copywriting tips - Express Writers

A Tribute to Robin Williams, A Copywriting Inspiration

January 1, 2021August 19, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Image source: AOL.com “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world,” said Robin Williams. No one knows this better than artists do. From musicians to actors and writers, we all know that one idea combined with passion and the right words can invoke change. In some cases, it can even change the world—whether that world is literal or figurative. What a shining of example of this we see from the late, great Robin Williams. His idea of comedy and acting combined with the words he chose changed the lives for so many of us, from the children at St. Jude’s he chose to represent to those of us who watched his performances from our home television sets. The actor, who so many of us know from childhood, died at the age of 63 on August 11, 2014 in Paradise Cay, CA. He had been quoted as saying he wanted a “quick death” while in rehab. Despite battling a dark life chapter, he tried to stay positive and upbeat. The news of his untimely death struck a chord in nearly every person on the planet. It stopped many of us dead in our tracks, and it made us realize that even the most humorous sometimes battle the most difficult. In many ways, his death struck harder than others did. For a man who brought us so much joy to die in such a tragic way is difficult to wrap our heads around. It pains us. We will all mourn the passing of such a unique and gifted individual, but in the face of such loss, we can also learn a great deal from this one of a kind man. Copywriting Inspiration: Variety Really Is Spicy “Variety is the spice of life.” It’s one of the oldest sayings around. Williams is a stunning example of just how variety really is spicy. His roles ranged from the hilarious to the tender. He possessed the unique ability to make us laugh while also making us stop and think—sometimes about incredibly controversial and relevant topics. As copywriters, our audience is composed of people who love the relevant. They love to solve problems, sometimes in unique and exciting ways. They are addicted to the things that make us human: love, compassion, humor, and even sadness. We thrive on variety; it’s why we can’t (and don’t) eat the same thing every day! Why should our content be any different? Keep On Keeping It Fresh When you hear the name ‘Robin Williams,’ what comes to mind? No doubt, a laundry list of characters and an instant thought of comedy. Every character the talented actor took on brought about a fresh look at life and comedy. It’s one of the many reasons why Williams is such a recognized and beloved icon. Keeping content fresh is something every copywriter struggles against. It’s no secret that just about every idea in the book has been tried. That being said, it’s easy to get stuck in the same old shade of whatever we are doing. And this is a dangerous trap because it sucks the freshness right out of our writing, leaving our audience hungering for succulent copy! What’s the solution? Reinvention! With every character or act that Williams graced the stage with, he attacked his subject matter with a fresh perspective. New isn’t always better, but how we choose to look at something is. Don’t be afraid to introduce writers to a different angle of the same subject matter. It expands their knowledge and keeps the material fresh. Make It Lively ABC News ran a fantastic tribute to Robin Williams. In it, they highlighted some of his most epic work: The lesson we can take away from this tribute as a whole is that audiences love lively. Williams held a frantic pace. He was off the hinge and totally off the wall, and people loved it! They loved how he seemed to embody life and pass it on. Can copy do the same thing? Yes! The style we choose to write in can liven up for dull down our copy. The illustrations, word puns, and even the visual cues we choose all contribute to the pulse of our content. People don’t want words that are dead on arrival and dreary to read. They don’t want to feel like they’re falling asleep in college again, listening to a dull professor drone on about a boring topic. But wait, is it the topic that is dull or the presentation? How we choose to present a topic in writing will determine whether or not it is well received. Our words can pack a punch. They can grip interest and sink deep into the very souls of our readers. The best way you can keep your copy crisp and lively is simply to always fire your passion. The moment you get bored, you better start to worry about (and check) the pulse of your content. Surprise Your Audience What made Williams so addictive? Wouldn’t you say it was his unparalleled ability to surprise? From his outlandish performance as Mork from Mork and Mindy to his unbelievable transformation into the unrivaled Mrs. Doubtfire, Williams never failed to surprise us at every turn. What a lesson for the astute copywriter! What makes content shareworthy? We talk about how important it is to connect with our audience and write compelling, engaging material. But sometimes we forget about how powerful and welcome a little surprise can be! Never be afraid to tastefully shock your audience. It’s the thrill of the surprise that helps keep our readers coming back again and again. They know that there will never be a dull moment. Know When to Be Serious Although primarily known for his humor and comedy roles, Williams knew that there was just as much a time and place for seriousness as there was for funny. The “all my love to you poppet” scene from Mrs. Doubtfire demonstrates this beautifully. At the end of this … Read more

