They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but did you know you need less than 40 to complete standard photo descriptions? These are quick and easy to write—not to mention fun!—and they can also add a lot of value to a site that heavily relies on images.

 

What is a Photo Description?

An image description gives a short, simple explanation of a photo. This is a handy way to elaborate on a picture or add depth to a piece of content. However, there are different types of descriptions with specific requirements. Here are the most common:

• Caption: A catchy description that elaborates on a photo but doesn’t necessarily focus on the visual elements. Also known as a cutline.
• Alt Text: A concise description of important features in the picture, originally designed for readers who are unable to view or understand the image. It is often used for coding and SEO purposes.
• Image Description: A more complex description for a photo, giving members of the blind and low vision community and other groups a textual explanation of the photo.

Although each type of description has a different use, including a few can improve your content and make your photos stand out.

 

Why Do We Need Photo Descriptions?

There are many reasons why a description or caption is needed. For instance, a site that specifically sells stock images would rely on photo descriptions – since they would replace your standard product description. Or a site that sells artwork for a living would need to have someone that can put that picture into words for the consumer – again replacing the need for product descriptions. Other types of companies that may need great picture descriptions just to sell their products include clothing retailers, jewelers and more.

Outside of the company types listed above, pictures and their descriptions can also be a great help to standard content marketing campaigns.  Finding any excuse to add some relevant content into your blogs and web pages is what you must do to create an advantage over your competitors. Adding image text can help your readers and optimize your blog posts.

 

How To Write a Great Photo Description

Do you want to make a stunning description or caption, but you don’t know where to start? Never fear, the process is easier than you might think. Don’t shy away from this exciting type of content marketing and get started with these four easy steps.

 

1.  Write a Simple Title That Summarizes the Picture

In the past we’ve explained the art of creating attention-grabbing article titles, and the rules apply to photo description titles as well: They should summarize the picture while engaging the audience and matching the client’s style.

Especially for captions, titles should be both informative and interesting to read. Here are a few tips to improve how “catchy” your captions are:

• Be concise
• Keep your audience in mind
• Use strong verbs and adjectives
• Write what stands out to you

You don’t have to get too creative to write something that catches the eye of readers. Stay simple and to the point. When you first look at the picture, what do you see? Tweak a few words, add a little more spunk and you’ve got a picture-perfect photo description.

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DO: Having Fun With Food

DON’T: Vitamin C Is a Powerful Antioxidant That’s Abundant in Fruits

 

2.  Add Timeless Details to Describe the Picture

Your photo description may be vivid and well written, but it won’t serve the client if it dates the copy. Stick with timeless details that will always be relevant. This not only improves the value of the products you may selling, but it makes an article a perfect read no matter what season or year it is.

Along with adding rich, relevant descriptions, keep in mind what the audience is looking for. Readers generally what to know the who, what, why, when, where and how of pictures. Be specific and professional, so that viewers have a better understanding of what they are looking at.

DO: Regardless of the season, guests will be more comfortable with an extra throw nearby. Swap out heavy wool blankets with lightweight cotton throws in warmer months.

DON’T: The calendar may say spring, but a cool breeze through your open window makes a lightweight throw blanket a must-have.

 

3.  Give the Picture Context So That It Pertains to the Subject Matter

If necessary, speculate about what’s happening in the picture to give it context and make it pertain to your products/services (or your clients’ products and services). This is a no-no in photo journalism, but it’s perfectly fine to use a little imagination when writing photo descriptions for content marketing purposes. This can help drive home a point and add context and narrative to a blog.

Adding a little commentary to a picture can help you link it back to the content you’re writing. For SEO purposes, don’t forget to include a relevant alt-text. Write a short explanation of the picture and connect it to the subject of the blog or article. This will help you rank for relevant keywords.

DO: Having a happy marriage can be difficult when a couple doesn’t see eye to eye. When love and respect are replaced with anger and finger pointing, it may be time to consider divorce.

 

4.  Polish Your Work

It doesn’t matter if you are writing 40 words or 400 words, always spell check the document and proofread your writing. That being said, when photo descriptions ARE your business, then having the content checked for spelling and grammar becomes even that much more important. Always have a second set of eyes looking over the content to make sure it stays sharp and makes sense.

While you’re editing, try to avoid unnecessary phrases such as “pictured above” or “an image of.” With captions and photo descriptions today, you can cut the fluff and get to the meat. Focus on what you want your readers to know about the picture and let the rest of your content enhance and support your images.

That’s it. You’re done!

 

Photo Descriptions on Social Media

Although photo descriptions are already important online, social media gives a whole new meaning to captions. A good caption of a photo on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter can lead to more customer interaction, or simply, more likes on a post. So how do you create perfect image descriptions on social media?

 

Instagram Photo Descriptions

This social media platform is already picture-based, so the little content you include counts. Instagram users scroll through their feeds quickly, so consider included smaller, catchier captions. Keep in mind that captions are cut after a few lines and require readers to click a button to read the whole thing, so keep the most important information at the top.

