Aspiring writers frequently ask me about the secret to my success. Most of them seem shocked by my answer. I won’t keep you in suspense by making you read an entire blog post before I make the big reveal. The secret to this writer’s success is her mom. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. My mama. If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ve likely heard me mention her influence on my life more than once. She’s an awesome woman (and I’m not just saying that cause she’s my mom). It’s not shocking to those who know my mom why I give her so much credit. She’s earned it. Long before there were life coaches, there was my mom. She’s been my number-one cheerleader my entire life. Having her in my corner has made everything I’ve accomplished possible. This is the story of our journey. Gripping a pencil – and my futureSince I was old enough to hold a pencil in my hands, I knew I wanted to be a writer. There was something indescribable about the feeling it gave me. To this day, I struggle to find the right words to capture the awe I felt (which is saying something for a professional writer). My mom was the one who helped me discover my love of writing through her eagerness to teach me before my kindergarten years began. It’s one of the clearest memories I have from my early childhood. She would patiently draw letters for me to trace and correct how I held my pencil when experimenting with my grip. Once I learned how to write, I couldn’t stop. I would trace letters, write my name, and practice the words I knew. To this day, I still prefer the feel of a pen or pencil in my hands to a keyboard when writing. I’ve written entire novels by hand. Don’t get me wrong. I like technology. Still, it’ll never replace how I feel when cranking out inspirational thoughts by hand. My Kingdom for a squirrelBetween the ages of 10 and 13, I spent a lot of time in my backyard. Fellow Gen-Xers won’t find this astonishing because that’s just what we did when we were kids. However, one of my favorite activities while outside was making up stories about the things I observed. I made up an entire adventure series about a squirrel that lived in our giant oak tree. No matter what I created, my mom oohed and ahhed about it. Every time she congratulated my work, she gave me the encouragement I needed to keep writing. The more I wrote, the better I became at my craft. By the time I was in high school, I was taking journalism classes and advanced writing courses intending to make writing my lifelong ambition. Lots of people told me I was foolish for thinking I could make a living as a writer. Not my mom. She taught me to follow my heart. All my heart wanted back then – and still to this day – was to write. Just a writer in trainingWhen it was time to go off to college, there was little doubt about my major. It had to be something about writing. The more I looked at writing careers, the more depressed I became. Our friends over at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) informed me that employment opportunities for writers weren’t all that great. I’m a stubborn gal, so I didn’t want to hear it. My life was going to include writing, and that was that. After much consideration, I settled on journalism. I’d dabbled in the craft during high school, serving as the editor of our high school newspaper, the Blue and White Star. I knew that I’d at least have a chance of earning a living as a journalist once I graduated. Back then, digital media outlets weren’t as popular as they are today, so lots of print newspapers and publications were thriving. My other option was advertising, but I wasn’t exactly a fan of that style of writing back then (oh how times have changed). Questioning all my life choicesCollege was hard for many reasons. One of them was that I had to work full time and go to school full time to pay for it (that’s a much longer story). Let’s just say I don’t advise following that plan unless you have no alternatives. I had a journalism professor who worked in the business for 20 years before he became a teacher. He was hard on me – even made me question my career choice more than a few times. It was my mom who encouraged me to keep pushing through every time I said that maybe he was right, and I wasn’t cut out to be a journalist. If it wasn’t for my mom reminding me that I’m a stubborn woman who doesn’t give up easily, I probably would have switched majors and ended up miserable. My career hasn’t always been easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Making more moolah at Bob EvansWorking as a waitress at Bob Evans was how I put myself through college. As fun as it was, it wasn’t how I wanted to spend my life. I was so excited when I got my first real job offer from a newspaper about six months after graduation. It was with a small Central Pennsylvania newspaper reporting on the education and political beats. My excitement quickly turned to disappointment when I realized I could make more money continuing to work at Bob Evans than as a reporter. My mom reminded me we all had to start somewhere, so I sucked it up and made the move. After a year there, I had a better offer at another newspaper closer to my hometown. Up the career ladder I went. I would spend the next decade working as an education reporter before getting married and starting a family. It was then that I shifted from being someone’s employee to being my own boss with the launch of The Write Reflection™. Working for yourself is hard, y’all. Once again, I had my personal cheerleader in my corner, rah-rahing me on. The once and future writerI’ve done many things since I first graduated from college. I’ve worked as a reporter, in public relations and marketing, and now as an SEO copywriter and content writer for clients all over the world. Heck, I’m a published author (something I never thought would happen). I still dabble in PR and marketing for the right clients but prefer any prospect that lets me put pen to paper. Every one of these opportunities has capitalized on my formal college training and love of writing.
A few months ago, my mom reminded me there was a time when I thought I had wasted my life and my hard-earned money in college. She’s not wrong. No matter how many times she tells me how proud she is of how far I’ve come, I’ve often wondered if I made a huge mistake. One thing I know for sure is I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of my number-one cheerleader. My mom didn’t grow up with the same advantages that I did. She didn’t have the financial resources to go to college. She worked hard and built herself up, finding success despite the many challenges she faced. It's not an exaggeration to say she's my hero. Every time I’ve felt like giving up along my journey, she’s reminded me that quitting isn’t an option. I am the strong, successful woman you see today because of my mom’s sacrifices and never-ending encouragement. I can only hope I’m half the mom to my son that she’s been to me. Happy Mother’s Day, mom! I love you!
