Internet Marketing Services, Wilmington NC

Posts Tagged ‘Copywriting’

All copywriting should be from an SEO standpoint

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

While I am certainly no copywriting master like Debbie or Susan here, I do wield my force in search engine optimization and other online strategies. What I have been noticing, however, is probably what most of you in the copywriting or public relations industry are noticing (and where the money is going): SEO is a “new” copywriting tool.

All copy on the web should be written from an SEO standpoint.This means writing from the basis of keywords that will optimize your online exposure and narrow the focus of your message, making your work that much more effective.

A marriage between SEO and copywriting means more sales. If search engine optimization is the act of getting your information found by your customers based on the keywords your customers are already searching for, then using the very same words your customers found the content with to begin with should improve sales due to your copy resonating with the consumer. This, no doubt, provides the best use of the content, or copy, being created.

Use SEO methods in your copywriting to improve your content.

  • You improve sales by using words that resonate with the customer - it’s what they searched for, after all.
  • You’re writing copy that not only sells, but gets found by your target audience.
  • Your copy is benefiting your website as a whole due to its search engine optimization components.

    If you’re looking to do copywriting or press release writing, an understanding of search engine optimization is becoming more and more critical to the point where it’s beginning to be listed in job requirements. This makes perfect sense, since copy and content should have been created this way to begin with. And with the majority of content going digital, even the copy you’re writing for traditional outlets are finding their way to the internet.

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    Anatomy of a good ad campaign

    Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

    Have you ever been watching TV or flipping through a magazine and wondered what the ad agency was thinking creating an ad that stupid/ugly/confusing/etc? It happens all the time. And as a marketing girl, I have to wonder what they said to their client to make them agree to pay for an ad campaign that will only get their company laughed at.

    Then there are times when you come across an advertisement that is so spot on in every aspect that you kinda want to tell someone about how cool/beautiful/moving etc it was. For these types of ads it all comes down to good advertising anatomy. If you follow these five cannons of advertising, your campaign will get noticed for all the right reasons.

    Clever copy is king. When you use words to their fullest advantage, whether through deliberate word choice or creating a play on words, you make the copy inherently easy for the reader/listener. But beware of being too clever. Live with your word choice for a few days to make sure it still makes sense when the copywriting high wears off.

    Make each word count. You don’t have much space on a one-page ad or in a :30 commercial, so choose your words wisely. Don’t use ten words when five will do. Don’t restate one idea multiple ways. Choose the best, most effective statement and cut the extraneous ones.

    Show don’t tell. Great, well-written copy can only take the message so far. You also need strong visuals to convey the idea fully. Everyone reacts to verbal and visual differently, so an effective combination of the two will attract the most attention.

    Don’t be coy. The point of any ad is to make people want to do something in relation to your company. An ad that is clever and visually stunning means little without a clear call to action. It can be as simple as “call to find out more” or as specific as “visit our website to register to win a free vacation.” Whatever your end goal is, make sure to state it clearly.

    Give them what they need. When it comes to contacting your company, keep it simple. Make your contact information easy to find, easy to read, and most importantly, easily accessible. The more avenues you offer (phone number, website, physical address) the easier it will be for them to find you.

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    Things We Love

    Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

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    Debbie loves wii bowling – Most gizmos don’t live up to the hype, but this one sure does.  I had my first wii experience on Saturday night at a neighbor’s cocktail party. From the avatars that looked like each of us to the real life feel of “throwing” the ball, I was hooked.  And it was the best game I’ve ever bowled in my life. I scored 210! I’ve never broken 200.  Not even close. Went straight home and started scouting online to see how much one costs. Technology continues to amaze me. Bowling, anyone?

    Holly loves Postsecret.com – You might have heard of Post Secret the book, which is a collection of postcards that reveal the hidden secrets of hundreds of strangers, but now the author has created a blog that gives fans a weekly dose of secrets. The postcards expose feelings, events, messages and confessions that are often heartfelt and riveting. This blog has been successful because it is a unique concept that can’t be found anywhere else on the web. With so many blogs to choose from, all bloggers should realize that they must set themselves apart in order to shine.

