Nothing is alarming about the metamorphosis of the language that is used for personal communication. However, the corporate lingo is seeing a definite change that is more inclined to match the change in its ideology. Corporate ideology has achieved a green nuance to suit the changing need of the times. Eco-friendliness is the emerging keyword and a prerequisite to any future oriented corporate program.

Obviously, the corporate world has incorporated green words in its vocabulary. Any corporate trying to pitch in with new ideas and products must be well conversant and use these green words.

Eco-friendly: (You may be very friendly on the Facebook.) Your business is not happening if it’s not ‘eco-friendly’. In simple words, every aspect of your business must take care of our precious environment and ecosystem.

Green marketing: (It has nothing to do with buying spinach and lettuce.) Your marketing methodologies must use the bare minimum natural resources and minimize, if not eliminate in total, its adverse impact on the environment.

Global warming: (We aren’t talking about the summers.) It is a slow but certain rise in the atmospheric temperature over the years. It is proving detrimental to our planet’s eco-system. A socially responsible corporate must contribute to check this.

Green house gases: Certain gases viz. Chlorofluorocarbons, per-fluorocarbons and hydro fluorocarbons are responsible fro causing global warming. (You are not alone.) most of these gases are banned from use in most of the nations.

Carbon footprint: (We know that everybody wears shoes in your office.) This is the impact that your business leaves on the environment. It may be in the form of emissions, wastage or energy efficiency.

Well, using this green lingo will show your concern for the planet we live on. Further, keep yourself abreast of the changes in the lingo and yes… you are free to invent some of your own green words.

If the content on your website needs to be altered frequently, then you would perhaps need access and control of your site rather than request updates through your web developer. This is when a CMS comes into the picture.

So when you have decided that you need a CMS, the following suggestions can help you choose the most appropriate one for your projects.

Budget: The first step is to determine the amount you can spend on a CMS. While determining your budget, don’t forget about the implementation and support costs.

Review the volume of content and consider scalability: Determine the volume of content you have today, and will have tomorrow. Your system should be able to support your maximum projected users at least for the next five years. Once you have evaluated your needs, match the volume with real life case studies to know what your intended Content Management System can handle.

Format Flexibility: Evaluate the format flexibility of your CMS. If you will be publishing in several formats (social, web, mobile, video, audio, XML, etc.) then ensure that the content can be re-formatted easily.

Printing Flexibility: Websites and web technology flourish on change. So make sure that your web content or site design is twisted or totally changed at least every 12 months. Go for a CMS that does not limit your ability to make changes.

Some of the recommended content management systems are:

Wordpress: This CMS system is best for websites that have four or five static pages, like “About us”, “Contact us”, etc. and pages that change frequently, like the blogs.

ExpressionEngine: This CMS system allows for more dynamic content, and also allows easy multiple changes at once.

Drupal: When a website grows, it becomes difficult to manage information. Drupal CMS is specifically designed for large sites that feature several pages of individualized content.

Make an informed decision about the right content management system and see your business soar to new heights.

Start With SEO Basics

This is true, “If content can be searched on, then it can be optimized for better performance in search.” However, the definition of the SEO is and will mostly be changing by the day. As for the moment you can make the most  of the resources and optimize your videos, images and even audios. This can only be made possible through relevant meaningful content and links. They are of immense help and will enable you make better use of SEO tactics in your online presence.

Some More SEO Tips

• After compiling your keyword glossary, you could make use of a keyword tool in order to target your audience efficiently.
• Do not get carried away, optimize your content for the readers first. Now, go back and make adjustments to make this search engine friendly without damaging the script.
• Never overlook and make sure to the use of keywords in the title, sub-heading and the text body. The title is the most important place where the presence of the keyword makes ultimate sense. However, do not stuff keywords just for the sake of them being there. Logical and relevant presence will alone make sense, so that your piece is visually appealing and easy to digest.

Normally, keywords appearing for about 2/4 times, in a 400/500 word release is just fine.

Making Press Releases Work

Traditionally a press release is just another type of announcement. However, an online press release, like all online content, is so much different that you can do more than just pitching a message or an event. You could even inspire calls to action, add you onto Facebook, or even make a call. You could even take the reader to a landing page for optimization analysis. Look at these as more than a one time thing, what with your links in place, a press release is your very valuable investment and asset.