Here are a few Instagram caption tips from Hootsuite:

• Give shout-outs with the @mention feature
• Use emojis, quotes and questions to change things up
• Give insider tips
• Offer instructions, background information and stories
• Use minimalistic captions for striking pictures

Instagram is a space where companies, personalities and personal accounts can display images with thought-provoking captions. A simple image description is not always the best way to complement a picture. Get creative and keep in mind that you have a character limit of 2,200.

 

Facebook Photo Descriptions

This platform is more content-based, unlike Instagram. However, photo descriptions can still have catchy, short captions that can spark engagement. In fact, influencer Jeff Bullas found that the ideal length for Facebook posts is 80 characters or less. Keep in mind that you can share photos on Facebook in a variety of ways. Here are three of the most popular:

• Upload a photo with a description. You can also tag friends and change privacy settings.
• Edit a photo you have already posted and add a description.
• Add a caption to a photo that has been shared by someone else.

Whether you are promoting a business or yourself, consider adding a link to your post. This can lead to the article your picture is about, more pictures or other valuable sources.

 

Twitter Photo Descriptions

Twitter requires users to be short and concise with their captions. With a character limit of 140, your image descriptions should be catchy and easy to read. This social media platform is known for being an open and honest sphere, so get creative with the way you introduce your photos.

If you want to create photo descriptions for the accessibility of the blind and low vision community, you will have to do it manually. Once enabled, you can add a description for a photo by tapping the “add a description” button at the bottom of the image. Users who require this will hear the text through screen reader technology.

 

Take Advantage of Photo Descriptions!

The next time you have an opportunity to write descriptions for your site or social media, take it! Doing so is a great way to add some relevant content/keywords to your posts and add additional value to your readers.

If you have lots of photos that need descriptions, don’t get overwhelmed – we can help! Contact us about your photo description project and we’ll outline ways we can help you as a professional online writing service.

Comment below and let us know if any of these tips have worked well for you!

 

Whether you own a business, run a blog or enjoy making a difference online, there is one skill that you need to really succeed: the ability to create shareable content. This superpower will not only expand your audience reach, but will also help you rise as a powerful expert and influencer in your industry.

 

What Is Shareable Content?

From a very early age, we are taught the importance of sharing. Sure, it’s hard for a toddler to share that last cookie—it’s hard for adults with a sweet tooth too. But sharing is a valuable skill that enables us to establish trust, make friends and live a more successful life.

Creating content online that is “shareable” simply means creating an article or post that is both useful and engaging to readers. This could be anything from a how-to post about a service that you offer to an interesting post about your favorite tv show (as long as it gives your readers something valuable like a good laugh or new information). In any niche or industry, you can learn how to create shareable content.

Creating content that gets the attention of readers is challenging at times, but the ability to do so is vital in content marketing and empowers companies to build relationships with customers and gain more exposure. From a marketing standpoint, learning this skill is a must.

 

How Do I Create Shareable Content?

Although there is no “secret ingredient” that makes every post shareable, there are a few tips and tricks that can really boost your content. Here are a few things that can determine whether or not an article is will get the likes, views and shares that you’re looking for:

 

Engagement

A key aspect of creating shareable content is how engaging it is to readers. If you want to persuade visitors to share your article with their friends, they need to have the desire to. The engagement of your post often depends on the readability of your article. Can readers easily follow along, and is it entertaining or useful to them? Above anything else, keep your readers in mind.

 

Connection

Your article may be well-written, but your readers probably won’t share it unless they have a pretty good reason to. This means you need to connect the content you create to your audience in some way, whether that’s through useful information, opinions they share or something too funny not to share. As you strive to write shareable content, find ways to validate or help your readers.

 

Relevance

If you master the engagement and connection parts of your content, seal the deal by adding relevance. Relevant content either informs readers in their times of need or is timely depending on the context and situation. Readers often pick articles that interest them because of current events or when they need help. Answer questions, provide the most updated information and try not to get behind the times. Relevancy is powerful.

 

4 Secrets To Writing Shareable Content

Whether you are writing a social media post or a blog, here are a few tips to make it more shareable.

 

1. Choose an Interesting Topic

One of our past sales gurus authored a great GrammarSpot post titled Coming Up With Blog Topics. When it comes to research, he reminds us to check newspapers and magazines for inspiration rather than just the Internet.

For instance, as I was flipping through the pages of a design magazine, making a mental list of all of the projects I want to do in my house (if only I had the time and money!), I came across a little blurb that said windows with black frames “are like eyeliner for windows—emphasizing and framing the view.” Bam! That gave me an idea for an interesting tweet or blog, rather than a basic “How to Choose a Window Contractor.”

– Think beyond beige. Give your home a makeover with one of these trending #windowframe colors—black, red or blue.

