Is your website home page reaching its highest potential?

If you leverage your content correctly, your home page can serve as a springboard for your audience to take thoughtful action, explore your website, and embark on a journey into what you have to say and offer.

Here’s a quick high-conversion home page guide to inspire your content planning and help skyrocket your digital marketing metrics. 

First, set some goals.

Before you can lay out your high-conversion home page plan, it’s important to ask yourself a few key questions:

• What are the top one to three goals of my website?
• Which actions are of highest value in driving these goals?
• What do I want my audience to know about my brand right away?
• What inspires my audience to take action?
• How can I use my website to grow my audience?

Once you get clear on your goals and which actions you want your audience to take on your website, you’ll find a lot more clarity in the home page process.

Next, start planning your home page content. 

Keeping your goals in mind, follow these best practices to create an engaging, informative, action-oriented home page. 

Place your highest value call-to-action (CTA) front and center. 

The first section at the top of your home page gets the highest visibility, which is why you want to use this space for your most valuable CTA. Examples of high-value CTAs include: 

• Shop products online
• Book a free consultation
• Schedule a service
• Start a conversation
• Sign up for a free incentive

Position your CTA in a way that clearly emphasizes the benefit and creates urgency. Shine the spotlight on your audience, the problem you can help solve, and the outcome they can achieve by taking action right away. 

Keep it short and simple, while also embracing your voice and branding – so they can get an immediate taste of your style. 

Link to the next logical steps within your site. 

In many cases, visiting your home page is the first step in your audience’s journey through the website. Ideally, the road shouldn’t end there. Invite them to take a deeper dive into your content  by including links (usually in the form of hyperlinked text or buttons) to other high value pages on your website. 

For example, if your website sells products, consider including links to your product category shopping pages. If your website offers services, link to a more elaborative page about your top-selling service and its benefits. 

Ultimately, you’re trying to reduce your bounce rate, or the percentage of website visitors that exit your site from a page.

Tell your story. 

We’re living in a digital age where many people really do their research before making a purchase or taking a next step. They’re making more informed decisions and aligning themselves with people and organizations that share their values and experiences.

So sharing your story is a compelling way to create relatability with your audience. Keep it brief, and include the following key points:

• What was the gap or problem you aim to resolve as a result of your experiences?
• How can you relate to your audience’s struggles or challenges?
• What was the turning point and big solution in your story arc?

If you have an “About Me/Us” or “My/Our Story” on your website, include the link for your visitors who want to learn more. 

Solve a problem.

Problem-solving is a huge component of successful content marketing. Address the problem your audience faces and let them know about the solution you have to fix it. This accomplishes a few things:

• Creates a sense of community among those who struggle with this problem
• Lets your audience know they’re in the right place
• Helps them visualize the transformation they can achieve by taking action with you

That’s why one of the best pictures you can paint with your content is a start-to-finish journey beginning with the active problem in their lives and the solution you can offer. The idea is to create a flow in their mind that says:

Here is my problem. 

Here is information that talks about the problem and offers a compelling solution.

Now I know how to take action to resolve my problem. 

Include an interactive component.

Get creative with how your audience can engage with your website. Consider adding an interactive component, like a:

• Free quiz
• Product finder
• Calculator
• Survey or poll

Interactive content is memorable, and it attracts immediate attention. 

When you create an opportunity for your audience to have fun, get personalized content, or discover something new about themselves, you’re creating a positive experience and building quality engagement. 

Create an opportunity to subscribe to your content. 

Give clear CTAs for how your audience can continue learning and exploring. Offer a CTA that helps get their eyes on fresh content, including:

• Sign up for a newsletter
• Follow social media pages
• Subscribe to your blog

This allows you to convert the visibility of a single home page visit into limitless potential to continue getting your message in front of your audience. 

Build authority. 

You’ve probably heard of “know, like, trust” in marketing. Authority building focuses on the “trust” component of this equation. 

Why are you an expert at this topic?
Why are your offerings the best choice in this niche or industry?
How have you made a positive influence?

