December 10, 2015

How to Keep Your Readers Engaged and Interested

December 10, 2015/ Lucas Miller

The average person's attention span is just 8.25 seconds long.

If you're a writer, then this statistic is rather depressing. You work hard to create high-quality content, only to find that many in your audience lose focus before they've even read your introduction.

Some people may choose to skim the remainder of your content, scanning to find the most interesting bits.

Others won't even bother to do that much. In fact, more than half of your readers are probably gone after just 15 seconds. Ouch.

But even though attention spans are getting shorter, long-form content is often recommended. Why? Because it tends to rank better in Google and get more shares on social media.

So how do you get people to actually read through everything you're writing?

Obviously, finding a way to capture (and retain!) people's attention is vital. Thankfully, there are methods and techniques to help you do so.

1) Start With a Strong Introduction

Do you share amazing facts and interesting opinions in the middle of your content? If so, that's awesome—but don't neglect your first few sentences.

A dry or tired-sounding beginning could ruin everything. Instead of being thrilled with what you share, your audience will never even read the exciting part.

Sadly, they'll be gone before they ever scroll down that far.

This is why you need to grab your audience's attention right away. Use your opening lines to pique their curiosity and convince them to keep reading.

How do you do this?

Well, you could mention the amazing story you're going to tell, give them a surprising fact or shocking statistic, or ask them a thought-provoking question.

Honestly, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

If you've got great content and know what your audience wants, then strategically placing an interesting bit of information at the beginning of your content shouldn't be difficult at all.

2) Keep Your Audience Curious (But Do Get to The Point!)

Have you noticed that most TV shows don't end with a complete resolution of conflict?

They leave everyone wondering what's going to happen next, rather than winding up every single loose end.

Why do they do this?

Because they want us to keep watching the show.

By leaving some things unresolved, they make us curious about what happens next. Instead of assuming that all of the characters live happily ever after, we're left with a feeling of suspense and a desire to see the next episode.

This strategy is solid, and it's one that you can copy to hold your reader's attention (Now, in excessive amounts this can actually be detrimental—more on that in a minute).

If you're telling a story, then it's going to be fairly easy to keep your reader's curiosity piqued.

If not, then you can accomplish this with other methods.

How? Drop hints of what you're going to mention in a few paragraphs, create intriguing subtitles, or focus on compelling conflicts.

But while you need to keep people curious, you don't need to string them along.

If you continually hint about something awesome while never delivering what they want, you're going to sound sleazy.

Get to the point, and promptly deliver the content you're promising them. If you're going to give them promises of something amazing, then you need to fulfill those promises promptly.

3) Make Your Writing Easy to Understand

The average person reads roughly 200-250 words every minute.

But when they start to read something technical, that rate plummets to a mere 50-75 words per minute.

What does that mean?

It means that you've got to avoid difficult copy. Most of the time, you're going to be writing for people with short attention spans. Write in an easy-to-comprehend style. Long words and complex phrases generally don't make you look smart—they just make it harder for others to digest what you've written.

Being a writer doesn't just involve throwing information at a paper. If that's all it took, then we wouldn't have a job!

Instead, our job is to make information easy to comprehend and digest. Writing in a friendly, conversational way is almost always the best way to accomplish this.

Use examples that others can relate to. Throw in a bit of humor, and let your personality shine through.

If you're able to take boring facts and turn them into something that's fun to read, then keeping your audience engaged isn't going to be a difficult task.

4) Pay Attention to Your Formatting

Would this post be easy to read if I took out all of the spaces between paragraphs?

Nope! If this were a single mass of text, it would be an imposing blog post.

Now, I know that most of you already understand the value of adding white space. But it's still possible to forget and write painfully long paragraphs, so a reminder isn't going to hurt.

Subheadings, lists, and graphics are also beneficial. Because they stand out from the rest of your content, these areas may help grab the attention of anyone who has started to skim your post.

How do I know this?

Mostly because I've been guilty of skimming articles in the past.

The intriguing headline may have convinced me to click, but that doesn't mean I'm committed to reading the content.

Unless I know that the article is relevant and useful, I tend to scan for relevancy and leave if I'm not interested.

But there are many times when an eye-catching subheading or graphic makes me pause.

If my attention is thoroughly re-captured, I'll go back to the beginning and everything in its entirety. This rarely happens when the content lacks subheadings.

Of course, even the most perfect piece of content ever is going to fail to engage some people. There are literally thousands of reasons why someone might quit reading. These can range from utterly mundane (their browser crashed) to ridiculously dramatic (their computer suddenly burst into flames).

