Copywriting – Page 15 – Express Writers

5 Tips For Successful Copywriting In Mobile Marketing

January 1, 2021June 20, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Most people have a mobile device nowadays. They carry phones, tablets, and e-readers everywhere with them and are constantly checking their email and social sites. This huge phase of mobile users is an incredible opportunity for marketers. Making copy for mobile marketing is integral nowadays. This blog is going to discuss a few handy tips on how to create successful copy for your mobile marketing campaign. 1. Mobile Tech Makes Email Vital If you have a smartphone or tablet, you most likely have your email linked up to it. You check it constantly and may even have it push through messages every five minutes. You’re not the only one who does this! (Which is why email marketing is vital to the success of every business.) Make a campaign that is concise and has a specific call to action, as most mobile users want to be able to read through things quickly. There are many other things that are needed in an email copywriting campaign, but let’s focus on mobile for this article. Time to settle down and start being serious about your email campaign strategy…especially if you thought email was singing along with ‘N Sync, saying “Bye, bye, bye.” 2. Visuals Are Important To Mobile Copywriting One of the best ways to ensure people will check out your content while on their smartphones or tablets is to make visual content such as infographics available. This gives readers the ability to read through your content and get the important information out of it, without having to wade through a lot of text content. When it comes to mobile marketing, your web copy must be easily translated into a visual context. You may not find that many people will read an infographic when on the computer, but they sure will when they are viewing it on their phones. 3. Keep Your Content Short Whether you are using text copy or visuals like infographics or videos, always keep it short. People who view things on their mobile device are usually on the go and want to be able to view things quickly. If they notice a video or article is too long, they’ll skip right over it. It is possible to write short, powerful content and you may find that you reach more people if you concentrate on writing a few short pieces every week. Find someone who is talented at writing shorter pieces, and give them a chance to write for you if you do not believe you are qualified for this type of writing. 4. Get Your Point Across Quickly You know what you want to say when you are crafting your content and when it comes to mobile content you need to say it quickly. When you write a blog post, you know that the opening line and paragraph are absolutely integral to attracting readers. This is true of mobile, but when you write your opening paragraph, you need to keep it simple. The more you wax eloquent about something for mobile readers, the quicker you lose them. Write a great opening sentence or two and then write down the information you want people to read. This will ensure that they read what you want them to and that they won’t close out of your site. Write the key features of your product, interesting tidbits, and any details about your product or service. Short and concise is the way to go with mobile marketing. 5. Bullet Points Encourage People To Read More Bullet points are great for all forms of content, especially mobile marketing. This gives readers the ability to look through your information quickly, without having to wade through tons of text. This is a chance for you to give the information we discussed in point four without all the fuss of an 800+ word blog. Bullet points allow people to scan the page easily, which encourages them to read some of your writing if not all. This can also help keep you, the writer, from writing long prose. Bullet points help everyone when it comes to mobile marketing. Always make sure your bullet points go together and don’t seem to be mashed up in order to get certain points across. For example, if you are writing content that involves both cat food and cat grooming, make sure you only use the information for the cat food in one set of bullet points and the information for cat grooming in another set. Bullet points will help your mobile marketing campaign soar and you will see that you have many readers staying on your site longer, and you may even start converting these mobile readers into customers. Until Next Time Now that you have a few handy tips to help you write successful copy for mobile marketing, take some time to craft some excellent mobile copy. You will find that this is a great opportunity to reach a wide variety of individuals and you will start bringing in more revenue by reaching these audiences. Mobile is the way of the future; don’t get left behind!

