Entries Tagged 'freelance copywriting' ↓

I was asked by Nikki Pilkington recently to write a guest blog for Business on Twitter. So here are my ramblings about how a copywriter (or any business owner or individual for that matter) can use, enjoy and get the most out of Twitter.

Twitter appears to be a marmite application – you know, you either love it or you hate (probably because you can’t see the point of it all).

Personally, I love it – it’s great on a personal and business level.

As a freelance copywriter, it allows me to broadcast my news, views and opinions to a huge audience so I can reach the parts that other copywriters can’t.

Twitter – a two pronged tool

From a marketing perspective, Twitter is a fantastic micro-blogging tool. There has been a lot of debate about whether Twitter will kill off blogging but for me, it complements it. With an RSS feed from my blog fed into my Twitter account, every new blog post appears as a Tweet giving me the opportunity of casting my knowledge far and wide.

A whole new readership has now opened up for me. Twitter will help you push your name out into the Twitterverse – and who knows where that will lead.

But it’s not just all about marketing and using Twitter as a business tool – after all, no one likes a Tweeter who constantly bangs on about their business all the time.

Twitter is also a gold mine of information. It is all about sharing knowledge. If you find something of interest on the web, tweet about it.

By following people within your industry you will be able to keep abreast of all that is happening. I use Tweetlater to receive daily emails updating me about who is talking about certain keywords. Then I have the option to follow those I find interesting whilst catching up on the latest happenings and goings on.

Basically for me Twitter is a wonderful vehicle through which I can broadcast my message and receive information to keep me updated with new ideas and new ways of thinking.

Freelance copywriters love words. They are their tools of the trade.

Words are powerful – they can make us feel happy, sad, empathetic, love and hate. But most of all, in the hands of a skilled freelance copywriter, they can be used to encourage, persuade and convince us to buy the product they are promoting.

When successful copywriters write the copy for a product or website, they choose their words carefully to ensure they stick in the reader’s mind. Just think for a moment – what do beanz meanz? Heinz! See, a simple slogan but one that is unforgetable.

This type of association works when the slogans and messages that ring true for the reader or consumer. If they jump off the page and capture your attention immediately, the copywriter has done their job.

As in the example above, the memorable use of ‘beanz, meanz, Heinz’ using a ‘z’ rather than an ‘s’ catches the attention of the audience Use memorable words in your copy. Remember the goal is to catch the attention of the reader.

This is where the fun starts. If your copywriting is going to be attention grabbing then it is time to get creative. Play with words, their spelling, even their context – anything that will create a phrase or headline that will lodge itself firmly within the minds of your audience as forever being associated with the product you are trying to sell.

Online readers are notorious scanners, but there is some copy that is just so enjoyable that the audience eats up every word. If you have the talent to write in this way, do it. You will be a lot more memorable if you can entertain and interest your readers.

Write for your audience and make sure that your copy sticks in the mind. Whether you are writing for yourself or someone else, it is the one thing that will bring you success.

Copywriting demand will always be strong.

It doesn’t matter whether the economy is strong or weak. In past decades, it was easy to get away with a strong product and some marketing. But today there is far more competition in all markets and the way to stand apart is through marketing.

For many consumers, the only way to be able to discern the differences between competing products is through the marketing. This ensures that freelance copywriters are needed.

Any companies looking to send a consistent message to their targeted audience will employ copywriters. Some companies not looking ahead to the future may cut their advertising budget when they hit weak sales, but that is not a smart move as explored in my recent blog post 4 Reasons Why Copywriting Services Work.

There is a growing demand for copywriters in one particular area – writing for the Internet. With the Web up past four billion web pages, the demand for search engine copywriting has continued to increase. To do this, the search engine copywriters must write well to attract two different audiences – the people searching and the search bots.

Great copywriting will:

1. increasing your sales through targeted website traffic
2. creating continuity in your marketing materials on and off line
3. portraying an image of trust, credibility and confidence in the eyes of your customers

So it’s a no-brainer really. Companies that are serious about marketing and survival will see the benefits in utilising the services of copywriters. It’s the only way to turn a surviving business into a thriving business.

As already mentioned in my earlier blog 7 Ways Articles Increase Your Prospects, Publicity and Profits, writing articles is a great way to promote your business.

Few people realise the power of writing articles, or the influence that an article can have. Many people hear about writing articles and submitting them to article directories, but it is not so common for people to do it.

Since even writing one article takes time, the lazy internet marketer won’t do it.  But those that are willing to take time to write and submit them will truly generate a good amount of traffic to their website.

Article Authors recognise and understand that this technique is a powerful tool for driving traffic to their website.

Here are some benefits that you will get will you start now and submit your articles.

It’s free advertising

Submitting your articles to article directories won’t cost you a penny; its just takes time. But this method of driving traffic to your website will have a long term affect.

Be recognised as an expert in your field

When you write decent articles that are filled with valuable information, people will respect you and see you as an expert.

Generate sales

Writing an article is similar to writing sales copy.  Although they have different purposes the principle is the same – “One drives traffic, another generate sales”.

Build a good opt-in list

Article writing can help you build your opt-in list. By simply adding your link to your article you could grab their email address.

Open opportunities for joint ventures or for finding a business partner

By building your reputation within your field, some of your readers may become interested in joint ventures or becoming business partner – it could open many doors for you.

Writing articles is great way to drive traffic to your website.  Don’t underestimate the power of article writings.  The more you write, the more you enjoy writing it, and the better your articles will be.

If you have ever kept a diary you will know how easy it can be writing down and recording your thoughts. But making them appealing to other readers is difficult.

When you decide to write an article for publication, you are marketing yourself as an expert in that particular field. So writing an article puts whole lot of responsibility on your shoulders, that of being true and genuine. So to help out, here are a few basics of article writing.

Today there is a huge amount of competition when it comes to article writing on the Net. One of the most important elements of successful article writing is the ability to produce high quality articles fast.

The ultimate key to writing an article fast

You simply have to understand your topic. There is an old saying in writing that you should only write about things you have actual knowledge of. Therefore start writing about something you are familiar with. After that before you begin writing any article make sure you fully research your subject so you have a thorough knowledge of it.

An in depth knowledge is just one step the art of fast article writing is that it takes practice. Therefore, you need to workout. Before you reach for your gym gear, I am talking about writing regularly. Many professional writers recommend that you write each and every day. By following this course, you will become a better and faster writer in no time.

Plan and be organised

Rapid article writing calls for organisation:

• An introduction to the topic
• Paragraphs that deal with the topic
• A conclusion to the topic

Using this format gives the readers a chance to understand your article better and you will be able to convey your message properly to the readers.

Keep it simple

Finally, when it comes to the easiest way to write an article fast, remember the principle of keeping it simple. People like to read articles that are easy to understand. Therefore don’t litter your writing with unnecessary fancy words. Keep it simple.