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As a communications professional and mother of an autistic child, I often am asked how to talk to a neurodiverse person. Let me assure you, I’m not an expert in this field. Just because I have a child on the spectrum and a degree in communications doesn’t make me an all-knowing spokesperson for neurodiverse people. Honestly, I consider it disrespectful to speak as if I have any deep understanding of what it’s like to be neurodiverse in a world that’s less than accommodating to differences. What I can do is share what I’ve learned from 16 years of living with and loving an amazing autistic person. He’s promised to fact-check everything I write, so you can be assured it’s been reviewed by a knowledgeable source. Joining me is Kelly Metzger, the mother of my son’s best friend (who also happens to be on the spectrum). In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, we’re going to get candid with what we wish other people knew about communicating with our kids. Say what you mean to say“When you speak to someone who is neurologically different, say what you mean and mean what you say,” suggests Ms. Metzger. “You don’t need to offer funny puns or flowery metaphors. You don’t need hyperbolic language or dramatizations. Use relevant wording to convey what it is you want or need or is important to communicate in that moment.” I concur with this tip 100 percent. Honestly, this is good advice when speaking with anyone, not just neurodiverse people. We’re all busy. Don’t waste someone’s time. As my journalism advisor always used to say, “keep it simple.” Don’t be sarcasticSarcasm can be funny to some people. Oh, the irony of a humorous dig. For others, sarcasm can be confusing, and it stings. “When someone can only grasp concrete language, trying to be comical at someone else’s expense just comes across as mean, particularly if the sarcasm is used in a group and the neurodivergent person doesn’t understand,” said Ms. Metzger. “Now they have become someone to laugh at in addition to the sarcastic remark.” This is something I struggle with personally. Anyone who knows me knows that sarcasm is my love language. Thankfully, my son not only gets my sarcastic nature, but he also has learned to engage in the behavior himself. I know I can joke with him because I am confident that he understands my irony. When I’m talking to someone for the first time – especially if I know they’re neurodivergent – I keep my quips in check. Practice some patienceI’ve gotten used to not being answered the first, second, and sometimes 53rd time I’ve asked a question in my house. Like Thomas the Tank Engine says, “patience is a virtue.” That’s certainly been true when communicating with my son. He may not respond as quickly as I’d like, but eventually, he processes my request and answers. “Communication is a challenging skill,” said Ms. Metzger. “How many times have you gotten into an argument or disagreement because of a simple lack of effective communication?” She’s not wrong. According to the science guys, a lack of communication skills is a leading cause of arguments within relationships. Since our brains all fire at different speeds, give people the time they need to respond to you. Likewise, if an answer flies out quickly that completely misses the mark, try again. Patience is key when communicating with anyone. Allow for Q&A timeRepeating a question back to someone not only lets them know you’ve heard them, but it also may be needed for clarification. Using questions as a teaching tool is highly effective. Instead of jumping to the conclusion that the person is being rude by asking you to repeat yourself, understand that they may need additional clarification to process your request. “This ensures there won’t be any confusion,” said Ms. Metzger. “This is useful in every form of communication because it leaves out room for grey areas and potential contention.” Be willing to explain againWhen communicating with a neurodivergent person, show them grace. That’s a good rule of thumb when talking to anyone. If the person doesn’t appear to understand, explain again. Find a different way to express yourself, because maybe you’re not being as clear as you think. Or, maybe it’s a topic you assume the other person knows as well as you, but they don’t. They may need some precursory information before they can engage in a meaningful discussion. Sometimes people view this as the other person being disinterested in what they’re saying. Step back for a minute. Don’t assume the world revolves around you. If you truly want to communicate with the person, you’ll be willing to explain as many times as it takes for them to understand your point. I must admit I struggle with this one myself. I have an autistic adult in my life who frequently responds to my conversation starters with, “Pardon?” Yes, it can be annoying. But getting past my own ego and being willing to repeat myself until he’s heard me is worth the effort. Put on your listening earsCommunication is a two-way street. Otherwise, it’s just a monologue. Remember when we suggested that sometimes neurodivergent people need a moment to process what you’ve said before they respond? Part of respecting their communication style means allowing them the time they need to express themselves (and making sure your listening ears are on when they do). “When your brain is wired differently, you see the world from a different perspective,” said Ms. Metzger. “(Neurodivergent people) can offer valuable insight your neurotypical brain just hadn’t thought of. If you don’t understand what they’re trying to communicate, ask questions and seek clarification.” Understand that behavior is communicationOh, the stories I could tell of all the times well-meaning people approached me when my son was younger (and having sensory overload in public) with their helpful suggestions for curbing his behavior. I could probably write a novel. Talk to any parent of a neurodivergent child and they likely have similar stories. What so many people don’t understand is that behavior is communication. Behavior is an essential communication tool for someone who is non-verbal. When my son was young and still struggling to speak, his behavior was his way of telling me when he was overstimulated or when he needed or wanted something. I understood it for what it was and would never have punished him for communicating with me the only way he knew how. To strangers, they just assumed my son needed a good spanking (and some didn’t mind telling me their opinions about it). It was exhausting educating ignorant people about my son’s communication preferences. “It’s important to realize that behavior is a valid form of communication, just as body language is and words are,” said Samantha Supernaw, a licensed clinical social worker with Heart and Head Healing. “When working with clients, sometimes I need to help them to better understand other people’s behavior to better communicate themselves.” You must learn to listen with your eyes and your gut instead of your ears, added Ms. Metzger. “Watch how they move through the world. Get to know what triggers them, what brings them joy. And talk to them. Just because they can’t vocalize with words doesn’t mean they don’t want to hear or can’t understand what you have to say.” Don’t infantilize themDon’t ever talk about someone in front of them as if they can’t hear or understand you. This is an ongoing problem across the disability spectrum, not just with neurodivergent people. “There is nothing worse than having someone talk to an adult who has limited communicative verbal skills and be spoken to as though they are in preschool,” said Ms. Metzgar. “Just because expressive language is lacking doesn’t mean receptive language is as well.” Don’t invalidate their perspectiveI hate to break it to you, but you’re not the authority on everything. Remind yourself of that when communicating with other people. The old ego can creep out when some folks realize they’re talking to a neurodivergent person. They somehow decide they’re “less than” and mustn’t have a clue about anything. Let me assure you that if you think like that, you’re wrong (and quite possibly a jagoff). Effective communication means trying to understand the other person’s perspective, even if it differs from yours. “Everyone is different,” said Ms. Metzger. “Every mind, every experience, every life. The way we walk through the world lends itself to how we view ourselves and the world around us. Each and every perspective is valid and worthwhile.” Don’t be an assholeI said what I said, and Ms. Metzger wholeheartedly agrees with the sentiment. There’s no point beating around the bush, either. Being clear and concise, after all, is an effective communication strategy. When someone already is marginalized because the world has deemed them to be different, they don’t need you to take your