Copywriting Tips  

Copywriting Makeover: It's What You Say AND How You Say It, Part 2 of 2
Published: October 18, 2007
In Part 1 of this series, I introduced you to Announce It!, an online candy-bar-wrapper manufacturer that was seeking professional help with their search engine copywriting. Facing an audience that consisted primarily of women who were purchasing favors for special occasions, Announce It!'s copy had to be spot-on with its communication. The primary problems were that the copy did not convey a sense of excitement or answer all the questions customers might have. It also focused too heavily on the company rather than communicating with the site visitor.

Copywriting Makeover: It's What You Say AND How You Say It, Part 1 of 2
Published: October 11, 2007
The old cliché is wrong. All our lives we've heard, "It's not what you say, but how you say it." That may occasionally be true, but for the most part it's what you say AND how you say it.

As-Is or Individually - What's the Best Use of Keyphrases?
Published: June 21, 2007
There has been a debate about the use of keywords for years. Many SEO copywriters will tell you that using keyphrases in their entirety is the best practice for getting high rankings. Others insist it really doesn't matter -- that as long as all the individual words within the phrase are used, your copy will do its job. Before we get into whether keyphrases are best used in their entirety or as individual words, let's sidestep for just a minute to talk about the inner workings of information-retrieval systems (aka search engines).

Stop the Slaughter of Innocent Copy!
Published: February 27, 2007
It's one of the worst things to ever happen in the search engine copywriting field: the discovery of keyword density. Otherwise wonderful content has been utterly destroyed. This slaughter of innocent copy must stop!

3 Simple Rules for Creating an Effective USP
Published: January 24, 2007
You have one, whether you know it or not. Everybody does. There is something unique about your business; you just have to discover what it is. And therein lies the problem. Most business owners and managers don't understand how to create a truly unique selling proposition (USP). There are specific criteria to consider in order to get your message across clearly and succinctly.

Copywriting Makeover: Facts vs Fantasy
Published: December 1, 2006
Time for a pop quiz! Name three products that sell better when a facts-based approach to copy is taken. Just off the top of my head I'd say computers, fax machines and microwave ovens. Now, name three products that sell best when the copy is romanticized. Travel, fur coats and jewelry are good examples.

Opening Sentences That Close the Sale
Published: October 29, 2006
It's one of the best pieces of copywriting advice I've ever been given. 'As often as possible, start your paragraphs with sentences that hook readers and drive them deeper into the copy.'

Will Longer Keyphrases Hinder the Effectiveness of Your Copy?
Published: October 19, 2006
The length of search phrases continues to grow. Back when the Internet was just an upstart, single keywords were the only thing you needed. But in recent years we've seen the number of words used in search phrases triple and quadruple.

What SEO Copywriting Is... and Isn't
Published: November 4, 2005
I've been frustrated lately. It seems people just don't get it. There's lots of talk about SEO copywriting these days, but hardly any of it is on target. The majority of the conversations, posts and articles I've seen deal with topics like keyword density, allowable limits, over optimization and such. These people are making search engine copywriting all about the search engines. They are forgetting the fact that SEO copywriting is still copywriting.

How To Write Persuasive Subject Lines
Published: September 29, 2005
Three seconds and 40 characters. That's all you usually have to work with when trying to get and hold the attention of someone reading email.

SEO Copywriting Makeover: Finding the Right Trigger
Published: September 7, 2005
You've got a great product or service. Now, how do you make buyers sit up and take notice? How do you get them excited about what you're offering? You have to pull the trigger.

Common Mistakes That Can Kill Your Web Copy
Published: August 25, 2005
Sometimes learning what not to do is as important as learning what to do. Copywriting is no exception. I oftentimes see copy that is well written, but obviously created by an amateur. How do I know? One or more of the following five mistakes was made and that killed the copy - dead.

Limited Time Only (Shh! It's A Secret)
Published: August 12, 2005
Make a point to let customers know they have to act fast, or they'll miss out. The fear of being left out or left behind is a basic human motivator that can be triggered pretty easily. The trick is to actually let your customers know an offer is limited in some way. Here's how to create a powerful limited time offer.

Your Site Map: Spider Food or Just A Light Snack?
Published: July 28, 2005
It is hard work roaming around the Net non-stop, and spiders need some nourishment from time-to-time. In fact, when spiders find some hearty 'spider food' (a.k.a. a site map with some meat to it), they sit down to stay a while. That's a good thing!

Enough With the Upsells Already!
Published: July 14, 2005
Upselling can be a great way to increase sales but be careful not to abuse it!

Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?
Published: June 22, 2005
It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by asking questions. Why? To evoke thoughts in your readers' minds, to stir up emotions, and to get customers thinking in the way you want them to think. But have you ever thought about how you phrase your questions? Are you doing it in a way that will have the greatest impact on your readers or are you just throwing questions on a page?

