by Marianna Muscat | Dec 16, 2013 | Articles
You knew from the beginning that you would need the help of a copywriting professional to get the copy for your website right and that is why you’ve hired one. The first draft was just sent to you, but after reading it, you’re not too sure if this is what you’re looking for.
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that you are the client and that if you’re not happy, you shouldn’t be afraid to say so. You’re the one paying, after all.
If you would like to gain a deeper understanding of what constitutes good copy to enable you to recognise the flaws of the piece of writing you are unsure about, read on. If, however, you already know that the copywriter you’ve hired won’t respond well to criticism then perhaps it’s better to change copywriters and contact WSI OMS, because we know how to write good copy.
- Good copy doesn’t test the reader’s patience. It shouldn’t be difficult to read. It should be enjoyable and rewarding and every word and every sentence must have meaning and relate to the products and/or services that are being discussed.
- Good copy addresses the reader on a personal level and should inspire the reader to take action. Negative terms like ‘can’t’ and ‘shouldn’t’ should be avoided and positive, call to action words like ‘can’ and ‘will’ should be used regularly.
- Good copy varies between long and short sentences. This is what is needed to give copy rhythm. Otherwise the reading experience will become boring very quickly.
- Good copy addresses people’s concerns and assures them with facts. It should first acknowledge the fears they might have concerning your products and/or services and then put them to bed with the facts.
Does the draft in front of you do all this? If not contact us, because we know all the ins-and-outs of good copywriting.
by Marianna Muscat | Nov 26, 2013 | Articles
There is no denying that a copywriting expert can do a lot for your company. Well-written and grammatically correct web copy and blogs will not only make you come across as professional, but will also be enjoyable to read, thereby giving your call to action a much better chance of hitting home and increasing your conversion rates.
However, what exactly are the basic elements of effective blog-and-web copy? The elements that professional copywriters like WSI OMS ensure are present in every piece of writing that is commissioned from them? Well, read on and find out.
The most important aspect of effective copy in this respect is that it conveys information to the target audience in question in an appropriate and engaging manner. To do this, you need an in-depth understanding of the people you are talking to, and if the target audience covers multiple age groups or a multitude of different cultures (which is often the case), you have to find a voice that will speak to all of them – a voice that will get the point across without offending anyone.
The tone has to be conversational and the reader must be addressed on a personal level. Good blog-and-web copy also doesn’t aggressively advertise a company or product but rather persuades the reader into seriously considering doing business with the company in question because it will be to his or her benefit.
Lastly, effective copy for these formats has been Search Engine Optimised. This means that the key phrases most commonly used by the target audience to search for the product online have been identified by the copywriter and incorporated into the copy, so ensuring that the site or blog will have a high Google ranking. (Simply put, when the key phrase is typed in by someone doing a search, the site or blog will appear close to the top of the result list.)
These are the basic elements. To ensure they are met contact us, because we know copywriting.
Back to copywriting.
![Why Selfies are so popular: The origin of the Selfie [Infographic]](https://www.wsioms.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/The-Selfie-Phenomenon-INFOGRAPHIC-AllTwitter.png)
by Marelise da Silva | Oct 25, 2013 | Articles, Social Media Marketing
Selfies are everywhere: Instagram, Facebook, Vine… name the social network and the #Selfie will be there. The phenomenon has become so popular that the word was added to the Oxford English dictionary this year.
What is a #Selfie you ask?
We found this great infographic* on the definition and evolution of the Selfie:
by Marianna Muscat | Oct 15, 2013 | Articles
These days employees are taking on more responsibilities and hours of the day never seem to be long enough. Spending time on copywriting activities is still one of the most important online marketing activities since you need to keep churning out constant and fresh new content.
To develop a blog with a loyal following, you will need to stick to these simple four rules:
- Getting post ideas;
- Writing your blog post;
- Publish the post during the busiest internet-traffic part of the day;
- Promote your post.