sour self out on them to boot. If you’re in a mood, avoid human interaction. If you don’t understand neurodiversity, educate yourself. What’s not acceptable is to be anything less than kind to another human being. Life is short. Don’t be an asshole. Go talk to a neurodiverse person todayTalking to a neurodiverse person isn’t difficult. I do it every day and am richer for the experience. Can it require a little more patience and kindness? Yes. Might you have to be willing to see someone else’s perspective, even if it differs from yours? Absofreakinglutely. But you know what? I promise it’s worth the effort and it will make you a better communicator. AuthorShari Berg has known she wanted to be a writer since she was old enough to hold a pencil in her hand. She believes everyone has a story to tell, and it’s her job to discover it. Shari owns The Write Reflection, a Pittsburgh-based copywriting and content writing company that empowers small business owners to wield the power of words. Unconscious bias is normal. Read that again, then sit with it for a while. It can be quite a shock if you think you’re the kind of person who loves and accepts everyone. How many times have you said you’re not biased? I know I’ve said it many times because, in my heart of hearts, I truly believe it. Guess what? I’m wrong. So are any of you who think you’re unprejudiced. Unconscious bias is normal and unavoidable. The reality of that statement hit me like a ton of bricks when confronted with it during a recent Unconscious Bias presentation from the amazingly gifted Cassandra Cooper. Ms. Cooper is the manager of the UPMC Center for Engagement and Inclusion. It’s quite literally her job to help employees of this Western PA healthcare giant embrace and value diversity, equity, and inclusion. Families in the Pine Richland School District were fortunate enough to have her join us for an evening of education and sharing important truths. I attended with my 16-year-old son, and neither of us regretted the decision. Her workshop included the following objectives:
As a professional communicator, I knew this workshop was a must. I can’t be effective in my job if I am unwilling to tackle obstacles that can impede my progress. I wasn’t disappointed. I want to share with my readers the truths I learned because I believe tackling our unconscious biases makes us all better human beings. Prepare yourself for one of the most candid blogs I’ve ever written. What the heck is unconscious bias?Brains work in mysterious ways. One of the things your brain does involves registering unconscious biases and acting on them without so much as asking you first. That’s great, but what the heck is an unconscious bias? According to our wordy friend the dictionary, unconscious bias includes thoughts, feelings, or beliefs that you’re unaware of that influence your judgment. Your brain takes in 11 million bits of information every second. Of those millions of pieces of data, it can only process three or four things. Appearance is one of them. That’s why it’s scary to learn it takes your brain less than 30 seconds to register an opinion about someone based solely on how they look. “We all have these unconscious biases,” said Ms. Cooper during her recent presentation. “It’s a human thing.” Not all unconscious biases are unfavorable. Let me give you an example. Say you meet a group of people for the first time at a social event. These new folks look, talk, and act like you. Unconsciously, your brain registers that it’s OK to feel safe around them. That’s still bias, even if it’s favorable to the people with whom you’re interacting. How do people form biases?Now that you know what unconscious biases are, how do you form them? According to Ms. Cooper, our inner judgy-pants form biases based on several factors:
When do biases start?For most people, biases form at a very young age. They’re rooted in characteristics or preferences and even in our upbringing. Let’s say you’re raised in a home where racism is openly celebrated. Racial jokes are commonplace, and you’re fed daily with the notion that people of color are somehow less than you because of the color of their skin. Hearing unfair judgments like that can skew your view of Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color (BIPOC) later in life. I grew up in very white, very rural America. The only BIPOC I encountered when I was young was the foreign exchange students my school rarely hosted, and the Fresh Air Fund kid my neighbors took in for a few summers from Puerto Rico. Other than that, I was ignorant of the reality that everyone did not look, think, and act like me. That all changed when I enrolled in college. I was surrounded by people who challenged my unconscious biases and introduced me to a whole new world. I had a lot of uncomfortable interactions, but I confronted them and grew from them. I couldn’t help how I grew up, but I had complete control over whether I chose to expand my horizons. What’s the science behind unconscious biases?The good news is if you have unconscious biases, you’re normal. “We see people who are different than us as a threat,” said Ms. Cooper. “We gravitate toward what we know. We fear what is different.” Whether real or perceived, we all have triggers that make us more susceptible to unconscious bias, she said. Your background plus your life experiences equal your story. To understand the science behind unconscious biases, you must first recognize how your story impacts the way you see things, said Ms. Cooper. Once you have a handle on your story, only then can you start the difficult task of managing your behavior. When do my biases sneak out?It’s different for everyone. For me, it happens every time I’m faced with the difficult decision of getting on an elevator alone with a man I don’t know. Weird, right? Maybe some of the other women reading this are shaking their heads and saying, “Yes, ma’am, right there with you on that one!” What might seem like a commonsense safety decision can be an unconscious bias. Sure, women can and do need to worry about their safety (because that’s just the world we live in). Is it fair to assume every man we encounter is a threat? Nope. Some lovely gentlemen in the world would never think of harming any woman. Yet, I toss them right into that same category with all men who dare get onto an elevator with me while I’m alone. Why? From a very young age, it’s drilled into women’s heads to automatically mistrust any man they don’t know. Heck, I’m trained in Eagle Claw Kung Fu. Technically you should fear me, not the other way around. Still, every time I get on an elevator with a man I don’t know, my brain kicks into survival mode. It’s that unconscious bias sneaking out. Take a few minutes and think about how you act in certain situations. If we’re all honest about it, we can identify at least one area where our unconscious biases have snuck out and controlled how we’ve handled a situation. Right or wrong, it happens, and we must own it. Letting it all hang outI’m very aware of my unconscious bias toward strange men, so kudos to me for knowing it’s a problem. “Being able to admit you have biases and openly discussing them is the first step toward managing them,” said Ms. Cooper. “We have to be able to talk about it because it’s real.” Ms. Cooper was very candid about her unconscious biases during her presentation. Her willingness to share her struggles made others more comfortable having an open dialogue about theirs. “I thought the most powerful thing Cassie did last night was share her own biases, as it normalizes talking about them and reduces guilt and shame about talking about them,” said Dr. Allison Bashe, a Pine Richland parent (and licensed psychologist) who attended the workshop. “I also think it’s important to be aware of and name our own identities in both minority and majority statuses, as I think this complements the work on unconscious biases.” Honest conversations with our youthI mentioned earlier that my 16-year-old son attended the workshop with me. He didn’t have to come. As any of you with teenagers know, they have things to do and places to be (that do not involve hanging out with their lame-o parents). I am grateful my son chose to spend 90 minutes of his life listening to Ms. Cooper. Her presentation sparked an interesting discussion between us on the way home. My son is autistic. Diagnosed at age 3, he’s spent his entire life navigating the world of the neurotypical. Every therapy he’s had was designed to force him to assimilate to what society deems normalcy to be accepted. I’ve always thought it was a crock of horse manure, but that’s a blog rant for another time. My son has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). All sorts of things get put into this plan, including a long history of his perceived behaviors by educators he’s encountered during his public education journey. Imagine what it would