Does Your Web Writing Do That?

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I just got done reading an article by web writing genius, Dr. Patsi Krakoff. Her last two posts have been about neuromarketing. In this post she wrote something that I couldn't get out of my head.

"When something catches our attention, if we want to know more, and if it triggers one of our drives (acquire it, eat it, bond with it, use it to save time, energy or money or protect family) we will remember it so that we can take action on it." You can read her whole article here.

Web Write For Emotional Connection

 

Web writing is nothing more than trying to trap a reader's attention in some emotional way. If it is helpful, time or money saving, or protection related, our minds will want to latch on to it. We are a very self-centered animal amidst a very greedy culture. What does it do for me?

This is the reason that "time saving" and "money making" blogs, sites and content are so popular on the web today. We take an already convenient and superfast platform for information, such as the internet, and we search for products, advice and services that will make our life even more convenient.

Web Writing Ideas

 

So, the next time you're thinking about your next article for HubPages or InfoBarrel keep the following questions in mind for the best chance of interaction and getting the reader to do something with your content.

What do you know best? Can your web writing turn out a "How-To" article about it? Can that article be so tightly written and easy to understand that a person will be able to accomplish the task right then and there?

What most concerns you about the safety of your children or yourself? Web writing on those particular topics can be particularly effective. If you can convince the reader that they should follow your advice, or safety tips, then the message will be branded somewhere deep in the consciousness, almost feeling guilty if they don't follow it. Loved ones are a great motivator.

A recipe? Web writing about food, and especially recipes, are terribly action causing. Doesn't it feel like you always spend more in a grocery store when you're hungry? Now, imagine making someone's mouth water as they're searching for a pot roast recipe. If they liked it…they'll come back. Why? Because you have just satisfied one of the most primal, powerful and original human physiological warnings-hunger.

Web Writing can be a very powerful tool. That's why companies pay millions of dollars annually for good web writing and content. The ability to imprint themselves on the psyche of their customers can mean a lifelong commitment to their brand or service. Does your web writing do that?

Related articles

• Tips On Web Writing For Money: Go to InfoBarrel! (tipsonwebwriting.blogspot.com)
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• Earn Money Online Web Writing (tipsonwebwriting.blogspot.com)

Web Writing For Money With HubPages

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I'll admit it.  Writing on the web for money by placing articles on HubPages took a while to grow on me.  I didn't like the idea of giving my web writing to someone else to "share" the money with.  Besides that, when I first started blogging or web writing for residual earnings I was impatient.  I put a few articles in different places and then, when I didn't earn much (zero, actually!) I got disgruntled.

Keys To Web Writing For Money With HubPages

This is gonna' be quick and dirty because I truly feel that no matter how many tutorials or "how-to" articles you read, you just need to do it and learn.  There are, however, some keys (not secrets!) to make your money making writing more successful.

• You need to write alot:  No matter how much research you do or how "hot" your topic is the traffic and interest will die down eventually.  When your 40 to 50 views on one article per day die down to 2 or 3 then what happens? Well, you need to have about 15-20 articles getting a few impressions and reads per day.
• Do Some Keyword Research:  I don't condone writing solely for search engines as you have already found out if you have been reading my posts for more than a day or two.  You do need to do some research though.  If you have a writing topic idea then go to Google Adwords and type in a couple different versions of the keywords you want to write about and see which has the most traffic.  For truly optimal results, use several different versions of that keyword or phrase various times throughout the article....but do it naturally!
• Backlinking:  Right now Google and other search engines give a lot of credit to what I like to call "peer recommendations".  When people read your article and share it on social networks, +1 it, or link it on their own sites then the search engines see it as "more valuable".  It makes sense.  If it is quality writing with great worth then more people will want to spread it around.  The problem is that many people don't get that kind of recognition for their writing-even with a high page-ranking site like HubPages.  A good tool for creating backlinks in a natural, "legal" way is to use http://www.socialmonkee.com/index.php?af=29576 .

 That's it!  That's all you get.  Now...go out there and Make Money Web Writing!

Related articles

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Is Your Web Writing Too Complicated For Readers?

               Image by basheem via Flickr

A couple of months ago I came across this article on Perry Marshall's website and I am finally getting around to doing a post about it.  I think it is definitely relative to what we talk about here on web writing tips for money.