You will have to be obsessively compulsive about perfecting each of these steps in your checklist. When you have a clear strategy as to how to go about taking care of your copywriting and how to effectively bring it to your audience, you will already start to save time with your writing activities.
Here’s an overview of other successful companies’ post publishing processes:
- Write your post’s SEO and meta descriptions. If you’re stuck for inspiration, make use of Scribe for great suggestions on how to improve your post’s SEO score.
- Schedule your post’s social media broadcast in Hootsuite for both Facebook and Twitter.
- Get more traction from your Twitter posts by scheduling it for 9AM, 12PM and 7PM.
- Use Oktopost to schedule your LinkedIn updates, as it makes it easier to update both your timeline and LinkedIn Groups.
Many companies who have consistently followed a checklist similar to this have enjoyed great success over time. Using a checklist like this will also make obvious the areas that can be automated to enjoy the same results in less time.
Without using a copywriting checklist it can be near impossible to target specific areas that need improvement. If you would like to partner with a leading company in the online marketing arena, contact WSI to discuss all your copywriting needs today.
by Francois Muscat | Oct 2, 2013 | Articles
There is a surprising amount of brands that still find social media confusing. However, the amount of brands that think social media is a superfluous and inconsequential investment is fast diminishing. Most companies are starting to realise that social media is here to stay and is a powerful marketing tool. While this is true, social media can also be destructive to your company and brand if not utilised correctly.
Many brands are still unaware or unsure how to make Facebook work for them and boost their business, or how to find success on social networks. The truth of the matter is that there are still brands that are making the same mistakes on social media and you might very well be one of them.
Here are five of the top mistakes that brands still make on social media and why you should avoid them
- Ignoring social media completely: Some brands just don’t understand the impact of social media and may choose to overlook it completely. Doing this will rob them of many valuable opportunities to connect with their audience and reinforce their brand messaging.
- Equating ‘likes’ with sales: Many brands think that getting a million likes on their social media accounts will directly equate into more sales. This isn’t necessarily true, it’s about how you interact with those ‘likes’ that will drive sales.
- Talking more than listening: Nobody likes to be bombarded with hard sales talk 24/7. Rather listen and respond to your audience instead of being a blowhard.
- Being inconsistent: This week you’re on your Facebook page every day and the next week no one hears from you. This type of inconsistency will wreak havoc on your loyal following.
- Biting off more than you can chew: With so many social media networks to choose from, it can be easy for your brand to bite off more than it can chew. Rather invest time and resources into a few social media platforms and do them properly and perhaps expand to more at a later stage.
If you would like more information on our social media services, contact WSI today.
by Marianna Muscat | Sep 16, 2013 | Articles
A copywriting expert, someone who can produce effective copy for internet marketing campaigns and other advertising efforts, needs to have a large and relatively rare set of skills. In order to call yourself a professional in this field, you’ll firstly have to have a large vocabulary, know all the intricate grammar, as well as spelling and sentence construction rule. Apart from this, in order to keep readers engaged, you’ll also have to be creative and have the ability to craft empathetic copy.
Writing for a living is rarely something people decide to do because they couldn’t decide between the BSc or BA degree. Like most talented writers will tell you, you need to firstly have been born with an innate ability and, secondly, have been cultivating this skill for most of your life.
To become a copywriting expert and produce effective copy for advertising campaigns including web-based marketing, you also need an analytical mind. You need to have the ability to analyse and understand the company, product and/or service you are writing copy for as well as the intended target market.
You need to establish a lasting connection between the company and its target market. This can be difficult, especially if the market the company is targeting does not fall into your age group or gender, or the product and/or service the company is selling or providing is new.
Internet marketing has become an important and very effective part of any advertising campaign and many companies insist on including the medium in every marketing campaign. However, many campaigns are a lot less successful than they could have been because the company did not consider the importance of hiring a copywriting professional despite the fact none of their employees possess the necessary skills.
Don’t fall into this trap. Contact WSI today, and get in touch with web copywriting professionals to ensure you get your copy right.