be like if everything you ever said or did was documented and presented to every person as part of your formal introduction. Let’s be frank: it would suck. Reading about things my son has done over the years out of frustration because of his communication deficits from autism has unfairly biased people against him. I’ve had many conversations with teachers shocked at how intelligent and attentive my son is because “that’s not what his IEP says about him.” Once they took the time to get to know my son, they realized he presents quite differently than his IEP suggests. My son and I had a very poignant, yet painful, discussion last night about how his disability triggers unconscious biases in others. It helped him realize that if people can unfairly judge him based on his autism, they can do the same to others simply because their skin color or gender identity differs from theirs. It’s a hard lesson for kids to learn, but one that shouldn’t be avoided. “Diversity exists, so we must help our kids navigate it,” said Ms. Cooper. How do you control your biases?Sadly, some people don’t. I’m sure we can all think of a time or two when we’ve encountered that person. You know the one I mean. They are loud and proud about their biases – race, gender, gender identity to name a few – and make zero effort to control them. If you’re like me, and you give two figs about not coming off like a bigoted and mean-spirited jagoff, there are things you can do to get your biases in check. Being aware of your unconscious biases is the first step to controlling them. “The world is no longer black and white, it’s evolving,” said Ms. Cooper. “Differences are uniquenesses, not deficits. It all comes down to who we want to be. Everyone is treated with dignity and respect. That’s who we want to be.” Ms. Cooper used a groundbreaking commercial from beer giant Heineken, aptly titled “Worlds Apart.” If you’ve never seen it, I highly suggest watching it. In just 4 minutes and 25 seconds, it perfectly depicts the hard work you and I must do if we’re serious about dragging our unconscious biases into the light of day. Only openness, not shamingHaving tough conversations is a contributing factor in managing our unconscious biases, said Ms. Cooper. “I like to say that we need to be comfortable at times being uncomfortable. Being able to talk about these things means growth. Valuing, supporting, and appreciating differences is the way to move forward, not pretending that they don’t exist.” Ms. Cooper said the key to confronting our own and others’ biases is being willing to do the “heart work” necessary to explore the roots of the behavior. Part of that involves creating a safe space where everyone feels comfortable sharing their beliefs and perceptions without judgment. Parents who attended the workshop agreed on the concept of creating a safe space for sharing as part of moving forward with the hard work of diversity, equity, and inclusion. “It’s really important not to attack or shame someone for sharing their biases, even when shared unintentionally or without knowledge of it being a bias, as I think it limits our ability to educate,” said Dr. Bashe. “In fact, I would meet this by sharing a bias we have to normalize it further. It helps no one if people are afraid to share these.” How do you assess your unconscious biases?Thankfully, Project Implicit makes it super easy to assess your unconscious biases with this insightful Implicit Association Test (IAT). Remember when I said earlier that I believe myself to be unbiased. Yeah, no. The IAT would have some strong arguments against my assertion. I already told you about my propensity for judging strange men in elevators. Apparently, my unconscious biases go beyond that weird fear. I was happy to discover my results indicate I have no automatic preference between Black people and White people. I still have some work to do in other areas and am prepared to have the hard conversations needed. There are 15 different IAT test categories from which to choose. You can take them all or just the ones where you might be concerned you have hidden biases lurking. Some other things you can do to assess and address your unconscious biases include:
AuthorShari Berg has known she wanted to be a writer since she was old enough to hold a pencil in her hand. She believes everyone has a story to tell, and it’s her job to discover it. Shari owns The Write Reflection, a Pittsburgh-based copywriting and content writing company that empowers small business owners to wield the power of words. It all started innocently enough. A little boy calling his horse from the pasture. It’s something that happens several times a day, according to West Virginia mom Melina Oliver. Last week, she decided to record the interaction to send to her out-of-state grandparents so they could enjoy the experience with her. She also thought it would be a fun video to share on her TikTok page, @maple_nala. Mrs. Oliver started the page to share the cute and funny clips about her 7-year-old Paint, Maple, and her 5-year-old Golden Retriever, Nala. Little did she know the perfect recipe for going TikTok viral was to feature her son, Kolten, calling Maple to come to see him. “MayMay, come!” he says excitedly in the video. MayMay is his nickname for the horse. As you can see in the video, she knows exactly who he’s talking to when he says it. Kolten isn’t the only one happy to see his buddy. Maple responds to his command with a giddy neigh, bucks a few times from sheer joy, and heads up the pasture to meet her favorite little person. Watching the video made the hearts of many of Mrs. Oliver’s TikTok followers melt. Many requested to see more clips of this cute love story between a boy and his horse. TikTok user Osana Sutton commented, “Love how the horse did a little dance before running to favorite human.” Another TikTok commenter, @Elizabeth, agreed. “The horse’s excitement melted our hearts,” she said. Cuteness Overload Goes TikTok ViralAs of 9:42 a.m. on March 19, the video has 6.2 million views, 671,800 likes, and 3,684 comments. According to Mrs. Oliver, the video hit 1 million views just 9.5 hours after she posted it on March 17. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “It was just a typical everyday type thing that Maple and Kolten do that I happened to record to share with my grandparents. Posting it on TikTok was an afterthought. I never imagined it would go viral, let alone have millions of views. I’m stunned.” Mrs. Oliver started the TikTok account for her horse and dog in January on a whim. She said both make her laugh regularly with their antics, and she thought others might find them funny. What she never expected was for one of her videos to go viral. TikTok considers any video with more than 500,000 likes viral on its platform. When choosing what to feature, she said she explores what’s trending on TikTok to see if she can use it in some way with her dog and horse. Sometimes it involves using funny sounds or music that may be popular. Other times, she comes up with her own playbook for creating engaging videos. Since her followers have requested it, Mrs. Oliver said she plans to feature more videos with her son and horse. “I may toss in clips with my dog, Nala, and Maple once in a while, but I’ll definitely give Maple and Kolten’s fans what they want to see.” Shoveling Horse Poo Amid TikTok FameAs for how she plans to use her newfound TikTok fame, Mrs. Oliver – who was appropriately cleaning Maple’s stall during our interview – said she won’t let it go to her head. She wouldn’t say no to some sponsorships for her page if any equestrian product manufacturers or other companies are interested. Who wouldn’t want to have these two cuties peddling their products? (hint, hint) Mrs. Oliver said, for now, she plans to go back to her chores around the farm, capturing moments between her son and horse whenever they present themselves. Whether any more of her videos go viral remains to be seen. The content pros at The Write Reflection are willing to bet on this adorable duo continuing to attract likes and follows. AuthorShari Berg has known she wanted to be a writer since she was old enough to hold a pencil in her hand. She believes everyone has a story to tell, and it’s her job to discover it. Shari owns The Write Reflection, a Pittsburgh-based copywriting and content writing company that empowers small business owners to wield the power of words. I’ll never forget the day it happened. It truly was one of the longest days of my life. What could possibly feel like an eternity, you ask? Well, I was put in Facebook jail. That’s right, my friends. I’m a Facebook felon. You want to know why? I commented publicly in a group that someone should be careful they didn’t get “slapped with a lawsuit.” Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am, I quickly found myself incarcerated for 24 hours. The charge? Threatening violence against another user. No, really. If you’re on the floor laughing so hard you think you might pee your pants, I don’t blame you. It’s rather amusing. At least, that is, until it happens to you. For a full day, I could do nothing except longingly stare at all the fun and informative content posted by friends and colleagues. No engagement allowed. I couldn’t post to my Facebook feed for my own business or that of any of my clients whose social media pages I manage. Appealing to Facebook was a no-go. I received a swift response warning me that if I persisted in objecting to their harsh sentence, I would be permanently banned. I wasn’t sure whether I was amused or irritated by the whole situation. As I hear more and more stories of people landing in Facebook jail, I think it’s safe to say my feelings lean more toward outrage now. Here’s why. Facebook jail offensesSo, how does one spin the wheel and win the prize of landing in Facebook jail? It’s called artificial intelligence, my friends (although I’m pretty sure there isn’t much intelligence happening with these AI bots). By its own admission, Team Zuck uses AI to identify what it considers “objectionable content.” These overzealous bots use Facebook’s internal enforcement guidelines to search for content in seven areas:
