blog in 2017?

Starting a blog probably isn’t that high on your list of priorities this year.

But you probably read a lot of blogs yourself. Even Medium is essentially a blogging platform.

Wouldn’t you like to create one about your own products or services?

After all, the blog has come a long way from its ‘online journal’ origins. Most bloggers don’t share their daily troubles and family photos any more.

So is it still worth starting a blog in 2017?

With the discussion around 'content shock' you might think there's no point starting a blog in 2017. This post explains exactly why you should anyway.
Definitely something to plan for.

Blogging is an easy way for your customers to get to know you.

While many have been predicted the death of blogging for some time, it still remains one of the best ways of connecting with clients and customers.

Blogging is, at its heart, another form of content marketing. And it’s an amazing way to build a community, and establish trust and credibility. It also gives customers a reason to keep coming back to your site.

Remember that a massive 68% of consumers are likely to spend time reading content from a brand they are interested in. The more they spend time around your output, the more likely they are to buy from you.

So starting a blog is an easy way to keep producing fresh content. That gives customers more opportunities to come to your site.

After all, the marketing rule of 7 says that you need to engage with a customer 7 times before they’ll finally buy. Having a blog gives you another touchpoint.

Blogs give you a simple way to connect with customers who have problems.

You’ve probably got a list of common helpdesk questions. Maybe you get regular questions on Twitter about how to use a particular feature.

You can use all of these to create a regular ‘column’ on your blog to address the problems that customers commonly have.

That could mean problems they have with your specific software. Those customers are already aware of you – and they’ll come to you first. You can turn your blog into a huge knowledge base.

That’s what Literature & Latte, the company behind Scrivener, have done. Each post is a short ‘how-to’ of simple functions, designed to help you get the most out of their powerful writing software.

But you don’t have to just provide ‘how-to’ guides. You could also address common problems in your niche that lead customers to your software. Starting a blog gives you somewhere to explain potential solutions.

Give visitors an easy win and they’ll feel a lot more positive about you.

Companies that blog have 97% more inbound links. Put simply, more links can help boost your ranking in Google.

You can also direct existing followers to your blog.

And if you have a social media following, then you already have an engaged group of people you can turn to. Ask them questions. Answer those questions in the form of blog posts.

Even Steve Jobs attested to the power of asking, explaining “I’ve never found anybody who didn’t want to help me when I’ve asked them for help.”

So ask what issues your followers need help with. What are they struggling with? What would they want you to solve if they only had one wish?

Provide that exact content. Build solutions into each post so your clients can feel they achieved an easy win. And let them know that you’ve posted it.

Few things will build a relationship faster than being relentlessly helpful. Better relationships mean your blog is far more likely to be read in future.

Blogging becomes your manifesto of purpose.

I know what you’re thinking. “If there’s so much content already out there, why should I add my voice to it? Won’t I just get drowned out?”

It’s a valid worry. Mark Schaefer even coined the term “content shock” in 2014 to explain how people felt about the deluge of content already available.

But blogs aren’t just a place to house information. They can have a far more powerful place in your marketing strategy.

Simon Sinek points out that people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. In his example, he explains that Apple customers are so passionate because they buy into why Apple operate the way they do. They don’t buy the features, or the slick design, because those are by-products of the why.

Don’t just tell people what you do and who you serve. Use blogging to tell people why you do it.

If what you say aligns with a personal beliefs of your prospective customer, they’re more likely to read the rest of your blog. And they’re more likely to buy your products.

So, you might explain where your company got its name. Perhaps you have a hilarious story about your logo. Has your product ever averted disaster? Maybe you’re involved with charity work that you can tie into your blogging.

Posts don’t have to be War and Peace.But stories help to humanise you and your brand. Give customers an easy way to relate to you.

I even wrote my own manifesto since I believe in the point so strongly. Find out why I do what I do – and why I want to help you.

You can also demonstrate your authority.

Why do you think TripAdvisor is so popular? And why do poor fiction authors spend so long trying to net reviews of their work so Amazon will feature them?

Social proof. Humans just love basing their decisions on the opinions of others.

Hell, that’s why I always read the 1* reviews first!

But testimonials will only take you so far. At some point, you want to prove to your customers that you’re the best at what you do. Mostly because you know a lot about it.