Obviously, you can't control these sorts of things.

But what you can do is create attention-grabbing, easy-to-read content.

December 03, 2015

Ad Blockers: One Millennial’s Perspective

December 03, 2015/ Lucas Miller

This week I received an offer from LinkedIn for $50 worth of free advertising credits. If you’re a marketer, you probably got the same message. There were no strings attached. As an advertising student, I was excited by the opportunity to broadcast my portfolio of work across the LinkedIn network. I accepted the offer and began hastily creating an ad for my book.

As I neared the closing stages of the process, LinkedIn generated a preview of my ad. I have to admit that upon seeing it, I was a bit taken aback. The small advertisement looked completely unfamiliar to me. In fact, it looked downright out of place on the page.

With mild surprise, I realized that I had never before seen a sidebar ad on LinkedIn. I’d been using the platform for more than a year, but I’d installed an ad blocker plugin before I built a profile.

I stared for a moment at the suddenly distasteful ad and then closed the window. If I, a copywriter at a digital marketing agency, was unwilling to look at an online ad, how could I conscientiously foist it on others?

It wasn’t LinkedIn’s fault. Their ads are easily as beautiful and effective as those of any other social media platform. The fault was mine. I had created something that I wasn’t personally interested in and expected others to engage with it. Publishing it would have been the digital equivalent of throwing a diaper out onto the street.

Since then, I’ve given a lot of thought to the state of modern digital advertising. I’m no genius, but I’ve chatted with my peers and they generally feel the same way I do. Here are some of my conclusions.

1) Ad Blockers Aren’t Going Away

Did I delete my ad blocking plug-in? No. I deleted my ad. It wasn’t a hard choice. Ad blockers allow me to access content cleanly and immediately. I don’t want to hear your quote of the day. I don’t want to download Clash of Clans. I just want to read the blasted article.

In a very unscientific Twitter poll, I recently asked my followers if they thought ad blockers were “good” or “bad.” Bearing in mind that my network is mostly composed of marketing and advertising professionals, I was surprised when the results showed that 86 percent of voters thought ad blockers were good. They’re just too convenient. They make the Internet experience so much more pleasant. They’re here to stay.

I know it’s selfish, but I get irritated when pages beg me to disable my ad blocker. I never do it. Call me irresponsible, but I don’t feel obligated to personally hold up the faltering online publishing industry like some sort of modern Atlas. I just want to read another piece about the Kardashians.

2) Outlets Matters

The same day that I deleted my LinkedIn ad, I read dozens of sponsored articles posted by The Onion. The satire page is a personal favorite of mine. I ravenously devour everything they post. In a twisted way, I trust them as publishers. If they write it, I know it will be entertaining—even sponsored content.

Businesses should carefully consider the outlet they choose to publish their content. Facebook and Twitter are the go-to outlets for most, but there’s a risk of over-saturation. Many of my friends feel like social media is becoming too promotional. Distasteful marketing drives them from platform to platform, but the ads and promotional posts are never more than a step behind.

In addition to traditional social media outlets, I think that businesses should consider sponsoring content in online periodicals and news sources. Many of these outlets have devoted followings who will happily digest content the way I savor Onion articles. I think content marketing is generally a better approach for marketers than pay-per-click ads.

3. If You Don’t Love Your Content, Nobody Will

If Charles Dickens had serialized A Tale of Two Cities on Quora, he probably could have published the whole novel before he had a thousand readers. The sad truth is that today’s content consumers are a jaded bunch. They’re so used to literary cabbage that they’re prone to miss the occasional strawberry that finds its way into the trough.

When you finish a content article, you should feel a strong impulse to bind it in leather and display it on the mantelpiece. It should be so good that your kids ask you to read it to them as a bedtime story for consecutive nights. If you can’t picture your ad hanging in the Louvre, at least be able to imagine it on the cover of Communication Arts.

I believe that quality content builds consumer bases faster than any other marketing technique. I also believe that it’s the most difficult and time-consuming technique to pull off. Don’t expect the Internet to be merciful to your ads. Instead, try to blow consumers away with your breathtaking work. The idea that all publicity is good publicity is a tired fallacy.

I think my experience with the LinkedIn ad is representative of the whole advertising industry. We look at our work, grimace, and then press the publish button with the attitude of a man pulling the trigger in Russian roulette. It should come as no surprise that consumers are choosing to tune us out. As an industry, our music has become flat.

If we want to overcome the ad-blocking problem, we either need to correct our pitch or learn to sing a different tune.

