Copy Writing

Copywriting Cheat Sheet

***Always open the “New Master Account Sheet” for the client before beginning. Find the “Copy” tab on the sheet and use that checklist as you go.***

Pre-writing

1. Read through the client’s marketing analysis and current website to get a feel for their business and their programs.
2. Consult with their implementation specialist to find out about anything weird (strange programs, things the client wants to highlight, things the client wants to avoid)
3. Listen to the Welcome Call between implementation specialist and client. (Not always necessary. Just hoping to gather as much info as possible on what the client offers and what they want to see in their copy. Almost always there is very little info to go off.)
4. Complete the list of program names (confirm this with implementation specialist)
5. Confirm the target area with implementation specialist
6. Confirm the theme choice with implementation specialist

Page writing

1. Fill in program name according to list confirmed with implementation specialist. (This will almost always include umbrella keyword terms like “Kids Martial Arts,” “Personal Training,” “Group Fitness.” The implementation specialist will have worked with the client to steer them towards these umbrella keywords)

1. Fill in “Override Page Header” section. This will always be either “[Program Name] in [Target Area]” OR “[Target Area] [Program Name]”

1. Fill in “Override Program Title” section. This need to be catchy and simple. It should always include the Program Name and should try to include either the business name or the target area. Try not to get repetitive with these. It will be the first thing a visitor to the page will read. (Example: Give Your Child The Tools To Succeed With Our Kids Martial Arts Classes in Winston-Salem.”)

Page Content

1. When writing the page, keep them short and easy to skim. Pages will generally include 3 sections (separated by H4 headers) that detail the program and then include a call to action.
2. Paragraphs should be 4 sentences maximum
3. Make use of bullet points at least once or twice on the page.

Example: Our Kids Martial Arts Classes will help your child build:

• Confidence
• Respect
• Discipline
• Focus

7. Pages should include the keyword phrase (this is almost always the program name) multiple times throughout the page. A good keyword density for the program name is 3-4%. Don’t go over 5%. You can check that here: http://tools.seobook.com/general/keyword-density/

8. Pages should also include the business's name and the target area at least twice.

9. The first paragraph is the most important. The first paragraph of each page should always include the business name, the program keyword and the target area in some form. Be creative with this. Don’t let it feel forced.

10. The content of the page should reflect the client’s programs as much as possible. That’s obviously easier the more information you have.

11. The content should be user-friendly. It should tell the reader what they can gain from this program. It should not be used detail the history of the specific program or the history of the business.

12. Benefits that a reader can gain from the program should be easy to find. If someone only reads 10 words on the page, those 10 words should be the benefits they can expect from that programs. Readers’ eyes are drawn to larger text and bullet points. Use this to your advantage.

13. Avoid repetitive phrasing and lazy descriptions.

14. Convey excitement and energy with the pages.

Page Excerpts

***Be sure to always fill this in with unique content. It serves as the meta tag for google searches and appears on the homepage of many themes. ***

Page Excerpt Guidelines:

1. 155 characters or less (this is how “large” the window is in Google)
2. Make it sound/feel like an ad- WE WANT CONVERSIONS
3. Make the meta non-spammy and natural
4. Use 1-2 keywords (or keyword phrases) in the meta. This is so Google will BOLD those key terms. Use the key terms in the first couple of words, if possible.
5. DO NOT duplicate this too many times across sites. Definitely not on the same site.
6. Make the meta tag relevant to the page (was that obvious?)
7. No Business name necessary (in the first sentence at least)
8. Lastly, Use a call to action:
• Check out our Martial Arts Class times in Charlotte today!
• Learn more about our fitness sessions in Charlotte now!
• Reserve your first training session today!
• Sign up online now!

The RED items are non-negotiable for all title tags. Calls to action work very well, so maybe on their first program we can do this?! Use your discretion.

Call To Action

15. The final section of every page will be dedicated to the call to action. This section should always include an H4 header that urges the user to “Sign Up Now” or “Join Us Today.” Again, be creative.

16. Within the final paragraph, be sure to include the business name, the program keyword, and the target area.

17. Direct readers to fill out the instant connect form. This is almost always the very last sentence of the page.

18. It should include some form of “To learn more about [Program name], all you have to do is fill out the short form on your screen now for more information!”

