ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
Writing Online In Two Syllables or Less
About once a month I fly off somewhere to give a one-day workshop on writing for the web. For part of the day, I invite the group to take part in a series of short tasks. In one of these I ask people to write or rewrite a web page headline, using words of two syllables or less. What's the point? Well, the idea is to make people think. It's often tempting to write with long, complex words. Perhaps it has to do with how we were taught at school. And sometimes we use long words simply to sound clever. Before you know it, you end up with something like this, which I found on a CRM site: "Our Internet support infrastructure automatically collects information from the user's system, facilitates effective communication between support personnel and users, and enables self-healing and automated problem resolution." Do you know what they are trying to say? I don't. Two things happen here. First, the use of long words makes it harder for the reader to process the meaning of what you are saying. This is an issue with all writing, but even more so online, because we have to read on a screen. Beyond that, I think the use of long words is a symptom. It's a symptom of a writer being lazy. It's a symptom of someone in a rush, someone who won't take the time to sit back and think through what it is they are really trying to say. Once you are clear in your own mind, and really know what you want to say, it becomes a great deal simpler to express yourself in short, simple words. And when you do that, you'll write in a way that people can grasp very quickly. Should you always write with short words? Of course not. But try it from time to time. Above all, try it when you find yourself writing in a way that goes on and one, with one long word tripping over the next. And yes, in case you haven't noticed, except for the word 'syllables', I wrote this entire piece in words of two syllables or less. (The purpose was not show that it's a simple thing to do, or that I'm so very clever. The idea is to show how easy it is to read a block of text when the words are short and simple.) Nick Usborne is a copywriter, author, speaker and advocat of good writing. You can access all his archived newsletter articles on copywriting and writing for the web at his Excess Voice site. You'll find more articles and resources on how to make money as a freelance writer at his Freelance Writing Success site.
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Its Not What You Say But How You Say It Copy is all about words. Or is it? Four Things Every Web Site Headline Must Do As you know, I'm constantly making the point that the text on web sites is not given enough attention. Which is unfortunate, because the headlines on site pages make huge demands on the skills of any writer. 10 Eye Popping, Jaw Dropping Ad Copy Secrets 1. Use a hand written letter on your ad copy instead of text. Write the ad on a piece of paper, scan it and publish the ad on your web page. Adding a personal touch will always increase your sales. How to Make the Most of Your Website Copywriter Many people feel uncertain when dealing with copywriters. Like any artform, writing is subjective; instead of black and white, most business owners and marketing managers see indistinguishable shades of grey. But copywriting possesses one key element that most other forms of art don't ? a commercial imperative. 10 Keys to Copy That Sells! Whether you're selling a product or service, the 10 tips below are your keys to writing great copy that communicates and persuades ... to get results! These guidelines can apply to most any form of consumer marketing communications: sales letters, brochures, web copy, or direct mail. As long as your goal is to elicit a reaction from your reader, you've come to the right place. Be reader-centered, not writer-centered. Many ads, brochures, and Web sites we see talk endlessly on and on about how great their products and companies are. Hello? Customer, anyone? Think of your reader thinking, "What's in it for me?" If you can, talk with some of your current customers and ask them 1) why they chose you, and 2) what they get out of your product or service. TIP: To instantly make your copy more reader-focused, insert the word "you" often. Focus on the benefits - not just the features. The fact that your product or service offers a lot of neat features is great, but what do they DO for your customer? Do they save her time or money? Give her peace of mind? Raise her image to a certain status? Here's an example: If you go buy a pair of Gucci sunglasses, you're not just looking for good UV protection. You're buying the sleek, stylish Gucci look. So that's what Gucci sells. You don't see their ads talk about how well made their sunglasses are. Think end results. Now, what does an insurance broker sell? Policies? No - peace of mind. (See? You've got it.) Draw them in with a killer headline. The first thing your reader sees can mean the difference between success and failure. Today's ads are chock full of clever headlines that play on words. They're cute, but most of them aren't effective. There are many ways to get attention in a headline, but it's safest to appeal to your reader's interests and concerns. And again, remember to make it reader centered - no one gives a hoot about your company. Bad: "SuccessCorp Creates Amazing New Financial Program" Better: "Turn Your Finances Around in 30 Days!" Use engaging subheads. Like mini-headlines, subheads help readers quickly understand your main points by making the copy "skimmable." Because subheads catch readers" eyes, you should use them to your benefit! Read through your copy for your main promotional points, then summarize the ideas as subheads. To make your subheads engaging, it's important to include action or selling elements. Bad: "Our Department's Successes." Better: "Meet Five Clients Who Saved $10K With Us." Be conversational. Write to your customers like you'd talk to them. Don't be afraid of using conversational phrases such as "So what's next?" or "Here's how do we do this." Avoid formality and use short, easy words. Why? Even if you think it can't possibly be misunderstood, a few people still won't get it. Nix the jargon. Avoid industry jargon and buzzwords - stick to the facts and the benefits. An easy way to weed out jargon is to think of dear old Mom reading your copy. Would she get it? If not, clarify and simplify. (This rule, of course, varies, depending on who your target audience is. For a business audience, you should upscale your words to what they're used to. In these cases buzzwords are often crucial. Just make sure your points don't get muddled in them!) Keep it brief and digestible. No one has time to weed through lengthy prose these days. The faster you convey your product or service's benefits to the reader, the more likely you'll keep her reading. Fire your "biggest gun" first by beginning with your biggest benefit - if you put it toward the end of your copy, you risk losing the reader before she gets to it. Aim for sentence lengths of less than 20 words. When possible, break up copy with subheads (see no. 4), bullets, numbers, or em dashes (like the one following this phrase) - these make your points easy to digest. Use testimonials when possible. Let your prospects know they won't be the first to try you. Give results-oriented testimonials from customers who have benefited immensely from your product or service. Oh, and never give people's initials only - it reminds me of those ads in the back of magazines with headlines like "Lose 50 Pounds in Three Days!" Give people's full names with their titles and companies (or towns and states of residence) - and be sure to get their permission first. Ask for the order! Tell your reader what you want her to do - don't leave her hanging. Do you want her to call you or e-mail you for more information? Order now? Call to schedule a free consultation? Complete a brief survey? Think about what you'd most like her to do, and then ask her. It's amazing how many marketing materials I come across every day that don't make it clear what the reader should do. If you wrote interesting copy, your reader may forget you're trying to sell something. Tell her what to do, and she'll be more likely to do it. Have your copy proofread! Good. Now have it proofread again. Don't risk printing any typos, misspellings, or grammatical mistakes that will represent your company as amateurish. Hire a professional editor/proofreader to clean up your work and double-check your grammar. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impession! Oops - *impression*. The Lost Art Of Fundamental Copywriting What ever happened to good old fashion, fundamental copywriting? Has anyone seen AIDA? I mean, before you can run, you first have to learn how to walk, right? Yet, I see it over and over again. Marketers who can't even write a simple headline are trying to "hypnotize" readers with "psychological copywriting," because that's what a few of today's copywriting experts are telling them they should do! Knowing Copywriting Basics - How To Get Ahead In Your Copy Writing Business In order to get ahead in your copy writing business, you need to know copywriting basics. There are several things that all business owners need to know, and here, we will touch on just a few. In order to succeed, learn all you can about copy writing and careers in the field. You might just find one or two copywriting basics that you did not know about that may help you succeed. Killer Business Headline Templates - So How Do You Write Killer Headlines in Minutes? You Cheat! According to Branding and Advertising legend, David Ogilvy: 5 times as many people read the headline than they do the body copy in a sales message. This means that unless your headline actually helps sell what you've got to offer, you'll have wasted 90% of your time, money and energy. Website Promotion: 10 Secret Motivational Triggers That Make People Buy Unless you know the secret motivational secrets that make people buy, your efforts in website promotion may not be fruitful. Health and Fitness: A Huge Industry in Need of Writers Think about how much you read about and spend on health and fitness. Boost Your B to B Marketing Copy: 3 Major Copywriting Blunders and How to Correct Them When you're writing or evaluating copy for a B to B marketing (also referred to as b-to-b or business to business marketing) campaign of any kind, you may think it's only appropriate to write formal copy in which you refer to yourself as "we" or "our organization" and let lots of other copywriting basics fly out the window. Help, Help, Help, Sell Here's a fundamental difference between copywriting offline and copywriting for the web... Sales Headline Copywriting ? Two Quick Steps to Success Get a Good Start for Sales Success Tech-writers: A Necessary Evil New to tech-writing, or thinking about starting? The key to success is recognising that tech-writers are a necessary evil. How To Be Creative Network marketing is an art as much as it is an applied science. To take a blank sheet of paper or canvas and draw or paint an interesting picture, you've got to have an imagination and creativity. How You Can Find Freelance Children?s Writing Positions That Will Last Freelance children's writing positions are always advertised. Rather, the schooling to learn how to write for these jobs is advertised. But, there is often a large lack of employment vacancies actually available. Many of these companies offering to train individuals in these positions claim that there are quite a few companies offering employment or that will publish their work. In fact, it is up to the individual to find these positions themselves, and as it turns out, it is very difficult to get published. So, when the opportunity for freelance children's writing positions becomes available, it is essential that good care be taken to ensure that the relationship lasts. Can Anyone Succeed as a Freelance Copywriter? This is a question that can be answered in a lot of different ways. How to Write Carrot-Wielding Copy! A significant reason behind websites that fail is the lack of an effective direct response sales message. Such a message is comprised of three elements (it must be): Copywriting: Engage Prospects By Involving Their Senses Imagine a bland, colorless existence. Where food had no taste, silence surrounded you and everything smelled the same. Freelance Copywriting Advice #1: Take the Scary Jobs From time to time you will be faced with an opportunity that looks downright scary.
|
|
|
|
|