December 01, 2015

3 of the Most Painfully Common Content Marketing Mistakes

December 01, 2015/ Lucas Miller

Just like anything else in life, content marketing comes with its ups and downs. There are times when content strategies are effortlessly implemented and bring with them a mountain of positive results and, on the flip side of things, others that fail to really do much of anything. This is just the nature of the game.

That said, regardless of how long you’ve been a part of the content marketing community, the more aware you are of the most common content marketing mistakes, the less likely you are to experience their negative consequences. The following are four of the biggest, most typical content marketing blunders to continuously plague both novice and experienced marketers:

1) Focus On an Audience as Much as Possible

You already know your product or service extremely well. It doesn’t take a genius to know that. However, what very much has the potential to separate you from your competitors is how well you know your target audience.

Instead of using your brain like a business owner, step outside of yourself and think like an end user. After all, awesome content marketing is geared towards widespread entertainment, education and help.

2) It’s Not About You or Your Product

Old-school sales tactics call for oppressive measures and hard closes at every turn. In today’s day and age, with so much marketing noise being force-fed to potential consumers, such measures couldn’t be less effective.

Yes, the end goal of content marketing is to increase sales, but harder product or service pitches have their place and time. Needless to say, if something independently provides value, its more important.

3) If It Lacks Substance, It’s Not Going to Help

Be it through desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones, odds are high that your specific target demographic is constantly taking in new information. Because of this, consumers are no longer impressed by run-of-the-mill content.

They’ll see it for what it is and will quickly tune you out. Instead, you’ve got to impress them both early and often to eventually convert them into paying customers.

Content marketing can be a tricky endeavor. However, when the aforementioned pitfalls are consciously avoided, the chances of success are most assuredly high. So, armed with a new outlook, make your next content marketing project your best yet.

Lucas Miller is a Freelance Copywriter and Founder of Echelon Copy. When not writing, editing or running, he's working tirelessly to perfect what he claims is the "World's Greatest Pompadour." Additionally, for what it's worth, his editorial works have been featured on Social Media Today, Business2Community, Ragan's PR Daily, Spin Sucks and many other top-tier comms publications.

October 25, 2015

Why Copywriters Are Some of the Wealthiest People Out There

October 25, 2015/ Lucas Miller

Copywriters are filthy rich. They really are. I know what you’re thinking: “Lucas, how can you say such a thing when all I do is bid on mind-numbing projects on UpWork all day?”

Well, in response, you can actually make some pretty solid money on UpWork if you know what you’re doing. Secondly, monetary wealth isn’t the only kind of wealth out there.

No, I’m not trying to get all Buddhist monk on you or anything, it’s just that there’s more to life than money. Also, there’s a great deal to life that is money and, fortunately for the copywriting industry, there’s plenty of that to be had, as well.

Intrigued? That’s what I thought. Here’s all the glitz and glamour of copywriting has to offer its faithful participants:

Temporal Comfort

Copywriting is a lucrative industry, but nobody really believes it. It’s kind of like when someone says he’s a professional blogger. Admit it—the first thought that runs through your head is, “Gosh, this dude’s wife must love living off of Ramen noodles and Kool-Aid.”

Think about it—bloggers, journalists and novelists are all starving. Their writing is doing their bank accounts little good. Yet, copywriters are sitting pretty.

Sure, maybe it’s because they’ve “sold out” and use their editorial talents for product-and service-pushing endeavors, but I couldn’t care less. I get paid to write for living and live comfortably doing just that.

What more could a creative person want?

Incredible Relationships

Copywriters are professional networkers, practically. Sure, PR people [quite a bit of crossover between the two, honestly] are probably equipped with a bit more tact, but copywriters, especially freelance copywriters, depend on networking for their livelihood.

While it’s true that the occasional butt face [I’m not a profane man, so this’ll have to do] hires you for a project, many of the people with whom you’ll work are absolutely splendid.

Moreover, your relationship isn’t limited to a handful of emails. If you’re doing your job correctly and involve a client the way you should, a meaningful, long-lasting relationship can be developed.

I love this sort of thing. It’s awesome.

Widespread Knowledge

If you think about it, copywriters are modern-day renaissance men—and women, mind you. We learn by experience—the best kind of learning, as far as I’m concerned.

Moreover, we’re researchers. We produce invaluable copy for any and all industries. Be it a mammoth personal injury law firm or basic tech startup, we can handle anything.

As the months and years fall of the calendar, our craft is perfected—all while we take in more information. Simply put, there’s nothing like it.