Great Copywriting In Action: Creative Artist Amanda Palmer

January 1, 2021July 30, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Image source: TED Amanda Palmer is an artist that knows how to make a splash and uses great forms of copywriting. From her stint with the Dresden Dolls to her recent TED Talk, Amanda Palmer has made connections with many people and regularly encourages her fans, even those who might not like her music. Even when she is at her most controversial, she is still making an impact in various areas. In fact, her type of copywriting is really what helps keep her afloat if the controversies get a little out of hand, and she is able to calm the waves by writing a simple blog or simply by connecting with her fans. Let’s take a quick look at how Amanda Palmer does copywriting. The Dresden Dolls To Her Solo Career Many people know of Amanda Palmer from her time with the band The Dresden Dolls. This band was part of an underground music movement many refer to as “dark cabaret” and Amanda Palmer made sure people knew the style of the band was a Brechtian Punk Cabaret style. She created this term because of how worried she was that the media would call the band “gothic.” She keeps the cabaret style as a solo artist and performs in many similar outfits to her Dresden Doll days. She keeps true to herself and the brand she is setting forward with her dark cabaret style. (Though she might shudder at being considered a brand.) Amanda Palmer always makes sure people understand what she is doing or what she believes, which is great for many copywriters. While you may not want to get as personal as Amanda, you should always make sure your audiences know what you are up to. If you are doing something like The Dresden Dolls, you want to make sure people understand what the band is, instead of having them assume. This could change the course of your business or band. Take a stand like Amanda Palmer by making sure people understand your company, goals, and just what exactly you are writing about in your content. This can also help clients choose your business over your competitors. TED Talk Most recently, Amanda Palmer has been famous and talked about for her TED Talk in which she discusses The Art of Asking. It is an enlightening talk and something many people connected with. She gives information about her first days as a performer and that she started as a living statue, making money to pay her bills. She starts talking about much the simplest gestures meant to people on the street and how much she believes that simply giving something like a flower to a stranger could make a huge impact. This is a great example of stepping outside of the norm and giving people something useful to work with. Palmer is known for her antics both online and offline, so when she made this TED Talk, she really caused a splash. People from all different musical tastes listened, agreed and shared. When doing copywriting, you should consider doing something a little out of the norm for your company. What Amanda Palmer did by giving her TED Talk was connect with people who enjoy Beyoncé, Green Day, She & Him, and different music styles. Many of these people might never have listened to her music, but that talk really did impact them. She also illustrated the power of storytelling by giving people background information about herself and how it impacts who she is now. Interacting With Her Fans Frequently: Key to Copywriting Another way that Amanda Palmer can influence your copywriting is how she interacts with her fans on social media. She holds regular conversations about various topics from help with her upcoming book to whether or not women should wear makeup. Whatever the topic, she will talk and respond to fans, retweet them, or address other issues that they may bring up. If a particular tweet stands out to her, she will respond and retweet to get her other fans to talk to each other. She always promotes engagement, discussion, and regularly tries to instill hope for those who follow her. This is a great example of how you should interact with your client base. Again, maybe not as personal as Amanda’s responses, but by simply responding on social media, you are setting up a relationship with your clients. This is a great part of copywriting that many are still glancing over. Interaction on social media is important to maintaining a client base and bringing in new leads. If you have a difficult time coming up with ways to interact with your clients on social media, Social Media Examiner gives 7 great ways to improve how you interact on social media. In Closing Take a few lessons from Amanda Palmer and start creating a great copywriting campaign that involves stepping out of the box and client interaction. Apply some of what she does to your plans and goals and see how well it benefits you and your company!

