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How to Write a Compelling Description:
The following title and description may get you a high ranking
for a keyword search on the word "mortgage":
! AAA Mortgage banking,
the Mortgage money lenders - Mortgage, lenders, money, mortgages,
mortgage money, mortgage loans, home equity loans, mortgage
money.
What it says, however, is unappealing. Instead, look at another
site description, which would also be ranked high, and see
which site you would be more likely to visit:
Mortgage Applications
Approved Overnight!! - Mortgages and mortgage financing techniques
that the larger banks just can't offer. Learn the 8 important
things to include on your application so that your mortgage
can be approved in 24 hours, even if you have poor credit.
The listing above has the word "mortgage" as the
first word of the title, the first word of the description
and repeats the word "mortgage" 4 times. The difference
is that this description is compelling, solves a problem and
offers "8 important things" or pieces of information
that could be valuable to consumers who visit the site.
The direct response businesses - those companies that make
infomercials and run classified ads in papers across the country
- have studied and mastered the art of writing headlines.
What they learned is that headlines are most effective when
they accomplish 4 things:
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1]
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Solve a problem
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2]
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Solve that problem quickly
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3]
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Solve that problem for what appears to be a small or
reasonable amount
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4]
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Make the reader curious to learn more...
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With that in mind, the following headline is acceptable,
but not as effective as it could be: I
can help you to get out of debt and get a good credit rating
- I've done it for others I can do it for you!
A better approach and a headline that usually draws more
inquiries reads:
Correct your bad credit
in under a week for less than $49!
It solves a problem, does so quickly and shows how much money
is involved. People relate to this appeal because it has a
fundamental basis. Remember the many adages about goal setting,
"A goal without a deadline is a wish!" Or, how about
what they teach you in business school about proposal writing,
"Never offer a plan that does not include both time and
money."
The direct response model is effective because it addresses
these things, especially time and money. Think about this
when writing your page description and title before you submit
them to the search engines. Ask yourself:
· Is my headline compelling?
· Is it interesting?
· Will it make someone curious to learn more?
· Would I read it and want to visit the site?
· Does it include time and money?
· Does it solve a problem?
· Does it suggest that it solves that problem quickly?
· Does it show a price? (only emphasize the price if
yours is very attractive)
Be careful, you don't want to offend anyone's intelligence.
Many direct marketers write headlines that underestimate readers.
Read it yourself and see if you would find the title interesting.
If you don't, others won't.
This direct response model does not apply universally in
its purist form. Many websites are not selling things directly,
or are informational in nature, or support what ad execs would
call image advertising. However, do not overlook the fundamental
truth:
Being first in the search engines is great! - Being first
and compelling is better.
Your listing in the search engine should be compelling. If
the description of the site right below yours is more compelling,
you lose. That prospect just passed over your site.
For more information about meta tags check out Search
Engine Watch
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