Individual Freedom

Of all the benefits of working as a professional copywriter, this is by far my favorite. If I want to roll out of bed in the morning and work in my underwear, I totally can. I’m my own boss.

Obviously, this kind of work environment pertains primarily to freelance copywriters or those who run their own business, but it’s still a beautiful thing.

Imagine breaking free from the confines of the corporate environment to pursue only the work you’re actually passionate about.

Sounds like a pretty sweet gig, eh? Like anything else, it comes with its own series of stresses, but the pros far outweigh the cons.

See what I mean? If the aforementioned can’t be classified as wealth, then I don’t want to be wealthy.

Now, what do you consider wealth? If you’re a copywriter, do you see yourself a part of one of the wealthiest professional networks on the planet, or are you just as much a starving student now as you were a few years or decades back?

Hop on down to the comments section below to have your voice heard.

October 24, 2015

Why Being Obsessive-Compulsive Is a Blessing In Disguise for Copywriters

October 24, 2015/ Lucas Miller

So you like to organize the content of your desk by color and size—what’s the big deal, right? If this is a question you’ve asked yourself before, there’s a good chance that you’re one of those obsessive-compulsive types.

No worries—this is a judgement free zone. Honestly, I’m one of those OCD people. In fact, the aforementioned example is a question I ask myself every day at work as I pull all of my folders, spiral notebooks [yes, I still use these] and pens from my briefcase [backpack].

However, in spite of what my mother says, as a copywriter, I’m not fully convinced that being OCD is such a bad thing.

Granted, there’s plenty of downside with being a bit paranoid about tedious things, but when you spend the totality of just about each and every day writing on a laptop computer, being obsessive-compulsive could even potentially be seen as a benefit.

Think I’m crazy? Not as much as you’d think. Here’s why:

Ensuring Editorial Flow

This is probably one of my biggest nit-picks as a writer. I simply can’t accept writing that sounds choppy. Now this isn’t to say that I don’t believe in shorter sentences, because I totally do.

Heck, I like to tout myself as the guy who constantly preaches, “Write like you talk,” so I should be somewhat skilled in this.

Anyway, I’m getting away from what really matters here—obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD people refuse to leave a sentence alone until it sounds absolutely perfect.

Yes, speed is an important part of making real money as a copywriter, but if you can write quickly, succinctly and with that realistic style with which people speak, you’re sitting pretty.

OCD copywriters, though possibly not as talented as other professionals, will work until they get it right. Simply put, paying customers love this. Who can blame them?

Knocking Grammar Out of the Park

We all saw this one coming, didn’t we? Perfectionists are almost always grammar Nazis. Yup, in my opinion, that stereotype is spot-on.

Truthfully, while negative in certain circumstances, it’s also a very positive thing for a copywriter. Grammatical perfection leads to happy clients and reoccurring work.

How convenient is all of this for me? I mean seriously, I start off this piece by claiming to be OCD and then proceed to talk about how being OCD makes you a better, more detail-oriented writer.

Now, before you go back and start searching for all of this piece’s grammatical mistakes, please know that I’m by no means a perfect copywriter. Whether it be a blog post, web copy project or email marketing campaign, I’m no stranger to mistakes.

That said, generally speaking, OCD writers would rather part ways with a limb before submitting something with a single grammar mistake. While admirable, this is my personal blog and I don’t have the time or energy to stress about it.

I enjoy it too much. Go ahead and hunt for the misplaced comma or incorrectly used semicolon. I’m certain you’ll find it.

Coming Through In the Clutch for Clients

As a copywriter, the best way to win an ongoing relationship with a client is to come through in the clutch for him or her.

This might mean going above and beyond what was originally asked of you, doing a bit of extra editing to make certain a project exceeds expectations or staying up until the wee hours of the morning to finish an assignment.

For OCD writers, this is never an issue, because they’re incapable of resting until everything is exactly how it should be. See what I mean? A true blessing in disguise.

Seeing as how there’s a good chance you’re either a full-time copywriter or spend a good portion of your day writing, what’s your take on the matter?

Could great copywriting really be the byproduct of obsessive-compulsive tendencies? Voice your opinion in the comments section below.

October 23, 2015

Put the Pen Down: a Copywriter’s 4 Biggest Beginner Mistakes

October 23, 2015/ Lucas Miller

It doesn’t matter if it’s sewing, croquet, Chinese checkers or lacrosse—when it comes time to learning a new skill, mistakes are going to be made.