25 Copywriting Mistakes Website Owners Make

January 1, 2021July 25, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Picture this: it’s your best friend’s wedding. The two of you have been best buddies since grade school. You’ve been through it all. You’ve seen each other weather the best and worst of what life has thrown your respective ways. As your best friend gets ready to enjoy what is destined to be one of the most memorable days of their lives, you’re on the front lines of wedding preparations. Even though your friend is on a budget, some expenses just aren’t spared—like the caterer and photographer. Why is that? Can’t Aunt Josephine cook just as well as the $25 a plate caterer, and isn’t Uncle Jim a crack shot with a camera? The truth is Aunt Jo makes a mean mashed potato, and Uncle Jim takes gorgeous photos, but neither one are in the wedding business. On this one and only day to say, “I do,” your friend spares no expense on these two venues for a very simple reason: they can’t afford mistakes. In much the same way, a lot of business owners hire out their copywriting needs because they can’t afford (nor do they want) mistakes. But just what mistakes can be made? I mean, we’re only talking about writing a few words and making people want to buy stuff, right? How hard can that be? I bet that friend of yours—the one who aced a few high school papers—could handle it. Let’s see why that couldn’t be more wrong. Why Copywriting Is Hard We’re stepping into the debate box to cover a controversial subject. A lot of people will tell you that copywriting isn’t that hard. Others will say it’s easy as pie. Still more will compare it to the piano; easy to do poorly and exceedingly difficult to do well. Well, here’s the skinny on writing: Mechanics Matter – Can you guarantee excellent spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation? By excellent, we mean 99.9% perfect 99.9% of the time, which means following the rules of English perfectly and knowing when it’s okay to break them in favor of audience appeal. It Requires Skill – If you were handed a piece of wood and told to craft a statue of a bear, could you? If you were a carpenter by trade, probably! If not, doubtful. Writing is the same. It takes skills, the kind of skill that results from years of practice and firsthand experience. It’s Art – No joke, writing is part art. If writers merely crafted sentences per the stringent rules of English, there would be no such thing as audience appeal. It’s like the difference between the computer code that makes your favorite app and the beautiful bright interface you know as your favorite app. Both parts of needed to make it work, and you can’t have one without the other. Good copywriting isn’t mere raw skill. It’s part skill and part art, and the percentages change based on the project. So, can just anyone write? Let’s put this into perspective: can just anyone perform heart surgery? I mean, it’s just major surgery, right? What could possibly go wrong? It’s All Fun and Games Getting your friend to tackle your copy, or striking off into the unknown on your own are all adrenaline rushes. But the fact remains that they’re all fun and games until someone—likely your business or a reader—gets their eye poked out. 25 of the simplest copywriting mistakes are easy to make if you lack experience: Writing for the company: People have one burning question on their minds when it comes to your product or service: what’s in it for me? According to Crazyegg.com, they don’t care about your company, your life story, or your sheer awesomeness. They care about what’s in it for them. Don’t bore them with endless company drivel. Missing the target: Audience, that it is. Do you know exactly who your target audience is? More importantly, does your copywriter? Your copy has to hit that target dead on. It has to hook, captivate, and motivate. If your writer doesn’t know your target audience intimately, they might as well be trying to shoot a moving target with no ammo—it’s not gonna happen! Bad formatting: You can write an epic article, but it’ll never meet the reader’s eye if it’s badly formatted. Bad or no headings, long and tedious paragraphs, and a dull visual presentation will kill your copy on publication. Failed headlines: According to Copyblogger, your headline is the first, and perhaps only, impression you can make before a prospective reader either clicks to your content or passes you by. A strong headline tells the reader why they can’t miss your article before they even open it. Can you pack an informative, emotional, and curiosity causing punch in 5 to 10 words? Improper tone: How often doesn’t the wrong tone spark an argument?Couples will be the first to admit that slipping into the wrong tone at the wrong time can spark a blowout that’ll leave somebody sleeping on the couch! So too can choosing the wrong audience tone. Tone is a thousand times more important in copy because it’s written; there’s no body language to save the day, only words and context. It takes an experienced pen to not only choose the proper tone, but also hold it from start to finish. Address the right customer: Your target audience isn’t made of universal customers. In fact, it’s likely your customers break down into categories of people all searching for similar yet unique solutions to several problems. Each piece of copy from your company must address the right customer, and your combined pieces of copy need to be all-inclusive yet easily structured for a breakdown for those detail oriented customers. Invest the audience emotionally: Creative storytelling isn’t just old school, it’s a staple of the savvy Internet copywriter. Storytelling invests the audience emotionally, which keeps them reading and makes them come back for more. Stay on topic: People are flooded with information on a minute-by-minute basis. Between … Read more