How To Convert Visitors to Customers With Your Web Copywriting

January 1, 2021June 13, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Do you have a lot of visitors to your site? Do you do a happy dance every time the number increases or you see someone from a faraway country stop in? It is really exciting to see all of those numbers and all of those people, but eventually it becomes exhausting and overwhelming when those visitors leave and never become customers. Turning them into customers is important and now is the time to do just that; but how does one go about that? This blog is going to discuss five ways to use web copywriting to convert visitors into paying customers. How Web Copywriting Helps Convert 1. Get the Blog Going. We say this time and time again, but it is crucial when you are trying to convert visitors into customers. “How does blogging do this?” Blogging gives you the opportunity to become an authority in your field with Google, helping you rank higher on the search engine results page (SERP). The higher you rank, the more visitors will come. Once the visitors get to your site, they’ll begin reading through your posts and deciding whether or not your company is worth their hard-earned money. If the visitors like what they see, they could just add you to their RSS feeds and keep up with your blog. This is where hyperlinks become important in your blog. If you add them throughout your blog posts, you have a higher likelihood of getting visitors to other parts of your site and to your products. Did you mention a service or product similar to yours such as dog grooming and gourmet food? Hyperlink those terms to your specific service or product, showing readers you do exactly what they are reading about. This will help convert those casual readers into consumers quickly. Never underestimate the power of the written word, especially on the Internet! 2. Publish Yourself. Getting your content published in various formats around the web will also help convert visitors to customers. You can publish Whitepapers, which can give potential clients detailed information about your company or you can publish press releases to make people aware you exist. These are great ways to create interest in your product all while giving potential clients the information they all want. These forms of web copywriting can help act as an FAQ of sorts. 3. Email Is Not Dead Yet. An important part of web copywriting is email. Many seem to think email marketing is going away, but that is simply not the case. We all check our email first thing in the morning and the last thing before we go to bed. We are all hopelessly addicted to the Internet and email, which gives you a perfect opportunity to market your company. Encourage visitors to sign up for your newsletter when they stop by to read your blog. You’ll be surprised at the amount of people who will sign up if given the choice. Don’t force people to because this tends to scare people off. Give them a choice and then send out weekly or bi-weekly emails about services or new blog posts to keep interest alive in readers. 4. Research Your Audience and Keep Researching. Research is the name of the game when it comes to converting visitors into customers. The more you research, the more likely you will hit the target perfectly. Business2Community says that by providing information regarding your services and industry, visitors will already know if you meet their needs. This gives potential clients enough information about your products and shows that you are worthwhile. Another excellent way to research your visitors and industry is to formulate case studies. A case study will tell an interesting story filled with facts about your current clientele and success rate, which will encourage those reading it that you are a company that is trustworthy. A case study will help you beat your competition and can also help you see any changes that need to be made for your company. 5. Landing Pages Are Crucial To Creating Customers. A crucial way to use web copywriting to convert visitors to customers is having an incredible landing page. Landing pages are great for taking visitors to the location you want, instead of them going to the overwhelming front page. You may think that customers want to see that front page, but the reality is most people find the main site to be confusing no matter how organized it is. Do you have a specific product you wish to sell to your visitors? Send them to that landing page. This is a great way to generate leads for your company. Let’s take a quick look at a few handy tips for your landing page: Make sure it is simple and only has the basic information you want your visitors to see. Don’t overwhelm them with tons of images and other information about your services; stick to a specific product. This will cut down on any confusion your visitors may have, helping to make them into paying customers. Make sure people can navigate around your site easily. The harder it is, the less likely visitors will want to pay you for any service or product. As with all web copywriting make sure you are friendly with visitors. If you site is hyper professional, this will come across as snooty and arrogant. However, if you are friendly or down-to-earth, this will come across as someone people will want to work with in the future. In Closing Converting visitors into customers isn’t very difficult if you follow the above steps. The more you cater to your visitors, the more they will realize your company is a great one to work with. Don’t be too upset if this doesn’t happen over night. Sometimes it takes a little while for visitors to realize that they want to purchase items from you, but soon you will start watching your customer base grow to meet your website’s visitor rates and that will be … Read more

How Grumpy Cat Is Purrfect At Copywriting

January 1, 2021June 9, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Image source: Mashable Grumpy Cat, also known as Tardar Sauce, is one of the longest lasting memes the Internet has ever seen. She took us all by storm with her adorable glare and imposing, “NO” response to everything. We have all, at one point or another, shared a Grumpy Cat meme and many of us probably shared the original because it was just too darn cute not to share. On September 22, 2012, the owners of the adorable Tardar Sauce saw their cat skyrocket to stardom and she has been going strong ever since. How A Meme Stole the Internet’s Heart We can all thank Reddit for Grumpy Cat, because that is where one of her human’s posted her photo in a thread. He, nor Grumpy’s family, expected this little adorable cat to get so famous, but they are taking this opportunity to make sales and do some incredible content marketing. Grumpy’s family began using this as an opportunity to teach people about feline dwarfism and it also showed the world that a funny looking cat still deserves love. In fact, there are more people rescuing and adopting strange looking animals simply because of Grumpy. Grumpy’s owners are using this as a great marketing ploy to pay for her medical bills and to donate to worthwhile charities (which we will discuss later on in this blog). This is a great example of pulling on the Internet’s heartstrings when crafting content. You don’t want to overdo it and make people upset by feeling manipulated, but you can follow Grumpy’s path of using something adorable or funny to highlight a serious need. One or two powerful statements at the end of a funny or interesting story can change a person’s mind quickly and can bring in a lot of business you didn’t have previously. Grumpy and the Grouch and Grumpy Instead of just letting this meme run is course or focusing solely on the meme generators, Grumpy Cat has been crafting content with several outside sources. Her content is in different formats, which are all still easily shared. A popular Grump experience was when she met up with Oscar the Grouch, having the ultimate throw-down “Grump vs. Grouch” in an adorable Mashable video. She also met up with the first Grumpy to steal the hearts of people all over the world. That’s right; Grumpy Cat met Grumpy the Dwarf. She has done several TV spots for Friskies, Purina, and other cat products, which is a win for those products as well as for Grumpy. The lesson to learn from this is that multiple content formats are important in reaching everyone. Some people only like the Grumpy memes, while others enjoy following her on Facebook and seeing her “Daily Grump” photographs. Several of us really enjoy watching the various videos starring little miss Grumpy and we will all watch whichever video is newly released. Word of Mouth Helped Grumpy Memes all rely on “word of mouth” actions online. They are required to be shared by hundreds to thousands of people in order to become well known. Had Grumpy not relied on word of mouth, she wouldn’t have gained this popularity or success. This is crucial for all copywriters and content marketers. You need to utilize word of mouth to help skyrocket your content into a successful endeavor. You’ll be amazed by how much business you get simply from people talking about your company and sharing your content online. Grumpy utilized the popular, game changing aspect of the Internet – viral content. Crafting viral content is not difficult and the word of mouth system is greatly going to benefit your content when attempting to go viral. Nothing Goes With A Good Book Quite Like Coffee We all enjoy a cup of coffee with the current book we are reading and Grumpy Cat knows this. She’s spied on enough humans to know our habits and, therefore, has learned some excellent marketing strategies. These strategies involve the ever-popular Grumpuccino and official Grumpy Cat books. She also has a plethora of shirts, coffee cups, and other adorable merchandising that many people are scooping up as soon as they can. Grumpy is a great seller for other companies too because most people will buy a Grumpy piece of merchandise on impulse while shopping for other items. That cat is one crafty individual, making money for herself and others! This is a great example of researching the client market and appealing to them. Use Grumpy as an example and start researching your client base to market effectively to them and make several wonderful sales. Donating To Wonderful Charities The one thing that helps many people feel fine with making Grumpy Cat purchases is that the majority of the proceeds go to charities. Some of the proceeds do go to the family, but they have stated that it was a lifesaver for them. Grumpy’s humans will offer merchandise where all the proceeds go to a charity and they always make sure buyers know which ones. For example, their Christmas merchandising went to a charity and many people really enjoyed buying cute Grumpy Christmas items while feeling they were helping a good cause. We all love feeling charitable and Grumpy and her humans know this. While you might not be donating to charities as often as Grumpy, this is a great way to help your community and encourage your readers to help, as well. Not only will this benefit the charity and community but it will also benefit your business because people like working and shopping with companies who are charitable. Take A Copywriting Lesson From the Ultimate Grump The main lesson to learn from Grumpy Cat is that people enjoy laughing and having fun. She hasn’t overstayed her welcome and has grown through different formats and channels. She reaches a wide audience and makes tons of money while doing so. She is the perfect, or should we say purrfect, example of content marketing and copywriting. Take a gander at … Read more

