SEO success - climbing up the search results

July 15, 2008 – 10:29 am

As a copywriter who specialises in web copy and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) I’m pleased to be able to report that my own website has been steadily climbing up the search results.Climbing Man

http://kendallcopywriting.co.uk is now

1st for “brighton copywriter”

3rd for “brighton copywriting”

6th for “web copy brighton”

and 10th out of 479,000 results for “freelance copywriter”.

Of course, the secret to a successful SEO strategy is perseverance. So I’ll keep trying to push my website higher in the results.

If you’d like help getting your own website to appear more prominently in search results, give me a call.

(Picture courtesy of Nate C)

By Leif Kendall | Posted in SEO, brighton, copywriting | Tagged | Comments (1)

Who needs copywriters?

July 11, 2008 – 5:52 am

I was recently asked to contribute an article to Bizezia’s Better Business Focus magazine. I decided to adapt an earlier blog post - but ended up changing it beyond all recognition. So here’s my latest thoughts on why you might need my help:

Who Needs Copywriters? - A Quick Look at the Benefits Copywriters Deliver

Have you ever wondered what a copywriter does? Or why you might need one? I’m a freelance copywriter, and I’d like to explain how people like me can help your business. Copywriters are marketing professionals - they exist to help you sell. There are various ways they do this, but all involve putting words to work.

Writers with marketing skills

Copywriting is quite different to normal writing. So while you might be a talented poet or letter writer, you might not understand the selling and marketing principles that copywriters can use to your advantage.

A good copywriter will write with many things in mind. Copywriters must consider how to address several personality types simultaneously, how to allay fears, mention features, highlight benefits, mix in social proof (testimonials) - all while being persuasive.

An outside view of the inside

One big bonus of employing a copywriter is that you get a fresh brain thinking about your business. This fresh brain might spot something you’ve missed or something you could make better. A good copywriter will put thought into their work, looking for ways to help you communicate more effectively to more people.

Speaking their language

A common failing in business communication occurs when the people writing the copy forget that the public (your audience) are not aware of your business and your industry jargon. A copywriter writes with your readers in mind - so your copy will address their needs, in their language.

Traffic-stopping web copy

Writing for websites requires even more specialist knowledge than offline copy. Web copy requires an understanding of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), calls to action, usability, internet conventions and conversion rates, as well as the marketing and advertising principles mentioned above.

Investing in your corporate voice

Remember that words do a lot of talking for your business, so it’s worth investing in the best copy you can afford. Unprofessional communications and marketing material can actively work against you, telling potential customers things you didn’t intend to say. The right copy can work in harmony with your operations and help you to be heard in a crowded market.

By Leif Kendall | Posted in copywriting, tips | Tagged | Comments (2)

Edit deftly - copywriting tip #7

July 9, 2008 – 5:31 am

Editing is a crucial part of the writing process. But editing does not just mean removing words, or attemptingSpeed 2 Movie Poster to make a piece of writing shorter. You should look to remove unnecessary words. The part of editing that requires the most thought is deciding exactly what is necessary and what isn’t.

When writing, always keep in mind your purpose. If a word or sentence doesn’t help you convey your meaning, then consider removing it. Skilfully edited copy will be easier and more pleasing to read. It will deliver the right information at the right time, and will be more effective at selling, persuading or motivating.

It’s easier to edit someone else’s work, so you might want to get a kind buddy to do your editing. However, choose one buddy, not a whole gaggle. If you start writing by committee you’ll end up with something that’s as bland as a Hollywood blockbuster, and equally memorable.

(Picture courtesy of Kaly Web Design)

By Leif Kendall | Posted in copywriting, tips | Tagged , | Comments (0)

A new kind of news website…

July 8, 2008 – 5:48 am

Have you got a story to tell?All the news that fits

I’m helping to create a new kind of news website. It’s called Nyouse.com and it aims to put you back in the centre of the news. There won’t be journalists or editors. There’s just you and me and everyone else. We are the people and we are the news.