The AI bots that constantly crawl the site use their newfound knowledge to identify posts that violate terms of service (TOS). I could get behind the movement if it weren’t for the fact that Facebook’s AI bots have a lot of trouble with context. Therein lies 99.99 percent of the problem of ending up in Facebook jail without the possibility of parole. What happens in Facebook jail?Well, for starters, you can’t comment or like any posts. Doesn’t matter how awesome the content is or who posted it, once you’re in Facebook jail, you’re done interacting until your sentence expires. If it’s your first offense, you’re most likely facing a 24-hour ban from the platform. Once sentenced by Facebook’s AI bots, you also won’t be able to:
Basically, my friends, you can look at Facebook and that’s about it. You’ll have to wait until you get out on parole before you can do anything fun again. If you try to reason with Facebook about your sentence, you’ll only prolong it. Trust me on that one. It's the context, silly Facebook botsIt’s clear to anyone who’s been paying attention that Facebook’s AI works off a list of trigger words. If you have the misfortune of using any one of these words in an otherwise innocent, non-threatening statement on the platform, you risk a Facebook jail sentence. I alluded earlier to the time I said “slapped with a lawsuit” during a discussion and was put in Facebook jail for threatening violence. A former colleague of mine recently shared a cell with other users for daring to say she “punched the clock” at work. You and I know that she meant she clocked in for her shift at work. We’re humans. We get context and slang phrases. Facebook’s AI bots definitively decided she must have physically assaulted an inanimate object. Oi. Good communicators know that language requires context to be understood by both the speaker and the listener. Humans are superior to AI bots in this skill. We know how to listen to the rest of the words in the sentence before judging the speaker’s intent. In the case of my Facebook jailing, all the AI bots recognized was the word “slapped,” and assumed I meant the term in a violent way. As my college journalism professor often espoused, “When you assume, you make an ASS out of U and ME.” AI bots can do many things but understanding the intent of our words doesn’t appear to be one of them. It’s one of the many reasons why I don’t panic about all these AI writing software programs that claim they can replace a traditional copywriter. English is a violent languageI know what you must be thinking. Shari, just avoid using words that Facebook’s AI bots might flag as violent. You would think it would be that simple but I’m here to tell you that it’s not, my friend. I’ve never realized how many words in the English language could be construed as violent before my trip to Facebook jail. (When you can’t play on social media, you entertain yourself in other ways). Here are just a few of the many intense words Facebook might flag (or has flagged), plus the common ways we use them in everyday language. BloodshedOur wordy friend the dictionary defines bloodshed as “the killing or wounding of people, typically on a large scale during a conflict.” Yep, that’s violent, alright. Unless, of course, you say something like, “I just heard some songs by Bloodshed and had no clue he was such an awesome rapper. Too bad he’s dead.” I bet you dollars to doughnuts Facebook would ding you for that one, even though you’re talking about a musician, not committing actual carnage. Hit me (with your best shot)If you suddenly have Pat Benatar’s iconic tune stuck in your head, my apologies. I needed to use this phrase to illustrate yet another time Facebook’s AI bots dinged me for violent language. I asked some of the copywriters in a professional networking group to which I belong to provide feedback on some language I wanted to use in a campaign ad for a client. I ended my request by saying, “Don’t be shy, I’m not easily offended. Hit me with your best shot.” They gave me great advice, alright. I just couldn’t thank them for it for 24 hours because – you guessed it – I was back in Facebook jail. Killed It!“I totally killed it today on the basketball court!” Did you now, my friend? Well, don’t be telling anyone about it on Facebook. You know why? Because those pesky AI bots will slap on the proverbial handcuffs and escort you right into Facebook jail. No, really. One of my friends made the mistake of bragging about his baller skills in a post on another friend’s Facebook wall. Before long, he was texting to tell me Facebook reprimanded him for threatening violence against another user and gave him a 24-hour timeout to think about what he’d done. Slapshot“I took a slapshot at the goalie and scored!” My husband loudly proclaimed upon returning from his adult league hockey game one morning. I was just logging into Facebook and told him not to say it too loudly for fear the bots would come to drag us both off to Facebook jail. I was only sort of joking. Just the day before, another colleague exuberantly exclaimed “Slap me silly, Sidney!” when talking about a recent score Pittsburgh Penguins’ star player Sidney Crosby had made the night before against state rivals the Philadelphia Flyers. Anyone who follows hockey knows that’s a famous phrase uttered by sports reporting icon Mike Lange any time Crosby scores an amazing goal. Apparently, the Facebook AI bots aren’t hockey fans. My friend ended up in Facebook jail a few hours later. His crime? Inciting violence. No, really. Try not to roll your eyes hard enough to give yourself a concussion on this one. Outsmarting the Facebook jail guardsSo, what’s a wordsmith to do, you ask? The hell if I know. What I can tell you is typing out anything on Facebook immediately triggers my anxiety these days. I’ve been put in Facebook jail so many times now that if it happens just one more time, they’ve assured me that my account will be suspended permanently. (I can almost see the Facebook bots wagging their autonomous fingers at me while making that threat). It takes me a long time now to string a few sentences together on the platform. I analyze everything I say and how it could be misconstrued before posting. While it’s a total crapshoot on whether you’ll end up being flagged for violent language, here is what you can do if it happens:
I can tell you one thing. My Facebook jail experiences have made me a better wordsmith. Sure, I’m a giant bundle of nerves every time I make a post. However, I also find new and creative ways to replace words that might be mistaken for threats of violence. Want to check out some of my craftiness? Stop by my Facebook page and give me a like and follow and a few words of encouragement. I promise I won’t report you to Facebook for offending me. 😊 AuthorShari Berg has known she wanted to be a writer since she was old enough to hold a pencil in her hand. She believes everyone has a story to tell, and it’s her job to discover it. Shari owns The Write Reflection, a Pittsburgh-based copywriting and content writing company that empowers small business owners to wield the power of words. A content review checklist comes in handy to boost website performance. Search engines (and the humans who use them) crave relevant and engaging content. Creating superstar copy can be challenging. Brands need the right combination of text and graphics on the page to ensure their content converts. Reviewing your content before it goes live on your website or social media is the ideal approach. If you’re thinking, “Great! Now you tell me!” don’t panic. There’s never a wrong time to go back and review old content. In fact, I highly recommend conducting a thorough content review every 12 to 15 months. Why content reviews are necessaryBroken links and slow-loading graphics are among the reasons why you must review your content regularly. There also is the pesky fact that some search engines – cough, cough, Google – frequently change up how they rank your content for keyword searches. Old copy that was performing well could suddenly drop out of favor. Here are some other reasons for the occasional content audit:
