The digital world is growing at a rapid pace, and traditional marketing as we know it is changing right in front of our eyes. Copywriting used to be the talk of the town but, in recent months, the concept of content has taken centre stage. While copywriting remains a valuable marketing tool, the shift in focus from copy to content reflects the drastic changes we’ve seen in customer communication. The entire process has become much more dedicated, personal and, most importantly, client-centric. Copywriting and content marketing aim to achieve different goals, and both are essential to a small businesses’s content strategy in 2013. Done well, this combination is key to achieving greater online visibility. Read More
The digital world is growing at a rapid pace, and traditional marketing as we know it is changing right in front of our eyes. Copywriting used to be the talk of the town but, in recent months, the concept of content has taken centre stage. While copywriting remains a valuable marketing tool, the shift in focus from copy to content reflects the drastic changes we’ve seen in customer communication. The entire process has become much more dedicated, personal and, most importantly, client-centric. Copywriting and content marketing aim to achieve different goals, and both are essential to a small businesses’s content strategy in 2013. Done well, this combination is key to achieving greater online visibility. Continue reading →
Imagine for a moment you live on a small island that for all intents and purposes can be considered an “isolated” local market. Now imagine that you own a small business on that island…let’s say, a sporting goods store. Presumably, the lion’s share of your marketing/advertising budget is going to be focused on that local market: people outside of the island are unlikely to travel there specifically to buy your footballs and sneakers, so why would you waste resources targeting them? This is where local business listing optimization comes in… Read More
Imagine for a moment you live on a small island that for all intents and purposes can be considered an “isolated” local market. Now imagine that you own a small business on that island…let’s say, a sporting goods store. Presumably, the lion’s share of your marketing/advertising budget is going to be focused on that local market: people outside of the island are unlikely to travel there specifically to buy your footballs and sneakers, so why would you waste resources targeting them? This is where local business listing optimization comes in… Continue reading →
Many small business owners were hit by Google’s recent Penguin algorithim update. Penguin 2.0, which penalizes disingenuous backlinks in favour of high quality content, gives Google’s support to those in the digital sphere who’ve already begun implementing new tactics. Crafting unique, interesting content has never been more important than it is today.
One of the easiest ways to generate fresh content for website visitors is through a blog. A popular buzzword in the industry today, blogging is key to increasing your business’ online visibility.It drives traffic and is an effective search engine optimization tactic. Adding to a blog creates more indexable website pages, allowing a greater number of keywords to be utilized.
Many small business owners were hit by Google’s recent Penguin algorithim update. Penguin 2.0, which penalizes disingenuous backlinks in favour of high quality content, gives Google’s support to those in the digital sphere who’ve already begun implementing new tactics. Crafting unique, interesting content has never been more important than it is today.
One of the easiest ways to generate fresh content for website visitors is through a blog. A popular buzzword in the industry today, blogging is key to increasing your business’ online visibility.It drives traffic and is an effective search engine optimization tactic. Adding to a blog creates more indexable website pages, allowing a greater number of keywords to be utilized.
For small business owners who fully embrace social networking as a marketing medium, one of the trickiest things to decide is whether to operate your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. by yourself or seek outside social media management services. While managing multiple platforms on your own may seem like the ideal path cost-wise, consider this: according to a 2012 usage report, 59% of marketers spend over 6 hours per week promoting their businesses on social, and 33% spent 11 hours or more. What this means is that if you’re going the solo route, you have to be able to commit at least six hours per week in order for your efforts to be minimally effective, otherwise you’re just wasting your valuable time.
For small business owners who fully embrace social networking as a marketing medium, one of the trickiest things to decide is whether to operate your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. by yourself or seek outside social media management services. While managing multiple platforms on your own may seem like the ideal path cost-wise, consider this: according to a 2012 usage report, 59% of marketers spend over 6 hours per week promoting their businesses on social, and 33% spent 11 hours or more. What this means is that if you’re going the solo route, you have to be able to commit at least six hours per week in order for your efforts to be minimally effective, otherwise you’re just wasting your valuable time.