Mr. Marshall claims that he owes his success in copy writing because at the level he writes at a level that doesn't require you to use any brain power. And believe me, Perry Marshall gets it done.  In many circles he is considered the premiere authority for Google Adwords conversion.  When advertisers want the attention of prospective clients and customers then they refer to Perry Marshall's expertise.

As  a web writer your conversion is of utmost importance so don't you think you would do well to listen to a guru like Marshall when it comes to getting people to click, take action and do exactly what you want them to do with just a couple words?  Uhm…YEAH.

Check out this tool that Marshall provides on his website:  Grade Of Your Text

According to that tool this text has a reading of a 8^th grader and a 13 year old kid.  Pretty easy to digest, right?

So, does that make this better?  I'm not sure.  I mean, who am I to argue a master like Marshall but…

I think there's a danger in that though.  How far away are we from web writers having a certain tone and language but then purposely "writing down" to their readers.  Personally, I'd be pissed if I knew someone was writing down to me on one of my favorite blogs.

Sure, I understand that there is obvious dangers, too, in being too smart or technical in web writing, copy writing or any writing but shouldn't be decided by the reader?  

On second thought:  Is that already happening?  Do people like Darren Rowse, Seth Godin and Brian Clark talk down to me?  They're all very successful.  Does that mean they "got me" by writing down to my level?

I don't think so.  What do you think?

Related articles

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Web Writing Success Is About 3 Things

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The title? Yeah, simple and catchy and 100% TRUE. There are only 3 things you really need to be concerned with when it comes to web writing for money. The new web content/SEO software that I've decided to promote is called Scribe. Scribe Makes SEO Simple

The 3 Most Important Web Writing For Money Characteristics

1. Keywords
2. Content
3. Links

Do you know why your web writing for money online depends so greatly on those 3 things? Because those are the three key elements in SEO. Implement SEO and you get attention grabbing content that people want to read and, more importantly…share with their friends and business partners.

People trust a peer or relative recommendation 70% than they do an advertisement. Do advertisements still work? Sure, but only in a purely organic way. If you want someone to take action then you need to recommend that they do so and they better trust you when you do it.

How Does Scribe Make Your Web Writing Better?

• First, the Scribe keyword research tool tunes you into the right language before you write. Once your content is created, the Scribe keyword suggestion service shows you keyword phrases you might have missed.

• Second, Scribe analyzes your natural, reader-focused content, and tells you how to gently tweak it to spoon feed search engines based on 15 SEO best practices.

• Third, Scribe’s link building tools help you build back links from other sites, crosslink the content within your own site, and identify influential social media users who want to share your stuff.

Sure, we can all do a little keyword research and tweak our own text until it reads crisp, natural and optimally enhanced for conversion. So, the first and second aspects of what Scribe does is just more of an "instant outsource. It takes the thought out of it and allows you to do what you do: Write for the Web.

Personally, I like the 3rd aspect the most. With Scribe's link building tools you're almost assured re-Tweets, shares, RSS subscriptions and email passes. Scribe takes the most influential people in your niche and places your content in their face. What does this mean? Huge audiences that follow a trusted name in the niche. Remember: People trust a peer or relative recommendation 70% than they do an advertisement.

And here's two other great things about Scribe that made me want to promote their product.

1. Follow the very next link you see in this article and get a FREE, NO OBLIGATION, 27 page report by Copyblogger founder Brian Clark. He'll explain:

• Why SEO Copywriting Still Matters
• How Search Engines Work
• Why You Have to Spoon Feed Search Engines
• The 5 Essential Elements of Keyword Research
• How to Create Cornerstone Content That Google Loves
• Five Link Building Strategies That Work
• Five Areas to Focus On for Effective SEO Copywriting
• Why Writing for People Works for Search Engines
• How to Make SEO Simple

Here is that link! Click here to grab your free SEO report

2. If you decide that you don't have enough information and that you'd rather test the waters for a bit? No problem. You can get a FREE 30-day trial. Once you sign up you can CANCEL AT ANY TIME. It's easy. They make it easy. Brian doesn't want be one of "those guys" that sell products and services that are near impossible to rid yourself of later. Inside your myScribe account area, you’ll see a top navigation option labeled Cancel My Account on each and every page. Click that link at any time to end your subscription.

