http://www.articlealley.com en-us editorial@articlealley.com It's been a myth for as long as the Internet has been in existence. Get good rankings and your site will be successful. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that has never been the case. What you get when you achieve good search engine rankings is a l... http://www.articlealley.com/article_772_6.html 08th January 2005 Run or hustle? Eat or devour? Move or scurry? You can boost the power of your copy by boosting the quality of verbs you use. Verbs show action, and the way you describe that action can have a dramatic bearing on your readers. Why would you want to fill yo... http://www.articlealley.com/article_771_3.html 08th January 2005 From the early days of search engine optimization, keywords and content have always been vital to achieving your goals. Starting back in the days when we used to shove every slightly relevant keyword into our META tags, it has been obvious that search eng... http://www.articlealley.com/article_770_6.html 08th January 2005 Pretty or elegant? Good or scrumptious? Nice or delightful? There is power in the adjectives you choose. Just like Clark Kent and Superman or Bruce Wayne and Batman, some adjectives are plain, ordinary, everyday words. Others are alter-ego Super Adjective... http://www.articlealley.com/article_769_3.html 08th January 2005 Headlines are, without a doubt, one of the most important elements in copywriting. As has been said countless times before, if you don't get your readers' attention with the headline, the chance of them reading your copy is virtually none. But headlines (... http://www.articlealley.com/article_768_3.html 08th January 2005 With all the shuffling that's been seen in the search engine world within the last year, the issue of obvious optimizing has become a hot button. The current line of thinking is that most engines (especially Google) are on the lookout for sites that purpo... http://www.articlealley.com/article_767_3.html 08th January 2005 It was going so well, so what happened? Many copywriters get off to a wonderful start: The headline is compelling, the body copy is benefit-filled, but then comes the call-to-action and the whole thing falls apart. Why? It could be a dozen different reaso... http://www.articlealley.com/article_766_3.html 08th January 2005 Keyword density. When it comes to SEO copywriting, this has to be one of the most talked about subjects. Why? Because keywords are the very foundation of search engine copywriting. Without keywords we wouldn't even have SEO copywriting. Because keywords (... http://www.articlealley.com/article_763_6.html 08th January 2005 In its most basic form, copywriting is, among other things, the art of conveying a message in writing for the purpose of persuading someone to do something. This is especially true when writing descriptive copy. Why? Because your customer's five senses do... http://www.articlealley.com/article_762_3.html 08th January 2005 Ask any copywriter what the first commandment of copywriting is and they'll quickly tell you "Know Thy Target Audience." In order to write effectively you have to know this one group of people and know them well. I guess that's why many people get so frus... http://www.articlealley.com/article_761_3.html 08th January 2005 It only makes sense. You have an e-commerce catalog site. You want lots of visitors to come to your site and buy. The best (and most cost-effective) way to do that is with great search engine placement. However, search engines are text machines, and most ... http://www.articlealley.com/article_760_6.html 08th January 2005 I have to admit, I was curious. When I saw previews of a new show called "The Apprentice," it made me want to at least watch the premiere to see what was going on. Immediately, I was hooked. The whole idea of candidates - from all walks of life, not just ... http://www.articlealley.com/article_759_3.html 08th January 2005 In part one of this article series, I introduced a client of mine (AEwebworks) who suffered from some copywriting traumas. The basic diagnosis was a lack of synergy within the copy, ineffective use of testimonials, a lack of focus on the target customer's... http://www.articlealley.com/article_757_3.html 08th January 2005 It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by asking questions. Why? To evoke thoughts in your readers' minds, to stir up emotions, and to get customers thinking in the way you want them to think. But have you ever thought about how you phrase your... http://www.articlealley.com/article_756_3.html 08th January 2005 I see it almost every day. People who want to generate a press frenzy, but go about it in just the opposite way that they should. There are some definite strategies you need to use when writing a press release that gets results. There are also some lo... http://www.articlealley.com/article_755_3.html 08th January 2005 Brochures have held an important place in marketing plans for longer than most of us can remember. There is no doubt that they have the ability to generate sales and increase revenues. Why then do so many of them fail? There are several aspects of copy... http://www.articlealley.com/article_754_3.html 08th January 2005 Copywriting is a primary factor when it comes to achieving good search engine placement. However, many times all that is done is to include keywords in the tags of a page and