Blog Entries tagged 'useful tips'

Twitter and Twellow - be careful!

Munaiba — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Many people know what Twitter is, but for those who don't, it is a microblogging tool. It allows messages - called Tweets - of 140 characters to be SMSed, posted on a website or attached to instant messaging software.

Is there a Tweet worth reading?

If there is then I haven't found it yet! Mostly it's trivial, ego-bloating stuff. Does anyone really care what's in your sandwich? There are some blogs devoted to showing how this technology can be used for marketing but [...]

Make life easy for your web visitors

Munaiba — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:00:00 +0100

This last week I've been doing quite a bit of research online trying to buy a number of products and services and I realised once again how difficult some people make it for customers to buy from them.

Don't make your clients jump hurdles

One of the main things I'm looking for when I want to buy a product is the delivery cost and I guess many of you are the same. Is it going to be cheaper for me to trek round the city looking for it or will it be cheaper if I buy online? This [...]

Why do you need a website?

Munaiba — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Many small to medium businesses don't have websites. They figure that they don't do business on the web i.e. sell online, and therefore they don't need one. I think they're wrong and I'll tell you why...

Why your business needs its own website

These days people like to do a little research before they contact a business to ask for a quote. A brochure is one way but people still want to look online and if you don't have a website you risk looking amateurish. It [...]

Writing web copy

Munaiba — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Many people think that writing a website is easy and that it's just the same as any other sales copy. I disagree.

Why web copy is different from other sales copy

Reading sales copy in a newsletter or a brochure is different from reading on a computer screen. There is an urgency on the web that isn't there in physical sales materials. Many people find it uncomfortable to read on screen and so they want to get the relevant information as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Maki [...]

Everyone wants a "killer headline" but what is it?

Munaiba — Sat, 24 May 2008 11:00:00 +0100

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of copywriting websites offering "killer headlines". But what makes a "killer headline" and will it work for your business?

"Killer Headlines"! The what and the why...

"Killer headlines" are headlines that are supposed to grab the attention of your customers in such a way that they give them a virtual lobotomy, stifling all rational thought and objections and making them reach for their credit cards a [...]

How to manage your blog content

Munaiba — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:00:00 +0100

In my preceding post - "Blogs - why you need one" - I said I'd address how to make sure you have adequate content for your blog. So here are my tips.

Tips for managing your blog content

You need to make sure that you add posts frequently or regularly (at least once per week). Here are some ideas:

Before you even start a blog, write down at least 30 topics you can write about - preferably perennial subjects that won't date.Once every month replace the number of t [...]

Blogs - why you need one

Munaiba — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Many businesses I know are resisting having a blog on their site. And I can understand why. It's a lot of work. But just focusing on the negative aspects of blogging can blind you to the undeniable benefits.

OK! So what are the benfits of blogging?

I like to keep my blog posts short but useful, so instead of waxing lyrical about the benefits in a short essay, I'll give you a list.

they get syndicated bringing much needed exposurethey can increase site trafficthey allow you to [...]

Using SEO to qualify your prospects

Munaiba — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:00:00 +0100

SEO is not a "one-size-fit fits all" service - or it shouldn't be. Apart from all the tinkering with content and creating reputable in-bound links you really need to look at who your customers are and find out what they are looking for.

Use your keywords to refine your prospects and increase your rank

For example if you are printer who specialises in variable data printing then use the phrase "variable data printing" in your keyword metatags as well as in your cop [...]

Web 2.0 � what is it? And what does it mean for you and your business?

Munaiba — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Web 2.0 and Social Networking are the current web buzzwords. Do you know what they mean? And do you know what they mean for your business?

Interactive web technologies

Web 2.0 technologies provide a more interactive web experience than was possible in static websites. Web 2.0 technologies allow visitors to your site to interact in a number of different ways. They can comment on your products and services; give testimonials; ask questions and spread the word to other possible customers b [...]

How to write your own copy

Munaiba — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Why tell people how to write their own copy? Why not? There are many people out there who don't have the resources to pay for a professional copywriter and who have to write their own. I have two reasons for wanting to help them. One altruistic and one a little selfish.

Reason 1 - altruistic

I like the English language. I dislike seeing it murdered. I hate to see effort spent in writing wasted because the content is poorly written. I want people to be able to communicate the benefit [...]