Create a content review processContent audits have two components. The first part involves checking the effectiveness of your SEO. The second piece focuses on the quality of the content. It can be tempting to concentrate your efforts on one aspect, but it’s a mistake. Skipping one in favor of the other compromises the overall effectiveness of your content. Let’s break down each portion to explain how a content audit works. SEO Content AuditUsing an SEO auditing tool is the most efficient way to analyze your content’s SEO performance. There are free and paid versions of most products on the marketplace. Among the most popular SEO tools include:
Performance Content AuditTechnical issues can plague website performance, chasing visitors away from your site. Running an auditing tool that can evaluate performance also is recommended. Here are some of my favorites:
How to use content review dataOnce you have the data from your content review, the tough part is figuring out what to do with it. Comparing the findings against key metrics for website performance provides the guidance you need. Here are the benchmarks I recommend focusing on when interpreting findings. Organic Traffic Attracting organic traffic should be the goal of any website. Organic traffic indicates visitors to your site found your content through a keyword search rather than paid advertisements. Failing to get most of your website traffic through organic means is a huge red flag of underperforming content. It can indicate a problem with your content strategy, content distribution methods, content type, and the quality of the content itself. A website audit will point you in the right direction so you can improve organic traffic. Bounce Rate When website visitors land on your site, the goal is to keep them there, exploring your content. If your website audit reveals a high bounce rate, that can be a signal of poor-quality content or slow-loading pages that frustrate viewers and cause them to abandon your site. Creating what those in the business call “sticky content” is the most common solution to a high bounce rate. Large graphics that take more than two seconds to load also can be culprits and may need optimizing for speed. Aim for a bounce rate that doesn’t exceed 55 percent. Backlinks Backlinks can be tricky. They require constant monitoring because they change over time. Fresh content might earn two or three backlinks within the first 24 hours of posting. A year later, that same post may have amassed 600-plus backlinks. Keep in mind that not all backlinks are good. A content audit can identify which backlinks are unnatural, leading your visitors to spam, paid promotions, or other poorly designed websites. When an audit pinpoints poor backlinks, you can remove them, so they do not affect the way your website ranks in search engines. Time on Page and Pages Per Session Visitors who find your website valuable and engaging explore more than the main page they landed on after finding your content during a search. When viewers aren’t spending time on your content, it’s a sign that your content has missed the mark for your intended audience. Likewise, if your website audit reveals visitors flock to and spend significant time on a specific page, check out the content there and mimic it on other pages on your site. Conversions For most brands, the goal of new content is to generate conversions. Website audits produce details on how many conversions a specific piece of content creates. Content not aligned to your conversion goals must be audited to determine why. Then, you can figure out how to tweak it to produce better results. Creating a content review checklistOnce you know which metrics to focus on, establishing a content review process can help prevent poor audits in the future. Whether you’re the only one analyzing the information and making changes, or you have an entire content team at your disposal, a pre-determined protocol keeps everyone on the same page (no pun intended). Here are some recommended steps to include in your content review process. Step #1: A content manager or SEO specialist creates a content brief that includes information about the topic, suggested headers, and SEO keywords to include in the text. Step #2: Content writers prepare the content according to the brief. Writers also must perform several checks on draft copy before sending it on to an editor or other content manager for their review and approval. Step #3: An editor reviews the first draft, makes recommendations for changes, and returns it to the writer for revisions. Step #4: The content writer makes final changes and sends it back to the editor for a second review. Step #5: An editor completes a second review and, if necessary, returns the copy to the writer for any additional revisions. If revisions aren’t needed, then the content can move on to the content manager for final review, creation of accompanying graphics, and publishing. This process can vary depending on the size of your digital marketing team. Sometimes writers or content managers do the editing and publishing. Regardless of the number of people working on your content, having a defined process for producing each piece of content keeps content on point. If large teams are involved, using a content review template like Asana, CoSchedule, or Notion encourages collaboration and communication throughout the process. Rely on content creation expertsIf reading all of this gave you a headache, it’s a surefire sign you should probably contact a content creation expert for help. Writing website content that adds value to your target audience and converts visitors to your website is harder than it looks. Investing in quality content can help your brand achieve sustainable growth. Schedule your hassle-free consultation with me to learn more.
Conducting a content review should be at the top of every brand’s list of goals for 2022. Whether you launched your website within the previous year or a decade ago, content reviews can ensure your brand voice is relevant and engaging and all material updated. Your website is the first glance a prospective customer gets of your brand. There is no such thing as a second chance at a first impression. A brand’s content is its secret weapon. It doesn’t matter if you have a fast-loading website with a user-friendly design if it lacks quality subject matter. Yes, your website must be optimized for search engines so it can be found online. SEO is critical for directing prospective clients to your brand. What will they find once there? Answers to their questions and a quality product or service that solves a problem should be the priority. Otherwise, they will leave your site without ever engaging with your brand. Using a content-first approach can make websites more useful for visitors, which in turn, leads to higher conversion rates. Here are five reasons it pays to work with a content review service to get your website content up to snuff in 2022. #1 - Attract search enginesSEO copywriting is crucial for attracting search engines to your online content. Do you know what else search engines like Bing and Google like? Fresh content. One of the quickest and easiest ways to incorporate new information is with a blog. Customers have questions about your products and services. One of the easiest ways to provide answers to their questions is with regular blogs. Each post can address a specific topic. Posing blog titles as questions, then providing a basic answer as your opening paragraph is a surefire formula for attracting web crawlers to your site. The leading SEO factor for search rankings worldwide is on-page elements, according to research conducted by Statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data. On-page SEO components include:
