Posted by Jill Townsend on Wed, Dec 14, 2011 @ 06:04 PM
An otherwise great bio often lacks one important element: search engine optimization. (Ie, the incorporation of keywords and phrases that search engines use to rank a web page in their search listings.)
Many people are familiar with SEO in relation to a company's website or other online marketing efforts, but have not considered it an important element in writing their own bio. The best way to explain how this is done is to see it in action. The following is an excellent example of a bio that has been "SEO'd". It comes from the website of a client and colleague of mine, Fred Gleeck, www.fredgleeck.com.
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Fred Gleeck is an information marketer. In addition to working on his own info products, he helps others sell their information products as well. Fred has been perfecting his information marketing techniques over the last 24+ years. If you want to learn how to sell information products on the internet, he is the right person to consult with.
The information marketing business is changing. Fred knows and understands the information marketing secrets that few others use or know. He uses them himself in his own business and then passes that knowledge along to others in his seminars and workshops on creating information products.
Selling information products for himself and for his coaching clients is his ONLY business.
He is the author of over 15 books and helps others who sell info products to create their own books, ebooks, audio and video programs.
If you want to create your own information products, you should contact Fred. He teaches a range of topics within the field of selling information products. They include, but are certainly not limited to:
- How to use free ebooks for more effective marketing.
- How to write an ebook.
- How to write ebooks that have a back end sales component to generate you more long term revenue.
- How to create and market your own audio information products.
- How to market and promote your own video info products.
Fred looks forward to helping YOU on your next project in the field of information marketing and encourages you to come to one of his events to learn information marketing.
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Are you in any doubt that Fred is in the information marketing business? (The words above in bold and italic are also links to other pages on Fred's site, another good SEO technique to use when you write a bio.) Probably not, and neither is Google. By the strategic use of words and phrases that describe what he does when writing his bio, Fred has not only given readers a comprehensive list of his products and services, but he has incorporated SEO into his bio as well, which has the added advantage of helping anyone who is seachring for information on information marketing find him.
What about you? If you are a female bodybuilding instructor, or a voice-over artist, or a marriage therapist, have you "SEO'd" yourself when writing your bio? If not, give it a shot! Google will love -- and find! -- you.
Posted by Jill Townsend on Tue, Aug 23, 2011 @ 01:03 PM
A friend told me about three great videos, the first of which you can see here: http://vimeo.com/27244727. What intrigued me as much as the videos was the way the film makers managed to capture their journey in just a few words, in essence a bio. Just 48 words, and yet you know what you need to know. Good job, Guys!
"3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food...into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films...
= a trip of a lifetime."
Posted by Jill Townsend on Thu, Aug 18, 2011 @ 12:29 PM
A client of mine recently brought this video to my attention, and once again I'm reminded of the importance of making sure your bio does its job: to let people know who you are and what is important to you... whether you're an eagle or a duck, or something in between!
When companies or clients are considering who to hire, your bio is a great vehicle for helping them make a decision based on how you "fit" into their company culture. Don't waste this opportunity by having anything less than a great bio.
Posted by Jill Townsend on Tue, Aug 09, 2011 @ 01:25 PM
People often ask me if bios have become more important than resumes, or even if the resume is truly a thing of the past now that potential employers have a myriad of online and digital ways to find out who you are and what you do.
My answer is no, the resume is not 'dead'. In fact, it still has a vital role to play in building a balanced and detailed picture of you for potential employers and clients.
My suggestion is to use a bio with your resume. Let the bio tell your personal story and the resume tell your knowledge and skill story. (Both should be well-written and professional, of course.)
Keep the bio to a half page or less and the resume to 2 pages at the most -- with reasonable margins and readable type.
Do that and be prepared to stand out in a crowd!
Posted by Jill Townsend on Wed, Jul 06, 2011 @ 01:57 PM
I have a number of dental clients. Recent research by Sesame Communications, a dental industry pioneer in online patient connection systems, found that, as much as dentists love to show off "before and after" dentistry, patients aren't really interested, especially in the "gross and icky" before pictures. In fact, the number one thing patients look at on a dental web page is information "about the dentist". The second thing is "about the staff".
I suspect this is true of almost all small business websites. People are more interested in you as a person than the service or product you provide, at least initially. So don't make the mistake many do of having a "Coming soon" or "Under construction" message on your About Us/Me page. It only takes a few minutes to write a great bio.
Posted by Jill Townsend on Thu, Jun 02, 2011 @ 09:53 AM
CNN recently ran a good article on email etiquette, highlighting a few issues I discuss in my "How to Write a Great Bio" e-book, and also bringing up a few new ones. My favorites:
- YELLING!
- Going all kindergarten with your fonts.
- When, and when not, to use Facebook.
It's a good article if you have a few minutes between emails to read it, and to rate your own email etiquette.
Posted by Jill Townsend on Wed, Mar 09, 2011 @ 03:20 PM
Watch out for small words that can actually reduce the impact of your bio. For instance, I recently reviewed a bio in which the writer described himself as "very experienced". I took out the "very". It's redundant in this example, as is highly in "highly educated" or reputable in "reputable law firm". (I assume you're reputable, don't put doubt in my mind by feeling you have to reassure me.)
The use of these words is often an attempt to stress a point, but they're almost always unnecessary.
Posted by Jill Townsend on Sat, Feb 19, 2011 @ 12:31 PM
I reviewed a bio today for a very successful businessman who wanted to know how to explain to potential investors in his business that he didn't have a college education.
"Don't," I said, "you've obviously done very well without it. If they want to know more they can ask when they meet you in person."
The same goes for any one of a number of potentially 'sensitive' subjects - time out of the work force to raise a family is another good example, or to recover from an injury or illness. You can certainly mention it, but don't feel the need to justify or explain it. Don't induce doubt that might not otherwise be there.
Focus and concentrate on what you have done or can do when writing your bio, that's what counts.
Posted by Jill Townsend on Tue, Nov 30, 2010 @ 09:25 PM
My last post talked about whether or not to add personal information to your bio. My suggestion: yes. I reviewed a bio today that reinforced my feeling that providing a little personal information is a great way to get to know someone in a limited amount of time, and with a limited amount of words. Today's example:
"Warren has been married to his college sweetheart for 26 years. They have three children who have a dog, a cat, two lizards, two gold fish, and anything else they drag home from the County Fair that survives the trip and gets past Mom."
Posted by Jill Townsend on Tue, Nov 09, 2010 @ 08:21 PM
People often ask me if they should include personal information in their bio. My answer: yes, at least a sentence or two. As humans -- moms, dads, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins... we like to know about other people, and what their life is like. I often find the personal information in a bio to be the most revealing, always in a good way. This week I reviewed a bio and read this personal statement: "My wife and I have raised seven children between us, and been involved in raising four other young adults." I don't know about you, but that's a man I'd like to have coffee with.