6 Tips for Creative, Original & Unique Content

December 31, 2020June 6, 2014 by Adam Oakley

There you are, sitting behind your computer screen wondering what in the world to write next. You want it to sound new, exciting, and original all while bringing people in and making them want more. Currently, you might be feeling stuck because you just don’t know how to go about crafting this creative content and all of the standard blog posts you’re writing just aren’t cutting it. This blog is going to explore a few tips that will help you start crafting unique content and help you stand out in crowded Internet-land. 1. Craft Perfect Headlines A huge part of creative content is your headline and sub-headers. Finding the right ones for your blog will help make it pop and stand out from all others. Headlines are what draw people in, so you want it to reflect your blog while also being unique and interesting. Sometimes, it is easier for you to come up with the perfect headline after you have finished writing your blog because you will be able to pick the best headline possible for it. Other times you will need to have a headline chosen in order to know how to write on the topic. You can go to popular websites and see how they formulate their headlines to give you ideas and inspiration for future ones. In addition, sub-headers are important. These are the mini-headlines people will read when they click the link to your page. We all do this. We open a page, scroll down, read the sub-headers and decide if we need to read it. The best thing to do here is craft some very interesting sounding sub-headers that give just enough information to tease readers, but not enough to make them feel they don’t need to read your blog. Sub-headers are also handy for you because they create an outline for you, keeping you on track and on topic. 2. Marvel Has Visuals Down To A Science Whether we are fans of Marvel or not, we enjoy the gorgeous quality of all Marvel films. It is because of this quality that many people are gearing up to go see a film based on a band of heroes that aren’t very well known (Guardians of the Galaxy), but consumers know that Marvel means quality and enjoyment. You will want this type of quality in your writing to keep people coming back. Utilize visuals with your content and create stunning looking formats for your blogs, utilize great stock photos for a blog photo, or craft an engaging infographic that is visually appealing. Visuals appeal to the masses and the more visually appealing your site and blogs are, the better. 3. Geek Is The New Sexy We aren’t sure if you’ve noticed or not, but geek (or nerd) is the new sexy. People love to learn about things and they want content that makes them feel knowledgeable while teaching them something new. They don’t want something that continually talks down to them nor do they want something filled with information that was “so yesterday.” “How does this pertain to creativity?” Simple. The more you teach someone something in an easy to understand way, the more likely you are to be creative with your writing. Just try it and watch the creative juices begin to flow. You’ll find new ways to write sentences and your descriptions will help paint an excellent picture in readers’ minds. 4. Take A Lesson From The Doctor: Focus On Your Fans A huge thing Doctor Who has done with the reboot is doing things for the fans. Sure, you’ll hear angry comments here or there, but most of the time everything is done with the fans in mind. On the DVD commentary, you even learn that the producers and director shied away from a big re-introduction scene of the Doctor and opted for a more personal touch; same with viewing the inside if the T.A.R.D.I.S for the first time in years. Do this with your writing. Focus on your readers instead of the search engines, and you’ll find it much easier to be super creative and come up with some great, unique web content. Write what you know they’ll be interested in hearing or what they’ll be interested in learning. This puts you on a personal level with your readers and makes you not seem like some unknown entity within the Internet. 5. Netflix and Barnes and Noble Are Great Resources We aren’t referring to their content campaigns, but those could be helpful too! We are talking about what they sell and what their business is; books, television shows, and films. These are chockfull of information ready to inspire you and get your creative mind pumping at full power. Many people say these are timewasters, but when you just can’t think of a creative way to write your content these forms of media might just be the best thing for you. It gives you a chance to turn your mind off and just rest, while enjoying a show or book that stimulates your brain. You’ll notice as you take these breaks, that all of the sudden ideas spring up out of nowhere. Make sure you have a pen and notepad nearby to write down all of your ideas or head on over to your computer to write from great unique content! 6. Use Stories To Make Your Content Unique Storytelling is something that has been around since the dawn of humanity. We haven’t been able to go through our lives without stories and we all enjoy them, no matter what they are about. Use this as a great way to start writing creative and unique content that will be shared multiple times. You may not publish all of your storytelling content, but it will get your brain thinking about many different topics and ideas. Even just writing a creative story for you can do this. You can write a story about your brand for your upcoming company anniversary or you can … Read more

