by Marelise da Silva | Aug 7, 2019 | Copywriting
Writing good marketing copy for social media platforms is rapidly becoming an art. Added to the existing challenges of copywriting, there are more stringent requirements with regard to grabbing and holding the readers’ attention and saying what you need to say in as few words as possible.
Considering all of this, writing good copy for any and all social media platforms is a bit like learning a new language. It can be a bit intimidating understanding and making yourself understood when mastering a new lingo, but don’t worry. Take these five tips to heart and you’ll be conversing (and selling) in socialese in no time!
Arouse Curiosity – Don’t Satisfy It
With any social media post, you want to arouse interest and prompt the reader into clicking that link or finding out more about your product in some other way. Ask the question – but don’t answer it. Let your website do that for you. This is not only a more effective marketing strategy, but it also helps you to keep things brief. One way to do this is to focus on the benefits of the product rather than the product itself. Tell readers upfront what your product will do for them, while keeping the details of the product vague. If they want the benefit you offer, they will click to find out more. For example, instead of saying “Car X is a new-generation hybrid that will cut your fuel costs in half,” rather say: “Want to cut your fuel costs in half? Here’s how.”
Build Everything around Your USP
If you are not able to express your unique special offering (USP) by rote, in a single sentence, then you are likely to have a problem with your marketing strategy in general, let alone with your social media. You need to push your USP in every tweet or post. Regardless of the specifics of your tweet, the USP needs to be immediately discernible at a half-second glance. If it isn’t, users will simply scroll down and you will get lost in their newsfeed. Hone that USP until you can’t any more, then hone a bit more. Then push it consistently throughout the content strategy.
Use Active Voice
Passive verbs have their place in everyday language, but they should be pretty much forbidden in your social media posts. The active voice keeps the message more brief and to the point. Compare the following sentences that say essentially the same thing: “Your life will be changed by this product.” “This product will change your life.”
Address, Don’t Broadcast
Speak directly to your reader as if you are having a conversation with him/her alone. Don’t broadcast a general message like you are speaking to all and sundry. For example: don’t say “All headache sufferers need this analgesic,” rather say “Do you suffer from headaches? Then you need this.”
Include an Urgent Call to Action
You need readers to act on your post NOW. Always end with a call to action and create a sense of urgency. Most people have a built-in sense of FOMO, so if there is the merest hint they could miss an opportunity, they are likely to act. So, infuse your message with calls to action such as “Click now before it’s too late,” or “This is a limited offer. Book now.” It worked in those old infomercials and it is even more effective in the fast-paced world of social media.
There are some of the other elements you need to know to create an effective social media strategy. Contact us to discuss all you need to know to build a strategy that sells.
by Francois Muscat | Jul 15, 2019 | Copywriting
Creating content is the foundation of your marketing strategy. It’s the content that will sell your brand, and if you cannot produce a killer piece, you are wasting your time. You have heard of bloggers who have spent years creating content, but they are unable to gain traction. Their audience is always running away! But why? Probably because the content is boring, and the reason could be that they are not confident when creating it. To write content you don’t have to be the most creative person or even a wordsmith; however, the way you schedule your time and how you approach your content writing can make a difference. Here are ways to remain alert when writing content and doing content marketing:
Stop Becoming Disoriented by the Internet
It’s easy to get lost on the internet because you are distracted. Copywriters spend a lot of their time online. And, considering that there are so many things happening on the internet, if you are not careful, you will be lost and won’t be attentive when creating your content. There are so many things you come across while doing your research – like funny videos you can watch on Facebook, Youtube or Instagram – that can really eat up your hours. So, the best advice is that you need to put a lid on the multitude of distractions you face on the internet. For example, you can use browser plugins that keep the distractions away. You also need to have a list of your to-dos and your priorities.
Have a Phone-Free Workspace
Your workspace zone should be free of phones. The amount of time you spend picking up the phone can make your productivity take a plunge. If you are going to be successful and remain alert when writing, you have to do away with your phone. Not that copywriting is too involved or that it requires a lot of focus, but because the biggest distraction to copywriters is a ringing cell phone. When you stop to check some texts that have just come in or if you answer a buddy’s phone call while in the midst of writing or coming up with a title or researching a particular topic, it becomes difficult to pick up from where you left off. In the end, you will have sub-par content that has taken all your time.