Here's the FREE TRIAL LINK: Take Scribe On A Risk-Free Test Drive

I think by now you can see how Scribe can help you in your web writing endeavor. Imagine your Hubs going viral? Imagine your Squidoo Lens being featured on the front page? Imagine your blog post being dispersed by a huge personality in your niche?

Can you see it?  Does it look great? Then you need to check Scribe out. See Scribe SEO In Action!

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You're A Web Writer? I Didn't Know That...

                                 Image via WikipediaAre you a web writer that makes most of their money grappling for jobs from up-front paying sites like Textbroker?  How would you like to have people seeking you out, at prices that you name, rather than lunging at jobs while they're available at prices that some no-face editor designated as your "skill level"?

The best way to do this is with your own personal website with a blog to go with it.  But what do you want to place on that site?

Here are a bunch of ways to make sure that your professional web writing site is optimized for earning money and gaining the attention of possible paying clients!

Don't Be A Web Writng Snob

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There are a lot of web writers, content writers, freelance writers...whatever you want to call us, that don't really define themselves as "a writer".  They're either wary of doing so because they lack confidence in their abilities, they lack confidence in the web's ability to sustain them enough to call it a job, or it's REALLY not their job.

And there's nothing wrong with that.  Some people don't want to label their web writing as a job because it's more of a hobby for them and when they start calling it "work" it becomes work instead of just this fun thing.  Now, there are people who will disparage the leisurely web writer. They'll say that "those people" are ruining the trade or profession.

Web Writing Topics Can Be A Drag Somtimes

Image via WikipediaIf you've started writing for the web already and you're looking to make some money doing it then no doubt you have been to one of those sites that pay decent and always have work.  Dream come true, right?  Eh...

Are you having issues with there being plenty of work about everything you have no idea about?  I've had issues with that in the past. I'll back and forth through the job boards and say to myself (in a whining inner whimper) "but I don't know about any of that stuff."  Plus, many of them are B-O-R-I-N-G

Recently I learned a lesson due to my own stupidity and impatience that will benefit me in the long run.  I thought I'd share it with you.

Lesson 1:  If You Don't Know The Web Writing Topic Just Do Some Research

I started a blog about "what girls want".  I have 2 teenage daughters, an adult daughter, a wife, a bunch of female friends...hell, I've even got a female parrot! 

I wrote 2 posts and I was like "uhm, yeah...now what."  I was stumped.  I didn't know what to write about next.  I was in that rut where I couldn't think of another thing that a girl might want.

How did I fix this? I did research online.  I searched, read and studied other blogs of the same niche and got some pretty good ideas.  And this led to me to my next problem...

Lesson 2:  Consult An Expert

In this case it was easy. I went to my 17 yearn old, junior in high school daughter and started paying her for blog posts.  She's brilliant.  Besides her being part of my target audience age group, she's also the subject of my blog-a girl.

Both of these lessons learned can be applied to any kind of web writing.  Don't just skid over a job labeled "400 words on the cut-o-matic 3xyz2D" because it just might be a damned blender.  You can do that! And if you really don't know the stuff then go and do some research on it.  Or, ask a spouse, a friend, or daughter/son that might have some expertise on the subject.

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Writing Web Content? Listen To Google!

Image by djwudi via Flickr

If you're a web writer online you're always going to be trying to figure out how to do it and get the traffic and the conversion.  In most cases, you're ability to earn money online by writing web content will rely greatly (around 95%) on people being drawn to your sites and clicking on ads and buying from advertisers or buying your products.  Either way you're going to need great content.

Good Web Writing Produces Content That:

• Hits Search Engines Quickly and Powerfully In The Rankings 
• Traps A Readers Attention Once They're On the Page 
• Has A Definitive Call To Action 
• Draws People Back To Your Content And Pages Via Subscriptions and RSS

The Hand That Feeds The Traffic Monster

So if you're trying to write the kind of good content that gets people to your site why wouldn't you listen to the mother of all search engines…The Big G, The Goog's…Los Google.

