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Insurance Blogging: Why Words Matter

Insurance Blogging: Why Words Matter

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Here at AIMS we like to keep up with the industry, so we read a lot of blogs. Some of our favorites are Search Engine Watch, Good Copy, Bad Copy, and more recently Boost Blog Traffic. We really do believe that there are a lot of good ideas out there in the blogosphere, and it is only wise to keep up.

Recently we came across a blog post from Boost Blog Traffic that listed 317 Power Words The Will Instantly Make You A Better Writer and it got us thinking: What are some of the best words to use when writing an insurance blog? And no, this isn’t about SEO, it is about engaging your readers. So let’s get this going and give you our list of the best insurance blogging words.

Get them EXCITED!

Here are 10 words to get your readers excited about something (a special offer maybe?):

  • Amazing
  • Astonishing
  • Astounding
  • Exciting
  • Hope
  • Magical
  • Opportunity
  • Stunning
  • Savvy
  • Wonderful

Scare them a little.

Need to induce a little fear? Try these words:

  • Crippling
  • Destroy
  • Devastating
  • Disaster
  • Dupe
  • Eradicate
  • Expel
  • Frightening
  • Horrific
  • Loss
  • Risk

Entice them.

Everyone likes a good deal, right? Especially after they’ve gotten a little scare put into them. Help your readers along and close the deal with these words:

  • Best
  • Discount
  • Extra
  • FREE (*That one really reels them in)
  • Inclusive
  • More
  • Prize
  • Profit
  • Save
  • Special

 

Remember, we write to evoke empathy. Connecting with your readers is important. With so many blogs out there, and so many different writers and styles, you need to really hit on your readers emotions – in other words, your blogs need to register. Power words are a great place to start!

So get out there and spice up your writing! And hey, check out the other great industry blogs out there for more ideas on improving your writing.

 

Photo – © Yury Zap – Fotolia.com

The New Facebook Business Manager Tool and How to use it

social media

The next wave in Facebook marketing is here, and as a company that manages multiple accounts, we’re pretty darn excited about it. The new Facebook Manager Tool not only allows us to now manage pages, ad accounts and payment in one place, but it also allows the administrator to assign roles and monitor oversight.

How does it work?

To get started, just head on over to business.facebook.com and sign up.

As the page admin, you are in control of the account, which give you the power to not only modify or delete the account, but also to assign roles within the campaign.

The best part? You can now add business admins and employees to the account without being their friend on Facebook. This is important to a company like us here at AIMS because, as we stated above, we work with a lot of different companies, and that means we aren’t always connected directly to the employees. But now, so long as we have our contact person’s email address we can add them to the account, while also limiting their involvement to what we deem is necessary.

Another nice feature of the new Facebook Manager Tool is that we are now able to easily reassign roles and/or remove people from an account at any given time. So if you don’t like the way something is being done or your page is being managed, you can switch it up with little to no issue.

Everything in its place.

Even if you don’t use the new Facebook Business Manager Tool to manage multiple accounts, you’ll find it just as useful as we do. Instead of creating a brand new business page with multiple logins, you can now use your personal information to login and create an account. But don’t worry – none of your personal information will be available on the business page, it is solely used as a means of easing your access to all of your accounts.

 Go explore!

We won’t pretend we know everything there is to know about the new Business Manger Tool – it just came out! But we hope this bit of information will help you get started. Check out the Introduction to Business Manager page from Facebook for more info.

Photo – © boygostockphoto – Fotolia.com

Is Your Content Worth Reading?

Is Your Content Worth Reading?

We believe in content marketing, in fact, we preach its importance. blog wordBut just because you create it, doesn’t mean that it is worth reading. Content Marketing is dependent on creating a following. If you can’t get people to read your blog posts, you can’t convert them to hits on your website.

So how do you create content worth reading? Here are a few tips from the AIMS teams:

 

Don’t just regurgitate another author’s work – add your own spin.

Now, there is nothing wrong with taking inspiration from outside sources (so long as you cite it properly and/or contact the original author for their permission to use said materials). But if you fail to add your own spin, what is stopping the reader from skipping out on your article to read the original?

 

Write with purpose.

Know your angle; if you have an agenda, make it clear from the get go. Getting on the same page with your readers early will keep them engaged throughout.

 

Don’t get too wordy.