Have a Daily To-Do List
Having a planner containing the content that you have to create (a to-do list) will help you to keep track and on top of what has been accomplished and what is remaining. A planner not only keeps you organised but also prevents you from forgetting assignments. It also prevents you from skipping past your due dates. Research conducted at California’s Dominican University by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor, shows that people who write down their goals are 42 percent more likely to accomplish them.
Take Frequent Breaks
Among the most effective productivity hacks is taking a moment from being productive. It may seem counterintuitive that instead of being productive, you take time and get out of work. Frequent breaks are an effective way to stay sharp and remain driven throughout the day. When you step away from your desk, it reduces eye fatigue, especially if you are working on computers. People who have two minutes of frequent breaks are 11,15 percent more productive than those who don’t. When you feel like you have started being bogged down or getting distracted, take a break. You can even set an alarm so that you have the breaks at a regular interval.
Batch-Check Things
In a world taken up by push notifications, inboxes, alerts and text messages, it is unlikely that you can focus on one thing only. With time, you will experience mental burnout and a rise in stress levels. To help reduce the time you spend on other things other than creating content, you can batch-check the virtual communications like emails, alerts, SMS’s and push notifications. Define two times in a day when you will check your voicemails, emails, text messages, alerts and social media notifications and limit it to that.
When you observe these tips, you will be able to remain organised, alert and productive while creating content and doing content marketing. And, you will also ensure that you produce quality content that audiences will love and will probably want to share with their peers.
At WSI OMS, we can help you to create not only content that is interesting and informative to the reader, but that is also SEO optimised. Contact us today for more information.
by Marianna Muscat | Jul 12, 2019 | Copywriting
When you first start out copywriting, you are full of energy and excitement. You are happy that things are moving in the right direction – no surprise there – and you are being paid crazy well for the tasks you are handling. However, after 10 years of having been involved in content writing and marketing, things may begin to take a turn for the worst. Perhaps, it doesn’t feel as exciting as it used to be. And, you may begin to wonder what is wrong with you. Not that your brain has stopped working, but because you haven’t learned the ways you can reignite your writing skills. When things seem to be getting a little old, you need to know what to do so that you freshen up your copywriting skills.
Avoid Doing Tasks you Don’t Love
A sound way to stay fresh in copywriting is to stop doing what you don’t love. If for example, you have been doing brochure content and soon you begin to feel stale, resign from those and look for something new. It’s often said that a change is as good as a holiday, and that applies pretty well to copywriting. If you don’t love something, dump it. However, it may not be so easy to quit that job you have been doing because of the knowledge that there are bills to pay. So, start looking for a different kind of content to write well in advance; you can probably do press releases, editorial copy, video content and the like. It will help you to reignite your skills and remain more productive.
Remain Engaged with Change
You will need to ride the waves of change if you want to stay fresh in content writing. It could be that you are doing web content, and you can move to SEO content, then to blogs, then to online video content and so forth. You just want to keep on changing the content. The choices are many, and after every few years, we are having different kinds of content sprouting up. When you remain engaged with the changes, you will never be bored with your copywriting job. And if you are not bored, it means you (and your skill) will remain fresh.
Fight Fun Battles
Copywriting isn’t a hard-charging game or the in-your-face broadcasting challenge. You need to look through the lens and know that things change with time. It is a well-established fact that in the beginning, copywriting was a copy and paste thing, until search engines like Google began hitting hard on website owners that used plagiarised content. Today, content creation involves conversational copywriting, and you have to stop the old-school, unwelcome thinking about copywriting. Soon, you will experience a different approach to content creation and marketing. You need to fight those fun battles so that you stay afloat.
Check and Filter What’s Hot in Copywriting
Many copywriters think that what is being touted as hot is actually what is trending in copywriting. However, you may find that 90 percent of that perceived “hot” gossip or trend isn’t actually hot. It’s just the noise out there. Many of the “new” content creation and marketing techniques you hear about are little more than the old-fashioned techniques with a fresh coat of paint. You need to be picky and choose wisely. Invest in the kind of content you love doing and keep away from those content writing coaching programs and other “hot” things in copywriting that will only waste your time and emotional energy.
You need to love your craft if you want to stay fresh. Get yourself out of the crappy writing, and start to love what you do. Having great content makes you feel like being in a theatre. It inspires you to be even better in copywriting. When you follow these few tricks, you will remain fresh, focused and a better writer throughout your copywriting career.