In-depth posts about your industry demonstrate that you understand what you’re doing. You know exactly why you’re making the changes you’re making. You’re a thought leader.

And remember that humans love shiny new things. There’s even a part of your brain that’s activated by new images you haven’t seen before. So show your customers something new and they’re more likely to keep reading.

So how might you do that?

Stay on top of the news. And not just industry news, add current affairs too. How do trending news topics relate to your product?

Remember, if a news topic is important to your industry, then it’s important to your customer.

Use social media to ‘listen’ to what people are actually talking about. Find out what they’re interested in. What are they incensed by?

All of this is super useful when you’re writing a blog post if you want it to resonate with your customers.

So ask your subscribers what they need help with, and help them. Reformat your how-to guides into easy to read blog posts. Add graphics to make them simple to share on social media. Support your posts with new and exciting images your clients haven’t seen before.

And ‘wow’ them with your content.

Over to you! Will you be starting a blog in 2017?

If you enjoyed this post, consider sharing it with a colleague. And if you want help in starting a blog, book a discovery call with me and we’ll get you up and running!

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How to improve your content using It’s A Wonderful Life

As the great song says, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

And speaking of wonderful, it’s that time of the year when we all gather around the TV. We’re going to watch a festive classic and bask in its glow for a time.

We’re bound for Bedford Falls, see. And we’re going to root for George Bailey when his frustration outweighs his satisfaction with his life.

If you want to get creative about your content, you need to study the storytelling of the classics. Improve your content using It's A Wonderful Life!

But let’s get creative for a moment. Copywriters (or writers in general) can find learning opportunities at every turn.

Instead of just sitting back and enjoying the movie, you can glean ways to apply its storytelling principles to your copy.

So how can you improve your content using It’s A Wonderful Life?

If you want to get creative about your content, you need to study the storytelling of the classics. Improve your content using It's A Wonderful Life!
By National Telefilm Associates (Screenshot of the movie) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
You’d be surprised. So come with me and let’s take a stroll back to 1946.

And put your thinking caps on. (If you want to use a Santa hat, that’s cool with me)

Ready?

If you want to appeal to George, you have to think like an angel

George Bailey is deeply dissatisfied with his life. Unable to leave Bedford Falls, he watches life pass him by. Opportunities go to everyone around him while he holds the fort, waiting for his turn.

When his idiotic uncle misplaces $8000, bankruptcy and scandal loom large. Unsurprisingly, George snaps.

But no one in Heaven wants George to take drastic action. Instead, Clarence wants him to appreciate what he has.

I’m not saying that you don’t want your customer to take action. But you do know what their life could be like, if only they were using your solution.

After all, you want your solution to effect a change for your buyer, customer or client.

So you’re Clarence in our little roleplay. 

But, like George, your customers can’t see what that life would be like.

Yet.

You need to improve your content to show them what their life could be like if they used your product.

Sell project management software? Show them the time saved that can be spent on creative pursuits. Or show them the glowing reviews they’ll get when their productivity increases.

But you don’t need to stay on the good side. You can also show them what their life could be like if they don’t use your product.

Take them to Pottersville.

So let them see those tasks that get forgotten and lead to customer complaints. Or the late nights catching up on things that could’ve been done by someone else in their team.

The benefits of your solution will speak for themselves.

Appeal to the better side of your customer

Clarence has a relatively easy job. After all, George is pretty saintly. It’s hard to argue with an angel when your existence led to the rescue of your little brother. Especially when that little brother went on to save an entire transport of soldiers.

And the future of Mr Gower depends on George being there to intervene when grief makes him put the wrong ingredients into diphtheria medicine.

But at his heart, George is a good person. He’s not malicious, he’s reliable, and he sticks up for the little guy.

Appeal to the George Bailey in your customers. Show them how your product not only improves their lives or business. But also show them how it improves the lives of their customers.

Think of the speech George makes to the board when Potter threatens to close the Building & Loan.

You know how long it takes a workin’ man to save five thousand dollars? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you’re talking about, they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community.

Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn’t think so. People were human beings to him, but to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they’re cattle.

He puts the concept of the business into understandable human terms. The Building & Loan gives the people of Bedford Falls the chance at a dignified existence. And it also builds community.

This speech persuades the board to appoint George as his father’s successor.

How can you inject that same sort of passion and improve your content? How can you make your solution more human?