to include a few keyword mentions. While not extremely difficult, writing for th... http://www.articlealley.com/article_753_6.html 08th January 2005 As a search engine optimization copywriter, I've seen my share of keywords. When working with me, clients choose their own keywords (or have someone else choose them) and then send me the list to include in their copy. I must admit, sometimes I'm just ama... http://www.articlealley.com/article_752_6.html 08th January 2005 I've always loved scented candles. They help create a cozy atmosphere. They give you a relaxed feeling. And - most importantly - they make your home smell wonderful! So, naturally, I was excited when I was approached to rewrite the index (front) page for ... http://www.articlealley.com/article_751_3.html 08th January 2005 There seems to be a common myth regarding site visitors and the buying process these days. I've heard this statement more than a few times over the last several months: "My visitors find me when they use search engines. They type in the exact keyphrases I... http://www.articlealley.com/article_750_3.html 08th January 2005 As a copywriter, I'd love to tell you that every site on the Web needs tons of copy. However, the simple truth is not all do. Many sites simply produce better sales when they use more graphics than words. Since search engines are hungry for words, you sim... http://www.articlealley.com/article_749_3.html 08th January 2005 I believe it was Mark Twain that once said, "If I would have had time, I would have written a shorter letter." His point being… it takes much more thought and time to write a short, concise piece than a long one. It's true, too! Think about it. How ha... http://www.articlealley.com/article_748_3.html 08th January 2005 As I was riding down the road last week, I noticed a billboard. As I sat waiting on a stoplight I kept staring at it. I couldn't help wondering what those people were thinking when they created that thing. It made no sense to me whatsoever. The focus was ... http://www.articlealley.com/article_747_3.html 08th January 2005 I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've heard the statement, "I get tons of traffic, but no sales." It's normally followed by comments like: "My site is highly optimized for the engines and my rankings are great. I don't understand why no one i... http://www.articlealley.com/article_746_3.html 08th January 2005 We've been hearing it for years. "Free is a big pull for customers." Most people think of the "but wait… if you order now" bonuses associated with infomercials. However, Caryn Smith of http://www.LapelPinsRUs.com has found the secret to giving away as muc... http://www.articlealley.com/article_745_3.html 08th January 2005 Link popularity. The term has flooded the 'Net over the last year, and everybody is in a buzz trying to build link popularity for their sites. But do we really understand what link popularity is, and how it works best? If not, you're about to find out. ... http://www.articlealley.com/article_744_6.html 08th January 2005 As a professional copywriter, I've seen my share of copywriting mistakes. One that seems to be particularly common is writing copy that's "upside down." When you do this – when you don't relay your message in the correct order – you lose your audience's a... http://www.articlealley.com/article_741_3.html 08th January 2005 Have you ever been to one of those sites that has obviously been written to get high search engine rankings? You know the ones… they have copy that sounds like this: "When you buy quality silver jewelry from us, you know your quality silver jewelry is ... http://www.articlealley.com/article_740_3.html 08th January 2005 I just had to laugh! During a recent conversation about how often you should change your copy, I had one person tell me "Well, if there were any *good* copywriters out there, they'd be able to write it once, and it would work forever!" Oh really? Actually... http://www.articlealley.com/article_739_3.html 08th January 2005 Jill Whalen is well known for her search engine optimization talents. She's equally well known for her ezine, High Rankings Advisor. From its inception in 2000 until today, she has built an exceptionally loyal subscriber base of over 15,000 that would lit... http://www.articlealley.com/article_738_12.html 08th January 2005 It still amazes me. When I write copy for a company, I always ask about their target audience. I have to know who I'm writing to in order to create a message that will bring a response. But about half the time, the client is absolutely stumped about who t... http://www.articlealley.com/article_737_3.html 08th January 2005 Ask Bobette Kyle about building a Web business on a small business budget, and you'll be amazed what she'll tell you about planning and coordination. By getting to the heart of the online business structure, Bobette saves small businesses lots of time and... http://www.articlealley.com/article_736_3.html 08th January 2005 It's the gold medal of e-commerce. Getting that coveted sale is what every online business owner hopes and prays for daily. It's why we fight for good search engine positioning. It's why we battle with our copy, making it "just so." It's what pays the bil... http://www.articlealley.com/article_735_3.html 08th January 2005 Most marketers don't give a lot of thought to the buying processes of their customers. That's a