SEO copywriting, as I’ve said before, is a bit of a misnomer: All good copywriting should already be some degree of SEO copywriting. But, that said, there are still a few steps to take that can make your copy—and more often your content—more likely to show up on a search engine results page. Use this SEO copywriting guide as a checklist as you're writing and to check your work … [Read more...]
How to Find and Write for Solopreneurs
I always recommend thatbrand-new copywriters start with brick-and-mortar, local small business clients. You have a lot to offer them, even when you’ve just started learning. But there is another excellent source for copywriting clients: solopreneurs. A solopreneur is a person running a one-person business—hence the “solo.” They run the gamut from health and business … [Read more...]
Copywriting for Nonprofits: 2 Tips to Crafting Compelling Copy
Copywriting for nonprofits can be great for your portfolio—and your personal fulfillment. But nonprofits are one of the most challenging clients to write for. How do you get their message across and compel people to take action when writing for a nonprofit? As you know, conveying the benefit to the consumer so they will take whatever action you want is crucial to crafting an … [Read more...]
The Biggest Banner Ad Writing Mistakes
Banner ads are all over the internet—and, as a copywriter, it's almost certain that you’ll write them at some point in your career. And there are some great ones…but there are definitely some bad ones. Let’s explore what makes a banner ad especially bad so you can avoid making these mistakes. Succinct = Success A banner ad is an especially challenging kind of … [Read more...]
Why You Need to Push for a Creative Brief
Creative briefs are pretty standard throughout the creative industry…but there are still times when clients or product managers try to avoid them. Here’s why you can’t let that happen, and what you can do to keep a creative brief in play. Read on… Today’s question comes from Evan R., who asks, “A project just got kicked off at work, but the product manager didn’t fill out a … [Read more...]
Features vs. Benefits Quiz: Test Your Copywriting Knowledge
You know that it’s important to understand the differences between the benefits and the features of a product or service, but are you always able to differentiate them? Let’s find out! This post gives you a little sneak peek into our Comprehensive Copywriting Academy. This features vs. benefits quiz is early on in the Foundations modules. Understanding the difference between … [Read more...]
Email Copywriting Snippet Tactics
Email snippets are lines of copy that show up in your inbox after the subject lines. But, as you’ll see from your own inbox, most companies mess them up. So today, we’re going to dive in deep with snippets and learn how to write them well. Email snippets (sometimes called pre-headers) are lines of copy that offer extra explanation for your subject line. They’re the first … [Read more...]
What Your Headlines Are Missing
On the quest to make our copy as effective as possible, there’s one tool we can wield that takes our power up a significant degree. You already know about benefits; now meet deep benefits. These can take your headlines to the next level. The first place to start when thinking about creating copy for any product or service—or anything you’re trying to persuade people to do or … [Read more...]
6 Work-From-Home Sanity Killers (And How to Combat Them)
Sometimes, working from home is just as much a curse as a blessing. The distractions are plentiful, and there’s no boss to raise an eyebrow when you’re online shopping. Those built-in boundaries that help keep you focused in an office simply don't exist when you work from home. If you watch a movie at your desk or lay your head down to take a nap, there are no coworkers to … [Read more...]
How To Set Up Customer Surveys
You need to know about your target audience to craft a message that makes sense to them. But what if your client doesn’t know anything about the people to whom they sell? Then it might just be up to you to find out. It’s shocking, but it’s true: There are some companies who have no idea who they’re selling to. Sure, if they’re a cable provider, you can guess that they are … [Read more...]