Words to the Wise

Part of the challenge in my day-to-day freelance life is writing content for my varied clients. And while it is a challenge, it’s also a lot of fun. Where else can I write about Central America second homes, mobility scooters for seniors and travel nurses all in the same day?

I suppose I could do that at an agency, but that might take some of the fun out of my job.

So how do I keep writing content for different industries day after day?

When I first get a client, I read everything I can about them. What they’ve done in the past, what kind of indexed content they have on Google, who links to the client’s pages, who client link to, how does their online marketing work with their offline marketing, what the clients keywords and phrases are etc.

Then, I find out what their competition is doing. This usually involves setting up some Google alerts and more web surfing, which I’ve blogged about before.

Once I’m familiar with a client’s business, their customers, their industry and their competition, it’s easier (not always easy, though) to write content that appeals to customers and search engines.

For example, if I’m writing a listing for a property like the Trump International Golf Club in Puerto Rico, chances are, I’ve already had oodles of links, PDFs, brochures and press releases sent to me by the client. Beyond that I’m sure to have scoured the web to see what others are writing to sell the property. Chances are, in this case, the competition all has one thing in common: They’re all doing the same thing. Whether it’s swiping info word-for-word from the press releases and brochures or stealing each other’s listing copy, there’s one way to step above all this and get attention:

Be different.

It’s that simple. I write compelling, optimized copy that is different from everybody else’s. We’re all marketing the same property with the same amenities, units and prices – but Condo Hotel Center (and all my clients for that matter) have realized that original, unique content is what sets them apart online. And the best way to be original is to see what everyone else has done and do something else.

This one’s short and sweet…

You reader deserves to know what you want them to do and how you want them to do it. Promote a decision to buy with some carefully crafted blocks of copy that get your readers to take action.

The Internet is overflowing with dull copy. Set yourself apart by making your copy lively and on-topic, and you’ll get attention.

It’s easy to let a designer come up with web age layouts before consulting your copywriter. While it may save some back-and-forth on the front end, later on, when you copywriter complains there isn’t enough room for copy, you might end up kicking yourself.

Designers often say that ‘nobody’s reading copy anymore.’ If you’re tells you this, tell them to shut up. The truth is, nobody’s ready BORING copy anymore, and your designer might not know the difference. A good copywriter can work with a designer to create space for the exact amount of copy you need to seal the deal with your prospects.

From time-to-time I’ll land a project where the client advises that the designer is finalizing the layout and that when he/she is done, it’ll be my turn to fill in the blanks. While I’m more than up to the challenge, it’s been difficult converting clients from that mindset to one of integration with design, copy and client.

Content that adds value to your website is always welcome. While it can be hard to rationalize space for things like Q&A, FAQ, Tips, How-to info and more, this added value content is exactly that - added value. If you can include something relevant, well written and possibly fun, this extra value copy in your site may be the extra sales boost you need to convert your prospects into buyers.

Over the next few posts, I’m going to focus on website copy and what it means in the 21st century. I spend a lot of my time reviewing websites - noting what works, what doesn’t work, and why today’s consumers are visiting your site with a different perspective.

First of all, visitors to your website today are not the same as they were five years ago. Heck, they probably aren’t even the same as they were five MONTHS ago. Today’s consumers are buried under the piles of information, they’ve got less time than they ever had, their nerves have been overstimulated by wars, natural disasters, politics and the like, and they’re feeling a financial strain that is apparently not getting any better.

Just the kind of customer you were looking for, right?

So what do you do with your copy to reach these people? Well, first of all you have to get to your point - fast. When we visit a website that goes on and on without giving us some kind of payback, some gem of information or an opportunity to meet one of our needs, we tend to get ’sleepy eyes’ and move on.

Long, useless copy like I’ve described comes from a number of sources:

1. Some copywriters tend to ‘fall in love’ with their work. They churn out word after word to impress themselves, their bosses and, of course, you. Too bad you aren’t a copywriter. You might be more impressed.
2. Some clients love themselves too much. “We need a company name density of 12%” is exactly what I was told by one client last year. As if their company name was a keyword and their entire SEO strategy depended on it.
3. A copywriting budget that is too small. Truth be told, it takes longer to write a to-the-point, well crafted message than it does to ramble on and on. Get to the point. Hiring a junior copywriter may save you money, but you could end up with thousands of extra words that simply drive your prospects away.

Next up…why smaller is better. At least, in copywriting.