What's in this issue: Visit Our Website, Get It In Writing
- Welcome to Your Words, Your Business
- Check It Out - A Copywriting Do-It-Yourself Guide
- Get It In Writing Quick Tips
- Get It In Writing Inspiration
If your Inbox is anything like mine, it is filled with invites, recommendations, comments, pokes, messages and questions like, “Are you the Allison I sat next to in kindergarten class?”
I’ve spent a good deal of time (more than I care to admit) on some of these sites. Some I have joined with a business purpose in mind, only to spend hours re-connecting with old friends, neighbors and classmates. All fun stuff, but major time- and energy-sappers.
Beyond the time element, how are we to know which sites are valuable as far as potential business alliances, network-building or future sales? The landscape is amazing, since so much of the “middle-men” of the past have been entirely eliminated by these social networks. Of course, it takes a good deal of effort to get established on any of these sites, and then building your list of connections/ networks/ friends takes another significant amount of effort as well.
I know that question begs a specific (and ultimately valuable) answer, but the truth is that no matter what anyone, even the most expert of the experts, tells you, no one really knows for sure yet.
And the answer would never be the same from business to business or person to person. I’ve heard success stories from a number of sites and communities (LinkedIn and ning, for example) and I know others are in the infancy stages as far as business. Still others, like MySpace, haven’t shown me that they can do what I can looking for, though I know that musicians and artists have experienced a lot of success there.
So take your time, but don’t waste your time. Ask around, find out where colleagues, leaders in your field and your target market “hang out.” And, please, never ever push, annoy or pressure – become an interesting and trusted voice and the business will come.
Good luck!
Yours In Success,
Allison Nazarian
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Most websites are lacking in the writing department. And I don’t say that because I’m a copywriter.
The sad truth is that – in very general terms – the quality of web writing is mediocre. When I say ‘mediocre,’ I mean it’s not making the sale or at the very least it could be doing more to make the sale.
Here are the top five ways to tell you and your website are NOT ready for prime time web writing.
Your ego knows no bounds.
What does your target market need? Forget your story and your personal “stuff,” keep them on your site by speaking directly to them.
You always wished you had written War and Peace.
Good web copy should be short, snappy and easy on the eyes. If, for some reason, you feel compelled to write tons of words on a single topic, it better be compelling! A good rule of thumb is: make your point, then stop. If you are trying to model your site after your college thesis, you’re not on the right track.
You were the first one eliminated in the 3rd grade spelling bee.
If your spelling and grammar leave something to be desired, it may be that writing for the web isn’t for you. It’s tough, calls for a lot of experience and if done carelessly or incorrectly creates a very bad impression. Ensure that your web content is free of spelling and grammatical errors and is punctuated correctly. (Or, believe me, you will hear back about it!)
You have many strong points…writing headlines isn’t one of them.
Headings are critical to web writers – and readers. The rules: keep them short, keep them clear and don’t try to be super-clever. Say what you mean, mean what you say, make it inviting and make it short.
You place good design or “bells and whistles” far ahead of content.
When you come right down to it, content is everything. It not only makes your company look great, it sells and – when given the care and importance it deserves – it can establish (or bury) your brand.
“So much of our time is preparation, so much is routine, and so much retrospect, that the path of each man's genius contracts itself to a very few hours. ”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