If you need content for your business, contact WSI OMS now! We have quality copywriters to craft your content!
by Francois Muscat | Oct 4, 2018 | Copywriting
Great copywriting goes a long way, especially online. Quality content is the most effective way to grab your audience’s attention and keep it. Sadly, most businesses don’t realise the power of great copywriting to inform, engage and eventually convert readers into paying customers. So here are a few reasons why you should invest in better copy for your website:
There is More to Your Website Than Its Visual Appeal
It is important to have a website that looks great, it does the hard work of making a good first impression on your audience. But, even though a pretty face will grab your reader’s attention, it won’t keep them interested. Great copywriting ensures that once the visual appeal wears off, the reader will find the information they’re looking for, while getting a clear sense of what your brand and business is about.
Great Copywriting Boosts Your SEO Rankings
Every business wants that top spot in the Google rankings, it increases visibility and improves your chances of winning new customers. Keywords are necessary for Search Engine Optimisation but stuffing them into your web copy will make your content impossible to understand or relate to. Great copywriting satisfies both the search engine and the reader:
- It shows Google that you’re a credible source with high-quality content, and
- It ensures your content is relevant and informative to your readers.
It is Your Best Salesperson
Great copy sells. And it does so without your customer knowing. It serves three important functions:
- It gives your brand a voice and makes it sound human,
- It builds familiarity and trust with your reader, and
- It communicates your company’s products and services in a memorable way.
It ultimately has the power to convince your readers to choose you over the competition.
Need great copywriting services for your website? Then contact WSI OMS today.
by Francois Muscat | Oct 4, 2018 | Copywriting
Great copywriting goes a long way, especially online. Quality content is the most effective way to grab your audience’s attention and keep it. Sadly, most businesses don’t realise the power of great copywriting to inform, engage and eventually convert readers into paying customers. So here are a few reasons why you should invest in better copy for your website:
There is More to Your Website Than Its Visual Appeal
It is important to have a website that looks great, it does the hard work of making a good first impression on your audience. But, even though a pretty face will grab your reader’s attention, it won’t keep them interested. Great copywriting ensures that once the visual appeal wears off, the reader will find the information they’re looking for, while getting a clear sense of what your brand and business is about.
Great Copywriting Boosts Your SEO Rankings
Every business wants that top spot in the Google rankings, it increases visibility and improves your chances of winning new customers. Keywords are necessary for Search Engine Optimisation but stuffing them into your web copy will make your content impossible to understand or relate to. Great copywriting satisfies both the search engine and the reader:
- It shows Google that you’re a credible source with high-quality content, and
- It ensures your content is relevant and informative to your readers.
It is Your Best Salesperson
Great copy sells. And it does so without your customer knowing. It serves three important functions:
- It gives your brand a voice and makes it sound human,
- It builds familiarity and trust with your reader, and
- It communicates your company’s products and services in a memorable way.
It ultimately has the power to convince your readers to choose you over the competition.
Need great copywriting services for your website? Then contact WSI OMS today.
by Francois Muscat | Oct 4, 2018 | Copywriting
Great copywriting goes a long way, especially online. Quality content is the most effective way to grab your audience’s attention and keep it. Sadly, most businesses don’t realise the power of great copywriting to inform, engage and eventually convert readers into paying customers. So here are a few reasons why you should invest in better copy for your website:
There is More to Your Website Than Its Visual Appeal
It is important to have a website that looks great, it does the hard work of making a good first impression on your audience. But, even though a pretty face will grab your reader’s attention, it won’t keep them interested. Great copywriting ensures that once the visual appeal wears off, the reader will find the information they’re looking for, while getting a clear sense of what your brand and business is about.
Great Copywriting Boosts Your SEO Rankings
Every business wants that top spot in the Google rankings, it increases visibility and improves your chances of winning new customers. Keywords are necessary for Search Engine Optimisation but stuffing them into your web copy will make your content impossible to understand or relate to. Great copywriting satisfies both the search engine and the reader:
- It shows Google that you’re a credible source with high-quality content, and
- It ensures your content is relevant and informative to your readers.
It is Your Best Salesperson
Great copy sells. And it does so without your customer knowing. It serves three important functions:
- It gives your brand a voice and makes it sound human,
- It builds familiarity and trust with your reader, and
- It communicates your company’s products and services in a memorable way.
It ultimately has the power to convince your readers to choose you over the competition.
Need great copywriting services for your website? Then contact WSI OMS today.