If this were a blog, the makeover aspect could be played up—if black is the eyeliner, red could be compared to the lipstick, making the exterior more inviting, etc. Interesting content that incorporates trends and useful information is more likely to receive comments or be shared. Reading comments on existing social media posts or industry blogs is another great place to get ideas for topics.

 

Ideas For Interesting Topics

If you get stuck brainstorming topics for your shareable content, take a step back. You might be trying to come up with ideas by using the wrong side of the funnel. Instead of trying to think of incredibly specific topics right off the bat, start general and work down from there. Here’s a quick brainstorming method you could use:

1. Pick an industry (e.g., beauty products)
2. Choose a topic (e.g., hair tools)
3. Brainstorm common questions about that topic (e.g., how do I curl my hair with a straightener?)
4. Use this question as the basis for your article (e.g., 3 Ways To Use a Straightener)

Sometimes it doesn’t even matter what the topic is, it’s how you look at it. Use some personality, look at things with a fresh perspective and cater to your readers.

 

2. Create a Title That Evokes Curiosity

As you find interesting topics, don’t forget to include a touch of spice in your titles, too. Although we’re told not to judge books by their covers, readers do it all the time when scrolling past content on their social media feeds and looking through google search results. You need the title of your shareable content to be something that catches the attention of potential readers.

 

How To Come Up With Catchy Titles

Many writers find that it is easier to come up with a clever title AFTER they write the content rather than before. Focus on writing the meat of the article first before worrying about the perfect title. Even if the focus of your blog shifts during the writing process, the title will stay relevant to the content.

When brainstorming titles, think about trigger words or phrases that have a positive effect on readers, such as “How To” or “Top 10.” These are often highly effective as shareable content because they tell the reader two things: first, that your article has relevant, useful information that they can use, and second, that your article is most likely succinct and easy to skim.

Another way to evoke curiosity in readers is to include something unique to a geographic location if one is included with the keyword phrase. For example, if you are writing for a siding contractor in the Midwest, “Roofing and Siding Strategies to Protect Your Home in Tornado Alley” reaches them in a personal way and is more likely to be reposted than “3 Reasons to Replace Your Roofing and Siding.” It also means that you probably have information in the article that is specific to their area, making it more useful to them.

Check out the entertaining and informative GrammarSpot post The Art of Creating Attention-Grabbing Titles for more in-depth ideas on crafting titles.

 

Avoid Clickbait Titles

Although you may find really catchy titles in the form of clickbait, there isn’t really a payoff for these types of articles. You get the initial click, yes, but shareable content happens when you meet the reader’s expectations. With that in mind, the titles you create should closely match the content you’re writing about. The more satisfied a reader is, the likelier they will share your post.

 

3. Use Content Marketing Tactics

You’ve got a solid piece of content full of useful information and with a catchy title… but what happens when no one can find it? Because so much content is being published daily on the internet (especially on social media platforms), it’s easier than ever to let great articles slip under the radar. You can avoid this by using a few content marketing tips and tricks.

One way to help potential readers find your posts is by using strategic keywords. Search engines use these to find the best articles for those searching for specific information. A user will input a search phrase or word, and the search engine uses keywords as a map to find the ones with the most relevant information.

Of course, SEO includes a lot of things such as inbound links, website authority and metadata, but keywords have a lot of weight. Once you’ve got a topic for your article in mind, make sure to use keywords that relate to that topic throughout the article (especially in the title, headings and meta description). This alone will help google searchers find you.

 

Use Hashtags

Although search engines are extremely useful, one reason you’re creating shareable content is so that your readers can do a lot of the marketing for you on their social media accounts. Social media platforms are all the rage, and they can be a huge source of traffic.

But how do you start generating that traffic, especially if you don’t have a large following on your social media accounts? Hashtags are a powerful tool. The right ones gather more likes and shares across multiple platforms and allow more people to discover the content.

The best hashtags are specific to a company’s specialties (often specified as keywords) or trending topics. If you are promoting a blog post, simply adding “blog” to the end of the topic makes it more successful. For example, #homeimprovementblog. Whatever hashtag you use, it should be easy to read.

 

 

4. Encourage Interaction

Shareable posts are great discussion starters. When something resonates (or when it really doesn’t) with readers, they often share their opinions and get others buzzing, which is great for your business or profile. The reason why you are creating content is to connect with readers or buyers, so writing shareable content that naturally does this is exactly what you’re looking for.

How do you encourage people to react to your content? Sometimes all you have to do is ask. If you are specifically seeking interaction, ask readers to leave a comment after a blog, reply to a tweet or share a Facebook post. Along with encouraging readers to respond, make your blog post or article available to share. Include social media share buttons and link to the URLs when you share on your social media accounts.

 

Look At Shareable Content Examples

Have you found that nothing you’ve done yet has helped increase interaction? The best shareable content examples to look at are the ones that already work on you. Look at your social media feed or think about articles that have pulled your attention. What qualities do they have, and what makes you inclined to share or comment? Take note of these experts and incorporate some of their techniques into your content.