Random examples aside, the same applies to the art of copywriting. Believe it or not, you’re human, and when you’re producing copy, you’re going to make mistakes.

It just so happens that when you’re new to a specific content type or even to the industry as a whole, the mistakes you make are going to occur at a higher frequency.

The best way to overcome them? Identification.

If you’re new to copywriting, the following are four of the most common mistakes you’re probably going to make.

1) Atrocious Headlines

This is so basic, but so hard to do. That said, it’s a skill that needs to be learned because it’s one of a copywriters most important tools.

In fact, said David Ogilvy, The Father of Advertising, “On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.”

Learn to write headlines that give people a reason to read the first sentence of the first paragraph. If you can do that on a regular basis, you’ll already be ahead of many experienced copywriters.

2) Bypassing On a Call-to-Action

What good is copy if it doesn’t bring about some sort of sales action? Now, that said, I’m not insisting that a CTA be overly aggressive or sales-driven, but it should at least be present within a piece.

Providing more information on the value of a CTA is Paul Cheney of Marketing Experiments, saying, “It’s not about the action itself, it’s about the value they’re going to get as a result of taking that action. Getting that right in your CTA can give you dramatic lifts with very little effort.”

Sound a bit tricky?

No need to worry. Understanding will come in time. For now, just know that it’s your job to always include some sort of CTA—no matter how big or small.

3) Saying Too Much or Too Little

Copywriters are either long-winded or too succinct. The goal is to find that ever-elusive balance.

As far as I’m concerned, I tend to say more than I should. That said, when I try and fix things, I often take it to the opposing extreme. Though I already have a couple of years of copywriting experience under my belt, I continue to struggle with this.

While you might be an outlier, chances are high that you’ll need some experience to understand where a reader is in the buying process.

Yes, piece type and industry play a part in this, but that’s where experience comes into play. When you’re just starting your copywriting career, you wont’ have much of it.

Hang in there. It’ll come.

4) Unfitting Tone

Depending on the setting, this can actually pretty funny, even if your client struggles to find humor in the situation.

Think about it—you wouldn’t speak to a full-grown adult like an infant, would you? Well, when a new copywriter is faced with writing for a client whose industry he or she knows very little about, oftentimes the subtle nuances of an audience’s preferred editorial tone are overlooked.

The result? Awkward reading.

To avoid this, take an extra half-hour or so to read up on other industry-specific publications. This will prevent you from sounding naive or ignorant.

Try as you might, at one point or another, you’re going to fall flat on your face. Copywriting isn’t for the faint of heart.

Because of this, when you make a mistake, it’s key that you dust yourself off and get back to work. Soon enough, you’ll have a firm grip on things.

Now, let’s see what you have to say about the life of a new copywriter. You seasoned copywriters, how were you able to deal with each of the aforementioned obstacles? What other challenges weren’t mentioned here that should’ve been?

For those who are currently just getting started, what have you noticed about the experience? Take to Twitter and tweet your thoughts and feelings at @EchelonCopy. In no time at all, you’ll get a response.

October 22, 2015

How to Successfully Network With Other Industry-Leading Copywriters

October 22, 2015/ Lucas Miller

Copywriters needn’t only network with potential clients. In fact, it’s in their best interest to interact with other copywriters.

Maybe I’m way out in left field with this one, but in my mind at least, copywriting is almost more of a trade than a field of academia. Hence, the importance of mingling with other copywriters.

Ya know, like a shoe cobbler or a blacksmith. I’m only 25 years old, but I imagine that back in the day, when a young man wanted to become a blacksmith, he spent some time learning about the trade from an older, more experienced blacksmith.

In my head, at least, copywriting is somewhat similar. It’s not a trade in the way that young people go to technical school to become welders or refrigerator repairmen, but the basic principles are the same.

Copywriting is a craft. Copywriting requires a certain set of skills. Copywriting is best learned through experience.

Isn’t that how trades work, kind of?

Heck, our bunch of professionals doesn’t even come from a single college major. If you can write, self-start, are generally likable and can research the heck out of just about any topic, you’ve got a career waiting for you as a copywriter.

However, as is the cased with just about anything in life, if there’s easy money to be made, there’s some sort of catch.

With copywriting, it’s the difficulty of creating powerful prose. This is where interacting with seasoned copywriters comes into play.

Simply put, if you want your copywriting career to become all that it can be, you need to be picking up as many tricks of the trade as possible from those who know more than you do.

How is this to be done? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Develop a Relationship On Twitter

I’m a huge fan of Twitter. When I’m working, I’ve always got it open on my laptop.