Idioms and the importance of using native speakers

Munaiba — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:00:00 +0100

I was reminded again of the importance of using native speakers to communicate a message when I came upon a recent spam message. At first I was a bit puzzled and then the light dawned. The spammer had used an idiom which he had expressed strangely.

Hello the man not familiar to me!

Recognise it? A somewhat mangled version I suspect of "Hello stranger!". It doesn't have the same impact somehow, does it? And while this is all a bit of joke, it's not a joke if y [...]

Copywriting � the written art of persuasion

Munaiba — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Imagine this… you’re sitting at home; feet up; TV on; it’s warm and cosy and the sound of the rain on the colorbond roof is almost drowning out the TV. You take a deep breath and begin to relax. It’s the end of the week and the long weekend stretches ahead of you. Wouldn’t it be lovely to just get away. Enjoy a little warmth, a little sun on your face. Relax a little; enjoy nice meals prepared by someone else; have a massage; go to sleep to the lovely shushing s [...]

The interrupting cow...

Munaiba — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Those of you who watch any commercial TV in Australia will have seen what I refer to as the "interrupting cow ad". In it a little girl tells a knock knock joke. It's very cute. It makes you laugh. But can you remember who it's for? Or what it was actually selling? I can't. I know it's either Target or K-Mart - at least I think it is but what products were being promoted I can't remember. And that's the problem.

Too funny for its own good

[...]

Give as good as you get...

Munaiba — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:00:00 +0100

...or to put it another way, you'll get as good as you give. When it comes to hiring a copywriter - or any other professional for that matter - a good brief is vital. Here are some things you should take into account when building a brief for a copywriter.

Building a better copywriting brief

Copywriters aren't clairvoyants. They may get a sense of what you want when they speak to you but their interpretation of your needs may not be accurate. That's why you need a good brief [...]

There is such a thing as a free lunch...

Munaiba — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Well, not lunch exactly, but free copywriting? Definitely! For those of you who haven't got the funds for a professional copywriter there is a new site where you can get generic, free copywriting for your business.

So why am I spruiking it?

The copywriting market is huge! There is room in it for all levels of professionalism and price. One of my aims in this blog is to help people who are starting off in business and who can't afford a copywriter. [When their businesses are doing [...]

seo is not an add-on

Munaiba — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Many businesses contract for a website, get their copy written by the sales force and then wonder why they don't get many visitors and, why they don't rank in the search engines. Then some bright spark says...

We need seo!

So they either delegate someone to research it or they contract an seo company to do it for them. But this is putting the cart before the horse (to use a pre-tech age metaphor) because the next step will be - "what keywords do we need?". T [...]

So now you've got a Flash website...

Munaiba — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:00:00 +0100

When Flash isn't so flash

Flash is a great tool. It allows you to do so much with your site. It provides interactive content and keeps users interested but it's not all upside. I guess it's like everything else in life - great in moderation.

Flash intros - skip or enter?

There are heaps of websites out there that have Flash intros. Their owners obviously spend a lot of money and their designers are obviously really talented. The problem is that not everyone has a super fast i [...]

Is a picture really worth a thousand words? - (Part II)

Whizzly — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:00:00 +0100

Last time we looked at the basics of images use on websites. In this post I want to look at search engine optimisation and images.

An image isn’t worth a thousand words to a search engine!

Search engines deal with words. So if your site is all images and few words you are putting yourself behind the eight ball. Search engines NEED words. They feed on words in an effort to digest your website and rank it according to its relevance for certain keywords. If your site relies too heavi [...]

Is a picture really worth a thousand words? (Part I)

Whizzly — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:00:00 +0100

We've all heard this saying and it's certainly true that a picture has an immediacy that words struggle to match. So much information is instantly available in a picture.

What does this mean for websites?

Does this mean you should tell your story with lots of images, slick graphics and few words? Not necessarily. Certainly an attractive site encourages people to stick around and there's no doubt that high quality images and cool graphics can enhance a user's [...]

Welcome to Copy this! - the blog of The Copywriter Online

Whizzly — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:00:00 +0100

My aim in writing this blog is to start a conversation about copywriting, web marketing, seo copywriting, web culture as it affects business and to help people who, for whatever reason, are doing their own copywriting.

So stick around. Let me know what you think or what topics you'd like covered. (Politely please!)