 

Write Shareable Content Today

Now that you know the secrets to writing content that attracts readers, get started! Brainstorm topics, find catchy headlines, promote with keywords and hashtags and encourage readers to interact. And don’t forget, to get the most out of your shareable content, post fresh articles consistently. As you build authority and increase content circulation, you’ll see an increase of traffic and potentially a surge of new followers or customers.

Let us help you write shareable content. Whether you need specialized blogs, informative how-to posts or updated web pages, our content writing team can help you create content that catches the attention of readers,

We’d love to hear your tips for writing interesting, shareable content, so comment below!

 

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Weighing in at a mere 155 characters, meta descriptions might not seem like a heavyweight contender in the content writing battle. It’s easy to gloss over them quickly. They do have their place in the ring, however, and need some muscle to do their job.

But what exactly is a meta description and why should you care? We’re here to give you those answers and help you create snippets that are sharp, succinct and effective in your content marketing strategy.

 

What Is a Meta Description?

A meta description is that tiny snippet below your article’s title in a Google search (also known as an HTML tag). While SEO has a lot to do with the way your actual articles are ranked, your meta description is an extra edge to convince readers to follow through. These snippets should accurately describe your article and how it can help your readers, thus boosting your click-through rate. A well-written meta description, in hand with a catchy title, is the secret to getting Google users to read your post.

 

How Long Is a Meta Description?

Although there’s been a few changes in the character length of a meta description, it is recommended to stay between 150 and 160 characters. This is an optimal length because it gives you enough room to describe the article while not becoming so large that Google’s algorithms cut it off. Keep in mind that spaces are included in this character count.

 

Why Are Meta Descriptions Important?

Although adding a couple of sentences to your article may seem unnecessary, meta descriptions serve a very specific purpose: they persuade readers to click on your post.

For any business or influencer with a website, click-throughs are often hard to get. This is mainly because Google users spend as much time looking at titles as flies do when they flit from object to object. In other words, potential readers usually judge your article in a couple of seconds or less. If they’re not impressed, then you really don’t have a chance.

 

What Impresses Readers?

Readers have many motives that guide the way they click on articles, such as the following:

• Wanting information
• Looking to be entertained
• Needing a specific service
• Intrigued by information that seems helpful

These are some of the most common reasons why people search the internet. Why? It’s simple: People are more often than not looking for something specific.

So how do they find information that addresses their specific needs? How do you do it? We look at the title. If the title doesn’t match our needs, we’ll move on or try a different search.

 

Why Should You Add a Meta Description?

Let’s say you can’t fit everything into the title, or you want to drive home the fact that your article is about something important. That’s where a meta description comes in handy. A strong, succinct meta description is another way to persuade readers to click on your specific article. Often, this added tidbit is more convincing than a 50-character title can be on its own.

Although meta descriptions don’t necessarily affect your search ranking, they are an important element of getting the reader’s attention and convincing them to follow through.

 

When Should You Add a Meta Description?

You may think adding a powerful meta snippet to every page is necessary. According to SEJ, not all pages actually need one. For many websites, there are thousands of web pages that just can’t be given all that time and effort to write great meta descriptions.

Google normally creates its own meta description when one isn’t provided, and this can sometimes be the smarter way to go. This is because the search engine picks out keywords (based on a user’s search) from the first paragraph of your content and creates its own description. In many cases, this may be slightly more effective than your static description, because it is directed towards the user’s needs.

However, when or when shouldn’t you include a meta description? We offer two pieces of advice: prioritize the most important articles on your website and write good meta descriptions when you can.

 

Prioritize the Most Important Articles

Some posts are more important than others when it comes to SEO. Focus your time and effort on maintaining articles that rank for lots of keywords and bring traffic. You should definitely include strong meta descriptions for the articles that are getting the attention of readers, and you should also incorporate other articles that have potential to bring traffic. Once again, according to SEJ, your homepage, product pages, category pages and ranking content should all have meta descriptions.

 

Write Good Meta Descriptions When You Can

It’s a good rule of thumb to include a great meta description with most of the posts you create, especially if you don’t have to worry about thousands of articles (and if you do worry about lots of web pages, let us do most of the work for you). That comes to our next point: Creating amazing meta descriptions.

 

How Do You Write a Meta Description?

Does the 150-character length of a meta description intimidate you? To be honest, they should be intimidating, because these snippets need to be powerful writing, despite the small size. Fluffy meta descriptions do not give your readers anything real to hold on to, and their interest might dissipate pretty quickly.

Luckily, it’s not too hard to write a meta description that gets to the point and convincing to readers. Here are a few tips that, if followed closely, can bring big results.

 

Persuade the Reader to Click Through

Just because a website earns high search rankings doesn’t automatically mean that consumers will click through to the website. In just a few words, a good meta description compels readers to visit the website, in much the same way that a two-minute movie trailer entices people to go see a certain film.