Ecommerce Web Copy: A Few Words Could Mean Thousands of Dollars

January 1, 2021June 3, 2014 by Adam Oakley

There’s an incredible truth when it comes to the written word and ecommerce – a simple piece of content can mean thousands of dollars for your company. That’s right, just a handful of expertly crafted ecommerce web copy pieces will benefit your company with more revenue than you thought possible. You keep reading the 10 Reasons Why Content Is Important blog postings, but now it is time to look at a few case studies showing just how important content is. Nothing can beat a real time example or two. Introduction to Brafton Maybe you’ve heard about Brafton; they are a great content marketing resource that we use for many of our blogs. They provide great information and expert tips on how to get your brand out there effectively and awesomely. Their long slogan is, “Brafton fuels your brand with smart strategies and excellent content” and their shorter, easier to remember slogan is simply, “Fuel your brand.” Gives a decent image of what they do, doesn’t it? The workers at Brafton started out crafting content for major businesses a decade ago and once the Internet search market began to grow, so did their business. Why? Because the sites they wrote for ended up listing high in the results. This made everyone want to use them and made them become a leader in the content marketing realm. They are a priceless resource that can teach you many useful marketing tricks. Let’s Take A Look At One of Brafton’s Clients Brafton works with an ecommerce company that sells trendy footwear in New York City. They started crafting short blogs for the company and publishing large images to connect with the company’s client base. Eventually, this company decided to make different landing pages for their most popular shoes: Nike and Jordan shoes. Unfortunately, the landing pages lacked keywords and other written content, meaning the company lacked site visits and orders. When Colin, a Brafton employee, ran an organic search utilizing the keyword “Jordan Shoes” he realized that the company’s competitors were ranking 3rd and 4th on the SERP, which led to 11 percent and 8 percent total clicks (respectively). That is a lot of clicks and revenue for those companies and Brafton’s client was missing out. Colin pointed this out to his client and showed that even if they ranked 5th, the company would have approximately 15 clicks per month at a conversion rate of .0122. The average order value of $117.52 was calculated showing that the company was missing out on $21,506 a month in revenue. At first, the numbers seemed small, but it totaled up into a significant sum! This company was losing approximately a quarter million a year because of their lack of written content. After implementing a few keywords, the Jordan shoes landing page is now generating 172 visits from organic search results and moved from ranking at 114th on the Google SERP to 25th. Are you starting to see just how important content is? Now, Let’s Take A Look At One Of Our Own Clients One of our clients is another great example of how content will help bring in more revenue amounting to thousands of dollars. Our client has a very niche ecommerce shop that only focuses on one product, getting rid of grey hair. This is definitely a market many people are interested in and there are many different shops out there, making it top priority to get our client noticed. Our client began by requesting three to five posted blogs from us with a wide selection of keywords to use (over 200). We focused on SEO for each blog, attempting to make each one stand out and make our client a leader in their field. Our client reported to us how much success they had seen since requesting our services in mid-2013 towards late 2013 and the results are incredible. The report helped us to pinpoint the hot button topics for this client’s site, which helped us begin narrowing down the keywords for future blog postings. We also learned that we should adapt one specific voice style for all postings. We are using this information and are now posting weekly blogs using hot button keywords with that specific, consistent voice. The report also showed that just one of our blogs, just one, brought in over $800 in revenue for our client! Other blogs brought in anywhere from $70 to $200. While those numbers might seem small, over the course of a year that number will be very significant, especially when you combine it with the $800 revenue. When writing these successful posts, we made sure to write on hot topics within the community and wrote in a manner that spoke to our client’s customers. We always make sure that all of our blog posts end with a very clear call to action. This really helped bring in that revenue for the client. Our client is very happy with the results and is continuing to see amazing growth in their niche market. The next step we are taking with them to help promote their store further is by having them set up a Google+ account to establish authorship. We are excited to see what the future holds for this company and how much more revenue they will begin to bring in once they switch to utilizing Google authorship. See, Content Really Is Important Now you can see that the power of one blog can really impact your revenue and can create a successful business. You no longer have to rely on what you read in blogs – you have actual proof of how content will bring about success. You need to start taking content creation, including ecommerce web copy, seriously and begin crafting content that is both high quality and optimized for the search engines. Once you have done this, you will begin to see your business become incredibly successful and you will be grateful you decided to dedicate time and money into your content marketing. … Read more