Use testimonials to prove your worth

How often do you look up a product on Amazon and check out its reviews?

Do you discount the 50 5* reviews because there’s a single 1* review?

When you book a hotel, do you scour the TripAdvisor feedback before you choose?

We all do it. It’s just an online version of word-of-mouth – the most powerful marketing of all.

So you’ll hear terms like ‘social proof’ bandied about by marketers. And it’s nothing new. All it means is you’ve provided a good enough service that a customer is willing to tie their reputation to yours by recommending you.

In It’s A Wonderful Life, these testimonials come in the form of prayers. All around Bedford Falls, people put aside their own needs and wants because George Bailey is in trouble.

Instead of using their prayers for themselves, they pray that George will get the help he needs.

Clarence answers these prayers in his own unique way. And George comes to realise that there were plenty of reasons to stay in Bedford Falls after all.

(Though I do think it’s a scandal the poor fellow never gets to even go on holiday!)

Heaven might have still intervened without the prayers. But it’s made clear in the film that the testimonials prove George’s worth in the eyes of the town.

You need to prove your worth to your buyers. Often, an easy way to improve your content is to look to the testimonials of your customers.

If you’re a startup, look at the feedback from your beta testers.

What questions do people ask? Or what do they always mention?

Create content to answer those questions. Or highlight the features your customers praise most often.

But most of all, use those testimonials. People respond to language they recognise. What better than the language of their peers? Include snippets from reviews or feedback in your content and use it verbatim.

Let your prospects know that you didn’t write it. An actual person, just like them, wrote those words of praise. They might not trust you – but they’ll trust a fellow customer.

People don’t always respond to data. They’re not always necessarily swayed by features and facts.

But they do respond to stories. It’s how humans have always communicated, from cave paintings to Star Wars.

So if you want to improve your content, start thinking sideways. Ask yourself what stories appeal to people. How can you use similar stories in your own content?

How can you be Clarence to your George Bailey customers?

If you’d like help to improve your content by applying these storytelling principles, drop me an email. Let’s make your content wonderful!

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5 awesome predictions for better digital marketing in 2017

Digital marketing has come a long way already.

But with new technology becoming more available, it’s predicted to alter its focus in 2017.

There are already hundreds of predictions posts online, so I’ve distilled them down into the top 5 common themes.

And if you’d like me to write posts like this for your business, then drop me a line!

With new technology becoming more accessible, digital marketing is predicted to change its focus in 2017. How can you get onto the trends and improve yours?
5 Awesome Predictions for Better Digital Marketing in 2017

With new technology becoming more accessible, digital marketing is predicted to change its focus in 2017. How can you get onto the trends and improve yours?

1) Virtual and augmented reality aren’t going away

You can’t fail to have noticed Pokemon Go in 2016. Even back in August, it still had 21 million daily active users. Nearly $3millon was spent every day on in-app purchases.

Augmented reality relies on the blurring of the line between reality and the digital space. Fortune.com predicts that gallery visitors will expect to see information about the artworks displayed alongside them. Shoppers may even be able to virtually ‘try on’ clothes instead of the old-fashioned method of using a changing room.

Virtual reality differs in its use of an entirely digital space. Yet marketers have already grasped its potential. In May 2016, Amnesty International began showing a VR film about a Syrian refugee to British people in the street. Sign ups for direct debit donations increased by 16%.

Immersing potential customers or clients in a virtual world stimulates better engagement and interaction. And with the industry predicted to be worth $120 billion by 2020, companies are only going to keep investing in the technology.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

It’ll be pretty difficult, considering the cost of developing virtual and augmented reality spaces.

But you can stay true to the basic theme – immersive experiences. You can’t fail to have noticed the sudden boom in posts and courses about the power of storytelling. Well now’s your chance to perfect it.

Tell stories that bring your readers or clients inside your world. Let them experience your solutions. Show them your expertise. And help them.

If anything, today’s election result proves that people need to be a little kinder to one another.

2) Mobile devices will continue to be popular

The popularity of Facebook 360 and its reliance on a smartphone gyroscope indicates the potential of mobile technology. And now Google have announced the release of their Pixel smartphone – which has crossover with their Daydream VR headset.

Make no mistake, mobile devices are still your main source of traffic. 70% of internet use now comes via a mobile device. Back in 2014, Google prioritised websites in their search results that were mobile friendly.