We know that you want to follow general SEO practices so that your article will get found in the first place, but remember, there is such a thing as too much content. Truth is, most people just scan blog posts, searching for the tastiest tid-bits. Make it too long and you are bound to scare them away. We recommend that you keep your blog posts in the 300-500 words range.

 

Write to be read.
If we’ve said it once, we’ll say it again – cut out the jargon. Too much industry speak is a turn off. You should be writing for the everyman. Most likely, you will are trying to attract potential clients; the type of people who aren’t necessarily up on your lingo. Too many technical terms can make your writing too formal, exclusive even. So avoid the pitfalls of jargon-speak.

 

 

Photo – © Yury Zap – Fotolia.com

Protect Your Passwords

 

Protect Your Passwords

Password

Have you heard about Heartbleed yet? It’s an encryption flaw in the security framework of OpenSSL security software. More simply put, it’s a bad thing and a big deal.  Some 500,000 websites are estimated to have been affect by the bug, which means your personal information, and your business’s information may have been compromised.

The Heartbleed bug allows hackers to access your usernames, passwords and even browser history 64 kilobytes at a time. For those of you in the know, that isn’t a whole lot of data, but if you repeat the process say a few, oh million times, it adds up.

If you are like us, then you have your information spread out in a lot of places. Do you run your own Facebook page? It’s time to change the password. How about Pinterest – or Tumblr and Flickr accounts? CNN Money has compiled a list of some of the big name companies who have already applied the patch to their network, making it safe to go ahead and change your passwords. You can find that list here.

Here at AIMS, we manage a lot of accounts, which means a whole lot of passwords to remember. We are fortunate in that we already use a password manager to keep track of them all. LastPass has been a great resource for us.  While there are other password management systems out there, we haven’t found one we like more than last pass.  Instead of trying to remember the literally hundreds of passwords under our charge, we just have to remember one master. And lucky for us, even though LastPass does utilize OpenSSL, it is only one of multiple layers of encryption, which helps to ensures that all our data is safe. If you also use LastPass run your security check the site will tell you which passwords need to be changed to protect your personal information from Heartbleed. We did update a few of our social passwords which gave us the chance to change from our favorite color to more complex password like ERi3w29C.

If you don’t already use a password manager like LastPass, then it is time to get started with one. Not only will it store all your passwords for you, it will also help you randomly generate news ones. Further, you can access LastPass from your mobile device or tablet, so it is with you wherever you go.

As a business owner, protecting your passwords starts with you. Don’t let your business get hacked.

 

 

 

 

Source – Heartbleed bug: What you need to know
Photo – © jamdesign – Fotolia.com

Are These Emails Automated or Real?

Are These Emails Automated or Real?

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Marketing automation tools are awesome. If you use them right, they can really help you connect with your clients on another level. The problem is that not everyone out there is using their tools the way they was meant to be used. Some people are still slapping the old “Dear Valued Customer” on their emails or inserting sales pitches directly into the subject line. From our experience, nothing turns a potential client off more than in your face marketing and generic content.

Today we want to talk to you about making your emails more personable, and thus more likely to be read.

Merge Fields

First of all, let’s all get on the same page and start using merge fields. Many of the marketing automation software out there even makes this easy for you – If you are an Ontraport/Agency Revolution user for example, all you have to do after logging into your DIO and opening up a new email is to scroll on down to the “Mail Merge” section where you can pick out which contact information you would like to use to address your clients. ALWAYS personalize your emails.

Write Original Content

This should be a given, but jeez, have you seen some of the form emails that go around out there? You start in reading the first sentence and have already clicked “delete” before you even get half way through. And if you do that, then you can bet your customers do to.

So when you start working on your next date sequence or step sequence, try to work in some fresh content. Instead of “Dear Sir, It has come to our attention that you are underinsured for your auto insurance…” try something more along the lines of “Dear [First Name], We’ve just finished reviewing your [Type of Insurance] insurance policy for the year and thought we’d let you know…”

The key here is that it doesn’t have to be so formal and stuffy, it can be personable and even friendly. Instead of a computer telling someone something, your emails should sound like a human being actually wrote them. That means you can use a conversational tone.

Try using emails you have sent in the past or even have a professional writer help you create your automated email responses. I find some of the best emails are easy to read and tend to be short and to the point.

Watch Your Subject Lines

We’ve already alluded to it, but don’t put your sales pitch directly into your subject line. Just don’t.