Just Imagine This Scenario

• A corporate communications director making sure that the widest possible coverage of her latest press release through an RSS feed and ensuring dissemination via a news aggregator.
• The internal communications manager sending out daily reports, both internal data and externally sourced information, to all his company employees all around the world in the chosen RSS option. He is assured that no one is inadvertently left off the circulation list.
• A consultant needing to keep his customer regularly updated on a particular project. He creates a weblog and makes this available to his customer through a RSS feed; Rest assured.
• A competitive information professional using the RSS reader to gather regular information from direct competitors web sites, industry blogs, independent analysts, and the news media.
• A company who just released a new service and is expecting direct and regular feedback from chartered customers who agree to keep weblogs of their experiences with these services; and the company regularly receiving updates using RSS.
• A sales executive wanting to send regular messages to a valued customer concerning special promotions; they agree that the RSS feed is the surest, and the best answer.
• A Vice-President of marketing is organizing his company’s annual conference which includes customers, suppliers and staff. As the agenda and logistics keep changing, he uses the RSS to keep everyone updated. The updated document can be posted on the corporate intranet, and the changes can be highlighted using RSS.
• Corporate bloggers like the CEO wanting to communicate directly with staff or customers – need an audience. RSS is that quick trick for reaching out and getting a response.
• Project teams could be working on different continents, where RSS is an effective and secure way of sharing data and highlighting issues.
• When Company Documentation, including procedure manuals, employee handbooks, health and safety regulations, or price-lists need to be kept up-to-date, since they regularly change and the concerned staff needs to be notified; the updated documents could be posted on the intranet, and RSS used for highlighting changes.

Why should corporations promote the adoption of RSS technology?

There are a myriad of other uses where RSS can be put for use within a corporate environment. Broadly, RSS is best at delivering ‘FYI’ information, while e-mail is good for active – two way communication.

However, few companies have taken a policy decision to comprehensively deploy RSS within their organizations. RSS readers currently in use in companies are on account of personal initiatives alone.

Drivers for further uptake

The debate so far has only focused on the benefits of RSS versus E-mail. Increasing junk mail has given rise to even more draconian anti-spam measures. This is making it hard for the corporate managers to decide – a flood of unwanted e-mails each day, or risking with anti-spam software capable of blocking a vital message.

RSS is looking like an increasingly attractive and secure option for sending or receiving a regular report, message or an electronic newsletter within the corporate firewall, where the end user can control the flow in terms of what is received, the frequency and whether it alerts the users to the arrival of a message.

The “pull” aspect of RSS technology is appealing, and fundamentally differentiates from the “push” aspect of e-mail.

Latent Semantic Analysis

The principles of LSI in determining content of web-pages, was first used by a small company called Oingo. Later renamed Applied Semantics, they developed a search system for determining the relevance of page content for specific advert placement, and called this Adsense. This was bought by Google in April, 2003 and used for replacing their system which was still developing. Adsense was not developed by Google, but purchased, and a good bargain at that.

However, a general opinion of the LSI is slightly off-mark. Instead of thinking it to be just an algorithm screwed on to the search engine, this could be better understood as a concept. Tie in the phrase ‘Artificial Intelligence’ to the LSI, and we see this in better light.

When we search for Tiger Woods, the search will not result in putting forth pages related to the keywords ‘tiger’ and ‘woods’; instead what we get is what we call ‘relevance feedback.’  This search will present a number of pages relating to golf. LSI is the most potent tool available for the search engines, as of now.

The LSI enabled search platforms are most effective and able to make better sense since they do not just focus on a bunch of keywords. Conventional search engines were unable to give good results since they were basing results only on ‘keywords’ analysis.

This was the reason they were unable to tell the difference between:

• Similar words but with different meanings – and we have a whole lot of them.
• Words similar in meaning, but spelled differently – sickness/vomiting.
• Singular and plural forms of words – dice/die, man/men.
• Branches of words from the same root – like ‘bath’, ‘bathe’, ‘bathing’, or ‘bathed.’

LSI is different, a kind of ‘Artificial Intelligence’ really. Looking at the speed and number of web-pages being added on the net everyday, it definitely is a challenging task for any search engine to provide an ideal search result.

The fact is that LSI is able to fit in this slot of search process, widely & wisely capable of enhancing the qualities of any search engine using LSI.

