Help Me Help You: Giving Clients What They Want
By Textbroker editor Christina Zila
Textbroker is here to serve our clients, which include web developers and SEO companies. A better idea of who our clients are and what they want will help you in writing winning articles.
Many of our clients are web developers and search engine optimization firms. These two types of clients have similar, yet slightly diverging, goals. A web developer creates and designs websites. They make sure that the site is running correctly and securely and often create or oversee the graphical element of the site. They usually do not have the time to write the content, or the words, that describe what the site does or sells. These types of orders are usually very specific on what they want: a description of a specific shoe, a certain type of job, or an “About Us” page for a website.
A search engine optimization, or SEO, firm, on the other hand, is looking for something different. They choose specific terms that, when searched for, show their client on the first page of Google, Yahoo! and Bing. Let’s say our client has a toy store in Kalamazoo, MI that specializes in old-school, traditional toys. The SEO company has to determine the phrases that you and I will put into Google to find our nearest store. Let’s say you’re in Kalamazoo and want a sock monkey for your new baby nephew. You’ll go to Google and type in “sock monkey Kalamazoo” or “Kalamazoo toy store.” If our client wants to be the first thing you see, that specific phrase has to show up on their site.
The easy thing would be to have the same article with different keywords plugged in. For a while, that worked. Then the search engines improved their scanning and cataloging to give users better matches. Google, Ask.com, Yahoo! and Bing all check for duplicate content. If they see the same article, the site’s ranking drops. This is one key reason why we absolutely cannot accept copied work, even in part, even if you wrote the original. Search engines are looking for pertinent, unique content that will help out the person searching.
SEO firms have different strategies on how their articles should be constructed, since the search engines are always improving their criteria for matches. The first step in writing a good article for SEO is to read the instructions. If the client asks for a keyword three times, once at the beginning, once in the middle, and once at the end, work that keyword in those places. In general, try to use the keyword so that it reads naturally. Often, you can play with punctuation to help you. Not all clients may accept this, so be careful and ask for clarification if you're not sure. For a key word like “sock monkeys Kalamazoo,” you could write something like:
“While Rockford, IL, is the home of the original sock monkeys, Kalamazoo has the world’s largest collection of them in the United States.” [Note: Rockford, IL, is where the sock monkey was invented, but the largest display of them is not recorded.]
If a client asks for spinning and special tags, make sure you use them as instructed. Some clients want {synonyms|alternates|other words}. Use the symbols they request in the format they require. Textbroker reads the pipe symbol ( | ) as a blank space, so all your words and synonyms are counted.
If a client asks for an article on honest lawyers, don’t spend 90% of the article on how lawyers are liars and cheats, finishing with a one-line reversal. The client is asking for a positive review and one sentence isn't going to save it. Skip the article and choose a subject you truly feel positive about.
The second step is to give unique, informative articles that include new or fresh content. You may be writing for SEO, but you're also writing to keep a human reader interested. Imagine what your article will look like in the rankings. Would you click on the first 3 lines of your article?
If you have a personal story on how you used your AAA discount to save on auto insurance, find the order that says “Use the keyword auto insurance in the article” and nothing more. Go ahead and tell your story!
Remember that clients are people too. Our client base is extremely diverse in almost every aspect you can imagine. We have professional developers who know exactly what they want and explain that to you clearly and in detail. We have clients who are not native English speakers and have a harder time expressing their needs. We have new clients every day who are getting used to our system. If you can help your clients better achieve their goals, whether it be concise information for the FAQ of their website or an article with their chosen keyword, that cooperation can help distinguish you from other writers.
Help the client help themselves.
Full Disclosure: Christina Zila is a full-time employee of Textbroker International LLC and editor at Textbroker.com.
posted on 10/23/2009 - 04.37 | authors | comments: 20
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If I am not exactly sure of what the author wants, I do not assume. I just ask them. I find they appreciate my asking.
This way I give them what they want, and I get an 'excellent' write.added by: author SondraC on 10/23/2009 - 09.08
I'm a story teller. I can spin a web at the drop of a hat. Every face has a tale to tell. The hard part is pulling it out.
