You know when you've worked really hard on an article...
...and then you check the page views, and it's not hitting in the way you thought it would.
I hate to tell you this.
It's your fault.
Written by Claudia Lee | Founder of Nexus Gecko
If people aren't looking for what you are writing about, no one is reading it.
You can write an amazing article, about things people really would want to know about. But, if it's not being looked for, no one will find it.
Here's how to not screw up your marketing, when providing long-form content.
Here's our top 3 rules, in our Marketing Success Guide.
Do Not Write About, What YOU Want To Write About.
The truth is, no one cares what you care about.
You have to care about writing, what the audience wants to hear. I know it feels tempting, just to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and just type away. But you're just wasting your time.
This isn't publishing a book. This isn't about just telling a good story. When you write content, you're writing to answer questions, educate and entertain, all that same time.
Cause if you don't well... this happens.
Rule 1, Of Our Marketing Success Guide
Well don't you worry! Here are 3 easy to remember steps you need to take, to make sure you're work hits home.
And, you can start using them today, for free.
Start Simple
Go to Google, and type in a question your niche is wanting to explore. Just use intellect for this, it doesn't have to be perfect.
If a customer was looking for you, what would they search for, as a question.
Here's some examples...
CBD Beverage: Is it legal to drink CBD drinks in France?
High-end Real Estate: Where in London, does properties hold their value best?
Organic Clothing Brand: How can a t-shirt be organic?
You get the idea. Then...
...take note, as to what comes up. Google is literally showing you, what other people are looking for, that relates to this.
Copy and paste these into a word document, and save them all. Try many different searches and compile them up. Aim to answer 3-5 questions, per article.
Or more, if you feel like it.
Alt-Text: The Actual Holy Grail Of SEO
Not only, are images super helpful for retention but also, when done correctly, very helpful in SEO.
By adding images to your articles, you literally make your life 100X easier as a marketer. Here's why.
Why does Alt-Text help SEO
Alt text, short for alternative text, is super useful for a couple of really important reasons.
First off, imagine if you couldn't see a picture on a website. How would you know what's there? Alt text is like a helper that tells people who can't see the image. It's really useful for everyone, even those who are visually impaired, to understand your article.
Secondly, alt text to computers and the internet, especially for search engines like Google, basically screams out, "hey, this is what my picture is about!"
So when people search for something on the internet that's in your alt text, Google knows and says, "I’ve got a picture for that!" and shows them your image.
It's a bit like giving your picture a name tag at a big party, so it doesn't get lost in the crowd.
So How Do I Write Good Alt-Text?
Writing good alt text is like creating an inventory of a picture. Here's how you can write good alt text, with or without AI:
Without AI:
Just Describe What You See: Look at the picture and describe the important parts. If it's a photo of a dog playing fetch, your alt text could be "A happy golden retriever fetching a red ball in the park."
Keep it Short and Sweet: Alt text should be brief but descriptive. Around 125 characters is usually enough to give a good description without being too long.
Use Keywords Wisely: If your picture is on a website, think about what words people might use to find that image. Include those words in your alt text, but make sure they match what’s in the picture.
Skip "Image of..." or "Picture of...": Screen readers usually say this already, so you don’t need to repeat it. Just dive straight into the description.
Think About Context: What's the picture for? If you're writing an article about space and have a picture of the moon, your alt text could be "Full moon lighting up the night sky," because it's more poetic and fits the story you're telling.
With AI:
Give Clear Instructions: If you're using an AI tool like ChatGPT, you need to tell it exactly what to do. Say something like, "Write alt text for an image showing kids playing soccer in a field on a sunny day."
Ask for Keywords: If you want your picture to show up in searches, ask the AI to include specific keywords. There might be things you want to make sure it adds.
Review and Tweak: AI can be a great starting point, but it's not perfect. Always check what it writes and make sure it fits your picture just right.
Cut It Down: Remember about 125 characters is best. Make sure to cut it down and keep it concise. Not like the example above. However, let it give you a long example, and take only what you need from it.
Meta-Tags & Descriptions: The Final Hurdle
Now when you're ready to launch, and you're about to throw it out there. Make sure people can see what it's about. Just like alt-text we need a description for the search engines.
Simply do like it says below, and ask AI to write your descriptions. Here's the key points...
The way I remember it, is the acronym STAR.
S - Shock - Give them something to latch on to.
T - Topic - Give the content of the topic, and what it's about.
A - Authority - How you, and just you, have solved this problem and how you can help others fix it. Or perhaps, what you have discovered, or worked out. Whatever it may be given the context.
R - Reason - Why they should click highlighted one last time.
Here's a great example:
'Your articles don't get viewers! But... we have solved this for our clients, and now we're giving you the blueprint. You're crazy, if you don't read today's post...'
So there you have it!
All sorted. Now, if you would like someone else to do all this for you, then check this out www.nexusgecko.com.
Do your research, write in a way that answers problems, and you'll go to the moon!
We'll see you there.