    Kelly loves CopyBlogger.com’s 10 Effective Ways to Get More Blog Subscribers –  At Talk, we measure the success of our blog by our subscribers, even more than page views or actual traffic.  CopyBlogger.com offers specific strategies you can implement today to increase the number of subscribers to your blog immediately.  Assuming, of course, that you are already writing the absolute best content you possibly can, you will learn tried and true techniques such as starting a podcast, becoming a guest blogger on another site and using viral e-books.  These tips helped Brian Clark of CopyBlogger.com obtain 6,000 subscribers to his blog in 10 months, and can certainly help you learn how to do the same.

    Kirsty loves Ning. Ning.com powers the largest number of social networks on the Internet – Users across the globe are customizing their own social networks through Ning to interact with fans, raise awareness, exchange tips, connect with event attendees, network with professionals and find support. Sign up once to join whatever networks you like. My favorites are the Wilmington, N.C.-bases 3rd Street Plaza and networking guru Keith Ferrazzi’s Greenlight Community.

    Shawn loves Venice From Above – Its always interesting so see something from a new perspective and these pictures are no exception. I don’t recall ever seeing photos of the “City of Water” from above. They are amazing and make me want to visit. Enjoy.

    Susan loves Query Shark – This spare-time blog from literary agent Janet Reid is devoted to helping writers learn how to pitch their writing. While meant for authors, it is also a great resource for marketers and PR specialists. Her tips on word choice, not burying the lead, and sentence structure are invaluable to anyone who needs to get right to the point in a well-written way.

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    Things We Love

    Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

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    Debbie loves AlertThingy – Memorable name for a new application that allows me to follow postings on Facebook, Twitter and my favorite RSS feeds all at the same time. It takes a page from TweetDeck and provides a platform for easy viewing so you can stay on top of your primary social media outlets.

    Holly loves the Twestival – Multiple times a day, you can find me checking my Twitter feed, posting tweets or adding new Twitter followers. There is such a strong sense of community within this micro-blogging site, yet I have never had the pleasure of meeting most of the people I follow. For this reason, I am thrilled about the upcoming Twestival in Wilmington because I will finally be able to put a face to the tweets that I see every day. Twitterers from near and far will join at Port City Pub on Thursday to have a few drinks, socialize, win some cool prizes and, most importantly, give to charity. To purchase your Twestival ticket, go to http://www.amiando.com/twestivalwilmington.html.

    Kelly loves www.CopyBlogger.com – The blog offers copywriting tips for success in marketing your business online.  We all know that blogging is one of the fastest, smartest and cheapest ways to promote your business, but it’s your copywriting skills that will determine how well your site converts visitors into sales, how well you rank in search engines and how many links you get.  CopyBlogger teaches you how to use the right words in the right way to set your company apart and help you succeed.  Sign up for free updates today and explore fascinating opportunities in blogging and other online marketing strategies.

    Kirsty loves Mobile marketing - The Obama campaign used text messages to broadcast its messages, even during the Inauguration. And Budweiser used mobile marketing to help leverage its Super Bowl marketing strategy. So, when I learned one of my former clients is now solely dedicated to developing marketing solutions to connect consumers with brands with mobile devices, my interest only piqued. ADZ2MOBILE’s website points out that while there are 1.5 billion email accounts on the Internet, used by 800 million people, 1.8 billion consumers are texting everyday! That’s a huge audience that I am now interested in learning a lot more about.

    Susan loves Justin.tv – Live streaming video from your computer has never been easier. With Justin.tv you can create your own computer TV channel and broadcast live to the world (or keep your channel private to share only with a select group). This could be the new way to do long distance meetings, presentation and even webinars. But last night I used it for personal reasons: I watched my 8-day old nephew’s naming ceremony live from Tokyo from the comfort of my own home.

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