Take some space on your home page to professionally highlight your expertise, sharing authority building information like: 

• Achievements, accomplishments, accreditations, and awards
• Statistics about how you’ve made a positive impact
• Numbers highlighting the scale of your influence and impact

If applicable, include links to supporting pages that elaborate on these key pieces of information. 

Feature testimonials.

The testimonials, reviews, and case studies of your clients and customers help build trust, while also giving your audience a glimpse into their future if they take action with you. 

According to Nielsen, 92 percent of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, which is organic content generated by a source other than the business itself, above all other forms of advertising.

Share a few testimonials that align with the top benefits and ideal outcome of whatever it is you’re offering, whether it be a product or service. Just make sure you obtain the proper permissions before you publicly share the voices of your clients. 

Bonus tip: Pay attention to your main navigation and footer.

Your home page conversion strategy should encompass every visible and clickable component of the page, including your main menu and footer links. Make sure these two areas map back to your goals and support the ideal website journey you’re looking to create for your audience. 

Now you have the tools to craft a home page that drives your goals and hits all the key marketing points. Happy content planning!

Let’s talk about writing ad copy. 

Many marketers relate to the struggle of ad creatives being hit-or-miss. But when you incorporate ad copy writing best practices, you can drastically increase your chances of creating a winning ad every time.

Check out these ten tips for writing ads that will boost visibility, increase conversion, and inspire your audience to take action.

#1. Follow the Rules

You can’t create any conversion or sales with ads that are suspended or unapproved – so knowing the rules is always the first step when it comes to ad writing.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the specific details of the platform, including restrictions around:

• Prohibited words and topics
• Word count
• Links
• Copy featured in graphics of videos
• Making promises

It’s a good idea to stay on the safe side for the health of your ads account and budget.

#2. Grab Attention Immediately

When your audience is scrolling online, you have only a split second to capture their attention. Immediately attract their focus by starting your copy by:

• Relating to their problem your product/service solves
• Revealing a solution to the problem your product/service solves
• Making a bold statement
• Telling a story with a strong opener

The first line of text is always the most important in driving conversion, because if it’s not exciting, any copy following will likely be missed.

#3. Create a Compelling Call-to-Action (CTA)

Whether your CTA is to buy a product, book a call, or engage with a free incentive – the goal is to make it sound as attractive as possible. Make sure the CTA is clear, clickable, and simple. 

If space allows, highlight the top one to three benefits your audience will experience when they take action right away. 

#4. Know Your Target Audience

Most ad platforms allow you to get specific with your target audience, and your copy should reflect his level of specificity. Once you narrow in demographics like age, location, income, etc., brainstorm questions like:

• What does this audience struggle with?
• What entices them to buy?
• What type of language resonates with them?

Do your research around their behaviors, interests, and problems, so you can create specific appeal in your copy. 

#5. Talk to a Specific Person

Top-performing digital content often speaks to a single “you.” Keep your ad copy personal, friendly, and specific. Focus on talking to your target audience, rather than about your business. Speak to their specific problem that your product or service can help alleviate. 

#6. Bring Your Personality

Ads are part of your overall marketing strategy, and they should absolutely feature your most authentic brand personality and tone of voice. Write like you’re talking to a friend. Incorporate your brand’s personality strong suits – which may be bold, authoritative, humorous, casual, or something else!

#7. Avoid Sounding Spammy or Robotic

High-conversion ads are often simple, conversational, and relatable. Leave out any spammy terms and robot-like text that might leave a poor taste with your audience. Find friendly, casual terminology to drive conversion.

Example:

Before: Buy our premium lawn care products now – 100% money back guarantee

After: Start your risk-free journey to a lush and summer-ready lawn. 

#8. Consider the Accompanying Elements

A successful ad has harmony among all of its components, which may include:

• Copy
• Graphics
• Video
• CTA text
• Button
• And more

Approach your copy from a place of cohesion and balance, so every element is complementary to one another. Leverage each opportunity to create copy to construct a unified message with spot-on branding. 

#9. Write Several Versions

It’s a best practice to craft several versions of your ad – perhaps two or three to start – and run them simultaneously to the same audience. After a short time, you can identify which ad is top performing and creating the highest conversion. 

Remember: your audience drives the data. This is a great way to gain powerful insight into what types of copy, marketing angles, and calls-to-action resonate with your audience.