Taking Content Ideas from an Award-Winning Movie, The King’s Speech

December 31, 2020June 2, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Image credit: Trinitynews.ie If you love award-winning historical movies that motivate you to pursue your most ambitious dreams, chances are that you have enjoyed (or will enjoy) The King’s Speech. This 2010 masterpiece directed by Tom Hooper won 4 Oscars in 2011 for Best Writing, Best Direction, Best Actor and Best Picture, outshining all its counterparts. Most people who watch this movie are inevitably moved by King George VI’s efforts to cope with his frustrating stammering. This speech disorder stands in the way of his success and forces him to get expert help to be able to make his first radio broadcast in 1939. Naturally, skilled content creators will read through the lines and realize that The King’s Speech is not all about the new King’s attempts to control his stuttering, eliminate his fear of public speaking and find his own voice. This heartwarming story also encompasses a plentitude of useful copywriting lessons that can help marketers and content creators improve their tactics and obtain better end results in the long run. Here’s what I’ve learned from the King’s Speech. 1) Originality Is Not a Capital Sin. To overcome his stuttering condition that is putting his position at great risk, George VI decides to see a specialist. This is how he meets Lionel Logue, a respectable and highly controversial Australian speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush. The problem is that Lionel Logue is far from being the submissive servant that a member of a royal family would normally expect to rely on. His methods are often unorthodox and innovative and he doesn’t seem willing to make any kind of compromises because he is fully aware of the fact that he provides top-notch, extremely effective services. Originality is not a crime; on the contrary, original content allows you to make a name for yourself, become a valuable source of inspiration for other players in your niche and stimulate the curiosity of your readers. You don’t have to adjust your methods or dilute the original quality of your content just to please the masses. If you do compromise, this will only make you lose repeat customers and put your reputation on the line. Once you’ve finally managed to come up with a good content strategy, personalize it according to your own needs, goals and expectations and stick to it. 2) Let Them Leave, But Keep the Door Open. We all know how frustrating it really is to invest time, money and energy in a successful content marketing campaign without actually managing to please your clients or collaborators. Some clients and prospects just don’t get your modus operandi. Some of them just need a little bit more time to get familiar with your unique approach, your marketing strategies or your writing style. This is perfectly understandable. This doesn’t mean that you have to cling to their feet and stop them from leaving. Keep Up the Good Work. If you’re good at what you do, keep your head high and your standards higher. They will eventually come back. The King’s Speech supports this idea. Shocked and intimidated by his therapist’s radical approach to addressing stammering, Bertie, the new king, decides to find another specialist who could stimulate his progress. After a short period of time, he realizes that the tough love method set in place by Logue was the only one that could actually favor noticeable improvements. Therefore, Bertie goes back to Logue’s office and continues his therapy sessions. Implement Your Own Selection Criteria When It Comes to Choosing Your Audience. In his instructional guide for business owners, entitled “Book Yourself Solid”, Michael Port talks about the so-called “red velvet rope policy,” and its impact on (content) creators. In short, the key to success is to filter your clientele and your business partners and eliminate nutcases who could make you feel insecure without a reason. To perform optimally, content creators and marketers should be surrounded by people who energize them, share their methods and creative vision and actually inspire them to come up with meaningful content pieces and distribution tactics that exceed every expectation. Developing a Negative Feedback Obsession Isn’t Healthy. According to Copyblogger, “dangerous” feedback from your readers can make you steer in the wrong direction. If you focus solely on complaints and any other kind of negative feedback provided by your crankiest readers, chances are that you’ll lose your voice and drown in a sea of uncertainties. You don’t have to divide your visitors into two categories: Brand Evangelists and the Devil. The main idea is that you should deliver great value to the targeted audience that represents a good fit for you and worry less about minorities. You can’t please everybody. 3) It Is Highly Recommended to Get Up Close and Personal with Your Clients. In orderto stimulate Bertie’s self-corrective abilities, Logue creates a powerful connection with his client. In a nurturing environment that supports the king’s progress, Logue tries to identify the factors that triggered his patient’s speech disorder in the first place. He makes Bertie relive the past and digs deep to tackle the real root of the problem. By understanding the unique impediments that stop Bertie from preparing and delivering a flawless speech, Logue manages to come up with the right solution to George VI’s pressing issue. The Definitive Guide to Copywriting by Neal Patel and Joseph Putnam reveals that the web content that you write shouldn’t be about yourself, your brand or your personal ambitions and business goals. It should be about your readers. This is precisely why great copy involves a deeper understanding of your audience. Just like the great David Ogilvy once said, “advertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals.” Therefore, you should realize who you’re writing for, how your readers think and what exactly they want from you. All in all, The King’s Speech provides a few useful valuable lessons enabling copywriters to enhance the quality of their work and build solider bridges between … Read more

