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Setting goals is a general standard for successful individuals and organizations. Studies have shown that people who set written goals are over 95% more successful at achieving those goals than those who merely have ideas, or no conceived goals.

The concept of mapping gained popularity as a practical application for life coaches to help their clients set and achieve personal goals. Mapping has since been expanded into the organizational development domain. Based on the application of three fundamental principles, mapping is similar to the planning that is required when taking a road trip. In this vein, the mapping formula consists of three points known as A, B and C. Point A is where the trip begins. Point C is the destination and Point B is the vehicle and route being employed to mobilize travel between points A and C or more simply:  A+C = B.

Mapping can be very effective in creating a successful road trip for achieving Search Engine Optimization. SEO is often overwhelming for a small business owner who is trying to run the business, as well as execute a content marketing strategy loaded with digital asset bells and whistles. SEO has created a subliminal fear among many businesses that they cannot be successful without taking advantage of every digital asset and every social media site. Mapping can alleviate these fears by setting business goals that are achievable through SEO, rather than setting SEO goals that may not further the goals of the business itself.

Point A – Starting Point

Every journey has a very specific point from which it begins.  In order to create an action plan of any kind, you need to know where you are starting and where you are going, in order to figure out how you are going to get there.  The mistake small businesses make is that they set SEO goals based on SEO elements such as rankings, traffic or back links, rather than setting business goals that can be achieved through SEO elements.  SEO is the vehicle used to travel from point A to point C, and the elements are the route or Point B. The current state of the company as far as resources, revenue, cash flow and percentage of profits is starting point A. This is information that a small business owner should be aware of on a daily basis.

Point C – Destination

Knowing the starting point helps to determine where you want the company to improve.  Set broader business goals such as increasing the number of leads, sales volume or hits, whatever the starting point reveals needs to be pursued. From the broader goals set specific benchmarks, such as a 10% increase in sales or a 25% increase in leads in order to measure progress or as on a road trip, mile markers.  Common sense dictates that you do not attempt to plan point B, how to get there, before you know exactly where you want to go or point C.

Point B – The Route

Once you have set the map with allegorical push pins marking points A and C, the route or point B can be planned. For these purposes the vehicle being driven toward point C is SEO. As with any vehicle, it will require fuel in order to move forward.  The SEO fuel chosen should be directly tied into reaching the destination goals at point C.  The defining question in planning route B should center on whether an action will further the journey to point C, hold it back, or get you off the beaten track.  For example, rankings are only important if they are achievable to a level that will directly affect reaching a point C goal.

Road trips are often subject to unforeseen problems such as adverse weather conditions or road construction.  Persistence and focus on reaching point C will increase the possibilities for success. If problems occur, they should not be solved by changing the destination, but rather by adapting the route, keeping in mind that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Identifying both where you are and where you want to be are the first steps to your business success.  Understanding the tools available to you and the effect they will have on achieving your goals is of primary importance.  Just as you would not buy a Porche to traverse dirt roads in mountainous terrain, a four-wheel-drive Hummer will not get you very far very fast on the Autobahn.  However, by matching your goals to the online marketing tools available, your business will achieve both long-term and short-range success with greater speed and clarity.

Knowing how to write a blog involves understanding some basic do’s and don’ts. Below are listed some of the more grievous mistakes to avoid.

1. Boring Headlines

You could write the most useful and informative blog, but if your headline did not attract attention, it would never be read. It is far too easy to spend your time and effort on the content, but when it is all done, you must make the effort to find a headline that will “pop” and bring traffic to the site. Check out the blogs that are successful and model your own headlines after theirs.

2. Unbroken text

There is nothing more discouraging to a reader than to see a paragraph that never seems to end. Getting the reader to the site is most of the battle, and no one can afford to drive off their readership with an intimidating block of text.

Make use of small paragraphs, bullets, lists, and other methods that are appealing to the eye. The idea is to deliver the information quickly. If you cannot identify the purpose for a sentence, remove it. Your readers will appreciate your clarity.

3. Marketing laziness

Successful business blogging requires making use of the available marketing tools. Use social media sites to get your blog out there. The more you get involved in the blogosphere, the more attention your own blog will receive. Link your blog to other blogs. Comment on related blogs, linking your own blog in your helpful post. Friend successful bloggers on social media sites. Give others the opportunity to get involved with your blog with comments or even guest bloggers.

4. Advertisement Overkill

If your reader feels that you are more concerned with the advertisements on your page than the content of your blog, they will quickly be turned off of your site. Knowing how to blog effectively means knowing how to find the balance necessary between providing useful information and advertising (leaning toward the former). The relationship that must develop in order to get faithful readers will not develop if they feel that the blogger’s sole purpose is to make money.

5. Inconsistency

Your blog must posses a consistency. The trust that is built between author and reader is greatly strengthened when all aspects of your website are unified. From pictures uploaded, to content, to layout and design, let your message be clear and theme unified.

6. Missing Contact information

Help anyone who wants to get in touch with you. Create a tab on your website that lists your basic contact information. If a reader ever feels the need to reach out to you, you want them to be able to do so easily. Providing your contact information is also a simple way of vouching for what you write.

If you have come across any other blogging mistakes which I have not mentioned here in your blogging experience, please post it on your comments.

A lot of people have trouble writing tiny ads for their   AdWords campaign. They can’t succinctly give searchers a reason to click on their ads and do business with them. Or even worse, they don’t give much thought to their AdWords copy, cranking out generic copy that just doesn’t get results.

Simply put, most AdWords copy I see sucks. Why? Here are 7 AdWords copy mistakes.

1.    It doesn’t include keywords at all—You need to   include keywords in your ad’s headline, copy, and display url. These keywords will be bolded in the search results, causing your ad to stand out a little more. It also lets searchers know that you have what they’re looking for.

2.    There isn’t a call to action—A strong call to action can snap searchers out of their passivity and give them direction for when they visit your website. Keep your call to action simple. “Get a free quote today” or “Call for your free consultation” are examples of clear, effective calls to action.
3.    Where are the benefits?—Customers are selfish. They want to know how they’ll benefit by doing business with you. Highlight your main benefits in your ads. Will they lose weight fast? Increase their income? Save more money? Clearly explain the benefits of your product or service in your ad.
4.    The copy is boring—You need to use powerful words in your AdWords copy. Words like “free”, “guaranteed”, “new”, and “save” can grab searchers’ attention and motivate them to click on your ad. Ditch the jargon. Use strong words. It’s that easy.
5.    You aren’t testing different ads—The worst thing you can do is to pick a single ad and stick with it. You have to constantly test different versions of your ads to see which ones perform best. By making minor tweaks, you can clearly see which changes boost your click through rate.
6.    There isn’t a USP—There are 10 organic search results and several paid search results on each page. Why should someone click on your ad instead of any of the other results? Your ad needs to let people know what makes you different. Follow these tips for creating a strong USP.
7.    Ignoring your display URL—Every little aspect of your ad has an impact on your click through rate. I’ve seen many cases where changing the display URL has helped the ad earn far more clicks. Try placing the target keyword in your display URL as this can help your ad stand out a little more and catch the searcher’s eye.

What other AdWords copywriting mistakes would you add to this list?