by Marelise da Silva | Jun 3, 2020 | Copywriting
There is no way that content marketing can stay the same as the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly transforms every aspect of our lives. Copywriters are quickly adapting to the new conditions, shifting their word choice and tone to suit the new culture and frame of mind that is emerging from the crisis. Follow these basic guidelines to bring your content creation in line.
Make sensitivity a priority
There is a time and place for irreverence – and we copywriters do love a dose of humour, don’t we? Especially if it pushes the envelope. However, now is not the time. Now it’s best to focus on a more sensitive approach and rather err on the side of seriousness. You can still keep the tone light but opt for an inspiring and motivational tone.
Put on your word filters
You know all those buzz words you love to put in your copy? Things like “killer deal” or “infectious enthusiasm” or “viral content”? Well you’re going to have to retire them for a while – until we get to the other side of this thing. But why not see this as a good thing? You have the opportunity to flex your creative muscle and find some clever replacements for these well-worn expressions.
Keep your position neutral, your tone helpful
It seems incredibly insensitive now to say things like “take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime offer”. It would be better to say something like “Let us help you with much needed savings during these tough times.” Take away the hard sell and focus on being supportive.
Maintain trust by being accurate
if you’re going to reference data on COVID-19 for any reason, make sure you do so advisedly. Reference only credible sources and quote them carefully. A wrong step in this area will throw your credibility – and possibly your moral standing – straight out of the window.
Be optimistic but don’t promise too much
Instil hope and positivity into your writing but remember that we are learning as we go, and the situation is changing every day. You’re in no position to promise too much – and it may well backfire if you do. Never pretend to know more than you do, rather send the message that you and your audience are in this together.
Do you need help formulating a world-beating content marketing strategy? Contact WSI OMS.
by admin | May 25, 2020 | Copywriting
Financial advisors require specialised content. It’s also a highly competitive field, which makes good marketing all the more important. Here are five tips to help financial advisors promote their brand.
Think beyond written copy
The idea of writing a blog might seem like too much of a commitment, but what if you could spend just five minutes recording a short video that you can then upload to LinkedIn or YouTube? You can get your message out there without having to sit and down and spend precious time writing. Content marketing is not just about written copy. You can promote your services through a variety of media and platforms, which may actually suit your niche and business much better than written material.
Focus on what you do, not your company or brand
In the field of financial advisory, it’s better to post content that speaks to your industry and niche, rather than directly promoting your brand. If what you say is useful, then customers will seek out your services and develop an affinity with your brand. This is one sector where your product speaks for itself.
Repurpose content where you can
You don’t always have to generate 100% original content. You can also pick great content from industry thought leaders and post it on social media together with your comments and thoughts. This saves time, makes you appear in tune with your industry, and gives you a choice of great content on tap.
Focus on quality, not quantity
It’s better to have ten blogs with really strong content than an endless stream of mediocre or bad content. This is especially true in your field, where you want to demonstrate your expertise and competence.
Remember that it really is worth your while
Financial advisors can be rather single-minded and you know better than most that time is money, so it’s difficult to justify the time it takes to create content to market yourself, but you need to know that it is well worth the time you spend on it. Whether you take the time yourself or bring in digital marketing contractors to do it for you, the investment will be worthwhile as you start to see the return on investment in the form of more clients!
If you need a digital marketing professional to assist you in marketing your financial advisory services, WSI OMS can help. We are a leading digital marketing agency that excels in content marketing that really sells. Contact us for more information.
by Francois Muscat | May 18, 2020 | Copywriting
One of the most important aspects of any inbound marketing strategy is copywriting – and product descriptions are something that needs an equal amount of attention as blog posts or your About Us page. You want to describe products that are appealing and that lead to sales. How do you create strong product descriptions? Here are some key points to incorporate into your writing.
Write for your audience
It may seem obvious, but many people fall into the trap of writing for themselves rather than their audience. How much do you know about your market? Do you know what they want and how your product will fill those needs? Are your descriptions speaking to that? Know your audience first, then write for them – this should make the process of content creation a little more straightforward.
Ease buyer’s guilt
Here’s an interesting truth about consumers: they all suffer from buyer’s guilt. Even as they click on something they really want, they feel some hesitation, especially if it’s a treat for themselves. Part of your product description’s job is to remove that guilt and make customers feel good about completing the purchase. You can do this by reinforcing the one-time-only nature of the offer (even if this is not the case). Let them know they are getting a bargain, give the product an air of exclusivity and highlight the utility and/or satisfaction they will get from buying it. The client needs to feel that the price they are considering paying is worth it.
Use words but create images
The copy in a product description is not just about listing the attributes of the product in a generally informative but boring way. It is a matter of drawing a picture for the customer, setting the scene, evoking the need and instantly demonstrating how the product will satisfy it. Be creative, not just descriptive. Paint with your words.
