Content editing is much more than checking grammar!
A good marketing content editor could be the difference between average-performing promotions and digital marketing campaigns that get attention and results.
Some businesses may be tempted to rely on grammar checking software and cheap proofreaders to avoid hiring freelance content editors / consultants.
Doing this might end up costing you more in the form of lost sales and business opportunities.
If your marketing content and materials don’t follow best practices, such as proven sales structures and sequences, it will inform and entertain readers but won’t get them to take action:
- Subscribe to newsletters
- Download free reports
- Sign up for free trials
- Order your products and services
Search engines like Google and Bing also penalize sites with poorly structured or vague content. This keeps them from appearing in the top 2-3 pages on search results.
As you can see, it pays to invest in a good content editor, especially for critical marketing content such as whitepapers, sales pages and email lead nurturing messages.
Content Editing Addresses a Variety of Marketing Issues
A content editor will evaluate your marketing and sales content and materials to make sure they are structured to maximize results from a marketing standpoint.
A typical content edit will check for:
Structure and Flow
Sales pages, email sequences, and other promotional content need to follow specific sequences and structures to ensure they build up interest in your offerings and get people to take action.
For example, a sales letter needs to balance emotional appeals with logical arguments (features) in order to persuade a large number of people to do what you would like them to do.
Even your educational content, like blog posts, needs to balance information with promotion.
Your claims need to subtly position you as an expert that can be trusted, otherwise readers will see that you are merely promoting yourself, instead of trying to help them.
SEO (search engine optimization)
Quality content alone won’t help you if your articles and blog posts don’t show up on internet search results.
During a content edit, your content will be checked for the proper use of keywords that potential customers use during web searches.
Meta content, such as behind-the-scenes webpage descriptions and keyword lists, also help Google and other search engines learn what your site is all about, and ensure that your webpages are indexed and categorized properly.
SEO is important in order for your website to be recognized as an authority within your industry.
Brand Copywriting Tone and Style
Your articles, emails, sales pages, and ads need to use images and words that your target audience can relate to.
Younger customers won’t respond to slang or phrases that are used by older generations. Older people won’t relate to imagery that appeals to millennials.
Alignment of Content with its Purpose
The objective behind a blog post is completely different than the objective of a promotional sales page.
The first is meant to build trust in your expertise, while the second seeks to get people to make a purchase or sign up for a free trial.
Adequate Balance Between Education and Promotion
While inbound / content marketing tends to focus more on educating and building trust with potential customers, you also have to position your product or service as the right solution for them.
This means that you have to promote your email newsletters, free guides, and other incentives to encourage people to enter your marketing funnel by providing their email addresses.
A simple way to include promotional elements within your blog posts and articles is to add CTA (call-to-action) links that ask readers to sign up for a free newsletter or e-book.
Marketing Weak Points
Some content editors may provide additional suggestions to help optimize your marketing / sales funnel for better results.
For example, you may be alerted about missing marketing funnel segments or conflicting tones and writing styles.
Sometimes, an incomplete marketing sequence may be the reason why your online content isn’t generating the results you desire.
Content Editing Generates Huge Returns on Investment
If your email marketing, sales pages, and other promotional materials aren’t attracting more website visitors, email clicks, or sign-ups, consider getting a content edit.
Doing this will be cheaper than creating new marketing content from scratch, especially if you are not sure whether your copywriter is using the most effective sales techniques.
Many freelance editors and inbound marketing consultants provide this service at affordable rates, while also offering useful tips on improving your overall marketing.
Avoid These Common Marketing Mistakes!
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Generate Better Returns on Your Marketing Content!
If you would like to optimize your landing pages, product descriptions, home page, and other marketing content to generate more website traffic and sales, please contact me