Theme Settings Copy

***Each Theme will require different amounts of “homepage copy.”

Check the New Master Account Sheet in Rihanna to see what each theme requires. These sections will be in either the “Theme Settings” tab of the CRM or the “Settings” tab***

1. This content should always be unique and compelling. If a visitor comes through the homepage of the site, they may never read the program pages if the homepage content isn’t compelling.
2. Slider Header and SubHeader text will always be the first thing someone reads when they land on the homepage. It needs to be short, catchy, descriptive, and compelling.

(Example: Header: The Best Martial Arts Training In Winston-Salem

Subheader: Get started today and enjoy high-quality instruction for the whole family)

3. See Page Excerpt section for guidelines on this text.
4. “Services and features” should be unique for every client. Do not rely on the stock text that is built into the CRM.
5. Try your best to convey the client’s business here. This is tough to do without much info from them but avoid generalizations. Make this business sound compelling.
6. Make all of the “features and services” tabs similar in length. They will stack up next to each other on the page and look unbalanced if they aren’t similar in size.

7. Fill in the “About Us” section(s) with unique content. Again, try to convey what sets this client apart from the rest.

Miscellaneous Notes:

Re-read everything you write. The easiest way to look unprofessional is to let a typo slip into a client’s final website.

Duplicate content is flagged by Google when 1-2 consecutive sentences are the same, word for word. Duplicate content will hurt SEO, so avoid this at all costs.

Everything included on a client’s website should reflect their business to the best of your ability. Custom-written content is a selling point for us and should be provided for every client.

While most visitors to a web page won’t read every word, you have to assume they will. Make sure everything sounds natural and not forced.

Every section of the website should convey energy and excitement. If a visitor to the site isn’t excited while the read through the pages, they aren’t going to sign up.

MORE SEO ADVICE:

PAGE WRITING/PAGE TITLES (headers)

• USER EXPERIENCE IS KING!!

• Keep pages short.
• Use short paragraphs (4 sentence max)
• Keep pages “skimmable”. Bullet point Sandwhich (Most important info first and last in bullet point list)
• Clear call to action to submit lead information
• Google determines the relevance of your page by analyzing its content based on several factors, including where and how often you use certain words in that piece of content.
• Pick 1-2 keyword phrases, include this keyword phrase the first 1-2 sentences

• Page Titles are VERY important to SEO. Google hold H1 headers at a higher weight than other Headers. The larger the text, the more weight:

• First paragraph is also weighted more important that the rest of text on that page.

• BLOG TITLES: if adding mass blogs, try to add keywords into the blog titles. Ex: protein pancake, change to Nutrition rich protein pancake  (this works especially for OLDER blogs)

KEYWORD DENSITY

• http://tools.seobook.com/general/keyword-density/
• Keep keyword density below 4-5% (preferably below 3%)
• UX > Keyword Density

TARGET LOCATIONS/KEY TERMS

• Any target area below 10,000 person population will not work (too small). If their “first” target area is too small, add another. Never add more than one (so two total).

• Populations between 20,000- 60,000 are the “money spot”.

• Any population over 100,000 will not work (too large) UNLESS they have a significant placement in Google already. If their first target area is too large find a sub-target area (like borough or neighborhood)
• As a basic keyword rule- Anything beyond Personal Training, CrossFit, Group Fitness, Martial Arts and Karate will not work. Shove as many clients as you can into these four spaces (or expanded categories like Kids Karate). There will be exceptions to this rule. ALWAYS make one of these options the first program
• Don’t take the client's word for this, it’s best to do your research
• ALT TAGS: #1 program + target area (martial arts scranton)

FIRST FOLD

• Using ‘catchy’ headlines
• Numbers work best (10lbs, 10 days)
• Don’t forget the call to action

• Make this about the user, not the business.

• 8 words or less

[Adjective] & [Adjective] [What You Are / SEO Keyword Phrase] That Will [Highly Desirable Promise of Results]

Get the [Rarely Seen But Relevant Adjective] Power of [SEO Keyword Phrase] Without [Pain]

The Only [SEO Keyword Phrase] Made Exclusively to [Highly Desirable Outcome or Benefit]

The Community Of [Target area] Loves [keyword] at [School Name]

SEO RICH DOMAINS

• The oldest domain is KING

• http://smallseotools.com/domain-age-checker/
• If a new client needs us to purchase a domain, purchase a direct-match URL
• Productofferinglocation.com
• Locationproductoffering.com
• A domain that is the client's business name is useless for SEO, unless it’s for print marketing (or other marketing sources)

• Search engines read URLs like we would

• Redirecting direct-match domains to the main domain has extremely minimal effect for SEO unless they are shifting toward the direct-match domain over time.