Tips for writing web pages
What information should go where on your website? Here are some of the tips I give to my clients when they hire me to write B2B website content for them. Many websites have several more pages than this, but I wanted to cover the basics of the essential content found on almost all service-based sites. […]
LinkedIn: testing links in posts
My number one LinkedIn tip for the longest time has been not to share links directly in LinkedIn posts. But now things have changed. Introduction The data: testing links in posts How do these figures differ from before? Updated stats for January 2021 to August 2021 Why did this change happen? The new CEO theory […]
How to get freelance copywriting work
Top tips for new freelance copywriters looking for work. I’ve been a freelance copywriter since 2009, and a lot of newbies come to me for advice on how to find copywriting projects. Here’s my best advice for getting your freelance copywriting career up and running. Get to the point. Most of copywriting comes down to […]
Espirian style guide
Preferences for how I write my own stuff. When I write content for my B2B clients, I usually create a style sheet. It’s a Word document I use to record the style preferences that I need to apply to the text I write and edit. I have a style sheet for my own writing. Here […]
How to write good headlines
Improve your headlines to help your content be found. We’re all tired of “clickbait”: where the headline promises something that the rest of the content doesn’t deliver. Here’s how to do better with your headlines. The goodies in this post are taken from chapter 27 (“How to write good content”) in my book, Content DNA. […]
LinkedIn polls
Create a poll. Learn how your LinkedIn audience thinks. LinkedIn introduced the ability to add polls to posts in May 2020. LinkedIn polls can be useful for gathering quick feedback without everyone having to comment with their answers. Basic LinkedIn poll info How to create a LinkedIn poll Thoughts on LinkedIn polls Let’s wrap up […]
LinkedIn headlines: bravery badge
In Content DNA, my book about finding the right “shape” to your personal brand, I talk about an element of social media headlines that is often overlooked by my clients. It’s the third and final part of my “interesting, informative, intriguing” formula for social media headlines – and I call it a bravery badge. What is […]
How to share links on LinkedIn
How to include links on LinkedIn posts without being penalised by the algorithm. Hold on a second! The method below has worked well for me since 2018. BUT … LinkedIn changed their algorithm some time between May and June 2020. My testing and feedback from others suggests strongly that links in posts are NOT currently […]
How I self-published Content DNA
Content DNA is my book aimed at business owners who want to create an online presence that’s noticed, remembered and preferred. This post looks at the self-publishing process I went through to get the book out into the world, including the expenses involved and the problems I faced along the way. The costs I mention here […]
Content DNA brand values: the long list
Chapter 9’s long list of brand values. My book, Content DNA, includes advice for business owners on defining the “shape” of their brand. One of the exercises in chapter 9 is “The X Factor word list method”. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know that didn’t want to stuff a dirty long list in there, so […]
How to improve LinkedIn engagement
Quick tips to multiply your profile and post views on LinkedIn. The actionable advice here has helped my LinkedIn profile views and engagement to increase massively since the start of 2017.
Twitter search advanced guide
Whether you’re researching blog ideas, looking for work or just trying to find out what’s going on near you, the advanced features of Twitter search will help you find the content you need. Top 10 Twitter tips (free PDF) This post contains tips and filters for getting the best from Twitter search. All the details […]
How marketing communities can help businesses grow
Do you feel lost in the sea of advice about how to promote your business? How do you know that you’re doing the right things to market yourself online? This post is about how being part of a marketing community has helped me succeed. There are lots of communities you could join, and I’m sure […]
Recommended business podcasts
My recommended podcasts for marketing, copywriting and social media. Blog posts and videos are great but nothing lets you learn while multitasking in the same way that podcasts do. Here are my recommended business podcasts for marketing your business, writing well and using social media. Ready?
How long should my blog posts be?
How many words do you need to write in your blog posts? Here’s what I’ve found based on my experience of blogging regularly since 2015.
Video caption questions answered
Answers to common questions about video captions This post answers some common questions about captioning your videos. I’ve previously written a guide to video captions.
Content DNA nuggets
In a nutshell. Content DNA is about defining the “shape” of your brand and then creating content that helps your business to be noticed, remembered and preferred. Buy UK 🇬🇧 Buy US 🇺🇸 🟦🟩🟧 Get the long list of brand values I mention in chapter 9. Audio samples. Listen to the audiobook on Audible: UK • […]
Using Twitter at live events
TwitterSmarter Q&A about live-tweeting at events Here are the questions and answers from my guest appearance on the #TwitterSmarter chat with Madalyn Sklar on 4 July 2019. The topic was about the power of live-tweeting at events and conferences.
Twitter tips
10 quick tips for making better use of Twitter
LinkedIn article tips
Top tips for getting your long-form content right on LinkedIn. Here are my best tips on getting your LinkedIn articles right. For more context, check out my interview with Mark Williams on the Linkedinformed podcast, episode 252. Briefly, why bother with articles? Because they’re a great way to demonstrate your authority. Normal posts in the […]