KiwiWords has become one of the most highly ranked search results in its field.

Yup, anyone searching for communications, content and copywriting in NZ is going to be offered KiwiWords in search results – usually top 10.

It cost very little money – and I can help you achieve the same results for the same minimal spend.

Here are ten down-to-earth tips to help you get a Page One Google search ranking.

1. Make your domain name say where you are and what you do. Does your domain mention what service your brand offers, and where you are geographically located? That will help. It’s just common sense for any business.
2. Get Google Maps reviews. Since Google is the world’s number one search engine, it makes sense to use all the services which tie in with it. Ensure your business is on Google Maps, benefit from the credibility the reviews give you, and make the most of Google My Buusinesss.
3. Plant your website in places where it’s going to get clicked on a lot. This is so much more rewarding then using Google Ads. Organic clicks will be the wonderful outcome if your website gets click on a lot because you’ve posted a link in a great place on Facebook, or a Business Association directory, or you’re named in a news story. Speaking of which…
4. Get named in the news. Newspapers have the biggest audiences imaginable. Get in the news. This will make you rise in the rankings.
5. Have a nice click-through setup on your social media. Make it easy to be clicked on by planting a hyperlink to your website in places such as your Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
6. Backlinks: have other pages link to your page. Your page will rise in the rankings if there are many other websites pointing toward your page.
7. Regularly update your content. I’m talking weekly or monthly updates. Don’t go stale or the metacrawler will treat you as stale.
8. Put your keywords in your headings.
9. Use blogs. If you have a regularly updated blog on your website, it will achieve a lot of what I have described above. Blogs give you lots of fresh content, lots of opportunities to name your keywords, and lot of opportunities to be backlinked-to by other businesses.
10. Give your contact details and services up front. Search engines want to answer users’ questions. So make it easy for the metacrawler to do so. Explicitly say on the front page of your website what services you offer; where you are located; and how to contact you.

Web content editing, working on your databases, mobile functionality and other digital services

KiwiWords can now proudly take care of your web content editing, user experience, user interface, database needs and request handlers.

This year, your man at KiwiWords, wordsmith Michael Botur, completed half of a full stack web development level 5 diploma (I’m underway with the second half, I swear!)

It means KiwiWords now offers a suite of extra services, to give you that wraparound service so you know your words are truly reaching their audience through internet and mobile devices in the most effective way.

Here are some new, fresh and exciting ways I can help you.

KiwiWords can now…

Edit, maintain, debug and even build websites.

How this can help my business communications:

It no longer takes multiple people to edit your web pages. In the past it would’ve been about preparing fresh words, giving them to a web content editor, uploading those words, checking the words and adapting them for mobile. I can do all that for you.

Your man Mike B has beginner/junior capacity to create, maintain, improve and repair the ‘stack’ behind your website, your database and your online forms by using:

• HTML
• Content writing
• Javascript
• Bootstrap
• CSS
• RESTful APIs
• ES6 – the rules and codes underlying all web browsers
• React (JSX)

Another communications need KiwiWords can help with:

Adjusting server scripts to receive information typed in on forms, and store that information in databases.

How this can help my business communications:

I can write SQL now. Pretty cool, huh? I can help query your database to bring up data, and I can also set the interface by which your audience gives you data.

I’m tech-savvy so I can work with whatever website platform you rely on… plus I can give you down-to-earth advice about talking to your audience through screens.

Mike@kiwiwords.co.nz

021 299 0984

Based in Whangarei; Available in Auckland, Northland and remotely. Sometimes even Christchurch….

KiwiWords – communications, PR, content and copy writing for businesses nationwide

Mike and the team at KiwiWords (er, me myself and I) are looking for fresh clients to help this August. 

I’m all about getting writing jobs done at quoted cost or under budget, where possible, thanks to efficiency, speed, passion, and asking direct questions to ensure our purpose is clear.

As a digital native, you’ll find I keep costs manageable by reducing production time. How? By using efficient tools to create the perfect words for you.

Typical tech tools I often use to shape and publish clients’ words include:

• Google Docs
• Microsoft Office 365
• Mailchimp
• WordPress
• LinkedIn
• Squarespace
• HTML5
• Facebook
• Wix
• Dictaphone recording
• Blogger / blogspot

Here’s what this wordsmith can do for you.

The process for writing your communications usually begins like this:

1 – I listen to your needs and clarify your goals with you, establishing whether we want to achieve sales, awareness, news announcement, branding, memoir, creative writing, sharing expertise, or perhaps you’re legally required to publish or announce some words and you want the writing to read professionally. 