34 of the Craziest Words in English

January 9, 2024May 20, 2014 by Adam Oakley

The English language is, quite possibly, one of the strangest languages out there. Contradicting rules, incredibly unique words, and confusing idioms are just a few reasons why. Do you suffer from abibliophobia? Do you bloviate and carry a bumbershoot with you while you lollygag? Let’s find out in today’s blog that explores some of the craziest words in our living language. Ready to create your own great content? Learn more about how Express Writers content can help drive growth. See all our content writing services provided by an amazing team copy writers and editors. 34 of the Zaniest, Craziest Words in the Dictionary (Anything Missing? Add It In the Comments!) Shakespeare is known for creating some “crazy” words, but most of those words are now so common that we don’t notice. These words range from “hurry” to “zany” and in the 1400s they were quite strange. Today, we are going to delve into some of the craziest words, many of which have been around about as long as some of Shakespeare’s “gibberish” and some from the early 1940s and 1950s. Some of these words are used regularly in many places around the English-speaking world, whereas other places haven’t even heard of them. Let’s see which of these craziest words you already know and which ones are new to you: 1. Bumfuzzle. This is a simple term that refers to being confused, perplexed, or flustered or to cause confusion. You’ve probably heard your grandma or grandpa use this phrase, especially if they are from the East Coast or below the Mason-Dixon Line. This word is derived from the Old English dumfoozle. 2. Cattywampus. This is a term that you will find in the Midland and Southern United States. It is referring to something that is in disarray, that is askew, or something that isn’t directly across from something. For example, a post office might be cattywampus from the library. You might actually know this word by the terms catty-corner, kitty-corner, or catawampus. 3. Gardyloo. This is actually a Scottish term, but it sounds really nifty! The definition is a funny and gross one; this is what people living in Edinburgh shouted out their windows as a warning before dumping their slop buckets out of their windows. At least they gave a little bit of a warning to those below! 4. Taradiddle. This word references someone or something that is filled with pretentious nonsense or something that is a lie. A great example of this is that classic fisherman’s tale of how big the fish he caught was. Usually the fisherman is lying or at least exaggerating about the fish, especially if he (or she) didn’t keep the fish. 5. Snickersnee. While this word sounds like something funny or possibly cute, it is actually referring to a long, dangerous knife. It was first used in reference to cut-and-thrust fighting in the 1700s and is still occasionally used when referencing the knife, though it is becoming more and more obsolete. 6. Widdershins. This is another way to say something is moving counter-clockwise or something is moving in the wrong direction. It is a much more fun way to say counter-clockwise and is most likely something you heard one of your grandparents or great-grandparents say. Many people do still use it in many poems and newly published books. 7. Collywobbles. This refers to a weird feeling in your stomach or an overall bellyache. It is derived from the Latin phrase cholera morbus, meaning it came from the disease we all know as cholera. This is a word many people still use especially older individuals, and the background is quite dark! Many don’t realize the dark background much like many being unaware of the origins of “Ring around the Rosie.” 8. Gubbins. This is an object that has little or no value and is also referring to a gadget or device. It can also refer to odds and ends or rubbish and, oddly enough, can be used to describe a silly person. We don’t know about you, but it seems a little strange that a word describing something with little to no value also refers to someone who is silly. 9. Abibliophobia. Now this is a word that perfectly describes many people and you may be one! This refers to someone who is afraid of running out of things to read. We’re guessing that you are probably going to start using this word to describe yourself as you head out the door to the nearest Barnes and Noble or local bookshop. 10. Bumbershoot. Here is a fun word that most people know. This is referring to an umbrella and is something we have heard in many a Disney film or in many different books. It is quite fun to grab your umbrella and say in a fun voice, “I think I need my bumbershoot today!” 11. Lollygag. The origin of this word is unknown, but it first surfaced around 1868. The definition of “lollygag” is someone who is messing around or wasting time. It also refers to someone who is doing something that isn’t serious or useful. This could be a good word to use when procrastinating, “I’m just lollygagging.” Are you a lollygagger? 12. Flibbertigibbet. This is another fun word! This refers to someone who is silly and who talks incessantly. The first known usage of this word is the 15th century and used to be spelled flepergebet. This word also refers to a person who is flighty. 13. Malarkey. This refers to words that are insincere and talk that is particularly foolish. This is a word that we can thank the 1920s and 19030s for and it is still used by many people. It is a fun word to say, as well. 14. Pandiculation. This is what happens when you wake up in the morning and stretch. As you stretch, your muscles might go rigid for a short time, which can sometimes be uncomfortable. It also describes that wonderful, or terrible, combination of … Read more

Awesome Copywriting: Can It Replace A Commercial For Your Brand?