Sure, this is probably a bit of a distraction, but I feel like having my Twitter feed open at all times keeps me informed as to what’s taking place in the world of advertising, public relations and social media marketing.

I mean, ours is an ever-changing industry, so it’s important to constantly be on the lookout for new information.

Additionally, through Twitter, I’ve been able to connect with numerous copywriters. These are men and women who have years of experience in the industry and are willing to share their knowledge with those who are going to listen intently and put it into practice.

Don’t believe me? Hop on Twitter and interact with the likes of Danny Margulies, Ray Edwards and Ryan Healy. You’ll see what I’m talking about.

LinkedIn’s Search Feature

LinkedIn is the Internet’s largest professional networking site. As such, you’ve got to be a part of it if you want to be networking.

Makes sense, right?

While it is important that you put your best foot forward with your LinkedIn profile, what’s quite possibly even more essential is that you focus on connecting with other copywriters using the site’s search feature.

Connect with them and reach out from time to time. Though somewhat uncomfortable initially, this isn’t a taboo practice on LinkedIn. Countless professionals do it. Well, at least the smart ones do.

Give the Warrior Forum a Try

Ever heard of the Warrior Forum? If you haven’t, it’s time to bust out the ol’ laptop and get cracking. The Warrior Forum is arguably the finest digital marketing forum on the World Wide Web.

There are gobs of copywriters hanging out on there.

Also, Digital Point forum is pretty solid. Either way, you’re going to want to bring your bring A-game. While most copywriters are more than willing to offer some help, others are intent on making newcomers to the community feel as awkward as possible.

That said, this shouldn’t stop you. A bit of digital hazing is well worth it when the light at the end of the tunnel has Bob Bly telling you about the ins and outs of how he quickly became one of the wealthiest copywriters to have ever lived.

Simply Reach Out and Ask

It’s so simple, yet nobody actually does it. If you happen to learn of a copywriter and you think to yourself, “This guy has something about him that I admire. I want to learn more,” reach out and introduce yourself.

These days, with everyone’s information being made public on the Internet, it’s easy to find an email address, Twitter handle or even a phone number. Be genuine, humble and flexible and do what few are brave enough to even consider—ask for help.

Worst case scenario, a copywriter refers you to his or her e-book and calls it a day. I’ve had this happen and, shockingly, the world didn’t end.

More often than not, however, I’ve been met with positive feedback.

Now, let’s turn the tables for a moment—what methods have you used to connect with top-tier copywriters? On the flip side of things, what impedes you from reaching out to learn more?

If you’ve got something to say, please take a moment or two to share it in the comments section below.

October 14, 2015

Is Syndication a Good or Bad Thing for Your Blog?

October 14, 2015/ Lucas Miller

“To syndicate, or not to syndicate? That is the question.” Sure, Bill Shakespeare didn’t ever ask anything similar, but countless bloggers have done just that while attempting to drive more traffic back to their respective sites.

Depending on the content marketer with whom you speak, you’re bound to get a wide variety of differing responses. Some feel strongly about the promotional powers of blog syndication, while others insist that the practice is doomed to fail.

I’m not one of the latter. I believe in blog syndication and feel it’s a worthwhile means by which a blog can grow and experience a heavy bump in traffic.

However, as far as the naysayers are concerned, generally speaking, at least one of the following is cited as a reason for why syndication should be avoided at all costs:

Google is incredibly opposed to the publication of duplicate content.
Instead of dragging readers back to your site, they’ll remain on a host site.
Author authority is weakened due to content being published on many networks.

Needless to say, let the cross-examination begin:

Dealing With Duplicate Content

Any reputable syndication network will include a link at the bottom of the post to the very page on which an article was originally published.

Fortunately, in today’s day and age, Google’s ever-evolving algorithm is sophisticated enough to know where a piece was originally published. Ranking authority is awarded accordingly.

Driven Site Traffic

Studies have shown that blog syndication does in fact lead to higher traffic. As long as there’s a link at the foot of a republished post pointing readers in the right direction, there’s nothing to worry about.

Additionally, assuming that what you’ve written is both informative and engaging, through the aforementioned link, readers are immediately provided with a channel through which more of your editorial work can be consumed.

That alone is reason enough to strongly think about blog syndication as a viable digital marketing practice.

Hindered Expert Reputation

If your blog is just getting started, there’s no real reputation that’s taking a hit. More often than not, this is why bloggers choose to syndicate their content.