Now, having a website that is mobile responsive is the cost of entry. Especially since Google announced that in future, the mobile index would actually be more up-to-date than their desktop index.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

Banish popups! From January, Google will be penalising websites that feature “intrusive interstitials”.

So if users have to click past a welcome mat, or some kind of popup that appears the moment they land on your page, Google will knock you down the rankings.

You simply cannot expect visitors to click through a popup before they can even access your content.

You can still use them on desktop websites, but they’re a total no-no on mobile devices.

3) Video is absolutely the way to go

The rise of video marketing parallels the wider availability of public wi-fi, and the higher amounts of data offered in mobile contracts. And video helps you to create much better connections with other people.

Think about it. Your potential clients and customers can see and hear you. They can tune in to your body language. Tone of voice goes a long way to forming a good impression.

And video isn’t restricted to pre-recorded content any more. Live streaming will bring your message to people in the here-and-now.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

Take the time to get comfortable using video. Get used to being on camera. People seem to have forgotten that marketing is essentially about forming connections with people. Not leads, not clients, not sales. People.

Video offers an amazing way to connect with people.

Plan out what you’d like to share, but be open to live videos to respond to things as and when they happen. Live stream events and bring people inside your world.

The immediacy will create connections that blog posts just can’t.

4) Focus on better content, not more

Commentators have been discussing the sheer volume of information online for some time now. Back in 2014, Mark Schaefer coined the term “content shock”.

Not only that, but continual changes to social media algorithms make it more difficult for your content to be seen in the first place. In February this year, Twitter brought in the option for users to see the ‘best’ tweets first, instead of in chronological order. Instagram brought in a similar change in May.

Earlier this year, Pinterest altered its algorithm so content related to topics you’d previously pinned was displayed more prominently than pins created in real time.

And Facebook changes its algorithm as often as the weather.

Rather than pumping out more and more content in the hope it sticks, companies will focus on spending more time creating specific pieces. It’ll more important to track the effectiveness of those pieces.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

Focus on creating excellent content! Is it valuable? Then post it. (Note: even if something is just entertaining, that’s still valuable) Is it just for link-building? Maybe give it a miss.

Learn how the different platforms work. There’s no point throwing lots of content onto Instagram without realising how people will (or won’t) find it.

And remember that a lot of other people are also trying to do the same thing. According to Content Marketing Institute, 88% of B2B marketers rely on content marketing. But only 48% have a documented strategy.

So make sure you know what your strategy is and you’re instantly off to a winner.

5) Don’t underestimate the Internet of Things

‘Omnichannel marketing’ means that no matter the time, place or device, the user experience is the same.

But the Internet of Things means we’ll also see everyday devices being connected to the web. Brands will be able to understand actual moments from their consumers’ day through the data transmitted by the devices.

Think smart kettles. Smart meters.

Intel even predicted there could be 200 billion of these devices by 2010. That’s an awful lot of data about user habits being sent back to the brand hub.

Scary, too.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

You can’t really do a great deal at the moment. Until the data becomes accessible, it’s meaningless for those outside the brands using the technology.

But what you can take away from it is a need to have a seamless experience. Whether a user lands on your Facebook page, blog, Twitter feed or website, they should know that you’re behind it. Consistency will absolutely be king.

Over to you! What digital marketing trends are you interested in for 2017?

If you enjoyed this post, consider sharing it with a colleague! You may also enjoy;
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If you’d like me to write posts like this for your business, then drop me a line and we can have a chat!

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Are you making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing?

Email marketing is the buzz phrase of 2016. You can’t move three feet in virtual space without being accosted.

“Do you have an email list yet?” “Why don’t you have an email list?” “Ohmigod you NEED an email list?”

So you set up an email list. And you even get subscribers. Amazing!

But what do you actually do with it? Well, you try not to make these 5 mistakes – and if you do, here’s how to fix them!

Everyone tells you to start an email list, but it's easy to start making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing. Here's how to fix them!
Are you making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing?

1) You don’t send any content.

You’ve followed all the advice and sent up a list. You’ve even got an opt-in form on your blog.

Mercy of mercies, people even sign up! But then you don’t send any content.

Maybe you’re scared people will unsubscribe. Or that you might annoy them. Maybe you just don’t know what to say.

