Most of them want a hands-off service - and in some cases I resell my content through web design, marketing and SEO companies, so the site owner might not even know it's me writing their blog posts.
When I'm choosing what to write for these clients - a mixture of original content and editorial-style news posts, depending on their needs - I like to occasionally throw in a weather report.
To find out why, read on...
Breaking the Ice
Those of you who have been following this blog for a while will have seen my outline of the Communication Pyramid - the process by which you establish rapport and develop a friendship when you meet a new person.
In essence, good copywriting - whether it is overtly sales copy, or an informational blog post, is about creating a similar kind of rapport. In the space of a few hundred words, you need to achieve the following:
- attract the reader's interest
- appear concerned about an issue that affects them
- link that issue to a problem they face
- demonstrate your product/service as a solution
A Port for All Storms
The particularly pleasing thing about the weather is that it affects everybody, regardless of their industry area - and it actually has a significant impact on some sectors.
Remote working and offsite backup, loft insulation, non-slip floors, solar panels, wind turbines, frost protection for flowerbeds and shrubs... the list is practically endless.
The other thing with the weather - as opposed to other topical content - is that it won't really age with time.
While the specific forecast may change, there are only so many types of weather to choose from - hot or cold, rainy or dry, snow, ice, fog and mist - and they'll keep coming round again and again.
Each time I slip a weather report into the mix, I know that I'm giving my client a unique and specific take on an otherwise generic story, as well as helping to demonstrate the value of their product to the widest possible audience.
The next time you see a weather warning, think about how it could affect the products or services that you provide and promote - and adapt your online strategy accordingly.
It's the online equivalent of putting a rack of cheap umbrellas by the door when it rains - a trick savvy shopkeepers have been cashing in on for generations.