If a good SEO copywriting can do wonders for the site, a bad or misfit job can be destructive. It would then be right to understand the inadequacies that may prove harmful in fulfilling the job requirement. It would be proper to pay attention to the following weaknesses.

• In case our analysis proves inadequate for competitive search terms it would not be able to fulfill what we intend to seek with our copywriting. The technique only works for non-competitive search terms. This will not work for terns like – automobiles, hotels, resorts, or mobiles.
• Check on the requirements of the site. Like, some sites are graphic oriented, or multimedia and no amount of copywriting skills would be helpful. It may even harm the existing structure of the site.
• The cost and time factor must be taken into account. Since copywriting is expensive and time consuming, this would be ideal for high budget sites and who have enough time to go to the market.
• There is always this risk factor lurking behind. What if the rankings improve and stay on the top before once again slumping down. This will hurt much more when you find other sites doing well without investing much money, or time.

It would be proper to keep these in mind before beginning work on any web-site.

SEO copywriting needs to be written keeping the search engines in mind. Looking at the immense competition, and the scores the copywriting is expected to generate, this kind of content creation requires a good understanding of the ways in which the search engines operate. The use of the right keywords is very important, but stuffing or overstuffing should be avoided, as they only destroy the very purpose of SEO copywriting.

‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’ This also means that it is capable of making a good copy write-up and if done badly might also destroy. With SEO, this also becomes a strategy and must be properly applied.

The following points would be very helpful in creating an effective copy write-up.

• Remember this is a long term strategy that you are working on.
• This is able to bring in stability in the rankings within and in different search engines, even when the algorithms for rankings change.
• Content is the key to a good copywriting, establish this beyond doubt. Good content always makes a good copy write-up.
• Good content is always able to bind the pages of the web-site. This acts as logical glue and enhances the stickiness of the web-site.
• A good copy write-up is a sure-fire way, and would improve on the rankings with time. This is the kind of growth which search engines like. Slow and steady always wins the race, and more, this might even be able to cut down that sandbox time in Google.

1) Project Review

a)     If this is for an existing website

• Re-evaluate the current  copywriting
• Find the flow of the site, and benchmark the process of navigation, the usage of keywords and their relevance to the site.
• Mark out the text, structure of the text, and language where improvements can be made.

b)    For beginning a new project

• Take a good look of the site map before beginning. This will help you place the text properly.
• Check on the requirements of the client  with reference to the quality and design of the content.
• View other competing web-sites and their content collaterals submitted by IC.

2) Obtain all Inputs  from the Client

• All brochures, manuals, and other relevant literature available from the client must be collected before we start.
• Don’t forget to draw a collateral agreement, marking out all that he is expecting from you at this point of time.
• Take a list of all the competitors he has in mind. This will help you study and evaluate where he stands.
• If you would want to interact with the viewers to collect their opinions and suggestions, obtain consent from the client.

3) Copy Writing

In fact, this is where copywriting really starts. Now that you know all that you needed to create an effective copy write-up, following points must be kept in mind while creating the copy of the text to be put on site. SEO copywriting must go through a process to be effective.

• Visualize and chart out the contents. Prepare a map of the requirement and how effectively you are going to put the content.
• Write down the collaterals and competitive research information you did on the pages.
• The nature of the industry of the client must be properly understood. It would also be proper to acquaint yourself with the local linguistic nuances & social norms pertaining to the geographical location. The cultural ethics and values of the region also need to be well understood.
• It would now be possible to maintain a logical flow in the content write-up within and outside the page, which is not just important, but essential for good copywriting.
• A good understanding of the human psyche & emotions come very helpful in making an effective copy write-up.
• The write-up must be in a proper format and in alignment with the functions of the page. A proper placement of Descriptions, Titles, Call-to-Action Buttons, Information Solicitation, etc, should be taken care of.

4) Reviewing Content & Encourage Feedback

Reviewing and modifying content can be helpful. This can be done through a review & request form provided on your page. You can keep track of the changes in this way and work on future improvements in time.

Excited about writing a press release, huh?

But writing a press release is not like writing a blog. It’s a different ball game; not tough though! There are certain things that you need to look out for if you are trying to attract a lot of eyeballs. Here are the best 5 of them:

1) Is your news really newsworthy?

The purpose of a press release is to inform the world of your news item. Do not use your press release to try and make a sale. A good press release answers all of the “W” questions (who, what, where, when and why), providing the media with useful information about your organization, product, service or event. If your press release reads like an advertisement, you may not receive the desired response.