#10. Measure Your Results

Driving conversion and tracking conversion go hand in hand. Keep a sharp eye on ad metrics like:

• Clickthrough rate
• Conversion rate
• Return on ad spend
• Audience feedback 

This insight will empower you to create copy that drives higher conversion, solves problems, and optimize lower-performing metrics.

I hope these ten tips help you create ad copy that shines, converts, and hits your goals.

The only thing I love more than practicing SEO and growing online traffic?

Teaching others how they can do the same. 

That’s why I’m honored to be featured as a guest expert with The Write Practice, a global community creating hands-on resources that help writers thrive and get published.

We’re teaching writers and authors the basics of SEO, so they can:

• Create greater visibility for their work
• Attract more readers using online marketing
• Build authority and make more connections

Check out my guest author piece here:
How to Write SEO Copy: An Author’s Guide

Have I mentioned how much I love organization and time management?

In my past decade as a content manager and writer, I’ve found these two skills are essential to produce high-quality, high-volume work.

Here is my simple system for managing and organizing writing assignments.

Start By Determining Priority

The very first step in staying organized is asking a few questions about your incoming writing assignments, whether they’re coming from a colleague, client, or yourself.

• When is the due date?
• What are all the components of this assignment?
• What is the workflow?
• How do I collaborate with others on this assignment? 

The goal of these questions is to determine the priority of your assignments. It’s much easier to stay organized when you know the levels of urgency, workload, and collaboration involved in each assignment as they reach your desk.

Next,  Create Three Lists

At all times, keep three lists on hand. You can reference and update your lists every day, and use them to maintain a simple yet efficient process for staying organized. 

Here are the lists:

1. Task List. This list contains all assignments on your plate. Include everything. Simply list the names of all assignments. If you’re working on big project, consider listing each component so you don’t lose track of them. 

2. Priority list. This list contains the top few items that are the highest priority for you to work on today or tomorrow. It should only include a handful of items, so you can stay focused and avoid overwhelm. 

3. Wish List. This list contains all the assignments you’d like to explore in the future. It’s your space to get creative and plan a vision for future works of writing that will make you happy and have an awesome impact. Revisit your wish list occasionally, and see if it’s possible to move any of them forward onto your task list. 

Next to each item on your task and priority lists, jot down the status. Keep it simple, using terms like:

• Not started yet
• In progress
• Waiting on XYZ detail or response
• Sent for approval
• Published

Also include links to the assignments, if applicable. 

Finally, when you’ve finished a task, you can either cross it off your list, or move it to an archive list where you can track all historical tasks. 

Work with Content Management Tools

Content management tools are incredible resources for staying organized, collaborating with your team, and tracking each assignment in greater detail. 

Many of these tools allow you to list a detailed description, upload files like graphics and Word documents, chat with your colleagues, and keep track of your time. 

Take your lists to the next level by implementing a content management tool to help you stay organized, informed, and disciplined.

I hope this 3-list system helps you manage and organize your content writing assignments with ease!

We blinked. This year is almost over and 2023 is on the horizon, ready to bring the next hottest content trends. Here are my four content marketing predictions for the New Year. 

#1. Storytelling is Key

The art of storytelling has been part of marketing strategies since the beginning of business. Stories provide lots of value to your audience, such as entertainment, purpose, and context. While storytelling is a tried-and-true strategy, I predict it will be increasingly more important as we head into 2023. 

In today and tomorrow’s bustling digital world, people often automatically scroll past advertisements and traditional marketing content. However, a good story will entice them to pause and listen. It’s one of the top ways to capture your audience’s attention and maintain it for a longer period of time. 

Focus on telling the heart of your story, emphasizing any low points, big wins, and important revelations. Don’t be afraid to get creative with how you tell it. Think outside the box (or outside the written word) and create video content and graphics to accompany your story. 

As your business grows, consider telling the stories of your clients and customers in the form of case studies or testimonials. 

#2. Short and Sweet Reigns Supreme

Great content creation extends far beyond the ability to write lots of solid marketing copy.  Nowadays, the true test of skill in this craft is the ability to write concisely.

