Writing Web Copy: Missed Opportunities

Web writers write a lot of site text. By the metric ton. Optimized with carefully selected keywords strategically placed throughout the body text, embedded text links – you got it all, right?
Wrong-o. Virtually every page of a website is an opportunity to sell, yet how many times have you seen missed opportunities – and perhaps [...]

Yes You Can Earn Money Writing From Home. It Just Ain’t Pretty.

Lots of people do it and great writers they ain’t.
We’re not talking about flowing prose or seductive poetry. We’re talking long-form (22-page) sales letters hawking some webinar, seminar or sermon somewhere. It ain’t pretty. But it pays the bills if you want to do the leg work to build your reputation and display your wares.
Start [...]

Hiring A Web Writer: 10 Tips

Your website is often your first (and only) introduction to a potential new buyer. That’s why it’s critical that everything on the site look and sound professional. Good product pictures, easy-to-navigate tool bar, a simple few-step checkout and, yes, good copy.
You might not think professional copywriting is important. You could do it. Or maybe your [...]

Use Consumer Tesitmonials to Sell the Goods

“Best toothpaste I ever used.” Vera A, New Haven, CT
“This computer is FAST.” Walter Mason, Iowa City
As a web writer, part of your job is to move the goods and services tomake money for your clients. That’s what you’re being paid to do. But that doesn’t mean you have to do all of the selling. [...]

Confessions of a Proud Hack

There, I said it.
I’m a hack and proud of it. I can write on any topic. In the past three months I’ve written on hearing aid technology, personal development, micro-cap investing, oil and gas juniors, business consulting, search engine optimization and a bunch of other stuff that I’ve already forgotten.
I’m no genius. (Believe me.) [...]

How Does Google Measure Content Quality?

 
Google owns search engine marketing with 47% of all search traffic, and seems to be solidifying that position by, not only providing directions to content, but by being the content provider as well. Type in the flavor of the week in Google’s query box and up pops links to print content, but now Google offers [...]

Web Writer’s Cheat Sheet #2: 10 Tips To Make You A Better Writer

Writing is not simply about getting the message across. It’s also about style, format, proper spelling and decent grammar. Notice I said decent grammar. It doesn’t have to be perfect because if you never end a sentence with a preposition (with, about, of, etc.) your writing will sound stilted and un-engaging.
Still, you can and should [...]

Writing for Event Sites: Class Reunion Coming Up?

 
Getting married soon? Thinking about getting the old gang together for the 20th high school reunion? How about simple clan gathering or professional group convention? Events like these can be greatly simplified in the logistics department through the use of an event site – a web site that announces the event, enables attendees to sign [...]

Crafting the Perfect Landing Page

You read and hear a lot about landing pages, but not many site owners use landing pages for maximum effect.
A landing page is usually the first page a visitor sees upon clicking a link to your site, either from another site, through organic search results or a PPC link. The landing page MAY be the [...]

Get Some Digital Ink:10 Websites That Want Your Words

There are lots of places to place your latest masterpiece on the real meaning of “D & D” or “How to raise African Violets.” The fact is, there are people waiting for your content right now.
And, if you’re ready to stick out your neck and compete for writing gigs – working from home – there [...]