If you need a professional to give your marketing copy a boost, WSI OMS can help. We are a leading digital marketing agency that creates copy for all kinds of uses, including, but not limited to, inbound marketing. Contact us for more information.
by Francois Muscat | Oct 9, 2019 | Copywriting
We’ve all had those moments when the inspiration starts to dry up just as the deadline looms. We also all come through it – in one way or another. Here are three things you can try to stop you from getting stuck and keep the inspiration flowing:
1.Remind Yourself That Writing Is Something You Want to Do
There is any number of jobs you could be doing, from cleaning toilets to selling insurance to balancing corporate books. However, you chose to be a writer, and here you are; doing what you chose to do. That, in itself. is a blessing few people have. So, next time you’re struggling with a tricky topic or client, just remind yourself of your fortunate position. As soon as anything becomes something you want to do, rather than have to do, it gets a whole lot easier.
2. Find the Balance Between What Your Client Needs and What You Like
As a writer, you need to write about what fires you up, about things that you find interesting, written in your own inimitable style. You may well say: “Yes, but that’s easier said than done when you’re filling a copywriting brief.”
The trick is to be inventive and find a way to join the brief to your interests and style. When you do so, it makes your job more fun. There is also a certain gratification in mining for and unearthing the connections between client demands and your own sensibilities.
3. Don’t Try to be Original
If you’re writing a lot of technical or sales-driven content, you may start to feel like there isn’t much space for your voice. “How can I make this original?” you ask yourself, leading to a lot of time wasted in staring at the screen, drafting and deleting whole paragraphs, and needless self-criticism. Just remember that you can’t help but be original. No matter how many times a topic has been approached by other writers, none of them see it or write it exactly as you can. Just put your fingers to the keys – and there you are.
WSI OMS specialises in great copywriting and all other aspects of online marketing. Let us help you refine your digital marketing copy.
by Francois Muscat | Oct 9, 2019 | Copywriting
We’ve all had those moments when the inspiration starts to dry up just as the deadline looms. We also all come through it – in one way or another. Here are three things you can try to stop you from getting stuck and keep the inspiration flowing:
1.Remind Yourself That Writing Is Something You Want to Do
There is any number of jobs you could be doing, from cleaning toilets to selling insurance to balancing corporate books. However, you chose to be a writer, and here you are; doing what you chose to do. That, in itself. is a blessing few people have. So, next time you’re struggling with a tricky topic or client, just remind yourself of your fortunate position. As soon as anything becomes something you want to do, rather than have to do, it gets a whole lot easier.
2. Find the Balance Between What Your Client Needs and What You Like
As a writer, you need to write about what fires you up, about things that you find interesting, written in your own inimitable style. You may well say: “Yes, but that’s easier said than done when you’re filling a copywriting brief.”
The trick is to be inventive and find a way to join the brief to your interests and style. When you do so, it makes your job more fun. There is also a certain gratification in mining for and unearthing the connections between client demands and your own sensibilities.
3. Don’t Try to be Original
If you’re writing a lot of technical or sales-driven content, you may start to feel like there isn’t much space for your voice. “How can I make this original?” you ask yourself, leading to a lot of time wasted in staring at the screen, drafting and deleting whole paragraphs, and needless self-criticism. Just remember that you can’t help but be original. No matter how many times a topic has been approached by other writers, none of them see it or write it exactly as you can. Just put your fingers to the keys – and there you are.
WSI OMS specialises in great copywriting and all other aspects of online marketing. Let us help you refine your digital marketing copy.
by Marianna Muscat | Sep 5, 2019 | Copywriting
Traditional copywriting has evolved into quite a different animal with the development of social media and SEO. You may be a beautiful long-form writer or a highly skilled spinner of ad scripts and punchy one-liners, and yet still find the digital world to be a challenge.
The medium is rapidly forming a set of rules and practices all its own. But, if you follow the “new” rules and practices, combining them with your existing writing abilities, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to nail a good blog or social media post every time. Just implement these 6 basic tips:
1. Write for Your Audience
This should be your starting point every time. Forget about search engines, forget your knowledge base and the style with which you are most comfortable. Always know your audience intimately and write with them in mind.
2.Divide Your Time Carefully between Planning, Writing and Editing
Writing your document is the easy part and the quickest. The majority of your time (about 50%) should be spent on planning and research. Give 20% to the actual writing and then 30% to editing, polishing and proofreading.
3. Brevity Is Key
Never let your paragraphs get longer than seven lines and make sure that your document can be scanned and understood in a quick, 30-60 second once-over. That’s all most people will give it, so make sure you get the basic information through.
4.Active Voice, Strong Verbs, Short Punchy Sentences
In some forms of writing, the passive voice is fine, but not in online marketing copy. Keep all your sentences in the active voice, always use strong verbs and check each phrase to ensure that it’s the shortest and most powerful it can be.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Break the Flow
Use staccato sentences and words as and when you need to. And, don’t be afraid of one-sentence paragraphs. These are attention grabbers and, therefore, your friends.
6. Be Emphatic and Confident
Never appear to be speculative in your content. Assert each point without room for doubt. If there are corrections to be made, they can come in follow-up blogs or posts. You don’t think; you know. You don’t postulate; you recommend. Own and sell your point of view.
Above all, keep it short and simple, and you can seldom go wrong.
WSI is a well-established expert in online copywriting. Contact us and tell us about your digital content needs.
