I Can’t Wait To See Art&Copy

We’ll have to convince them to come to Phoenix. I don’t want to wait a year for video.

Tags: advertising, Copywriting, Movies

SEO and Copywriting Can Be Real Workouts

I spend a fair amount of time in the gym each week (probably around 5 hours or so) and the more I write copy for ads or websites, the more I see how the work done in the gym is a lot like the work done on the screen or page. Here are just a few of the similarities I’ve found:

• Warming Up – So much of writing is about preparation. At the gym, if your muscles haven’t been stretched and limbered-up, you’ll risk injury, cramps, etc. Likewise, when I’m getting ready to write for the web, I always make sure I know which keywords I’m targeting and where my linking opportunities will be. Stretching the brain is an important first step before writing begins.
• Getting Started – This can be one of the hardest parts of any workout. Even after a sound warmup, before you actually start the real activity, you don’t always feel like going through with things. That’s where it’s important to remain focused. Before writing, the feelings are often the same. You just have trouble feeling the subject or direction or you aren’t sure if you have the right search optimization strategy behind the copy you’re about to write. Again, just try to stay focused, trust your ability and get started.
• Maintaining Intensity – There’s always that guy in the gym, who takes way too long between sets and sort of wanders over to the TV for long stretches while you want to use the equipment he’s using. No one wants to be that guy, but we almost all are at one time or another. The breaks between sets can really hurt your ability to progress toward your goals, and it’s the same when you’re writing or optimizing a site. Write with a purpose and keep moving forward.
• Staying Hydrated – It’s that simple. Have a glass of water and make your mother happy.
• Finishing Every Rep – Half-assed workouts won’t do you any good. Those people you see in the gym who are trying to make a walking pace look like running are only fooling themselves. Make sure you finish the job when you write the site or the ad. Review your work and question everything you’ve written. Could I put a link there? Did I use the right word? It will pay off with better results in the end.
• Cooling Down – When you’re finished with a sound workout, you take just a few moments to stretch again and let your heart rate return to normal. Now, read the page to yourself one last time before you’re sure you’re done. Don’t scrutinize this time though, but be confident and read the page as if someone else wrote it. Enjoy your writing and the job well done.
• Resting – Any weightlifter will tell you that the real work is done between workouts, when the body is rebuilding the muscle, stronger than before. That’s really the key to achieving your goals in the gym, and in the craft of writing. When you aren’t writing, read about it. Read for pleasure, read for work, and read to your kids. Sometimes the best inspiration will come from people who do it better than you.

I’m always looking to other writers for the various connections they make to other aspects of their lives and their writing, so if you have something to share about your process, please do.

Search Optimization Blogroll

On the heels of my last post on some great SEO resources, I’ve updated the blogroll to your right. I’ll be adding to the mix as time goes on.

For now, check out those other great info sources for search optimization information, news and tips.

Great SEO Resources

At the moment, there aren’t any degrees in search engine optimization. That makes learning the SEO trade a pretty scattered enterprise, with a variety of resources and books by many a purveyor of “expertise.” As I’ve picked up the trade, there are several great search optimization resources I can rely on for up-to-date info and great advice on techniques and tactics.

Google Webmaster’s Central – The best place to get the information is straight from the horse’s mouth. If you’ve got a question about how Google operates, and some of the best ways to make your site searchable, this is the place to get the info.

Yahoo! Search Blog – The other horse. Especially now that Yahoo! and Bing are making nice, it’s important to know what the big dog’s main competitor deems important as well.

Matt Cutts’ Personal Blog – Matt started out as a software developer at Google and now heads their webspam team. Good guy to have on your side.

Occam’s Razor – Avinash Kaushik delves into the world of analytics. How to improve measurement, and make the most of your numbers.

Online Marketing Blog – More than just search optimization, Online Marketing Blog by TopRank gives advice on everything from social media optimization to traffic conversion techniques.

Search Engine Journal – Gives great advice on search optimization techniques, best practices and key resources. This one is my personal favorite.

Search Engine Land News – The latest in goings on with the world of search, this site is just a great way to stay in touch with the business side of search, and get great tips on search techniques. They also throw in some sweet advice on obscure, lesser-known search engines.

SEOMoz – Great resource with a variety of tools and advice on search optimization.

These are just a few of the great sites I’ve come across. The more I read, the more I realize that in the world of SEO, there’s information to be found in all of the tiny crevices of the internet. If you’ve got any suggestions, sound off in the comments.

*image courtesy of Technologygear.net

Improve Search Ranking Without Too Much Effort

Improving search ranking can be daunting, considering search engines are notoriously secretive about their formulas in order to prevent the masses from taking advantage of the formulas for a profit. Sometimes that fairness upsets the big brands on the block (although not lately) but it makes Google one of the most egalitarian sites on the internet. Anyone and everyone with a website has a chance to be on the first page of Google search results. The real key is knowing what search engine robots are looking for when they come to your site.