Google actually provides and in-depth, 32 page, Search Engine Optimization Guide.   The Google Guide Deals with these focus points to help you enhance your web writing and web pages for search engine visibility:

SEO Basics Improving Site Structure

Optimizing Content 

Dealing With Crawlers

SEO for Mobile

Promotion and Analysis

Are you saying, "What the - -!  I didn't know that Google does all that for me.  Now I can make my stuff ready to be crawled and indexed for the maximum money making opportunity for my web writing?"

I thought you might be!  See? Aren't you glad you stopped by? If you're interested in other tips on blogging, web writing, SEO and just plain fun then visit me at BloggingDudes.com, an online resource for Blogging Dads!

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Making Money Writing Articles For The Web: Take It Slow

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Making money writing articles online can be pretty easy for anyone. If you are a good writer, fast typist and great reader, then you can learn everything you need to know right from the Internet without any previous formal training needed. This is probably the best fact about niche website Internet marketing.

Web Writing For Money Is A Journey...Go Slow And You'll Find Yourself

Image via WikipediaI love writing online and making money. It just gives me a feeling of "I get paid to write! Holy S***!" And, yes, I say that out loud about once or twice per month.  However, it hasn't always been easy for me to make money web writing.  As of late, though, I have been turning away money in order to blog (the loneliest of web writing...especially at the beginning) and delve into the depths (and, I'm serious...it's freakin' deep down here) of residual earnings.

Blog: How to Choose Between Flashy and Simple/Hosted or Free. Get Ready to Pull Out Your Blogging Hair!

Blogging Can Be Maddening!

I have been experimenting a lot lately with blogging and monetizing my blogs.  I like to write and don't always want to do so within the confines of what other people want as an article or content.  So, I've started a few blogs.  This one and the rest of the Muisings line and a few more.  I've even delved into the land of the hosted domain.  That's been heaven and hell.

Don't Take Blogger For Granted But Look Around

Since I've decided to not only live on Blogger and I have realized two things. 

1  Blogspot hosted sites are super easy to use and you can start blogging in about two minutes once you get a niche, keyword plan, and passion.  The rest can come later.

2.  However, moving to Wordpress and Blogging Dudes, a larger world has opened up to me.  So many customizable themes, so many dang widgets! It's also maddening.  If you've sucked on the Blogger bosom long enough you're apt to throw things, cry, and want to give up after a few minutes working with Wordpress.  Just relax, and know that Google is making out anyway every time you search for an answer to your blogging troubles!

Ok, Simple or Flashy Blogging?

I'll warn you;  if you are VERY new to blogging.  If you have little patience.  Or, if you just don't want to stress about it too much then go simple if you go Wordpress.org.  Or, don't even go .org at all!  Instead, try out Wordpress.com for a little while to get a feel for the very different interface.  Better yet stay at Blogger or Weebly or wherever it is you're at!

I think some people tend to go "flashy" because they think it will help them get more views and better monetization. Okay, sure that might be true but if you're too new you won't even know how to ad monetization units to a Wordpress blog!  It's not as simple as it is here.


Blogging doesn't have to be all about the money anyway.  It shouldn't be in my opinion.  If you don't have a passion for your blog topic, a desire to help people, and the time to write then you may be better of with an article mill like Associated Content.  Perhaps even a quasi-blog type of thing like Hubpages or Squidoo.

No matter what you decide just know that the search engine god is there for you to use.  Query, read/view, and learn...but above all-Love it!

TextBroker: Break the Bank and Earn, Earn, Earn!

When it comes to the place for freelance content writers on the web, TextBroker has got the patent on success and professionalism.  Seriously.  I DO write for them but believe me when I tell you that I am not getting any kind of special treatment, payment or other type of benefit by saying that.  They just do it write!  (See what I did there?  "Write…should have been "right" and the damn blue line from MS Word is killing me, but I'm leaving it!)

Freelance Writing Advice for Beginners: Balancing Your Workload

As I've said in other posts I really am trying to get a few good Freelance Writing clients and work exclusively for them while at the same time compensating for "slow" times with one of the freelance writing websites that I have joined.

This is going to be harder than I thought. I already write for many different sites and yesterday I had to say "goodbye" to Break Studios. I liked writing for them, they have fun topics but I just couldn't handle another. I have started work on a series of TACFIT and Army Training video and article jobs for a private client and that was the breaking point. So, I decided to create my own "frelance writing schedule." I know. Not the discovery of the atom but it was a revelation for me.