Take Gone Girl for instance. I read the book and loved the first ¾ of it, but I HATED the ending. I had no desire to go watch the movie—until I saw the trailer. Smart dialogue? Check. Amazing actors? Check. It even hinted that perhaps the ending was different than the book. So I shelled out money for a babysitter and went to see the movie. Still. HATED. The ending.

So how do you use these tactics in writing?

 

Highlight the Most Important Features

Nonetheless, I had to give credit to the marketing team for creating a condensed version of the film that intrigued me enough to go watch the feature in its entirety. There were too many things that I was interested in seeing.

By highlighting the most important features of a blog or webpage, meta descriptions do the same thing. Pick out what people will find if they read your article. These will often be about the keywords you are targeting, so don’t forget to include those.

If your content offers knowledge, skills or insight on a subject, be sure to include this within the meta description. Help readers know that your article can benefit them in some way.

 

Cut Any Fluff

With such a tight character limit, you really can’t afford to have fluff. When we talk about fluff, we mean all the extra words, frilly phrases and unnecessary verbs, adjectives and anything else that takes away from the main subject. Cutting the fluff means getting to the core of the writing, which often improves the quality of it.

As you write great meta descriptions, consider these tips to eliminate fluff:

• Avoid passive voice
• Cut any repetitive phrases or words
• Get rid of jargon

If you find yourself at a loss for ANY words, consider what makes your article different or special. Think up 1-2 sentences that really describe these unique factors.

 

 

Additional Meta Description Writing Tips

Because each piece of content is distinctive, meta descriptions should be pretty unique as well. However, these are a few tips you should use in each description to maximize efficiency:

• Differentiate from competitors. Sell the benefits of visiting the website.
• Incorporate one or two keywords into copy. Google bolds keywords that match search queries, making the resulting meta descriptions more relevant to readers.
• Use plain text. Avoid using alphanumeric characters such as hyphens, quotation marks, etc. as search engines often identify these things as HTML code instead of text and don’t display them properly.

After writing a meta description for an article, do a quick scan through to see if you’ve accomplished each of these. That along with your quality writing is a pretty good measure of how effective your description will be.

 

Can I Add Meta Descriptions To Old Content?

Adding a meta description to an older piece of content or webpage is simple! Depending on your website, you can add it with the help of a plugin or putting in the HTML data yourself. If you work with WordPress, their SEO plugins can make the process of adding meta descriptions easy, even for content you’ve already published.

 

Should I Update Meta Descriptions on My Website?

Although we do suggest you go and add meta descriptions to important web pages such as your homepage and category pages, it’s also important that you maintain and update your meta descriptions consistently. Every time you go back to optimize an article for SEO or marketing purposes, always update the snippet as well.

Optimizing old content is essential in any content marketing plan. Sometimes, you may try to target a different keyword that is ranking better than the ones you originally focused on. That’s okay, in fact, that’s a normal part of optimizing old content. As you go back and make necessary tweaks, give a few minutes to the meta description as well and check to see if it focuses on the new keywords.

 

Meta Descriptions Are Worth It!

A well-written meta description increases the click-through rate for the most important pages on a website. Next time you write one, take the time to craft it carefully and make it a knockout!

If you don’t have the time to do it yourself, we understand. Check out our meta description writing services, we’ve got you covered. Our vetted writers can create unique descriptions that describe the meat of your content and include keywords that users might search for.

Whether you write them yourself or let us take care of it, good meta descriptions are definitely mega-important.

 

You persuaded them to click through to the website with a powerful meta description. Hooked them with your tantalizing title and won them over with engaging body content. And then . . . you lost them. Why? Because your call to action wasn’t compelling enough.

Learning how to write a call to action that works is important. Next time, use these four tips to write a call they will answer.

 

1. Determine the Goal

Although it may be tempting to look for the perfect call to action to use on every page, there isn’t one phrase that fits the mold for every blog post. Your call to action may or may not be about persuading readers to make a purchase. There are as many different reasons to include a call to action on a landing page or blog as there are empty candy wrappers on my desk at this moment. (Stupid, delicious fun-size Snickers!) Your goal for viewers might also be to:

• Schedule an appointment
• Leave a comment
• Share on social media
• Print a coupon
• Download an app
• Get a free estimate

Keep in mind that learning how to write an effective call to action means it might not be exactly the same on every page. On the homepage of a fencing company, for example, the purpose might be to direct readers to an online gallery where potential customers can get design ideas and become more familiar with the products offered. On the gallery page, the goal would likely be to convince customers to call for a free estimate.

 

2. Be Clear About the Benefits and Value

Above all else, the best way to motivate people is to clearly answer the question: “What’s in it for ME?” Briefly sum up main points in the blog or landing page and the benefits of accepting the call to action, and do so definitively. Avoid using words such as “if” or “might.”