What you must be thinking now is “How can he say that he knows ways to improve search ranking, when the search engines are keeping their formulas a secret?” Well, the proof is in the pudding, as they say. Search engine optimization, or SEO, is oftentimes a matter of using the scientific process. Try something and if it doesn’t work, try something else. Eventually you’ll come to proven conclusions of how to improve your search ranking.

The following are 3 quick ways you can improve your search ranking:

• Improve your keyword use. – This doesn’t mean keyword stuffing. It also doesn’t mean overloading the keyword meta data that Google actually ignores. What it really means is using words and phrases that relate specifically to your business and improve the quality of your site. The search robots are constantly under the watchful eye of actual humans, and as such, they are continually redesigned and improved in order to give optimum results to searchers. Don’t try to trick them. The bottom line here is that you need to create quality content that serves your customers and web users. Or you can find someone who will help you improve your ranking.
• Use keyword specific page titles – Quick! Look up at the top of your browser window. Way at the top. Now that I have you back, I’m sure you noticed that there was some writing up there that displayed the title of this blog post, and the name of the website you’re visiting. So why’s this important? That writing at the top of the page is the very first bit of content that a search engine robot sees when it comes by to index your site. That makes it a first-impression of sorts, and you know the deal about first impressions. Improve your ranking by inserting meaningful keywords that relate to the content for that page into the title tag.
• Invite others to link to your site – Amongst SEO specialists, the typical opinion of ranking formulas is that one of the most important aspects of search ranking is linking. There are a lot of other elements that make up the supposed formula, such as the popularity of the sites that link to yours and where the links are on the page, but the main idea is to attract links. If you have a blog, invite guest bloggers to write a post and then link back to your site from theirs. It’s also important to have quality linkable content that other sites will want to reference. Lastly, you should be linking out to other sites as well. Improving your search ranking can be as simple as becoming a part of the community of people in your field.

These steps may seem oversimplified to the experienced eye, however they can make a difference. Getting to the first page of search results can have a major effect on a company’s income, so why not give it a shot? Try these small steps and keep a sharp eye on your rankings for a few weeks, and if things don’t improve, try changing a few things and go back to watching the results. Sooner or later you’ll likely find a nice mix, and even if you don’t make it to page one, any small improvement in your search ranking could make a big difference.

Advertising Needs More Puppets

It’s a simple concept, but one that’s often lost on us advertising types. It goes something like – “Put puppets in moving picture shows, and they will be funny.” – or whatever. I’m not sure what the exact wording is, but I know it’s truly a gold nugget of knowledge that often, in striving to be clever or creative in advertising, simple things like puppets, cartoons or, god forbid, good writing can make an ordinary spot outstanding. This past May and June, those of us who follow NBA basketball were treated to an advertising campaign that wasn’t just good, but great. The ads featured puppet versions of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, preparing for the NBA Playoffs, while living together. This was advertising at its finest.

Nike not only keeps their brand in front of the viewer, but uses the personal brands of LeBron and Kobe to promote the Nike brand as well. For those of you wondering what the chalk thing is all about, that’s this ridiculous thing that LeBron James stole from some other players like Kevin Garnett and . . . sorry. I started on a little basketball rant there. My bad. Back to the ads.

At this point you’re hooked, at least if you’re a basketball fan. The advertising is making you think about the real Kobe and LeBron, and what it might be like if they actually lived together. The trash talking and taunting would be amazing.

The general feeling amongst the basketball watching public was that these commercials were an attempt to promote a possible NBA Finals match-up between LeBron’s scrub Cavaliers and Kobe’s fantastically championship worthy Lakers. (Maybe I’m biased, but who really cares.) Now, this campaign was running well in advance of the Finals, which makes the risk associated with it a large part of why it was such great advertising.

Now they’re just being silly.

I love it. After four of these, I can’t wait to see the next one. That’s great, memorable advertising. Like the conjunction junction commercials from when I was a kid. Heck, they even made t-shirts out of that advertising. Did I mention they have Most Valuable Puppets campaign t-shirts as well? Let’s get to what I think was really the best part of the campaign.

The babysitting gig gives Nike a chance to really showcase the brand. Taking Lil Dez to the shoe room to show him some shoes really puts Nike at the forefront. Great branding. Next, the campaign takes a turn, after LeBron has been eliminated from the playoffs.

With all of the hype surrounding the possible Kobe v. LeBron Finals now deflated, the true genius of the campaign shines. The writers at Weiden+Kennedy (whom I assume had the reigns on this campaign, as they typically do with most of Nike’s high profile stuff) embraced the currency of the events and effectively turned them into a joke. In one final parting shot, LeBron looks forward to next year.

Now I haven’t included all of the ads here, although it may seem like a lot at this point. There are still others involving hilarious puppet activities like jumping into a car, being in two places at once and a post-Finals-winning celebration.

Perhaps the spots could’ve been as good with live action characters, but would you have as much fun watching them? Would they be nearly as memorable? My guess is no on both counts. The puppets, on top of all of the other great aspects of the campaign, make the advertising unforgettable.

Advertising can be all at once, art, entertainment, and sales tool. This campaign is one of the few that I can remember accomplishing all three of those things.

I hope they do it again next season.