2 – We plan who your audience currently is, who the audience is going to be, and get an understanding of the media to use to reach that audience, whether it’s using an electronic mailing list, publishing events and posts on Facebook, aiming words at an audience of professionals on LinkedIn, or creating something for print or digital news – perhaps an interview, media release or advertisement. KiwiWords can take care of all of the above.

3 – We work out what tools you’re going to need, whether I can provide everything or whether we’ll need a sub-contractor to help, such as a visual designer or web developer

4 – We work out whether you’d like me to supply your words on a Word document, shareable Google Doc (my favourite), or whether you’d like me to write directly on your website or social media for you, which requires creating a guest account to publish your words

5 – We organise the right images to make your words pop. Maybe Mike needs to take professional quality photos, or perhaps you’d like to use stock images.

6- After a draft or two, we agree on the final masterpiece, and BAM! Expert words, published on the media of your choice, with compelling images that’ll be sure to turn heads.

Already this year I’ve helped businesses achieve the following: 

• Publishing e-books for several clients
• Writing tenders for large contracts
• Editing corporate annual reports
• Updates on clients’ websites
• Brand-building by posting the right content and comms on clients’ social media
• Writing the right pitches, appeals and invitations to speakers to build conferences
• Webpages and website content
• Collecting testimonials for clients
• Media releases / news announcements
• Do you see your needs in this list? If so, gimme a call – 021 299 0984 / mike@kiwiwords.co.nz

I offer professional writing services to clients around the country, especially in Northland and Auckland.

I am based in Whangarei, New Zealand.

KiwiWords is just a phone call or an email away, on 021 299 0984 or mike@kiwiwords.co.nz.

The rate for my services as of August 2020: $69 per hour, plus GST, or $99 per hour (+GST) for urgent overnight turnaround. 

– Michael Botur

 

Testimonials, reviews and case studies: lifesaving writing for your business

We’re all impressed when we see written endorsements for businesses from real Kiwis on a business’s website. However…

• We can all tell the difference between fake-sounding testimonials and heartful, genuine testimonials

• If you want to let your audience know that your business has a heart, real human testimonials are the best way

• Why not turn your testimonials into case studies? Try using storytelling to persuade your audience to use your business.

NZ is a country of sheepish, apologetic, polite people who cringe at the concept of talking themselves up. Thankfully, making difficult phone calls to collect testimonials is something KiwiWords specialises in.

• Phone 021 299 0984 to get wordsmith Michael Botur to make those difficult phone calls so you can collect impartial testimonials from your best customers
• Email mike@kiwiwords.co.nz to get a quote estimating how long it will take to collect the words that will energise your business

 

The story of how I came to be an expert in getting words out of people

When I was a cadet journalist around 2013-14, I made countless difficult cold-calls to people. That was my job, as a newsroom rookie. Often it was calling Police, Fire or Ambulance communications services to squeeze out some detail about some emergency. Other times it was phoning the houses of people likely to have witnessed a car crash outside.

The reason phone calls elicit such great words is 1) They’re impossible to ignore, unlike email and 2) The person on the other end of the phone is usually speaking with words that are impromptu, unpolished and raw. There’s also a bit of a rabbit-in-the-headlights effect, meaning the majority of people won’t hang up on you, so long as you treat them respectfully over the phone. They’ll keep responding to your questions.

Apply the above skill to collecting testimonials endorsing your business, and you’ve got written gold – after all, we can all think of instances when we’ve been persuaded to trust a business due to effective testimony from a chuffed customer.

• Remember, testimonial words can be used on all sorts of platforms, from Google My Business to Facebook to Instagram to LinkedIn and your website

A journalist collecting testimonials and case studies for your business can make a big difference.

I’m available to capture the words that will persuade the public your business is reputable. Here’s how and why:

• Nine times out of ten, a person you feel has complimentary things to say about your business will gift you their words, their time and their published endorsement. Ask and you shall receive.
• Treat the person respectfully and they’ll volunteer plenty of time on the phone. You have to address the person with the correct pronunciation of his or her name, correctly use their title and acknowledge their position, then the rest is simply the art of listening (and recording, and typing frantically, and arranging the person’s words for maximum effect)
• If your word-collector listens to what the testimony-er is saying, the words captured will “ring true” and will sound authentic and unscripted. That’s very persuasive for your audience.  
• At KiwiWords, Mike always ensures the testifier is given a copy of their words so they can see how the words are being used so there are no surprises when a person sees their name online. It’s part of the journalism code of conduct, whereby we do our best to let a person know how their words and name are being used.

KiwiWords is here to help capture those testimonials you need to build credibility, case studies and endorsements.

Simply phone Mike Botur on 021 299 0984 or email mike@kiwiwords.co.nz and let’s begin.