#2 - Focus on clientsA website is your most powerful marketing tool. An overwhelming majority of consumers – 81 percent – conduct online research about a brand before making a purchase. Businesses without websites need to correct that costly error in 2022. The team at The Write Reflection™ can recommend reputable website developers to help launch your new site. Once you have a website, where many brands go wrong is focusing on themselves instead of their target audience. There is only so much tooting of your own horn you can do before you turn off a prospective lead. Converting visitors into customers depends on whether your brand positions itself as the authority for solving problems and meeting needs. Conducting market research and creating customer profiles and market segments identifies the current and future needs of your customer base. Keep in mind that customers’ needs may change over time, so periodic surveys and other assessments are necessary to ensure your brand is providing the most relevant content. #3 - Provide new informationOnce you develop brand loyalists, they will crave new and exciting information about your products and services. They may return to your website frequently to find the latest news. Clients who continually find old and stagnant content on your website have no reason to keep returning to it. Eventually, they may forget all about you and move to other brands with more effective engagement techniques. Adding high-quality content at least once a week to your websites can keep current clients loyal while attracting new leads. Committing to a weekly blog posting from a top-notch SEO copywriter is one of the best investments your brand can make in 2022. Your brand also can focus on case studies, project portfolios, service-related content, and testimonials from clients to keep things fresh and informative. #4 - Remove outdated contentOne of the quickest ways for a prospective customer to lose trust in your brand is to find incorrect or outdated information on your website. An example is one of the oldest websites for a business called Interrupt Technology Corporation. According to hover.com, the site was registered on September 18, 1986. It exists solely for one purpose. According to the scant information found on the page: “We do not actively seek outside business. This Web page exists primarily to satisfy the needs of those who expect every domain to have a Web presence.” They get kudos for originality and snark, but not much else. Obviously, this is an extreme example of outdated website information from a company that clearly doesn’t need new clients. If one of your business goals for 2022 is to increase sales and build your customer base, having an outdated website is detrimental to meeting that objective. Businesses that fail to fact-check and keep updated websites leave visitors wondering if they can believe anything else they claim about their products or services. If they don’t trust you, they won’t buy from you. #5 - Stand out from the competitionYour website uniquely positions your brand to stand out from the competition. From the minute a visitor lands on your site, there should be little question about what makes you different. Prominently and proudly display your mission, values, and vision in every piece of content you produce. Adding client-centric content like FAQs, instructional videos, and webinars increase your brand’s value among your target audience. Depending on your industry, covering critical news, events, and innovations can help establish your brand as a subject matter authority. A content review expert can examine your competitors’ websites to see what they are missing, then make recommendations for how your brand can fill the gap. Schedule your content review for 2022Start 2022 off right by scheduling a content review with the SEO copywriting experts at The Write Reflection™. With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, Shari Berg can help spot weaknesses in your content and make actionable recommendations for improvement. Contact us to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Selling fear works. If it didn’t, marketers would have abandoned this technique a long time ago. The sad truth is that tapping into your target audiences’ fears can motivate them to rush right out and buy your product or service whether they need it or not. Sending them into panic mode about a potential risk and offering up your brand as the solution can drive sales like nobody’s business. Fear-based marketing has the potential to perform twice as well as other styles of marketing campaigns because it triggers an emotional – not rational – response from our brains. Fear is not the only emotion marketers use to elicit a strong response from consumers. Making people happy or sad also can work in an advertising campaign. Happiness makes people want to share the reason for their feelings, while sadness can evoke empathy and connection. However, fear does something that happiness and sadness can’t – it builds brand loyalty. Think about it. When people are scared or anxious, what do they do? They cling to what is comfortable and familiar. Brands that play the fear card well can entice consumers to view them as the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, increasing their sales. It’s a sneaky trick, but it works. I know what you must be thinking. If fear-based marketing works this well, why would any brand not use it? I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest something radical. People are tired. They are emotionally and physically drained from two-plus years of a pandemic that has paralyzed them with fear. Panic fatigue is real, and some people have reached their limits. What people seek now is hope. Brands that inspire their target audiences have a better chance of building long-lasting relationships with them. Here’s how to stop selling fear in 2022 and give hope instead. The science behind selling fearMore than a hundred years of psychology and behavioral science research supports the notion that people seek experiences that make them feel good while avoiding those that cause them pain. Fear-based marketing urges consumers to act based on their fears. The model consists of three elements:
Fear-based selling techniques are manipulative, and consumers have become wise to them. Too much of it can create burnout, prompting audiences to turn away from your brand instead of running toward it. Even when you present an immediate solution that involves your products or services, you risk creating a one-time customer who has no emotional connection to your brand. Is it worth it? Probably not. Is fear-based marketing ethical?I would be remiss if I devoted an entire blog to the topic of fear-based selling tactics without addressing whether they are ethical. The ethics of fear-based marketing has been a hot topic among communications and marketing professionals for years. Triggering fear in your intended audience has social, physical, and emotional ramifications that can border on unethical business practices. Let’s take a closer look at why I feel this way.
How selling fear can go wrongI’ve already explained that fear-based marketing tactics can be extremely effective. It’s why so many companies use them. However, convincing your target audience to make quick – possibly irrational – decisions based on their anxiety can backfire. Here are some ways focusing on fear can go terribly wrong.
Make customers feel happy, not scaredFinding new customers can be downright difficult for some brands. Launching advertising campaigns can be costly, so some businesses choose to focus on customer retention rather than finding new leads. Building customer relationships through inspirational messaging is one of the most effective ways to boost engagement and overall satisfaction with your brand with existing clients. It is an investment that produces amazing returns when done well. When customers feel happy about your products or services and secure in their relationship with your business, they turn into brand loyalists with the power to increase your profits by 25 to 95 percent. Not only do they keep coming back to do more business with you, but they also recommend your brand to their family, friends, and colleagues. Word-of-mouth recommendations are more effective than paid ads, producing five times the sales. As a bonus, winning over your target audience can safeguard them from competitors eager to scoop them up. Brands that give hope, not fearSome brands have hope marketing down to a science. They do it and do it well. Here are just a few of the inspirational campaigns that have stood out to me as winners over the last couple of years.
Replace selling fear with relationship-buildingBrands that commit to replacing selling fear with relationship-building efforts can increase brand loyalty among current clients and attract new customers. Establishing an authentic brand voice and offering value can lead to lasting customer relationships that increase sales without evoking panic. Here are some ways brands can do it.
Wave goodbye to scare tacticsCustomers are complex. Brands that reduce their target audiences to a basic fear response do them a great disservice by overlooking their overall value. They reduce consumers to nothing more than dollar signs, which is not the best way to achieve sustainable growth. Here are some better ways to build lasting relationships with your client base to keep them coming back without the scare tactics to drive them.
