Viewing entries tagged with 'webcopy'
Why Original Content is Vital to Your Business
One of the hardest things about content marketing is getting people to understand the importance of investing in original content. While most organisations easily accept the concept behind a content strategy – using your expertise and knowledge to draw people to your business - getting content creation into the budget is another story.
7 Ways Design Can Hamper Your Business
Is your website design supporting your business? I recently ran across a nifty articled titled, How to Spot and Avoid Web Copy that Kills Websites by Drag + Drop Design by Rick Sloboda, @WebCopyPlus. The article listed common mistakes made in the text of websites that makes the overall design less effective. It serves as a wake-up call for copywriters or anyone else trying their hand at writing copy. So did a newsletter from Amanda Gonzalez, @untangle, 5 web copy trends that belong firmly in 2010. Both these articles got me thinking.
BRIEF: The Wordle Is...
Have you seen the Wordle utility? I’ve noticed it before on websites and thought it provided a cool graphic. Wordle takes a body of text, or a link to a blog or RSS feed, and creates a graphical picture of all the words in your content. The resulting image gives you an idea about word density. Cool, for sure, but I couldn’t figure out a practical use for it. I have now.
The Website Conundrum: Design vs. Content
What comes first, design or content? I seem to be getting a lot of calls from people who have invested in a website with no content. They call me at the end of the project because they “need some words” on their site. Invariably they need it done fast. They always want the content optimised to attract search engines. I can also predict, with certainty, they will be surprised at the investment required to develop the content for their site.
6 Website Design Mistakes to Avoid
What do you expect your website to do for your business? If you’re like me – and I bet you are – the ultimate goal of your website is to drive more business through your door. Whether it’s an e-commerce site, an outbound marketing site used to generate leads, or an inbound marketing site designed to establish your authority, the real reason to have a website is to promote your business. Did you ever consider you website might be losing business for you?
9 Ways to Get a Bargain on Professional Services
Last week I wrote about ways clients increase the cost of their copywriting services, 7 Surefire Ways to Increase your Copywriting Fees. The post was pretty much a flop. It didn’t get a lot of traffic and only garnered one comment. I was surprised. It provided inside information on pricing along with insight to how client behaviour influences a costing exercise. This week I’m taking a different approach.
New Ideas for an Old Problem
You’ve heard the old saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”, right? I was reminded today just how true it is. I attended the launch of the Aged & Community Services WA (ACSWA) Aged Care Jobs Portal. I developed the content for the website, which is the focal point for a strategic initiative to attract aged care workers to WA. Let me back up a bit.
8 Website Compliments You'd Rather Not Hear
Have you ever looked at a business website and had “What were they thinking?” run through your mind? I look at a lot of websites. Thanks to my informal partnership with Ryan Briggs, I’ve also been writing a lot of web copy. The more I learn about website development, the more I’m surprised at some of the commercial websites out there.
BRIEF - FAQs Facts
My friend and fellow copywriter, Michele Linn, wrote an excellent article for the Savvy B2B Marketing blog called 5 Reasons to Include FAQs in Your Content Marketing Strategy. I wish I’d written it myself.
3 Things Your Home Page Must Do
I’ve been writing a lot of website copy lately. I’m consistently caught between the web designer’s instructions and the desire of the client. The client, invariably, wants more content on the front page of the website. If they can’t get more text, they will usually ask for different wording. While client satisfaction is a driving factor in my business, when it comes to the Home Page, my answer is always the same. “Your Home Page has a job to do.”