2) The headline is critical.

Do not assume that just because you send a press release, prospects will read it. Journalists and investors can see dozens of releases a day, and if yours does not break through the clutter, it won’t do you much good. You need to have a headline that will make the reader fall (read jump) from his seat! Getting attention doesn’t mean that you should aim for sensationalism. Remember, the goal of your headline is to impress the reader with the fact that your news is important, novel and vital. You can do that without getting into any problems with taste.

3) Include a sub-header.

While you should make sure that every word in your release is perfect, many readers will never get past the headlines. Make sure your release achieves maximum penetration by adding a sub-header that summarizes your story.

4) Pick an angle & stick to the facts.

Try to make your press release blend with the news to current events or social issues if possible. Make sure that your story has a good news hook. While doing this – Tell the truth. Avoid fluff, embellishments and exaggerations. Remember that if your story sounds too good to be true, you are probably hurting your own credibility!

5) Keep it to one page.

I know this one’s very hard if there is a lot to digest in your release. Even I have experienced difficulty in writing a one pager press release. But the fact of the matter is that very few people read through to the second page of a release, and when it gets that long, it prevents people from reading it at all. So stick to a single page only.

As you fill up your press release with facts & figures, product/service details, case studies, etc. make sure that you end it effectively as well. The easiest and most effective of concluding a press release is by ending it with a short paragraph that describes your company, products, service and a short company history. If you are filing a joint press release, include a paragraph for both companies.

I remember that night, when one of my good friend called me up at 2 in the morning and said that his sales were in the bin for that quarter. He had excellent products but somehow no one was interested to buy them. He asked for my help. Receiving a call at 2 in the morning, I had two options. One was to say, “Hey buddy, lets talk tomorrow. I need sleep and so do you. So go back to sleep and don’t worry, we will sort this tomorrow.” Another option was to say, “Don’t worry buddy. I have a killer idea to boost your sales. And I will get back to you in 24 hours with a sales letter.” I chose the second option that time and I am happy because that sales letter helped my friend to have a great sales volume later.

What is a Sales Letter?

Sales letters are a great way to inform your audience of your offerings. The sales letter is a marketing tool to promote your product and service, and by targeting your audience accurately, they can return a significant response. Sales letters can be written to either sell, inform or encourage a response from consumers. The success of a sales letter is largely determined by how well it is written and presented. Hence it is important to integrate quality content and design to encourage a successful response.

Here are 5 simple ways to create your killer sales letter:

Using a sales letter as part of a mail shot is a cost effective approach for creating sales.

Keep the Language Simple

Language is perhaps the key element in writing a sales letter, so it is important that you use the right words in the right context. Whatever your offerings are do, do not use jargons like “it makes people feel stupid”. The point to remember at all times is that the letter should be easy to read by using simple and short words. You can focus on using appealing words such as free, quality, only, where appropriate.

Use Paragraphs

If you have lot of content to share, split your content into small paragraphs making the letter easier to read. Add headings throughout the letter so that the reader can get an idea of the content from a simple glance.

Be Careful with Fonts & Emphasizers

Try to stick to one font throughout the sales letter. You can have a slight increase in the font size for headings and titles. Do not use a very small font size in an attempt to get more information in a shorter space. At Word Chillies, we prefer using the font ‘Arial’ with a size of 10 point for effective sales letters.

Emphasis is important to highlight certain words or phrases. Many people use uppercase to emphasize, but this is a mistake as it can often make the sentence hard to read. Instead, use italics, bold, or exclamation marks!

Don’t Give False Hope

Do not promise anything if you cannot give it as false advertising can set a bad image of your business. At the most, you can suggest that you may be able to make a difference if it is possible, but do not suggest a certainty if it cannot be given.

Give it That Extra Professional & Personal Touch

A personal signature from a key member of staff gives the letter that finishing touch instead of the usual printed name and position. It also makes the consumer feel that you value them – just as effective.

Finally you need to make sure that you end your letter in a proper way. Remember, the end of the letter is an area that can attract a lot of attention and because it is the last thing you read, the words are often remembered. Therefore, use this space wisely, using PS if necessary to remind them of a piece of information that you regard important or useful to the consumer. Provide some contact information or steps that you expect from the consumer.