However, even if you’ve already built a name for yourself and are worried about what syndication might do to the expert status you’ve worked so hard to achieve as a digital publisher, consider Buffer’s take on the matter:

“We feel that the benefits of syndication outweigh the downsides … It should also be mentioned that part of our joy with syndication is in getting to share our content with anyone who might find value in it. In some ways, we feel that keeping content only at Buffer is a rather selfish act. If others can use it, then we don't want to stand in the way.”

Simply put, few are the content creators who don’t stand to benefit from blog syndication.

From Business2Community and Social Media Today to BizSugar and AllBusiness, make it a priority to syndicate your blog. By so doing, your content will be seen by more eyes than ever before. In the end, that’s what’s most important.

After all, it’s the quality of your content that will drive permanent, long-lasting traffic. Success or failure is yours and yours alone

Convinced yet? If not, I’d love to hear why. Agree with me or take me to the proverbial cleaners in the comments section below. Or, if you’d rather share your thoughts through a different medium, take to Twitter and tweet at @EchelonCopy to make your reaction to this piece public.

October 05, 2015

The Beauty of Imperfect Grammar Within Blog Posts

October 05, 2015/ Lucas Miller

Regardless of what your mother, grandmother or girlfriend says, you’re not perfect. Sure, you might’ve rocked your second grade spelling bee or even taken the prettiest girl in school to the senior prom, but if we really do a bit of digging, we’ll find that you’re just another imperfect person like the rest of us.

However, seeing as how real writing excellence is often closely linked with the complete and total absence of error, those who put pen to paper for a living often insist upon celestial quality with anything they’ve produced. This isn’t a good thing, especially when blogs are the medium through which content is being pushed.

Why Blogs Work

To more fully understand why this is, let’s take a closer look at what’s made blogs so popular in recent years. For starters, they’re great because of how approachable they are. There’s a stark contrast between the content found within a blog post and that of an academic paper. One sounds like an actual human wrote it, and the other as if the author spent half of his or her time on Thesaurus.com trying to make things sound as complex as possible.

Also, blogs are much more communal than other writing types. In my opinion, blogs are the Irish football pub of editorial endeavors. Oddly enough, I’ve never been to one, but I imagine that everyone knowns everyone, there’s little judgement and plenty of great conversation. When done correctly, minus the foul language and public inebriation, blogs take on a similar form.

Grammar Should Never Be a Blogger’s Biggest Concern

Now, with all of the aforementioned in mind, how important do you seriously think grammar is within blog posts? Truthfully, it’s not the most pressing of issues. This isn’t me saying that grammar can be completely tossed out the proverbial window. I’m just making a point as to where energy should be allocated.

For example, as far as I’m concerned, the following are much more important for a successful blog than flawless grammar:

Memorable Storytelling
Central, Well-Developed Theme
Unique Tone
Calls to Action
Passionate User Engagement

Don’t kill yourself over grammar. Far too many bloggers allow their fingers to hover over the publish button out of a genuine fear of what their readers will think if a grammatical mistake or two are found. My take on the matter? The occasional misspelt word does wonders for proving just who’s behind the creation of a blog: a human being.

Beauty In Error

I’m not going to get on a soap box with this one, but this kind of fallacy almost makes the whole blogging experience all the more beautiful, if you think about it. There’s no hiding behind anything. What you see is what you get and audiences of all kinds appreciate this.

So, the next time you finish a well-crafted blog post, read through things a time or two and then share them with everyone. Don’t hesitate. If sincere, your post—mistakes and all—will be enjoyed by many.

You guys know the routine—what are your thoughts on grammar and blogging? Have I taken things a step too far here, or is there really something to be said for worrying more about quality content than perfect grammar? Can both be present 100 percent of the time? Follow Echelon on Twitter at @EchelonCopy and share your honest comments. In no time at all, you’ll receive a response. Sound too good to be true? Try it out and see what happens.

September 26, 2015

Move Over Medium: Why Blogging Is Best Done On Independent Websites

September 26, 2015/ Lucas Miller

In recent years, more than ever before, blogging has taken off. Because of this, a number of companies of risen up from the ashes of traditional journalism and transformed themselves into kings of the blogging industry. Think about it: Medium, Tumblr, HubPages, Quora and LiveJournal have all, in addition to other things, become extremely well-known for the blogging platforms they provide. Heck, even the atrocity that is Blogspot sees a great deal of user engagement.