January 1, 2021May 16, 2014 by Adam Oakley

You’re sitting there and you have just gone through your site’s traffic statistics. You just released a snazzy new advertisement but have seen little change in the number of visitors coming to your website. You also haven’t had many calls or emails asking about your company or product. Your thoughts could be along the lines of, “What’s going on? I gave them the old razzle dazzle, and still nothing!” Here’s a handy tip: commercials and advertisements aren’t actually going to bring in that many viewers. Sure, they may spark interest here or there, and advertisements are a great way to get your company out there but you shouldn’t be focusing solely on that method. This blog is going to talk about how you can move your content marketing strategy away from purchasing several crazy expensive ads and how awesome copywriting can bring in customers. It is possible! Commercials Are Expensive Nowadays We all want to make sure we stay within our budgets and this can be difficult when advertisements cost so much. We see the prices, but we keep remembering all the marketing tips we used to hear, “Advertisements are worth their weight in gold! Invest in ads!” This isn’t the case anymore and you can actually save money with your content. You read that right, if you have great copywriting, you can bring in more viewers and save a couple hundred dollars in advertisement costs. Chipotle Went The Extra Mile A great example of using content marketing instead of traditional advertisements is Chipotle. We all remember that amazing infomercial they released in 2013. It told the story of a down-and-out Scarecrow who wanted his little garden to flourish into a well-working farm, but it was tough due to all the processed food business bullies out there. The video keeps going until we see this little garden grow into the Scarecrow’s dream farm and we see him setting up shop with a little cart to sell great quality food. This wasn’t run as a typical ad on a major network like CBS or NBC; this relied solely on the Internet and going viral. It didn’t advertise anything specifically about Chipotle, it just told their story. Because of the layout of the video, people watched all the way through and were more apt to share this video with their friends online. The only time people will share a straight ad to their Facebook is if it is a hilarious Superbowl commercial, otherwise they don’t want to clog up their friends’ news feeds with even more ads. Chipotle knew this and took advantage of it. This was a great marketing strategy without sounding like a used car salesperson giving a sketchy speech. Going The Extra Mile With Brand Marketing Since you know about Chipotle, and have seen how successful their campaign is, it is time to consider how you can implement this into your copywriting and content marketing strategy. You are probably feeling intimidated because Chipotle has the funding to hire a great marketing agency, but you have to rely on yourself to market your brand. This is why you are sticking with expensive ads – you are terrified that you won’t get more customers if you don’t use them. Well, let’s take a moment to look at a few ways you can implement this into your business, without seeking out very expensive marketing companies: 1. When Storytelling Becomes Your Advertisement. What we saw in Chipotle’s ad was a great example of blending storytelling and copywriting. Instead of making a commercial that sounded like something a politician would produce, Chipotle took a very genuine and honest approach by telling their story. They are a company that took a chance and made a huge decision to cut out genetically modified foods from their menus, meaning they would probably have to start charging more because this world is run on processed eateries. You can see the desperation for a healthier world and you can see that they believe the world is changing for the better. It is very powerful and inspiring, making you want to eat there more than if they simply stated their mission in an ad. 2. Web and Product Design Will Be Major Selling Points. In the Internet Age, your website and product designs must be out of this world and awesome. Great designs work incredibly well with your content, and will encourage many visitors not just to stop by but also to learn more about your company and to purchase your product or service. Learn who your target audience is and go to websites that are popular within that audience. For example, ModCloth is a very trendy website for Millennials – their layout can teach you a lot about designing for the Millennial crowd. You can also look to Accenture for a more professional, older generation look that is still quite appealing to younger generations. Just going to these websites will give you great inspiration on how to design your website. Never underestimate the power of a great design. 3. Active and Engaging Product Descriptions Will Save Money. You will find that product descriptions that are written in an active and engaging manner will save you a lot of money in advertising. A person may be interested in a product but if they do not find a great description, they’ll assume the product isn’t very good. Don’t think your product copy isn’t important and put it on the back burner. This will make a sale or break a sale, and if you treat it like it is unimportant, your customers will treat the product as unimportant, according to David Ogilvy’s tips on awesome copywriting. Focus on making all sales copy sound genuine and engage your audience. Try writing in a style that will speak to them and sell them on your product without coming across as overbearing and annoying. Awesome Copywriting Matters Storytelling, great product descriptions, and incredible web and product design is going to go a long way … Read more