Speaking of Sequences…

Speaking of date and step sequences, let’s just take a moment to remember that no one likes hearing their phone ding at 3 o’clock in the morning. When you are sending out an automated email be sure that your are sending it out during working hours. We all know you’re not really thinking about my auto insurance in the middle of the night.

 

 

 

 

Photo – © dacianlogan – Fotolia.com

Showers of April Blog Ideas

Showers of April Blog Ideas

calendar 2014 april

April is here and that means we want to shower you with a month’s worth of ideas for your insurance blog!

Before we even start coming up with ideas for blogs each month, out first step is to open up a calendar with all the holidays listed on it. That way we can tailor our coverage to answer the questions your clients are most likely ask this month.

There are a lot of options for writing topics in April. You’ve got World Health Day, Tax Day, Easter, Passover, Earth Day and Arbor Day. But you don’t have to write something holiday related, you could also write about the changing of the seasons and how that affects your home prep this spring. You can write about driving on wet roads, or tips for riding your motorcycle on a windy day; you can even write about watching out for potholes!

The important thing here is to be creative. Look at each holiday or event as an opportunity to spread the word about staying safe or protecting yourself. Remember, your viewers have to come to your blog for handy information that might not otherwise have gotten. You don’t need to pump out tired marketing clichés or in your face sales tactics, you just need to put out a quality product that makes people stop and say, “Hey, they really know their stuff.”

So without further ado, here are a few April blog ideas from Actively Implementing Marketing Solutions:

April Insurance Blog Ideas

  • World Health Day Health Insurance Update Blog (The Obamacare deadline is here!)
  • Easter/Passover Social Host Liability Blog
  • Tax Day Reminder Blog/Insurance Write-Offs
  • Arbor Day Landscape Contractors Blog
  • Earth Day General Liability Blog for Homeowners Having Work Done on the House/Yard
  • Driving in Wet/Windy Weather
  • Riding a Motorcycle in the Wind/Rain
  • Dewinterizing a Home/Boat/Classic Car/RV
  • Spring Cleaning Tips/Tricks
  • Teen Driver Education
  • Blowing Out a Sprinkler System
  • Spring Kids Sports Safety

Happy writings!

 

Start blogging like a pro every month, with our Service or 12 Insurance Blogs for 1 Year.

 

Photo – © visualhunter – Fotolia.com

It Can’t All Be SEO: Why Word Of Mouth Still Works

People design

As online marketers, you’d think we adhere strictly to the Book of SEO. We don’t.

SEO is great, it really does help direct search traffic to your site when done properly, but that’s the thing, it is not always done properly; although not for a lack of trying.  With all the updates to the Google, Yahoo and Bing crawlers, what worked five years ago, even five weeks ago, your SEO practices may be outdated.

And it seems like something is always changing. We do our best to keep our clients current on the latest trends in SEO, but we also believe that success can’t be achieved solely from inputting the right keyword into the right space the right number of times. Yes, it will bring people to your site, it may even result in a few sales, but without word of mouth, it’s not likely you’ll be reaping the full benefits of having a well-optimized site.

Websites like Yelp, TripAdvisor and Foursquare are popular because people want to hear from other people why your business is great (or not so great). We can send out postcards, emails, even populate a Twitter and Facebook page extoling your business’s virtues, but unless your business has positive online feedback, it may very well be for naught.

As a small business owner, it can be tough (some say impossible) to get that number one ranking on Google, and you shouldn’t count on it happening just because you pay someone to optimize your site. A lot of how your business ranks (for now at least) is based on its ‘trust score’. A trust score is determined from a lot of different, and sometimes confusing factors. What you need to know though, is that Google is just as concerned with reputation and the number of inbound links flowing to your website as it is with your use of long tail keywords.

So how do you increase the value of your site? Talk to your customers and ask them to review your business online. Send them to Google to write a review or have them check-in to your business on Foursquare when coming to your office. The more positive vibes you’re getting, the more traffic that is on its way as well.

 

Photo – © Gstudio Group – Fotolia.com

Insurance Blogging: Promote a Good Cause

Take Action Smartphone Meaning Urge Inspire Or Motivate

 

As an insurance agent, it is important to ingratiate yourself as a member of the local community. One of the best ways to do that is by supporting charitable organizations that serve local families, pets, and/or schools. Whatever the cause, a little good will can go a long ways.

The savvy insurance agent already has a strong online representation. You run your own Twitter account, Facebook, and Google+; you may even have your own blog. And while that’s all good, if you spend all your time peddling products and services, you’re really missing out on making a stronger connection with your followers.