The Easy Way Out

Simply put, if you’re serious about blogging, do yourself a favor and create your own website with its very own web domain. Blogging, wrongfully associated with only stay-at-home and soccer moms, isn’t for the faint of heart. If you’re going to put the necessary time and effort into growing a blog, don’t do it on the backs of some corporate entity; moreover, develop your own plot of metaphoric land out on the World Wide Web through WordPress, SquareSpace, Weebly or Wix.

The argument for using blog-specific sites is that they’re innately built for audience growth and consumption. Truthfully, it’s a strong argument. When people create a Medium account and use it, they’re not hopping online to shop or use social media; instead, they’re fully intent on reading. Ultimately, this is what bloggers want: people to read their posts.

Complete and Total Control

Sure, initially, Tumblr or HubPages might be better for widespread readership, but there’s a definite ceiling on what can come about in the ways of success. Should a booming blogger on Quora or LiveJournal ever hope to build more than editorial credibility or individual brand, he or she will need to venture out into choppier waters.

When a site is individually owned and operated, not only is a hefty reader base still possible, but it’s substantially easier to branch out and truly own the project. Writing is one thing, but there’s so much more to blogging than run-of-the-mill, rudimentary posts. Additionally, endeavors involving web development, graphic design, search engine optimization, video production, social media marketing, advertising and e-commerce are made possible.

This is why innumerable bloggers from each of the world’s four corners make money as professional bloggers. It’s not easy, but it’s better than cutting corners and taking the easy way out. Right from the get-go, know that taking on a blog of your own is going to be difficult. That being said, if you plan on wholeheartedly embracing the grind mentality and tremendous effort associated with the practice, there’s no reason to blog through an overly intrusive, controlling publication.

As is customary in our industry, most PR pros have a digital portfolio, website or personal blog. More than likely, many of you are actively engaged in an editorial project, such as a blog, outside of your workplace duties. If so, what’s your hot take? With respect to blogging, is it better to embrace a reputable host site or go out on your own? Voice your opinion in the comments section below.

September 22, 2015

3 Reasons for Why Idea Poaching Is a Sorry Excuse for Brainstorming

September 22, 2015/ Lucas Miller

Regardless of how traditionalistic your take on the world of PR might be, it’s impossible to deny that valuable PR practitioners, more than ever before, need the ability to create engaging content. If you’re still not convinced, take a look at any of your client’s reputable competitors’ social accounts to see what’s being pushed—it sure as heck isn’t a continual stream of photos from the last company picnic.

Moreover, it’s engaging content, dragging audiences back to the source of the matter: a self-hosted blog or homepage. Needless to say, the same applies for all social channels, not just Twitter. Unbeknownst to those who’ve yet to have become wholeheartedly engaged in the creation of digital content is the constant need for great ideas.

These can come from a number of sources, but all too often, they’re plucked purely from the headlines of rival websites. If ever there was a time to show off your client’s brilliant creativity, it’d be now. Instead, if the timeliness of idea poaching is chosen, the consequences will be worse than you could’ve ever imagined. Observe:

1) Same Old, Same Old

Somewhere out in the digital sphere, there’s a poor horse that keeps getting beaten over the head with the same series of janky clickbait lists. Hey, I’m not opposed to numbered lists or anything—I mean, did you actually read the title of this entry?

In fact, studies have even shown that numbered lists equate more clicks, but step out a bit into the unknown and learn to rely on more than the list of pieces Google News produces for you. Don’t get me wrong, Google News is a great place to start, but you’ll need to put your own spin on things so as to distance yourself from what’s yesterday’s news. Anything less is just more of the same.

2) Softcore Plagiarism

If you’re looking for the hardcore copy and paste stuff, you’ll have to check under another dude’s mattress, because this plagiarism type is much more subtle. Any journalist or PR pro knows of the career-ending dangers of word-for-word plagiarism, but it’s the idea thievery that’ll really have your brain turned to mush.

Though the consulting of other sources is key for content creation, use the brain that was given to you to make something truly unique. Real thought leadership isn’t a mere regurgitation of someone else’s brilliance. Sure, imitation might be the finest form of flattery, but not in this sense.

3) Attracting New Audiences

There’s an old idiom that says something along the lines of, “If you’re not improving, you’re falling behind.” Complacent content marketers and PR specialists accept current audience size and levels of engagement.

However, the select few who refuse to accept workplace comfort continue to earnestly seek consumer expansion. Believe it or not, your commitment to stepping out of a content comfort zone is a direct reflection of which group you fall into.

In short, get over yourself and do something new. So, where do you belong? Am I completely out in left field with all of this or am I onto something? Please be so kind as to include any and all passionate responses in the comments section below.

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