Copywriting for an International Audience

January 1, 2021May 13, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Just so you know, this blog is also subtitled, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Why? Well, it’s hard not to relate the entire topic here in any way to the classic 90s television show, “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” It was such a great show and everybody loved trying to figure out where Ms. Sandiego was. Remember? What many of us didn’t realize with this show is that we were being introduced to different cultures all around the world. We were being taken out of our current setting to learn that there are people different from us. It was a great learning experience as a kid and can now be something you implement in your copywriting and content marketing. The globe is massive and there are thousands of different languages out there, which means if you want to take your business global you are going to have to start writing in different languages. If you are wondering just how to go about doing this, then you are in luck! This blog is going to discuss how to create global content for everyone, as well as how to write in different forms of English (yes, there are different forms!). English Is the Norm for Many English is the standard language in the business world. All you have to do is go onto the Metro in Paris and see universities offering Business English courses to anyone interested in becoming a businessperson. However, approximately 6% of the world cannot speak English well enough to conduct business, according to the Content Marketing Institute. Because of this, many people are left out in the cold and it can even limit their ability to grow further in the business world or any other aspect of an English-speaking world. Many people are attempting to learn English and many children learn English in their schools. Unfortunately, many countries do not have the resources to teach everyone. While English is the norm for many things, don’t rely on the fact that people may be learning how to speak and read English. You need to start considering writing for many cultures and languages. An important note to consider is that the United States and many English-speaking countries are filled with more than just English speakers and we have to reach out to them. Some of the major languages spoken in the United States are Spanish, Chinese, French, Tagalog (Filipino), and Vietnamese. While many of these people can speak English and understand it well, many still would appreciate any content that is written in their own language. Copywriting: Can You Write Content for Different Languages? You can! It doesn’t have to be overwhelming or too difficult. You can actually find many people that are more than willing to help you write content in different languages. The more languages you write your content in, the more customers your business will bring in. We actually write a bi-weekly English blog and a bi-weekly Spanish blog for one company. It is a great experience and gets your product out to more individuals by doing this! Here are a few great tips that will help you write content in multiple languages: 1. Learn What Languages Are Spoken In Your Area. This is the best way to slowly make your content go global. If you don’t write for the locals, you will have a very hard time writing for others in different countries. This is a great opportunity to learn a different language or to find someone to write in a particular language. Never assume that one language is spoken more than another is – your area might shock you. Many assume Spanish is spoken the most, but there are areas where Russian is spoken more or where Chinese or Vietnamese is spoken. Research your area and learn the most prevalent language. If you are having a difficult time finding out which languages are spoken in your area, you can always go to the US Census website and use their interactive language map. 2. Hire Local Writers to Craft Content For You. When we say, “local,” we don’t just mean people from your town, but people who know the language you are planning to use. They will know all the puns, jokes, and alliterations that can be used in that particular language. If you are hiring someone to write content in a different language for local customers, the writer will know what a particular culture sees in the community and what they enjoy. A “local” writer will also be able to write for the search engines and help your site rank on that language’s search engine results page. Having a writer who is fluent in specific languages is the best way to adequately meet any language and copywriting needs your company will have. Put out an ad and start looking for someone to help you craft diverse content for your company. 3. Hire and Consult Local Editors. Every copywriter needs a copy editor to make sure they have met all grammatical rules and haven’t made horrible spelling mistakes. When you have a writer craft content that is in a different language, you will also need to hire an editor who can edit in that language. They will help catch any spelling mistakes that you may not find and will make sure the content makes sense to readers. Copy editors are crucial for your copywriting campaign, no matter what language the content is written in. 4. Look Into How Different Cultures Spend Their Time Online. Each culture spends time on a different site and the amount of time they spend on the Internet varies. This will help you know which social media site to use when you begin your marketing campaign for a particular culture or if Internet marketing will work for that culture. You can find many different sites that will give you information about the culture you want to reach and how they spend their time online. Once you have … Read more

Expert Showcase: Inspiration From ThinkGeek Brand Copywriting

January 1, 2021May 12, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Image credit: DonorsChoose.org ThinkGeek.com is an awesome site that is filled with all kinds of wonderful geek toys, accessories, clothing, and much more. Every day they seem to add some awesome new Doctor Who gadget or have an incredible new Star Trek shirt to purchase. ThinkGeek.com makes many geeks lose all of their hard-earned cash quickly. How do they do this? Is it because they sell awesomely geeky items or is it because their content strategy is as awesome of Boba Fett’s silent stare? Let’s take a moment to look at a few of ThinkGeek’s finer content moments and see how this can inspire your content strategies. Step 1: Write For Your Clients. ThinkGeek takes writing for their clients very seriously. They know that if they don’t write in a laid back and fun way they will lose a significant part of their audience. Their product descriptions are deliciously geeky and are absolutely perfect for geeks looking to score a Han Solo Carbonite rug. They stay relevant with their writing and content strategy, which makes every geek within reaching distance of wireless or 4G and their iPhones, ready to purchase “all the things!” They employ many masters of sassiness, which works incredibly well for their brand and client base. Here is an example of the Han Solo Carbonite rug product description: Step 2: It’s All Fun and Games! One of ThinkGeek’s most popular attributes is their April Fools extravaganza where they create hilarious products that sound almost too good to be true. They can convince even their most staunch supporters with products that aren’t real, making us all desperately wish they were. In fact, they poll their shoppers about these items for future product creations. Sharing content that your clients like and keeping it fun are great ways to make your content go viral, as well as keep a dedicated fan base. We aren’t saying to go all out on April Fool’s Day like ThinkGeek, but you can sure implement fun strategies into your content! Step 3: Connect with Buyers. One big thing that ThinkGeek does regularly is engaging with their customer base. They will re-tweet items when customers mention them or will respond if someone asks a question. This has been an incredible way to have wonderful customer service. They have become experts at using social media as a way to touch base with customers, making all shoppers feel appreciated. They even follow HootSuite’s tips on engaging customers and will take random polls throughout the week. They do all of that while also responding to clients and promoting items for sale in the shop. Let’s Split from this Landing Party Like A Red Shirt! It’s time to take the lessons you have learned from ThinkGeek and begin considering ways to craft content to engage your customer base. Other great places to garner different types of inspiration are Apple and Scholastic Books. For a more professional place to gain inspiration, you can look to big corporations like Accenture (they have some really nifty, interactive ads in several airports). Find something that inspires you; take a look at your favorite film publishing company or your favorite food chain. You will find inspiration somewhere and everywhere, all you have to do is open your eyes.