People are scrolling.
People don’t have time.
People don’t usually stop to read. 

That’s why I predict short and simple text will continue as the gold standard in content marketing in 2023.

Use short and sweet phrases.
Break up text into small paragraphs or lists.
Keep it simple.

Then once your audience is hooked, introduce your longer-form, more descriptive content.

#3. Purpose-Driven Marketing is Increasingly Important

As 2023 approaches, we’re entering into a world of more conscious, knowledge-seeking consumers who often take the time to do their research before purchasing.

Competition within virtually every product and service category is growing at an intense pace, so it’s no longer simply enough to talk about your product.

People want to know your “why.”
What’s the big picture behind your business?
How are your products or services solving an important problem?
How are you hoping to make the world a better place through your business?

A purpose-driven content strategy sets you apart while also highlighting all of the great work you’re doing with your business. 

#4. Social Media is Evolving… But Not Too Drastically

It’s no secret that social media is by far the fastest changing landscape in the digital world. From year to year, new strategies and best practices emerge quickly. I predict that in 2023, we’ll continue to see evolution, but overall, the changes won’t be too dramatic.

Heading into 2023, I think we’ll continue to see this year’s trends become more prevalent:

• Generally, short videos like TikTok videos and reels are outperforming most traditional social media posts.
• Focus on aesthetics and branding. People gravitate toward content that pleases the eye.
• Keep text short, simple, and easy to read. (Just like we noted in prediction #2.)

Watch the horizon for new and emerging platforms, but don’t plan for major players like Facebook and Instagram to go anywhere any time soon. 

Keep doing what you’re doing, while maintaining a pulse on what types of content create the highest reach and engagement in the current moment.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and successful 2023 filled with eye-catching content and engaging digital conversations. 

I love writing all types of content. I see the beauty in all marketing writing ranging from short-and-sweet social media posts to lengthy educational articles. However, there’s one form of content that seems to have a special place in my heart: 

Newsletters.

I find newsletters so much fun to write, because there’s an opportunity to package many pieces of content into one neat container. I’m sharing my 6 key components of high-engagement newsletter that leaves your readers excited to interact and learn more.

#1. Timely Content

Start your newsletter off strong with content that’s relevant for your audience during the specific time. Lead with a piece of content that focuses on a timely topic, like: 

• Holiday-themed or seasonal articles
• Educational materials to address a timely concern in your industry’s climate
• Product guide that recommends seasonally relevant selections
• Response to recent online or industry trends
• Anticipation of a new product release, event, or offer 

#2. Opportunities to Engage, Play, and Win

Some of the most high-engagement newsletters I’ve published featured an activity to do beyond just simply reading content, like playing a game for example. Boost your readership and engagement by including an interactive component like:

• Trivia
• Multiple choice pop quiz
• Crossword puzzle or word search
• Social media contests
• Free product or “swag” giveaway

#3. Reader Celebrations

Remember, the best marketing content shines a spotlight on your reader, and your brand plays a supporting role by providing a solution to their problem. Find a way to promote your readers in your newsletter after obtaining the proper permissions. Here are a few ideas:

• Testimonials
• Reader of the week/month/quarter
• Client success stories
• Q&A section that answers reader-submitted inquiries
• Reader-written snippet or excerpt 

#4. Industry Leadership

While your newsletter content should mainly focus on the reader, you have the opportunity to show off your brand’s latest achievements or innovations, especially if they set you apart as an industry leader. Share the latest news about your brand’s impact in a way that highlights the key benefits for your readers. Examples include: 

• Awards
• New research or case studies
• Product releases
• Features in industry media or events
• Philanthropic efforts

#5. Links to Keep Reading and Learning

Your newsletter is a springboard for your readers to take a deep dive into your brand’s content. Wrap up each section of your newsletter with a clear call-to-action to keep exploring more about that topic. Examples include:

• Keep reading (link to a blog article)
• Join the conversation (link to a social media group or page)
• Sign up here (link to opt-in to any new initiatives you’re presenting)
• Buy now (link to purchase a product)
• Contact us now (link to your contact page or email address)

#6. A Personal Touch

Write your newsletter using simple, conversational language that’s aligned with your brand’s unique voice. Create a deeper level of connection with your readers by adding a personal touch, like: 

• Warm conclusion message at the end of the newsletter
• Short bio about the newsletter author and their inspiration
• Personalized product suggestion if you have the segmentation capabilities
• Tags in your email system that write out your reader’s name in the introduction
• Invitation for readers to submit ideas for future newsletter content

BONUS TIP:
Create a consistent template.