So, here is the schedule that I made up.

Textbroker:

At least one article per weeknight with a dollar total not less than $4

Weekend afternoons, 2-4 (as many articles as I can knock out with a dollar total not less than $15

Associated Content from Yahoo:

This is where it got tricky. I can write for them anytime I want and submit for "display and performance only". But I can also pick topics off their assignment board which pay up-front

So while page views are hard to gauge I decided to pick up an assignment board topic when I see one that I can do and work on one per night during the weekdays as well with a dollar total of not less than $20 per weeil

If inspiration or a hot topic come around I'll knock that out for display only.

Blog:

I am going to hit this place up about 3 time per week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The focus will be on freelancing subjects, writing topics, and trying to get someone to visit it.

I have also signed up with a few "pay to blog" sites so we'll see if those start paying off. With those kinds of sites you are paid to put banners or write on topics on your blog and they pay you for it.

In addition to that, I have Google Adsense and Amazon affiliates enabled. Cross your fingers and pray for clicks!

Independent Publishing and Interactive Media are still slow but I'll work for them when I can and when they have work for me.

Hubpages:

Still weary of these cats but I have my Amazon and Google Adsense accounts linked to them as well so I am going to attempt a new Hub every Tuesday and Thursday.

Still waiting on BrightHub and About.com.

WARNING to Independent Publishing users. My account shows and invoice of $13.86 paid out two days ago but no Paypal message yet.

Freelance Writing Advice: Taking Some Time For Yourself As Well

Whether you can look back longingly at your old normal, 9-5 job or you are still working at it then I'm sure you can remember that you had weekends and time "off" to do household chores, spend time with family, or just chill out. Your freelance writing career must be built the same way.

If you are like me and are working full-time and freelancing on the side then you must make sure that you are scheduling time for yourself as well. And that's just what I did today. Pretty much, anyway.

I did some work on the blog here, to include this post. I wrote two simple articles for Textbroker and fa-diddled (my word that you can use) around with some research for my private client. I have a 9 hour drive to South Carolina tomorrow morning so the rest of the day I hit the gym, packed, and got Boom Boom's food ready for his time with the bird-sitter.

I think this is important. I am motivated about this new freelance writing endeavor but also recognize that if I burn out I will not be doing ANY good. I like going to the gym to relax and so I make sure I do that, usually in the morning before putting on the uniform. On weekends though I make it a point to work it into the writing schedule. And at other times it is just as important to get away from the keyboard, search engines, key word density counters, and obsessive page view tracking to have some food and watch a little TV with your bird.

If Content is King, then Regularity and Accuracy are its Queen and Concubine

I titled this post because of another blog that I read. Soon into this freelance writing endeavor  I quickly realized that my friends on Facebook, while helpful, wouldn't be enough to generate traffic to this website to get ranked somewhere near a spot in the search engine behemoths in order to make a living.  No offense, guys.    My freelance writing and this blog, which hopefully helps beginners like me, are the focus of my free time right now.  As well as making money writing for online writing sites and practicing my freelance writing fair trade mantra.

When you're new to the Freelance Writing Business it can get frustrating.  There is just lots of competition to deal with for the both the beginner and the experienced writer. To avoid the brunt of the frustration you can make your life a little easier by following some simple steps.

Make Your Freelance Writing Career Come True with these 2 Easy Steps

It might have already happened.  If it hasn't chances are that it will.  You tell someone, usually very close to you, that you are going to start working from home.  You're going to be a Freelance Writer!

 You're excited and you're waiting for the, "Oh, that's a great idea!"  but instead you just get the "Oh? 

Don't worry.  It's not you or your choice of careers.  Freelance writing can actually be very profitable for the well organized, passionate writer.   Especially with the little overhead that comes with the business.  And with the boom in the need of good content writers these days there is plenty of work.  No, the problem is not you.  The problem is that people don't understand what exactly a freelance writer does. 

So here are 2 simple ways to immediately turn the simple "oh" into a "oh, that's actually working, is it?"  Sure it isn't the praise that you're looking for but it will come.