Several of our clients are involved with local foundations that directly serve their communities. We find that post engagement increases when we share photos from events they attend and when we link to the organizations’ websites or Facebook pages.

It really does help to humanize our clients when we can show them actively participating in community events. And if you’re one of those savvy insurance agents we mentioned above, you will use your platform to promote a good cause.

Most likely, you are already involved with one or more local charities, so why not help them, and help yourself. The next time you find yourself at one of their events, take pictures and share them online (with permission from organizers, of course); you can post links to sign up sheets or volunteer opportunities. It doesn’t matter so much how you do it, just so long as you do.

For example, we here at Actively Implementing Marketing Solutions are big fans of Rotary International. As a teenager, Cheri was able to spend a year abroad in Istanbul, Turkey thanks to their generosity and support. In turn, we promote their causes and are more likely to share their updates on our social media pages.

There are of course other causes and organizations that we support, and we are open to promoting them as well. No matter which groups you support, it will never hurt your reputation to share your involvement in their activities; in fact, it can only serve to help you. So get out there and start promoting your cause today!

Photo – © Stuart Miles – Fotolia.com

Book Review: Rework

ReworkFront

 

Here at AIMS we’re always looking for new ways to get ahead, so when we heard that Rework was a book we just HAD to read, we made our way down to our local public libraries and got on it (that’s right, the good ol’ library for these girls).

Written by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, Rework isn’t a get rich quick book, and it won’t offer you the same old advice you’ve heard time and again in the business world; in fact, the advice offered in Rework is almost entirely counterintuitive to traditional business models. And you know what? We dig it.

Rework advocates independent thought, autonomy and staying small. In a world that just wants you to grow, grow, grow; this book wants you to be happy with what you’ve got, at your current size. After all, the bigger you get, the more magnified your mistakes and the more scrutinized your flaws become.

The authors expound on their experience with the company they co-founded, 37signals (now BaseCamp), and riff on the importance of being really good at one or two things instead of mediocre at a bunch – which we 100% agree with. There will always be that temptation to do more, to provide more services, to make more money; what Rework does best is force you question whether or not that is really in the best interest of your business.

No doubt, every business wants to grow – we know we want to – but after reading Rework, we know that we have to grow on our terms. We can’t just say yes to everyone, and we can’t just give in when someone questions our practices or strategies. We have to stand by what we do and we have to produce a product that is worth paying for. Why half ass additional services when what we provide now is more than adequate for the clientele we market ourselves to?

If you’re a small business owner, you need to read Rework. Maybe you won’t agree with everything they say, but at the very least it will open your mind to new possibilities for growing (or not growing) your business. And hey, it might even give you ideas about having a life outside of work.

 

You can find Rework on Amazon or at your local library!

 

Image courtesy https://37signals.com/rework/

 

How To Choose A Blog Image

Film - multimediale

There are a lot of ways to draw viewers to your blog: You can write a catchy headline or tweet something witty; you can write about current events or a hot button topic. One of our favorite methods however is to include an eye catching photo that is both relevant to the subject and visibly appealing.

Today’s society is heavily invested in aesthetics. If we see something we like, we’ll click on it, that’s why so many of those “Amazing Photos” and “Funny Athlete Pictures” Twitter handles and websites are so popular.

So how do you go about choosing an image for your blog? We’ve got some tips:

Actively Implementing Marketing Solutions 4 Tips for Choosing a Blog Image

Choose an image that matches your theme.

This is a blog that is all about images and how to choose them, so we chose an image that featured a series of scrolling images. Each of the images in the photo above is bright, cheery and clear. We’re hoping this blog is as well.

Is it eye catching?

When you are scrolling through images don’t just choose the first photo that matches your theme. Instead, spend some quality time searching for a picture that piques your interest, one that would make you stop and read the attached article.

If we’ve said it one, we’ll say it a thousand times over again: If you are writing (or in this case viewing) something that doesn’t interest you, it won’t interest your readers.

Choose an image that appeals to your clientele base.

We tend to represent clients in niche industries, and we market our blogs for the readers most likely to be interested in said industry. That isn’t to say we don’t welcome other viewers, but we know our clients and we cater to their needs, just as you should be catering to the needs of yours.

Use only royalty free images.

Check out this blog post for more information on that topic.

 

 

Photo – © stillkost – Fotolia.com