Thank You For Applying to Write for VoicesInc.org
Hi there.
It's Tyler from http://www.voicesinc.org
Thanks for your application on Pro Blogger.
I've done about 95% of the work on this site, and am just starting to bring on some new writers now. Check out the site if you haven't already.
Moving forward I want to keep all the content at a very high level. Thus I'm reaching out to you.
If you work out to be a good fit, I'm hoping to request some ongoing writing. This could be 1 article a week, or several. This may depend on your availability, as I'm sure you have other projects, and it may also depend on what you charge per article.
I have read your application. Thank you for your submission.
I may have commented on some specifics in the email. If you're reading this, I did read through your samples, prior articles, and so on. If you're already doing some of the stuff outlined below, that's great.
These guidelines and suggestions are not a MUST HAVE, but they're outlines and content strategies that I've used already, and perhaps you can mix into your own style if appropriate.
There may be some Content Templates we will use to create content, in order to keep a similar structure on the website. Whether you act as a "ghost writer", or we create a bio for you, I want to keep the format similar. Thus we may use templates. This makes posting and formatting easier.
More About What You Will Be "Pre-Selling"
Example:
An article or "guide" about Practicing Tips for New Guitar Players, is going to funnel readers to the online lesson section of the website, for guitar:
This is the main page, and the particular product review page (Guitar Tricks):
voicesinc.org/online-guitar-lessons/
voicesinc.org/guitar-tricks-review/
Articles about other instruments will lead readers to the designated music lesson sales page for that instrument.
So all your writing is funnelling readers to learn more about either Online Lessons, or a particular product. That is the goal of the website at this moment.
The other "goal" is to have them opt-in and download a Free Guide. There are currently 3 guides available and showcased on the homepage.
If it's a particular musical instrument / software review, it will link to an online retailer, or a better alternative.
Example:
Chord Buddy Review
An in-depth review may recommend learning more about the particular product on a retailer website like Amazon, BUT it will also pre-sell online guitar lessons.
If someone is researching a review of the Chord Buddy, they want to learn guitar, thus we funnel readers to the online lesson section.
Another example, the "Top 10 Trumpets for Pure Beginners". This review will link to online retailers who sell trumpets.
So many of the articles / keywords that you will be writing, will all have a PRODUCT that we're "pre-selling" in mind (lessons, software, equipment).
There won't be as many "generic" articles such as: "Top 10 Guitar Players of the Last Decade".
>>>>
Visit this website: http://artistworks.com/
Any of the music lessons they offer can be written about. I know I have mentioned guitar a lot, however we want to expand beyond the guitar and offer articles on a variety of instruments eventually.
Writing Templates and Strategies
I do NOT want to totally change your writing style, however I want to include some suggestions as I want the articles formatted in a recognizable way, to a certain extent.
I have attached a PDF which outlines these points in more detail and I would like you to apply the strategies that are appropriate to your content. Nothing about promotion or outreach is necessary.
Again, if you already know this stuff, or similar stuff, that's great:
http://backlinko.com/seo-copywriting
These numbers should be used when appropriate:
2
4 (Skycraper Technique - see below)
9
11
I don't want articles that have no personality, and are just big blocks of text.
These articles are not for Business Insider, or Forbes. They're friendly articles written by someone who's very friendly and is giving some advice on how to help people find music lessons and products online.
So from the Copy Writing link above, #11, and attached PDF, if you can include the APP formula in some of your writing, that would be good: Agree, Promise, Preview.
Easy Example of How To Structure These Articles
When appropriate, the writing should be structure like this, but with your own spin and style:
http://backlinko.com/seo-copywriting
But that's a good page to reference. No huge paragraphs, very easy to read and so on.
Just off the top of my head, if we were to write an article called: Best Practice Routines for Piano Players, here is how you might want to structure it:
>Best Practice Routines for Piano Players
Practice makes perfect.
You've probably heard that a thousands times right?
When it comes to learning piano, that statement is definitely true.
But what if I told you that there are certain things you can add into your piano practice routines to make them super effective, and greatly increase your piano skills.
Here I want to highlight 6 things that every practice routine needs, and even highlight some piano software that will make you much more consistent, because it makes practicing extremely fun.
Making practicing fun? I think we have a winner!
- The Importance of Structure
- ...
- ..
So there's a good example.
Agree: Have your heard of that saying before?
Promise: Certain things you can do to be more effective
Preview: Going to show you 6 tips and tell you about software
Then we provide 6 awesome tips, and have them learn more about piano software and even online lessons which make practicing piano fun.
I understand that NOT every type of article will work like this, but if you can work this formatting when appropriate to your style of writing, that is important.
Researching Your Articles
http://backlinko.com/skyscraper-technique
Using some of the techniques on this page is ideal for writing these articles.
For example, if we put together a "Complete Guide on Reading Sheet Music FAST", then you find the best ranking content on that subject, and just make it better.
If someone has 7 Tips, then we make 8 tips, and so on. If you were already familiar with this, that's great. I wanted to mention it as we have had lots of success using this method outlined in this link above. Please be familiar with it.
Don't worry about any outreach or link building.
The point is, some of the articles you will write about, have already been written. So we want to put a different spin on them, and make them better.
Some article topics might be very long-tail, where it will be much easier to create the best content, because there are not many other articles out there.
Thank you for Reading This
I wanted to give some more information on the type of articles to be written.
You must be OK with recommending the online lessons that are recommended on Voices Inc.
Here's the bottom line:
The title / main keyword of the article will be given to you.
If it's very long-tail, the word count might only be 500 words.
If it's a larger "guide" type of article, or something like "The Top 30 Songs for Beginner Piano Players", then it might be 3000 words.
All that will be given to you.
Please use this formatting if appropriate in your articles:
- APP (Agree, Promise, Preview) - see PDF
- Use "Bucket Brigades" if appropriate (don't overdue it) - see PDF
- Use benefits in sub-headlines sometimes, if appropriate "Consider Learning Online to Avoid Wasting Money Traveling to In-Person Lessons"
- You are an EXPERT in the particular musical instrument and learning online
- You are giving advice to your best friend
- These articles are NOT for corporate websites
- They should have more personality, than perfect English grammar
Final Word on Research
Again, I know that some of the articles you write, are already written to some degree.
We want to make them better, and put a different spin on them.
Use the Skycraper method mentioned above, or other methods: Find what's ranking, find what's trending, find what's getting shared on Social Media, and just make it better.
If one article gives 5 tips, and another article gives 3 different tips, our article gives all 8 tips.
If you wouldn't share the content on your personal Facebook page, it's probably not good enough.