A brand without a blog is like an Oreo cookie without its creamy center. I know what you must be thinking. What about social media? Podcasts? Email newsletters? All these communication tools have their place in your marketing plan. Still, none have the power to build your business the way a well-written blog can. Blogging remains one of the most effective ways to boost brand awareness and reach target audiences. A business blog gets twice as much traffic from content than email campaigns. Authoring content relevant to consumer searches guides consumers to your products and services while establishing your brand as an authority. Do you need more convincing that a brand blog is the way to go in 2022? Here are some reasons to compel your brand to give blogging a go. Blogs help search engines find your brandSearch Engine Optimization (SEO) is a tricky skill. Just when you think you have mastered it, search engines like Google change their algorithms. Using SEO when you blog is worth the effort. Professional bloggers and SEO copywriters rely on keyword research to discover which keywords will help your content rank higher organically. For instance, let’s say you want to blog about choosing an air purification system to reduce the spread of germs in residential settings. Using a keyword tool identifies words relating to the topic based on search engine activity. Plugging in the phrase “air purification system germs” and optimizing for Google produces a list of potential keywords to include in your content. Some of the suggestions:
In addition to SEO, you also can find out what searchers are looking for by doing a search yourself. Go to your search engine of choice and enter “air purification system germs” again. The results will produce a list called “Common Searches” that reveal the key phrases others are using to find information related to this topic. Include those in your blog as subheadings to maximize your searchability factor. This is super easy to do in a blog. Blogs target your audience with relevant contentHard as it is to imagine, businesses did not always have the advantage of touting their wares online to a global audience. Once upon a time, they had to print ads, buy mailing lists, and send those mailers out to potential customers in their service area to entice them. Direct mail campaigns have not completely disappeared. They can be quite effective under the right circumstances. However, they can eat into your advertising budget. The average cost to produce and send a direct mail advertisement is between 30 cents and $10 per mailer. Cost varies and depends on whether you use professional copywriters and designers to produce the advertisement and a printing/publishing company to mail them. Blogging eliminates much of the cost associated with targeted mailing campaigns. Hiring a professional writer to plan and produce the content can cost between $50 and $2,000 depending on the blogger’s experience level and length of content produced. While you certainly can find writers who will crank out a blog post for $30, you likely will not get the kind of quality that tickles the fancy of Google and other search engines. Copywriters that charge low rates tend to produce “copy mill” content that is recycled from other information they find online. Search engines look for relevant content that adds value. Producing copy that helps your target audience solve a problem attracts both prospective customers and search engines. “How to” blogs featuring your products or services can attract an audience and eventually convert them into valuable customers or business partners. Blogs establish brand authorityBuilding your brand requires earning the trust of your customers. This is known as brand authority. An effective method for gaining customer confidence is to provide relevant content that solves problems or answers questions. Establishing brand authority is easy with a well-crafted blog. Choose topics to which your target audience can relate. Then, commit to producing the kind of quality content that will have them returning to your site for more tips and tools. Brands that provide accurate and compelling content build lasting relationships with their target audience that convert to eventual sales. Once consumers realize your blog is a source of valuable and trustworthy information, you can build rapport. Helping customers solve a problem before do business with your brand convinces them to return when they need your products or services. After repeated exposure to your blog, they will view you as an authority. They enter the sales funnel with pre-existing knowledge of what you bring to the table, making it easier to convert them. Blogs help with brand storytellingConsumers today want more than impersonal sales transactions with a brand. They want to connect with your products or services and the people behind them. Blogging is an effective way to tell your brand story and give target audiences a reason to return to your business. You can feature news about team members doing incredible things in their communities or announcements about the launch of helpful new products or services. Best of all, since it is your blog, you can control what information is shared and verify its accuracy before publication. Blogging allows businesses to show their human side. Customers never want to feel like they are nothing more than dollar signs. Humanizing your brand can help flip the narrative. There is no limit to what kind of storytelling you can do on a brand blog. Blogs drive long-term resultsBlogs are the gift that keeps on giving. Sure, you might spend $1,000 on a professionally crafted piece of content, but it has the potential to drive long-term results. Once you hit that post button, blogs can continue to drive traffic to your site and convert customers eager to do business with you. Blogs that perform well in search engines offer the best return on your investment. Once your blog begins ranking, it remains relevant in most search engines for months or years, depending on the topic and how much competition there is for the SEO keywords. Well-written blogs continue to work hard for your business. Copywriting professionals call them compounding posts because they contain evergreen content that continues producing leads. Hiring a pro to help with your brand blogBefore you rush off to your computer and start writing your first blog, you may want to consider bringing in a pro to assist. Just because anyone can write does not mean they should write. Content production is not as easy as it sounds. First, you must develop a content strategy that aligns your mission, vision, and values with any copy produced and published. Then, you must identify your target audience. Your brand cannot provide value without fully understanding who it is serving. Other aspects go into content planning, including competitive analysis and researching information from credible sources. A professional blog writer can assist with these steps required to establish your brand authority through blogging. Reach out to the brand blogging experts at The Write Reflection™ to learn how we can leverage the power of blogging for your brand. First-time customers receive a 25 percent discount on their first blog order. AuthorShari Berg has known she wanted to be a writer since she was old enough to hold a pencil in her hand. She believes everyone has a story to tell, and it’s her job to discover it. Shari owns The Write Reflection, a Pittsburgh-based copywriting and content writing company that empowers small business owners to wield the power of words. Ah, Google. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a love-hate relationship with this top search engine. Google’s complex search algorithm likes to keep SEO copywriters guessing. No one quite knows how it works. If they say they do, they are spinning tales. Following Google’s webmaster guidelines can help somewhat, but it is not a complete roadmap for search-ranking success. When Google first launched, it only updated its algorithms a few times during the early years. Now, it makes thousands of changes every year, frustrating SEO experts frantically trying to keep their clients at the top of Google search results. Why do we even bother, you ask? Nearly 87 percent of global users turn to Google to find what they need. SEO copywriters and web designers feel pressured to play the Google game to get their clients found online. It rarely ends well. Playing the Google game hurts your brandFor many years, SEO copywriters would awkwardly plug industry-relevant keywords into on-page copy, hoping to attract the favor of the almighty Google. Sure, Google found their content. It may have even rewarded it with the number-one spot on page one of search results for the ranking keyword. The problem is that the content was written for an algorithm and not real people. Real people tend to find keyword-stuffed jargon disinteresting (and that is being kind about it). I have read some truly awful copy online from writers trying to get Google’s attention while forgetting their target audience. Herein lies the problem of playing the Google game. Your content is unreadable. Peppering your content with industry-relevant keywords might get traffic to your site, but what happens once they are there? Do they connect with your brand in an engaging and meaningful way? Or do they take one look at the nonsensical words that were super appealing to Google (but not so much for real customers) and show themselves the door? Playing the Google game can hurt your brand. Putting people first is a better solution. Why you must write for real peopleReal people like to have their questions answered. After all, that is why they turned to a search engine in the first place. Maybe they were looking for an auto repair shop near them or checking out reviews for a restaurant. What they were not seeking was content sprinkled with SEO keywords in sentence after sentence that all say the same thing without ever really addressing their concern. Some SEO experts claim it is too difficult to write for both people and search engines. I agree that it is more challenging but not impossible. Storytellers who know how to leverage the power of SEO can do both. Here are four ways to put people first in your copy that guarantees results.
Put people first, SEO keywords secondDigital content should rank well with search engines, but never at the expense of your target audience. It is entirely possible to craft engaging content that sucks readers in while also tickling the fancy of search engines like Google. What is the magical secret? Putting people first and SEO keywords second. Weave a tale that turns readers into the heroes of their journeys with your brand. Toss in a few well-placed industry keywords and – voila! – you have the magic recipe for appealing to both people and web crawlers.
Not sure you can master the art of putting people first in your content? No worries, mates. That is why SEO copywriters exist. Drop us a line here at The Write Reflection™ and we can arrange a time to chat about your needs. |
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