• If you think you might be a good candidate for a nerve block injection, contact us at xxx.xxx.xxxx to schedule an appointment.
• Don’t settle for short-term solutions. Find lasting relief from chronic pain by calling xxx.xxx.xxxx to schedule your free consultation appointment with our team of nerve block injection specialists.

While reading, did you recognize the difference? Confidence and action words go a long way, especially when learning how to write a call to action. Be sure to include any value props you have, especially time- or money-saving reasons to act.

 

3. Add a Personal Touch

The right words make the call to action resonate with readers. When appropriate, use personal pronouns such as:

• Me
• You
• Yours
• Us

Beyond pronouns, there are even more ways to add a personal touch.

• Fill out our online form to enroll in one of our adult dance classes.
• Join us Thursday night for our sizzling, salsa bachata class. You can enroll in just a few minutes using our online form.

The latter reads more like a personal invitation rather than a business transaction.

 

4. Give it a Sense of Urgency

Regardless of how amazing the benefits are, some customers will still be indecisive. The most effective calls to action inspire readers to act immediately by creating a sense of urgency. Consider using phrases that imply time sensitivity without actually listing a deadline or expiration date. For example, “don’t miss out” or “space is limited” make enrolling in a dance class more desirable, but might deter someone from calling to schedule a medical appointment.

 

Learn How To Write A Call To Action That Works

Whether it lives on a branded blog or a landing page, the call to action plays a crucial role in content marketing. Make your next call to action as irresistible as the bag of Snickers that used to be on my desk by incorporating these elements into the copy.

What tips do you live by to help you create more compelling calls to action? Comment below!

 

Caffeinate. Write. Check social media. Write more of the same. Sleep. Repeat. It’s easy to get into a routine, churning out assignment after assignment for the same client, the same topics, or the same type of content. We all have our niches, and there is comfort in finding your rhythm as a writer. But how do you grow as a writer when you’re doing the same things day in and day out?

There is also a fine line between a routine and a rut. If you don’t take on different writing projects, you can’t grow as a writer. You also run the risk of burning out. Still, change is sometimes nerve-wracking—especially when there’s a learning curve.

 

How to Grow As a Writer

Here are a couple of ways to overcome the trepidation and difficulty involved with writing new content and become a better writer as a result.

 

1. Keep an Open Mind

Your attitude largely shapes your ability to learn something new. Don’t automatically assume that because you don’t know anything about a subject (Cars? Motorcycles? Insurance?), you can’t write the assignment intelligently. One of the best things about being a content writer is that you get paid to learn new things.

Similarly, don’t let a lengthy client style guide deter you from taking a writing assignment. Sometimes highly structured or formulaic assignments are easier to write than those that require a lot of creativity. Being able to change your mindset and follow different style guides is one of the keys to becoming a better writer.

 

2. Try Again

Practice makes perfect. To be able to truly learn something, repetition is required. Sure, a new writing assignment may take you longer than you expected, but you’re likely to remember the guidelines better the next time you accept similar work from a client. Before long you’ll be a master of yet another project or niche.

This is also true when it comes to trying a new type of content writing. Just because you didn’t nail the product copy on your first product description doesn’t mean you don’t have a knack for it. Give yourself some time to grow into new writing projects and don’t give up before you’ve really given it a chance.

 

3. Ask for Feedback

You won’t always receive feedback when creating SEO content, but don’t be afraid to seek clarification when needed. Doing so is better than making a mistake.

But what if you do make a mistake. Don’t worry! We all err sometimes (some of us more than others!), so keep your head held high. What matters most is that you apply the feedback given and learn from the experience; that’s one of the quickest ways to learn how to grow as a writer.

Feedback is also most helpful when it comes from experienced editors. Try working on projects with stringent editors to really maximize your growth as a writer. It’s never easy to hear what you’ve done wrong, but it’s also the quickest way to improve your writing skills in the long run.

 

4. Bookmark Writing Resources

Did you discover a killer resource that made a certain writing assignment easier? Be sure to bookmark it for future use. If it’s something that you think other writers will find helpful, share it! Professional writers are always excited for news ways to make work easier.

If you’re writing a new project for a client, don’t be afraid to also ask them if they have any resource wells that they know about. Sometimes just asking someone in the industry where to find information can save you a ton of time. A lot of times, becoming a better writer starts with asking the right questions.

 

5. Don’t Stop Writing

The learning process should never end. Don’t stop accepting different writing assignments because you discover a type of content that comes naturally to you. With more variety in your writing repertoire comes more opportunities. And more opportunities mean more income.

As in anything else, the more you can expand your skills the more diverse your writing portfolio becomes. Becoming a better writer is important both in what you do well, but also in the breadth of things you can do. If you have the ability to write both blog posts as well as product copy, you increase your ability to pick up more lucrative writing projects.

Not only that, you grow as a writer as you challenge yourself to do something you wouldn’t normally do. For instance, trying to write an ebook or white paper on a complicated subject might be just the thing you need to get you out of your latest blog writing rut.

