This article features one of our clients, the J. Gibson McIlvain company. Visit them online at www.mcilvain.com or call them toll free at (800) 638-9100. As a log ban scheduled for April 2014 in Myanmar threatens to significantly decrease Teak supply, add longer delays, and perhaps increase prices, contractors may find themselves looking for an alternative to Teak. While the log ban could quite possibly increase quality control, as well as add sustainable measures into the Teak supply of Myanmar, the net results of the log ban are as follows: Teak will no longer be exported as logs, but … [Read more...]
Four Grammar Mistakes You’re Probably Making
It's no secret that technology is accelerating changes in the English language. Abbreviations like “ur” and acronyms like “lol” and “bbs” may have begun as text message or internet lingo, but they've slowly started to infiltrate many other aspects of our lives, from work emails to face-to-face conversations. There are certain places, however, where improper English is inappropriate and could potentially have a negative impact on your reputation. Your professional blog or website is one such place. How are your customers, clients, or readers supposed to take you and your content seriously … [Read more...]
The Difference Confidence Can Make in Your Writing Career
Why can't I get clients? Your writing is poignant. Your spelling is perfect, and your grammar is impeccable. You're talented, creative, and worthwhile, so why aren't you getting any callbacks from clients? What separates you from more successful copywriters? The answer could be simpler than you think: confidence. Your confidence in your writing abilities can have an enormous impact on the level of success you experience as a writer. How does confidence make a difference? It's cliché and overused, but it's true: "If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will, either." So how is … [Read more...]
How to Use Keywords Effectively in SEO Copywriting
One of the most often talked about aspects of Search Engine Optimization is the use of keywords. When SEO first became popular, the use of keywords in a website was relatively easy to understand. One simply mentioned targeted keywords as frequently as possible on a given page, and this supposedly “tricked” the search engines into believing that the content on that page was relevant to the search terms, thus allegedly boosting the page's rankings. Nowadays, though, things have changed. As mentioned in a previous Sozo article, the old practice of “keyword stuffing” has been almost completely … [Read more...]
3 Reasons Why SEO Copywriting is Harder Than You Think
Unfortunately for SEO copywriters, helping a client's page achieve top rankings isn't quite as simple as writing great content and then sitting back to watch the page climb the charts. On the contrary, SEO is a science and an art (and an ever-changing one at that). SEO is a complicated concept that would be impossible for us to discuss fully in one article, but if you start slowly, you should be able to master the basics in no time at all. Below you will find some basic truths that can help you (and your clients) understand why SEO is not nearly as straightforward as you might think. 1. … [Read more...]
SEO Copywriting: Outdated Keyword Tactics and Misinformed Clients
Copywriters who also specialize in SEO (like us here at Sozo) understand well just how in-depth and time-consuming SEO work can be. Unfortunately, some clients don't, and that can make a copywriter's job infinitely more difficult. If you're a copywriter who's interested in learning more about SEO or someone who wants to hire an SEO copywriter, then one of the first things you need to learn about is keywords. Specifically, you need to understand that... Old keyword tactics are no longer considered effective in good SEO work. This is probably one of the top misconceptions that SEO … [Read more...]
How to Find Blog Post Topics When You’re Out of Ideas
Even the most prolific blog writers sometimes get stumped when it comes to blog post topics. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, the ideas just won't come. But you need to write often in order to keep both readers and search engines interested in your page, so what can you do to break through this block? Below you will find some of the top tips for finding the inspiration you need for a new blog post: Find inspiration in other blogs. Whether it's a competitor's blog or a friend's, chances are, you can glean some inspiration from reading another person's entries. You can choose to write … [Read more...]
3 Ways the Internet Changed Writing and How to Adjust
Many novice copywriters are surprised to see how harshly their online content has been edited, but the fact is, writing found on blogs, websites, and online articles tends to be very different from more traditional types of writing. Online content is meant to appeal to a very broad audience, and as such, it's usually structured differently than academic writing. As a result, good online writers have found themselves ignoring some rules and creating others in order to create internet-friendly content. If you're making any of the three mistakes listed below, it's probably time for you to make … [Read more...]
Life After Wearing a Cast
This article features one of our clients, PhysioDC, a physical therapy rehabilitation clinic located in the heart of Washington, D.C. Visit them online at www.physiodc.com or call them at (202) 223-8500. Typically, orthopedists recommend keeping a broken bone in a cast for between four and six weeks. During that time, the cast must be treated with care, meaning kept dry and free from bearing weight. While the cast is on, the fracture line will have a chance to naturally fill with cartilage, which stabilizes the area. Eventually, the cartilage will be replaced with new bone which will, in … [Read more...]
Three Lies of Materialism
This article features one of our clients, eGiving.com. Visit them online at www.egiving.com or call them toll free at (888) 780-4483. It’s no secret that many Americans are in way over their heads in debt. The same power of compound interest that investors rely on for long-term benefits can be financially crippling to those who have racked up tens of thousands in consumer debt. While Christian financial counselors like Dave Ramsey have some excellent suggestions for how to get out of debt, they heartily acknowledge that the best route is to avoid indebtedness in the first place. If you find … [Read more...]