One techincal article come back for correction two times. I switched text editors and found all the problems the first editor missed. It was a painful but very necessary lesson that had a happy ending.
One of the tricks I learned long ago was to use little unexpected tid-bits of information because it sells the article. Textbroker authors are lucky. We have the space to fly, the opportunity to learn, and a savings account. What a deal!
added by: author A-024629 on 10/23/2009 - 09.14
Since we're talking about giving clients what they want, I have a quick question:
I sometimes write articles where the client asks that the keyword appear misspelled in the article. However, when these articles get rated by the Textbroker staff, I end up getting a low rating because of those misspelled words. The same thing happens when the client has requested a keyword phrase that doesn't read very well (kind of like the Kalamazoo example above).
Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this with Textbroker? I want to give the client what they want, but I don't want my rating to go down as a result.added by: author A-017826 on 10/23/2009 - 11.11
TextBroker: "If you have a personal story on how you used your AAA discount to save on auto insurance, find the order that says “Use the keyword auto insurance in the article” and nothing more. Go ahead and tell your story!"
~~
Reply: It is never appropriate to tell personal stories on properly formatted SEO articles unless specifically asked to do so. Google is the Web search engine that sets standards for properly formatted SEO articles.
The Google search bots examine over 200 points in SEO while deciding Web page ranking. As bots make their ranking decisions, select words used in conversational story articles will throw that article straight down the ranking list.
Story telling might be user comfortable, but we are here to please the clients. When they pay for an SEO keyworded article, they are paying us to help with their page or site rankings. In my opinion, it is important that we give the clients what they are paying for when they ask for an SEO keyworded article.
added by: author Writer4You on 10/24/2009 - 01.09
Author A-017826:
I know what you mean. I have a couple very low-rated articles because of that same problem. I took it as a learning experience- what I would do in that sort of situation is just, communicate with the client. Perhaps suggest a better way of writing out the keyword phrase, or ask if altering it slightly is acceptable. For those that want it exactly "as is" (misspelling and all) I just do my best to work around it, adding the keyword and still trying to make it flow in the article.
Christina- thanks as always for this post! I didn't quite know the difference between the web designers and the SEOs, so thanks for pointing that out. I'm always looking for ways to improve and to better serve the client, and this certainly helps.added by: author NatMikey on 10/24/2009 - 11.29
The difference between a web designer and SEO is very similar in some ways and completely opposite in others. Web Designers create the actual website with design, coding, and programming. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. This is a process of making the website Search Engine (Yahoo, Google, Bing) friendly. This is done in many different ways. The website must be build following certain standards (i.e. keywords, meta tags) laid down by the Search Engines. The process of SEO encompasses creating a network of link with similar websites, changing out written content frequently, blogging links and information about the website, and sitemaps. There are many different strategies in use for SEO.
I am looking forward to writing SEO articles. I have a very long background with web design and SEO. For a change I will actually know what is expected! :)added by: author A-025873 on 10/24/2009 - 05.05
I found that sticking with one client works best, if I write 5 articles a day for one author I get excellent on every write. There is alot of potential but I cant see writing 20 articles a day for 60 bucks....added by: author A-023713 on 10/24/2009 - 09.29
Re: Intentional misspellings and awkward keyword phrases
When we rate, we see the article first and the instructions and title second. We try to review the instructions and requested keywords for obviously awkward phrases and don't take points off for that. It absolutely kills us to close our eyes to "loose weight fast," but if the client asked for it, the client should get it.
In the case where we missed that the client asked for it, go ahead and contact us to review the rating.
added by: Textbroker on 10/26/2009 - 03.59
Cool, excellent post Christina, I wasn't sure about the SEO thing either. Seems I have been doing both with a limited amount of success. Had a question, until I read the blue post, I tend to ignore the ones with a misspelling request. I would like to thank the staff for processing my W-9 so quickly, I'm on the road now, full time! I picked up the pace, so did you guys. NICE!added by: author REDMAN on 10/28/2009 - 09.02
Don't have time to write much today but just wanted to let Meagan and TB know how much I appreciate this blog and all the info that both have shared.
This week I got my first batch of direct orders - I have been applying much of what I learned here on the blog. Client was pleased. Am starting my second batch for him now and he says he has much more for me.
