>(Always) The New Kid on the Block

5 03 2009

>Many writers hone themselves out a nice living space in a specific style, medium or subject area. The idea being, I presume, to “do one thing and do it well.” I have found myself wondering if this parental-advice turned practice applies to a career in copywriting.

While I definitely agree that it’s commendable to be the “best” or most-accomplished at one specific area of writing, it seems to me that a career in copywriting demands more than finding your niche. A successful copywriter has to be a chameleon, able to fit in immediately and effectively with a new audience. In other words, a good copywriter should be able to blend to the market, voice and language necessary for their projects.

My sister-in-law grew up an army brat, moving from place to place, always having to fit in with the ranks of local kids that had known each other for years. In order not to look or sound like the “new kid”, she had to adapt and adopt the local lingo and behaviors. Copywriting requires the same type of adaptation for success.

Copywriting needs to fit. It needs to fit the medium, it needs to fit the subject and it needs to fit the audience. If you speak to your hospital administrators the way you would fourth graders on Nickelodeon.com, it’s just possible that the school bully might call you out in their own blog. Drawing attention to the fact that you just “moved” to the writing neighborhood can end your “social” life there quickly.

To write actionable and effective copy, do a little research. Web 2.0 tools allow you to see and hear your target market in their social groups. Learn their lingo and passions and you’ve got your introduction.

When it’s time to move on, no matter how long you’ve “lived” in one area of writing, remember that you know exactly how to get popular with the new kids. By learning their language and adapting to the customs of your target, you’ll be in with the “IN ” crowd wherever you go.

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Need to reach your target market? Looking for the right words for your ad campaign?

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Categories : copywriting niche, New Jersey Copywriting, niche writing, NJ Copywriter, NJ copywriting, Philadelphia copywriting, target market

>Search Engines are Fickle Mistresses – Reasoning Organic SEO Plans

3 03 2009

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In my experience with clients and their websites, I have found that, generally speaking of course, two distinctive classes of thinking prevail. Those that wonder “Why exactly do I need a website when I have such a great print-marketing plan” , we’ll call them Group A , and those that conclude “Yes I need a website, but do I really have to maintain it”, a/k/a Group B.

Now, being a web copywriter, I find it much simpler to deal with Group B, because half of my work is done. I don’t need to explain the importance of web content or the need of a website to compete in today’s marketplace. However, Group B’s tend to look at a website the same way they do their print marketing plans. Create it, pay for it, then let it “do its thing”.

The critical difference between web marketing and print is the base fact that the Internet is a living, changing medium with rules that alternate depending on the whims of the Search Engine Gods. While this makes for an interesting challenge to web copywriters and search engine optimization specialists who need to sniff out the right path to the top of the rankings, it is also the main reason that organic SEO practices exist.

Great copy is a bottom-line necessity of a successful website, but alone, it’s like having a great tagline for your advertisement with no graphics or peripherals to draw your readers eye. Search engines are fickle mistresses and need a lot of special attention to turn their eyes to your site.

Using organic search engine optimization tactics like incorporating social-networking or backlinking to your site can increase your ROI exponentially. Although it can take anywhere from 30 – 90 days to see real response rates from organic SEO, it can be a faster gauge than that paid-up-front, one year ad contract with a local publication that may or may not show ROI within its lifetime.

If your site is need of some organic TLC, visit WriteMinded, LLC and find out what options exist to increase your traffic and page views.

WriteMinded, LLC is available for work in the following regions and services:

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    Categories : New Jersey Copywriting, NJ copywriting, organic SEO, Philadelphia copywriter, search engine optimization, web marketing