Also, don’t get discouraged from negative feedback or from self-doubt. For instance, many young writers realize they aren’t as fast at writing as they thought they would be. That’s normal! The speed comes with experience. Don’t give up just because you don’t initially meet your own expectations. Becoming a better writer is the long play; anything worth doing usually takes some time to master.

 

Growth As a Writer Comes Word by Word

If you want to learn how to grow as a writer, you have to step out of your comfort zone and work on projects that may intimidate you. Becoming a better writer isn’t always easy, but it is worth it. As you work toward overcoming your fears, I can guarantee you that you’ll never regret it.

Computers and word processing software are quite possibly the best inventions ever. I can’t imagine using a typewriter to create a document—it would take me about 5 hours, 400 sheets of paper and countless curse words just to write a simple 325-word article. In that sense, Microsoft Word and the associated keyboard shortcuts were heaven-sent!

 

The Best Microsoft Word Shortcuts For Writers

As content writers, we rely on the functional features of Microsoft Word to produce engaging content that is error-free. There are a number of customizable features and keyboard shortcuts that you can use to write even faster and more efficiently. There is no better time than the present to learn a few!

 

1. Keep an Accurate Count

If you are writing product descriptions or SEO content where every word, character and space matters, the word count feature in Microsoft Word will become your best friend. If you’re like me, then you obsessively check this information, which can be annoying to do without knowing how to quickly access those numbers.

Thankfully there is a Microsoft Word shortcut for wordcounts. At the bottom of the document, on the left-hand side, there is a running word count displayed. Just click on it, and a detailed analysis of your word and character count will pop up. If using your mouse slows you down, then type CTRL + Shift + G, and the same information will be displayed automatically.

 

2. Move Within a Document Faster

If you are writing a lengthy, 1,000-word article, press Shift + F5 to quickly cycle to the places in the document that you have most recently edited instead of scrolling through every paragraph. When you reopen an existing document, you can also use this Microsoft Word keyboard shortcut to go to the exact location where you were last working.

 

3. Quickly Select Text

Double click anywhere within a word to select the entire word. Press CTRL and click anywhere in a sentence to select the entire sentence. Triple click anywhere in a paragraph to select the entire block.

 

4. Customize Proofing Options

If you have trouble remembering not to use the oxford comma for certain clients, you can change your settings in Microsoft Word so that it will check for you. Here’s how to utilize this Microsoft Word shortcut:

– From the FILE menu, choose OPTIONS

– PROOFING

– WHEN CORRECTING SPELLING AND GRAMMAR IN WORD

– Click on SETTINGS

– Scroll down and either check or uncheck (depending on the client) the selection stating OXFORD COMMA

There are a number of other things you can customize from the Microsoft Word proofing menu, including the use of contractions and the number of spaces to leave between words. If you have a lengthy keyword, or value props that need to be capitalized and written a certain way, you might want to take a minute to set those up in AutoCorrect. This is a Microsoft Word replace shortcut that many writers take advantage of:

– From the FILE menu, choose OPTIONS

– PROOFING

– Select AUTOCORRECT OPTIONS

– REPLACE TEXT AS YOU TYPE – Create your own shortcut. For example, when you type “fs,” it can automatically be changed to “Free Shipping.”

Look at these Microsoft Word shortcuts going to work for you!

 

5. Change Sentence Case

Did your fingers start flying before you realized that the caps lock was on? Simply select the text and press Shift + F3 to change text from uppercase to lowercase. It also toggles between uppercase to lowercase to title case.

 

6. Insert Symbols Faster

If you are writing an article about cookware or something that frequently requires the use of the degree sign, you can quickly insert it by pressing ALT + 0176 instead of hunting through hundreds of other symbols.

To create the registered symbol to ®, type (r) or (R) and it will automatically change it. The same method is used to insert the trademark symbol, .

 

7. Find Specific Keywords Quicker

As a content writer, CTRL+F has become one of my best friends. This works in Microsoft Word as well as on most internet browsers. Simply press CTRL+F and a small text box will open up where you can type in the word to search for. Microsoft Word will search the current document for any instances of the word, give you the number of times used and also highlight each instance of the word in the document.

When optimizing keywords in content for SEO or trying to avoid certain words for a specific brand this Microsoft Word keyboard shortcut comes in handy!

 

Microsoft Word Keyboard Shortcuts For the Win!

Hopefully you found one or two of these writing tricks helpful. Are there any other Microsoft Word shortcuts that you rely on? Comment below!

Content writing is a trade that is never fully mastered. Whether you wrote a blog that went viral or an editor raved about your perfect grammar, there is always room to improve content writing. 

From picking a topic and creating a headline to writing interesting copy and driving it home with a conclusion, there’s a lot to content writing. Instead of getting overwhelmed by trying to improve everything all at once, it’s better to smart small and work on one section at a time.

 

3 Ways to Improve Content Writing

As you hone your skills, here are some resources to help you become a better content writer.