If you’ve got something you’d like to share with the world, tell us, and together we’ll tell everyone.

From the massive to the minute

Your story could be a local issue, or your opinions on a global issue. It could be a sports report, a theatre review or an expose of an outrageous scandal. It could be business, technology or science news. It could be a discussion of our recent past, or an eye-witness account of something happening now. Anything that’s of interest to someone else is newsworthy.

Kudos and publicity

Nyouse.com is a free website that wants to help people share their news. Nyouse.com will not pay for any articles. All content remains the property of the author. All authors will be clearly credited for their work.

Making the news

You can get involved in a number of ways. You can submit an article, or help edit others’ articles, or help spread the news about Nyouse. Please contact us to find out more.

(Picture courtesy of Jurek Durczak)

By Leif Kendall | Posted in websites, writing | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Cut yourself out – Copywriting tip #8

July 2, 2008 – 5:10 am

Harsh Editing Autobiographies are fine for the famous, but for everyone else it’s probably best to cut yourself out of your copy. So if your copy begins anything remotely like:

“We at Jazzclapper Bargain Drains are the best drain supplier in the world. We offer three hundred kinds of cast-iron drain and we are renowned world-wide for our hyper-efficient supply-chain system. We offer sterling service and…”

This copy is full of “we”. The reader, or potential drain buyer, might be feeling a bit left out. If the copy was more like:

“Are you looking for a comprehensive range of cast-iron drains? Call Jazzclapper Bargain Drains today to see if we have the drain you need. If you happen to need a drain that we don’t have, our unique stock system means we can find it for you in a matter of days.”

This version of the copy puts the reader, rather than Jazzclapper, at the centre of the copy. Naturally, your customers are really interested in their own needs, wants and desires, so make sure you put them centre-stage.

(Picture courtesy of ANVRecife )

By Leif Kendall | Posted in copywriting, tips | Tagged | Comments (0)

Council campaign to eradicate jargon

June 30, 2008 – 5:16 am

Jargon signI stumbled with interest upon this article, which I hope is more evidence of a backlash against jargon and management-speak. Apparently, the chairman of the Local Government Association, Sir Simon Milton, is encouraging all employees to avoid “non-words” such as those on this list.

The offending words include: incentivising, coterminous, subsidiarity and synergies. It’s good to see that the anti-jargon movement is taking hold in government departments.

Years ago I worked in a sales department where the sales people often used expressions like “moving forward” and would try to persuade customers to buy a product with the weak statement: “it’s been a very strong line for us”. I always wondered how much more they would sell if they spoke honestly and directly, and just said “this product consistently sells in the thousands”.

What does “strong” really mean anyway? It won’t break? Any language that you have to decipher can be considered jargon, and ripe for editing.

(Picture courtesy of Adam Dorrell)

By Leif Kendall | Posted in copywriting | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Bloggers vs. Journalists

June 27, 2008 – 10:49 am

This recent article from the Guardian suggests that journalists should learn lessons from bloggers, and adapt.Lego Blogger

While I agree with the author’s assertion that journalists should be less suspicious of bloggers and their work, I don’t agree that "there is no perfect example of journalists and bloggers working in harmony". Surely bloggers and journalists are working in harmony all the time? Journalists write articles which appear in news outlets, and then bloggers discuss them. It seems like a happy union to me.

For a business that is blogging, or considering blogging as a way to increase the life around their website, the important point to take from this article is the reminder that blogging is a conversation . To quote Adam Tinworth :

"Most media people don’t realise that blogging is a community strategy. They think of it as a publishing process… They certainly don’t think of it as a conversation."

You’ll have much greater success as a blogger if you invite discussion, allow comments and refer to other bloggers. Although, if you prefer, you’re quite welcome to sit and talk to yourself .