Fellow TB writers. What Meagan and TB have been sharing really works. Hang in there and just keep writing and continuing to use what is posted here.
Wishing you all success. THANKS!added by: author KaO on 10/29/2009 - 01.14
@023713 -- At 4-star rating, it's 1.40 per word, so a 400 word article will net $5.60 adding up to $120 for 20 articles. When there are lots of articles waiting to be written, I can personally pump out an article every 15-30 minutes, so the earnings potential is great when the work is there and I can apply myself.
Unfortunately, and I guess this has to do with the bonus program, the 4-star and even 3-star work has been really scarce the last few days.added by: author Ferret on 10/30/2009 - 11.29
I enjoy telling stories as well with my articles. I also am a story teller and have many to tell. However one client sent back an article and wanted me to remove the story. I did but the article lost its charm.;)
Since then I have stopped telling stories. I notice most of the clients ask for Formal writing. This, I suppose means no light hearted stories, but the article only gets an acceptable.
That is another question I needed to ask. What is the difference in their rating an article as good, acceptable. I understand excellent! and thankfully I get my full of them. But not sure what they mean by the good and acceptable. Which is just ho-hum and which is kinda great.;)
I also find the article list getting low, and I suppose it is because of the rush on articles to beat the deadline for the bonus money.
This is a good site. I enjoy working for it and those who run it. They make this site very relaxing to write on.
Thank you all in charge for creating such a great writing atmosphere.added by: author SondraC on 11/02/2009 - 07.46
I, too, love the vague ones. At first I was so confused. I mean, what do you write about "Local Apartment Buildings?" What do they want? When I first started, I would message the client, asking for something more specific, and they would be just as vague, and I wasted valuable writing time.
Then, I realized they haven't written the article. They don't really know. So, the answer about what to write about "Local Apartment Buildings," or "Religious Schools," turns out to be, "Anything you want."
By the way, when it is EVER appropriate to intentionally spell a word wrong? If I run across bad spelling, I just spell it correctly.
I usually don't do personal stories. Sometimes I use third person visualizations.
"You come home with a trunk full of groceries. Ten minutes later, you have lugged the groceries to your kitchen and unloaded them. Now, a crumpled wad of colored plastic balloons in your trash can. You feel a twinge of environmental guilt for the short life span of this very un-biodegradable plastic. You shrug and move on. After all, what can you do?"
That usually works for me, although lately I've tried to move away from it.added by: author Layla Jade on 11/05/2009 - 07.09
@ Layla Jade - Misspelled words are appropriate when the client specifically requests them. Some are interested in matching misspellings commonly used in a search.added by: author C.Marie on 11/09/2009 - 05.20
My favorite words to misspell are as follows: website, web site, Web site, email, e-mail, E-mail, their, there, they're, heel, heal, mousepad, mouse pad, secret de-coder, decoder, ring, wring and tinfoil, tin-foil, tin foil hat. ;)
/Neal trudges back into the literary dungeon.
-Neal
added by: author Neal on 11/09/2009 - 07.54
Thanks for the information, it has helped some. I hope I can improve even more.added by: author okie1 on 11/19/2009 - 02.46
I use the Keyword Niche Finder at "http://www.wordstream.com" to find and expand information on new and familiar topics. That provides me with a wealth of content possibilities which form the basis of my article plan.
I then perform the searches on the content that I am interested and write the article. You may also find this to be an additional approach.
Sincerely
Mercedes Mossadded by: author A-038359 on 08/24/2010 - 10.14
I has been just over a month since I joined Textbroker. I love to write, and overall enjoy shooting off the articles to see how they do.
I am of course interested in improving my rating and being paid more, but that is secondary to training myself to sit down and write instead of screwing around. I find it extremely easy to want to check the email or do something else instead of working.
I don't read the blog very often but find the entries very interesting. I hope to be doing this for a long time. I love working from home. My wife and I are retired and can always use the income. This is actually fun!
I have written over 60 articles in the past month, but could have written many more with a little stick-to-it perseverance. Perhaps I will learn a little self control in the future. Good writing to all of you!
Chuckadded by: author Chuckster on 02/10/2011 - 03.48
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