Here’s the thing. People opted in. So they are interested. And if they’re not, and they do unsubscribe, then that’s okay too. It’s sort of the point!

Fix: Plan your content in advance, and come up with a schedule.

You’ll be able to tell from your analytics (or social shares) which of your posts are the most popular. Can you expand this content to send something exclusive to your email list that they can’t get elsewhere?

Or maybe your blog is focused on evergreen content. Send your email list content that’s more time-sensitive.

2) You do send content, but it’s too sales-y.

I see this a lot from authors, in particular. They’ve been told they need an email list, and they need to sell their books…but that’s all they do. I don’t want to go months at a time without hearing from you, only to get an email every week for a month telling me about your new release.

You’re not Top Shop, so send me stuff other than promotions, yeah?

I only send content once a month to the mailing list for my fiction efforts. I send a mixture of;

  • updates on cool places I’ve been that month (which I get comments on so I know it’s appreciated)
  • folklore titbits that I don’t put on my blog or on Twitter
  • book recommendations
  • free short stories

My readers get a whole host of content that’s not about selling. They might only get a ‘sales’ email once every five months!

Fix: Find other things to talk about other than your product or service.

What can you teach your subscribers to do? Or can you entertain them? Remember, most people’s inboxes are groaning under the weight of sales pitches. Something light or amusing can be just as welcome as a fabulous discount!

Everyone tells you to start an email list, but it's easy to start making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing. Here's how to fix them.
Does your email inbox look like this?

3) You only send your blog posts, rather than exclusive content.

I know, I know, this is the easy option. You’re not sure what to send, so you just email your post instead.

(Unless you’re a geek like me and you sort of use email like a weird form of RSS)

Now, I can totally see the logical behind doing this. After all, email marketing is all well and good, but your content isn’t searchable. You might send out absolute diamonds every week but no one can stumble across it by accident. It’s not shareable.

Blogs are. So putting your content on your blog, which is shareable, and sending it to your email list seems like a good idea. You get the best of both worlds, right?

Well sort of. If I can read it on your blog, why am I going to sign up to get it in my inbox?

Fix: Give your post some content within your email.

Sending posts can be a totally valid way of finding content to send. But if you’re going to do it, make sure you add some backstory as to why you wrote the post, what the main takeaways are, etc. Humanise it! Tell me a story. Make it impossible for me to not click the link to your post!

4) You don’t reply to the emails you do get.

This one is a huge problem. Say you send an email and in it, you ask your readers a question.

And they respond. What do you do? Do you;

  1. ignore their response. After all, you’re far too busy to reply
  2. send a five word reply that shows you at least saw their response, but you didn’t care enough to craft a decent answer?

I’ve had both – and from authors with smaller lists and fewer Twitter followers than me. Hell, if I can reply to every email I get, then you certainly can!

Fix: Reply to your emails!

You might not get to them immediately, or even on the same day. You might have way more people replying than I do, but some kind of response, even a few days later, is definitely appreciated. I’ve become firm fans of a few marketers and copywriters because they take the time to reply.

Remember these readers are your customers, your clients, your readers, or even your fans. You want to forge a genuine connection with them, and you won’t do that by ignoring them.

5) You don’t get permission to send emails in the first place.

This is a HUGE no-no. I’m sure you’ve suddenly had a raft of emails appear in your inbox and you know you didn’t subscribe for any of them. What gives?

Everyone tells you to start an email list, but it's easy to start making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing. Here's how to fix them.
Do not send junk.

Some new marketers think they can add emails from people they’ve been in touch with to their lists. No. Previous content is not permission.

Same as you can’t scrape emails from blog comments, or forums. And you certainly should never buy a mailing list.

Put simply, if someone didn’t manually put their name and email address into a form, and click a confirm button, then they didn’t give you permission.

What’s even worse  is if you send emails with RE: in the subject line, as if you’ve already spoken to them before. Just no!

Fix: Make sure you get permission!

This is so simple. Just make sure you only add people to your list that come via recognised opt-in forms. All the providers I’ve encountered will even provide you with forms you can embed on your blog. Simple!

Email marketing can be quite daunting, but once you get started, it can become fun. I love emailing my fiction list, and I love getting replies! It’s totally worth doing. Just make sure you do it properly!

Have you made any of these mistakes with your email marketing? Let me know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it with your friends or colleagues!

 

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