Subtle Emotion - The Key To Copy That Works
Published: May 25, 2005
Confusing obvious and subtle emotion is a common mistake among copywriters. Let's say your copywriting client tells you his product should make the end user feel classy and sophisticated. He wants the copy you write to convey that message.

Copywriting Makeover: Search Engine-Friendly Can Also Mean Visitor-Friendly
Published: May 13, 2005
When it comes to search engine optimization, copywriting plays a big role. You want to have excellent copy that appeals to both your visitors and the engines in order to create pages that will rank highly.

Features vs. Benefits vs. End Results
Published: April 25, 2005
A look at features, benefits and end results and how all three work individually and collectively to create a targeted push to the point of purchase.

Creating A Search Engine Copywriting Plan
Published: April 7, 2005
Search engine copywriting has become an extremely important part of the overall search engine optimization process. However, in addition, search engine copywriting has developed into a misunderstood craft.

Writing to Overpower Your Competition
Published: March 15, 2005
There may be no other businesses that sell the product or service you sell, but you still have competition. Once that's understood, you have a greater advantage when it comes to copywriting. You can recognize the other options your customers have before them and can position yourself as the only logical choice.

Five Sections of Your Copy Guaranteed To Get Read
Published: March 1, 2005
Only about 20% of your copy is going to get read. The rest will simply be scanned. I'm sure you've heard the statistic before. It's nothing new. While it might sound frightening or frustrating, it's a fact of copywriting life. So what do you do next? Give up? What difference does it make if only about 20% will be read anyway?

Success Tips for Writing With Local Keyphrases
Published: February 16, 2005
Local companies on the Web face their own challenges when it comes to SEO and SEO copywriting.

Increasing Conversions Through Action-Oriented Copywriting
Published: February 3, 2005
A lack of focus on many websites can cause visitors to avoid taking the preferred action on your site.

SEO Copywriting Makeover: Good Rankings but No Sales
(Part 2 of 2)
Published: January 18, 2005
In Part 1 of this article series, we looked at a local home security site that had fairly good rankings but whose conversion rate was lacking. Here in the conclusion, you'll see how several changes helped maintain this company's good rankings while improving their site's lead generation abilities.

SEO Copywriting Makeover: Good Rankings but No Sales
(Part 1 of 2)
Published: December 28, 2004
Just because you have good search engine rankings does not mean you'll automatically get lots of sales. Follow the process of creating a page that ranks high and converts visitors to buyers.

"Super Verbs" Really Move Your Copy
Published: December 8, 2004
Run or hustle? Eat or devour? Move or scurry? You can boost the power of your copy by boosting the quality of verbs you use.

Does Your Copy Look "Fake" to the Search Engines?
Published: November 18, 2004
Advances in the search engine industry are leading to changes for SEO professionals and website administrators hoping to attract their target customers via natural language, not keyword stuffing.

How To Write Little Tiny AdWords Ads That Bring Giant-Sized Profits
Published: November 10, 2004
Simple, concise and effective. The difference between a few words used within a Google AdWords Ad can make the difference between an ad that is approved or disapproved, and will make or break your click through rate.

Super Adjectives Boost the Power of Your Copy
Published: October 5, 2004
There is power in the adjectives you choose. Just like Clark Kent and Superman or Bruce Wayne and Batman, some adjectives are plain, ordinary, everyday words. Others are alter-ego Super Adjectives that leap into your customers' minds in a single bound. Adjectives are boring, but Super Adjectives impress, inspire, and convince your customers more effectively.

Progressive Headlines Guide Customers To Buy
Published: September 28, 2004
Headlines are, without a doubt, one of the most important elements in copywriting. As has been said countless times before, if you don't get your readers' attention with the headline, the chance of them reading your copy is virtually none. But headlines (and sub-headlines) play a vital part in the copywriting process for other reasons, too.

Are Keywords Destroying the Flow of Your SEO Copy?
Published: September 9, 2004
When a Web site is created with the intent of having it ranked highly, one thing often happens. The focus gets placed solely on the optimization and is taken almost completely away from the visitor. This leaves your site in a dangerous state of unbalance.

Calls-To-Action: Making Them Fit Makes All the Difference
Published: August 31, 2004
Call-to-action statements (those final words that inspire your customers to take an action - usually to make a purchase) are not universal. Just like your headline, your sub-heads, and your body copy, calls-to-action need to be as specific as possible. They need to 'match' the style of your audience.

Web Content Writing
Published: June 25, 2004
Well written web content will help turn visitors into sales and also get you ranked well in the search engines. This articles gives some information on how to satisfy both audiences - the search engines and your visitors.