Establish 5-8 sections that you want to regularly feature in your newsletter, so your readers can get used to following a certain flow and you have a foundation to work with each time. You can use the above components to build your initial template:

Section 1: Timely Article
Section 2: Game or Engagement Opportunity
Section 3: Reader Celebration
Section 4: Industry Spotlight Piece
Section 5: Links to Your High-Value CTAs
Section 6: Personal Wrap-Up

Newsletters are a great way to deliver multiple pieces of content and stay in touch with your audience on a consistent basis. I hope these 6 tips help you write your first or next fun newsletter.

It’s essential to keep a steady stream of brilliant content flowing through your marketing calendar, and while well-crafted content is a huge asset…

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel each and every time.

Let’s dive into a few smart ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle your brand’s content – to save you time and make the most of your marketing resources.

REDUCE

“Less is more” definitely applies in the world of content marketing. In my experience, I’ve found that simple content and streamlined strategies always have the highest success rates. Here are a few ways to cut back on your content without sacrificing impact or revenue: 

Choose Your Platforms Wisely

A successful marketing strategy involves creating a network of content across multiple platforms. In some cases, not all platforms convert well for certain brands and strategies, depending on their target audiences.

If you’re spending time and effort contributing content to a platform that gives you little to no return on investment, consider scaling back your efforts in this area and giving more energy where you’re experiencing better results. 

Archive Old Content

Ideally, your website is constantly growing and expanding with SEO-friendly content. While you don’t want to make it a regular habit to delete content, it’s best practice to take some time to do a little “Spring cleaning” and archive content that is no longer serving your brand (or remove it from easily accessible places on your site, like the main navigation, so top-performing content can shine). 

This can be content with outdated information, content that features products and services you no longer offer, and content that gets minimal traffic and conversion.

REUSE

Generally speaking, you want to have diverse, unique content on your website and marketing platforms and avoid duplicate wording. That said, there are ways to reuse valuable content in a way that makes your efforts more efficient:

Embrace Seasonal Content

If you’re creating content for a seasonal campaign, like a Christmas sale for example, make sure you record your efforts and save all the assets in case you want to bring it back to life next season. Imagine you’re boxing it up and storing it in the attic like you would your holiday decorations.

When the season comes around next time, you can use last year’s content as a foundation and spruce it up for reuse. 

Stream Similar Content

If you’re sharing content across multiple platforms, it’s okay to start with the same content, then create variation to follow each platform’s best practices. For example, you can share the same video on your website, Facebook page, Instagram Page, and YouTube Channel – just make each title and description uniquely attractive for each platform.

Refresh Previous Campaigns

Have you ever run a promotion or campaign that performed exceptionally well? Or is there a social post in mind that attracted a lot of engagement? Take a look at your top performers again and do two things:

1. Learn from its wins. Explore what made it so successful and consider how you can replicate the best practices again.
2. Create a 2.0 version of this campaign, revamp its content, and run it again! You can even say you’re offering one of your most-loved promotions again.

RECYCLE

If you have excellent content, find ways to repurpose it to continue growing your digital marketing strategies. Here are two tried-and-true ways to recycle your content:

Incorporate User-Generated Content

This is high-impact content that you don’t even have to write yourself. Share reviews, video testimonials, or any other content your brand’s fans & followers may have created. Just make sure you have the user’s consent to share their content and/or share publicly available user-generated content. 

Consider Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing involves leveraging mutually-beneficial, mutually-profitable relationships to promote your brand. Ask your affiliate partners to help share your promotion, feature you as a guest expert in content that relates to your industry, or use your informative content as a credited resource for their content.

I hope these tips will help you breathe new life into your old content!

Let me know in the comments: what’s one piece of content you’d like to reuse?