Once the first day has come and gone and you begin settling into your new routine, it’s important to avoid something entry-level copywriters are notorious for…thinking you know it all. When I was establishing myself at Yabsta Digital, I’ll admit that I felt quite confident, occasionally to the point of cockiness. I thought my years of writing in university had set me up to be a rock star at this job and, shortly after, I realized that was very far from the truth.
Once the first day has come and gone and you begin settling into your new routine, it’s important to avoid something entry-level copywriters are notorious for…thinking you know it all. When I was establishing myself at Yabsta Digital, I’ll admit that I felt quite confident, occasionally to the point of cockiness. I thought my years of writing in university had set me up to be a rock star at this job and, shortly after, I realized that was very far from the truth.
A decade ago, before “blog” was a household word, it sounded more like a species of amphibian than a marketing tool, and businesses were skeptical of its value as an advertising medium. In 2013, however, it’s emerged as the most effective way for companies of any size to reach existing customers and obtain new leads, lending credibility to experts who’ve been banging the blogging drum for some time.
The numbers speak for themselves (see chart): businesses that publish a blog report higher returns on investment than those that don’t, signifying increasing trust in the medium as company “voice” that speaks directly to customers. This presents limitless opportunities for small businesses in decidedly “local” jurisdictions who already know their target audience and how to speak to them.
A decade ago, before “blog” was a household word, it sounded more like a species of amphibian than a marketing tool, and businesses were skeptical of its value as an advertising medium. In 2013, however, it’s emerged as the most effective way for companies of any size to reach existing customers and obtain new leads, lending credibility to experts who’ve been banging the blogging drum for some time.
The numbers speak for themselves (see chart): businesses that publish a blog report higher returns on investment than those that don’t, signifying increasing trust in the medium as company “voice” that speaks directly to customers. This presents limitless opportunities for small businesses in decidedly “local” jurisdictions who already know their target audience and how to speak to them.
Beginning a new position is daunting, and my first day at Yabsta Digital was no different. While it is easy to let nervousness get in the way, remember that many crucial first impressions are made in those first eight hours. As I mentioned in Part 1, you must be positive and professional.
Proper preparation is key to avoiding feeling overwhelmed. My approach when starting at Yabsta Digital was research, research, research, and then research some more. I memorized the service offerings, as well as key points of the company’s history. I browsed through design portfolios, building confidence in my understanding of the digital agency as a whole. Having this knowledge on the first day will wow your employer and colleagues.
Beginning a new position is daunting, and my first day at Yabsta Digital was no different. While it is easy to let nervousness get in the way, remember that many crucial first impressions are made in those first eight hours. As I mentioned in Part 1, you must be positive and professional.
Proper preparation is key to avoiding feeling overwhelmed. My approach when starting at Yabsta Digital was research, research, research, and then research some more. I memorized the service offerings, as well as key points of the company’s history. I browsed through design portfolios, building confidence in my understanding of the digital agency as a whole. Having this knowledge on the first day will wow your employer and colleagues.
As a junior copywriter at Yabsta Digital, I feel incredibly lucky to have found not only a job in my field, but a second home. I’ve experienced plenty of ups and downs to get to this point – which I think is typical for those starting out in the job market – and my hope is that this blog series will both inform and inspire.
I emerged from my university bubble in 2010, ready to take on the real world. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in English literature, and unsure of exactly what it is I wanted to do, I jumped right in and started job hunting. While I didn’t expect it to be easy, I was admittedly a bit naive about the job market as a whole. I had to hunt for positions related to my field, and found that entry-level employment was scarce.
As a junior copywriter at Yabsta Digital, I feel incredibly lucky to have found not only a job in my field, but a second home. I’ve experienced plenty of ups and downs to get to this point – which I think is typical for those starting out in the job market – and my hope is that this blog series will both inform and inspire.
I emerged from my university bubble in 2010, ready to take on the real world. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in English literature, and unsure of exactly what it is I wanted to do, I jumped right in and started job hunting. While I didn’t expect it to be easy, I was admittedly a bit naive about the job market as a whole. I had to hunt for positions related to my field, and found that entry-level employment was scarce.