shame. Lending due attention to the buying process can have a dramatic effect on your sales. What is the buying process? Where does your customer fall withi... http://www.articlealley.com/article_734_3.html 08th January 2005 Ask successful ezine publishers what draws subscribers to their ezines, and you'll be told one very important thing. Content, content, content. However, many would-be ezine publishers focus more on selling than they do on valuable information. They turn t... http://www.articlealley.com/article_733_12.html 08th January 2005 Almost everyone on the 'Net is familiar with ezine article promotion. However, Business Essentials subscriber Steve Watson (of Watson's Streetworks http://www.watsons-streetworks.com) has found a way to get some "free ink" in national paper magazines, too... http://www.articlealley.com/article_732_12.html 08th January 2005 How many times a day do you see them as you surf the Web? Pop-up and pop-under windows have become a widely used marketing tool. But do they work? Are they just a nuisance, or are they really the gold mine that all the "gurus" claim? After doing a good... http://www.articlealley.com/article_731_3.html 08th January 2005 As you know, I am continually on the look out for innovative marketing ideas that bring a high return on investment. This one is truly creative! Thanks to Roosevelt Best of UK-based Naturally First and Astrology First for sharing his ingenuity - and his r... http://www.articlealley.com/article_730_3.html 08th January 2005 It's funny to me how companies spend thousands of dollars to develop a brand only to wreck it when they create their advertising campaigns. They pour over colors, fonts, logo designs, Web site creation, USPs, and target audience analyses. But then, when i... http://www.articlealley.com/article_729_3.html 08th January 2005 Marnie Pehrson may not be well known for driving traffic to Web sites, but she should be! Her ability to get literally hundreds of thousands of page views a month is simply astounding! (NOTE: I said "page views," not "hits." BIG difference!) I had to ask ... http://www.articlealley.com/article_728_4.html 08th January 2005 The FAQ page... a standard addition to almost any site. It usually lists questions customers ask on a regular basis, and the answers to those questions. But what befuddles me is that hardly any sites I've visited use this page as a sales tool. Did you ... http://www.articlealley.com/article_727_3.html 08th January 2005 It's about 7:00am and time to start my day. While my exact routine varies, one of the first things I always do is check email. As the flood rolls in, I have my finger poised on the delete button... aimed and ready to fire. But then something catches my ey... http://www.articlealley.com/article_726_3.html 08th January 2005 We all wish we could have ultra-responsive mailing lists, don't we? The dream of most marketers is to send out their ezine and sit back to watch a flood of orders come in. After all, while we always DO want to provide good, solid information for our reade... http://www.articlealley.com/article_725_3.html 08th January 2005 It seems to be a phenomenon. You try Google AdWords Select, your ad gets "disapproved" by the powers that be at Google, you count your losses and give up. It doesn't have to be that way. There are two primary factors to succeeding at Google AdWords. Th... http://www.articlealley.com/article_724_7.html 08th January 2005 We are all so inundated with advertising these days that we barely take note any more. Statistics show that it takes an ever-climbing number of impressions before our customers take note of us, too. The quest for new, attention-getting mediums is one that... http://www.articlealley.com/article_723_3.html 08th January 2005 So often we hear of individuals who get exceptional returns-on-investment from their advertising campaigns. However, what we don't often hear are the intimate details of how these people work their strategies. Marketer Diane Hughes has agreed to give us t... http://www.articlealley.com/article_722_12.html 08th January 2005 Depending on who you ask, you can receive two dozen different answers as to what factors will get you that coveted #1 spot on your favorite search engine. However, the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes. Well, my pudding has bubbled and boiled an... http://www.articlealley.com/article_721_6.html 08th January 2005 You've seen them a hundred times. Those lists that copywriters use within their sales letters that tell you what the product or service offers. They might say something like: THE most important (and most overlooked) aspect of copywriting The 4 person... http://www.articlealley.com/article_720_3.html 08th January 2005 I was talking with a group of business associates the other day and one question popped up that was of particular interest. "Is everyone finding that sales come MUCH slower these days?" The answer from all on the call was a resounding yes! The next questi... http://www.articlealley.com/article_719_3.html 07th January 2005 Kevin Clark ("Mr. Entrepreneur") is a high-energy champion for those who want to start a business or get more profit out of their business. He's a regional winner of the prestigious Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and was inducted into the Entrepreneurship... http://www.articlealley.com/article_718_3.html 07th January 2005