 

1. Test Your Title

Amber Morris recently wrote a GrammarSpot post titled The Art of Creating Attention-Grabbing Titles, full of sage advice. The last tip she offers is “Engage Your Audience.” This is fairly easy when writing about a topic you are passionate about; it can be more difficult when writing about something unfamiliar. Will your title about the benefits of MRI service contracts pique the interest of a savvy medical professional? Find out by using Advanced Marketing Institute’s Emotional Marketing Value Headline Analyzer.

In addition to testing your title, this resource can also help you craft more compelling subheadings—especially those containing a call to action. Replace “Contact Us” (Boring!) with something different like “Start Your Search With XYZ Realty” (Better!) and find a more effective way to engage your audience in your content writing.

 

2. Stop Repeating Yourself

The first time I heard Imagine Dragon’s “Radioactive,” I thought it was a catchy little tune. Soon, however, it saturated the soundscape everywhere I went. It was on the radio as I was driving to the movie theater, where it was playing on the pre-feature. When I got home and turned on the TV, the same song was blasting on a Beats by Dre commercial. Ironically enough, that much repetition was “enough to make my systems blow.”

The same holds true for content—it shouldn’t read like a broken record. Is everything you write about “a must-have?” Does every product benefit “protect” or “prevent” in your bulleted list? Keep readers from becoming so annoyed with overused words that they want to throw a thesaurus at their monitor by:

– Proofing your writing for redundancies by reading it aloud
– Copying and pasting the body of your content on Wordcounter.com to generate a list of the words used most frequently in your article

Another great site that some of our BKA writers like to reference to improve their content writing is Words-to-use.com. This content writing tool helps you find just the right words to describe products and services in different industries and avoid repetition.

 

3. Choose Interesting Topics

One of the main differences between content writing that meets expectations and content writing that goes above and beyond is how interesting the topic is made to be. Readers appreciate well-researched information that they can relate to.

If you are writing about aftermarket automotive accessories, for instance, you may want to start your research on Edmunds. Here you will find professional reviews on a wide variety of vehicles, making it simple to identify how a particular product can fill a void. Similarly, Consumer Reports is another valuable resource for research. While you must be a paid subscriber to access detailed ratings, the site offers quite a bit of free, unbiased buying advice that could help you go beyond the basics and write a better blog.

Readers are also more interested in topics that have a connection to recent events or headlines. Browse your favorite national news site for ideas.

 

Improve Your Content Writing Today!

Take your content writing to the next level by testing your titles, avoiding repetitive copy and thoroughly researching topics of interest. Add these resources to your list of bookmarks and reference them frequently to become a better content writer.

What resources do you love to lean on when trying to improve your content writing skills? Comment below!

We joke about being hangry when we go more than a few hours without food. I’ve likened myself to a zoo animal that has very specific feeding times and gets growly when I don’t get a snack or a meal is delayed.

Sometimes we blame our inability to focus in morning meetings on the fact that no muffins were provided. As adults, we all laugh at these things. But there is nothing funny about children who face hunger on a regular basis.

As many as one in six kids in Utah don’t get enough to eat on the weekends. During the week they rely on school meal programs. On Saturday and Sunday, however, their nutritional needs aren’t always met. This makes them more vulnerable to health and behavior problems, and when they return to school on Monday they face learning difficulties.

The Utah Food Bank created the BackPack Program to mitigate these problems, discretely providing children in need with healthy, easy-to-prepare meals each Friday.

Our team at BKA recently put together 150 bags filled with popcorn, granola bars, crackers, Rice Krispies Treats and other snacks to be distributed in conjunction with the BackPack Program.

While this is just a small drop in the bucket compared to the upwards of 50,000 packs of food the Utah Food Bank dispersed through the program last year, it’s a fun surprise that we hope the children at several of the distribution sites will enjoy.

You too can join the fight against childhood hunger by donating food, time or money. Click here to learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Utah Food Bank.

With the holidays upon us, the spirit of giving is in the air.  This last month, we had the privilege and opportunity to hold a collection drive for Operation Gratitude to give back to our troops.  Operation Gratitude is on a mission to thank every American that serves, and they do that through sending care packages, collection drives, letter writing, craft projects and more.

 

Supporting Our Troops and First Responders

We held a collection drive in conjunction with Veteran’s day to show our appreciation for the brave men and women who serve our country overseas or right here on American soil. They all sacrifice so much to keep us safe and restore order in times of devastation and disaster. Our management team made 100 paracord bracelets and assembled 100 hygiene kits that we put in boxes to send off to the troops.

 

 

We enlisted the help of our writers and editors —and even some of our children!—to write letters and draw pictures to send to first responders, new recruits deployed troops and veterans. When there was a little room left in the boxes, we filled them to the top with Beanie Babies and flashlights.

 

How You Can Help

You don’t have to wait until next Veteran’s day to show you care. There are many ways to express your thanks through Operation Gratitude, and they can be done any time of the year.  We encourage you to get involved however you can!