Writing content is at the center of inbound marketing. It can help or hinder your online lead generation efforts. You have a short and distinct window to capture your reader’s attention, provide them quality information, and leave them wanting more. However, it doesn’t take much to lose someone’s attention. Making some or all of the following mistakes are surefire ways to lose your leads online.
1. Boring Headline
Writing a great headline is an art form. Your headline is the first thing your potential leads will see online. It needs to be catchy, straightforward, and 70 characters or less (or else it will get chopped off in the search results) in order to get them to click on it and read the information you are offering.
2. Spelling and Grammar Errors
If your lead is happily reading along and comes across the word “your” when it should be “you’re” or the incorrect use of “there” you will quickly lose credibility. If you can’t write correctly or provide content that makes sense, then your lead may wonder how your business will even be able to provide a successful product or service. Spelling and grammar errors make you look bad. Period.
SEE ALSO: Internet Marketing Tips: 5 Common Spelling and Grammar Errors You Should Be Ashamed Of
3. Failure to Use Keywords
If you don’t know what your target audience is even searching for, how will you know what to write about? Failure to do keyword research and pinpoint a few to focus on is like blindly throwing out your content into cyberspace. Using keywords will help you get found online by the people who actually want to find you.
4. Poor Call-to-Action (CTA)
A call-to-action appears to the side or at the bottom of your blog/offer/webpage - whatever it is that you’re writing. It tells the reader what you want them to do next and guides them through the buying journey. If it’s boring and uses the wrong kind of language, then it won’t accomplish its task. Check out these compelling CTAs that rock. Once a reader clicks on your CTA and fills out the form to get whatever it is that you’re offering, they officially become a lead.
5. Un-Helpful Information
People are searching for solutions to their problems and answers to their questions. If your writing doesn’t reflect your title, you aren’t addressing a specific topic, and you don’t do your research or refer to other credible sources and examples, you are not being helpful. If your lead doesn’t feel like they are getting worthwhile content then you will lose them to something else online in no time.
SEE ALSO: Why Blog Research is Important for Your Articles
The risk of writing about how to get leads online through writing, is that I better hope I practiced what I preached! If you’ve gotten this far in the post, then mission accomplished. Hopefully, it was helpful. Now is where I leave you wanting more. If you’d like to generate leads online for your small business through writing great content you can learn more by subscribing to our blog. If you would rather not write and want us to help you with that part, contact us!