(Lego Blogger picture courtesy of minifig )

By Leif Kendall | Posted in blogging | Tagged | Comments (0)

Don’t be boring - copywriting tip #9

June 25, 2008 – 5:27 am

Bored Gorilla

Your copy might be correct, but is it boring?

It’s easy to get obsessed with marketing principles when writing copy - there are lots of rules to follow, and all kinds of advice to cloud your thinking. So it’s easy to forget that you also need to be interesting.

It’s worth re-reading your copy to make sure it isn’t so mind-numbingly dull that it sends you to sleep before you can finish the first sentence. Yes, your customers need information, but there are ways of presenting information that will keep people awake, if not entertained.

Here are three quick tips for keeping your readers awake:

  1. Surprise them. Say something in a weird way. It might stick in their head, like a persistent headache.
  2. Edit. If you waffle, you will definitely bore people.
  3. Avoid clichés. If your writing is full of clichés, people will get the feeling they’ve already read your copy. And they might not want to read it again.

Check back next week for another quick copywriting tip, or plug in to my RSS feed and never miss a post!

Bored Gorilla picture courtesy of Fabricio Braga

By Leif Kendall | Posted in copywriting, tips | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Corporate Communication Catastrophe

June 22, 2008 – 4:55 pm

This isn’t really a catastrophe; the alliterative headline was irresistible.

Corporate communication is a difficult thing to get right. There are endless possible ways to say something and invariably many people choose the wrong way.

I’d like to show you a couple of examples that I noticed recently, and explain why they could be better. The following two signs are from the toilets of a popular chain of coffee shops. This one:

Bad Sign

doesn’t make sense. The first sentence stops before it can be finished. We know what they mean, but only because we can piece together their intention from the fragments of thoughts they give us.

I don’t know how many of these signs were printed, but it’s incredible that nobody tried to read the sign before it was approved for printing.

As if one confused sign wasn’t enough, we come to exhibit B:

Bad Sign 2

This sign suffers from a common complaint. The language used is anachronistic. Nobody speaks like this, yet we all feel obliged to get all fancy and archaic when it comes to anything official.

It would be easier for everyone if the sign writer had simply written: “Please don’t flush nappies or sanitary towels down the toilet. Please use the bin provided.”

Of course, the sign also contains another blunder: it should say “disposal bin” rather than “disposable bin”. A disposable bin is a strange concept. Rather like a flammable lighter. But even “disposal bin” is too much. “Bin” will suffice.

The most common flaw with corporate communication occurs when organisations forget that a business is made up of people, and that customers are people too. So really we should remember that we’re just people speaking to people. Drop the veil of formality, and write as you would speak.

By Leif Kendall | Posted in copywriting | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

10 ways to instantly improve your copy

June 18, 2008 – 5:42 am

Parking FeedbackI’m going to be posting a series of copywriting tips that should help anyone who writes copy. These are simple tips that aim to make your copy more readable, more persuasive and more effective at selling. I’ll publish one a week, so check back regularly for more free advice in the coming weeks, or plug yourself in to my RSS feed.

So here’s the first of ten:

Get Feedback

Ask someone to confirm that your copy makes sense. Does it make them want to buy? Do they understand what you’re selling? Can they spot any spelling mistakes?

While it’s a great idea to ask for feedback, be careful that you don’t end up writing copy by committee. Five people might have five opinions on your copy, but they probably aren’t all right. If you’ve done some research into what makes effective copy, then you’ll be able to decide which opinions are worth heeding, and which aren’t.

It’s a good idea to ask someone to review your copy who is “naïve”. By that I mean someone with no prior specialist knowledge of the product or service being offered - someone who represents the target audience for your copy. A naïve reader will provide a tough test for your copy, and if anything is unclear or poorly explained, you’ll find out.

Listening to criticism can be difficult, but stick with it and your writer’s skin will soon toughen into a thick hide, and you’ll find constructive feedback nothing but useful and interesting.

(Picture courtesy of Mixed Species)

By Leif Kendall | Posted in copywriting, tips | Tagged | Comments (0)