Taking Inspiration From How BBC Does Copywriting

January 1, 2021June 27, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Image Source: www.bbc.co.uk The BBC or British Broadcasting Channel is definitely a powerhouse in the television and news market. It used only to be available for British citizens, but the BBC has since branched out to reach a wider audience. In the past, American citizens could watch things such as Miss Marple or other BBC mystery shows or dramas on PBS, but these shows were few and far between. Now, the BBC has a channel in America called (of all things) BBC America. This has given American citizens the ability to watch extremely popular BBC shows right away and on their own TVs. This has saved the BBC from people illegally downloading shows and has brought in significant revenue. How are they so successful that Americans desperately want their shows? The BBC has some incredible content marketing skills! Anyone can learn these skills from the BBC and this blog is going to explore this company’s excellent copywriting skills. BBC and America: Doctor Who and Sherlock Taking Over The main thing people think of when they hear the BBC mentioned is the company’s two successful shows – Doctor Who and Sherlock. While the BBC has many popular shows both in the United Kingdom and America, these two shows are television juggernauts. There is no denying the power of these shows and the fandoms created around them. How did the BBC get here though? Easy. They made two shows that are expertly crafted with great marketing strategies and made them available to anyone. Before Sherlock ever came about, Doctor Who was taking America over, but it began long before Matt Smith took the mantle of the 11th doctor. In the early days of this science fiction show, the BBC would show it on a few HAM television stations. It was poor quality, but people loved it nonetheless. This show brought about something no one had done yet: it was science fiction, yet incredibly human. After a hiatus, the show came back in 2005 and took the world over by storm. How did the BBC manage to take over the world with their shows? They expertly marketed to different audiences. Each show is varied; Doctor Who is story-based with cheesy special effects while Sherlock, also story-based, is filled with gorgeous filming and graphics. They appeal to different groups and the BBC knows that this is how they bring in money outside of a British audience. As a copywriter, you can learn from this. You need to reach a wide audience with your content marketing. The best way to reach them is to research each audience and make different content formats available to bring them in. BBC News: Becoming A Trusted Source Outside of popular television shows, the BBC has become a trusted news source in America, surpassing CNN or Fox News. How did this happen? They started writing articles that were filled with facts without any personal opinions until further in their articles. Many times, they do not seem like they are trying to influence people to feel one way or the other about an event, which is refreshing for many. Outside of keeping personal bias separate from facts, BBC news and TV channels also offer a wide variety of different content. They have their news section, they have entertainment, and they offer simple stories as well as in-depth articles about various things. This is great for copywriters to learn from because it shows that the varied posts are beneficial to anyone. Sure, the BBC could write on simple news stories around Britain but that would cut down on the amount of international readers and watchers. Understanding the Need For Social Media Copywriting and Engagement The BBC also understands the power of social media and promoting engagement among customers. On all of their articles, they encourage people to share with their friends through social media sharing buttons. On the news angle, they use social media to share news articles but to also keep followers up-to-date with any breaking news around the world. Social media is a powerful tool for all businesses whether it is for a news corporation such as the BBC or for small businesses in a small town. Social media gets you out there and makes important information available for followers. The BBC is also incredible at promoting fan engagement. A perfect example of this is Sherlock season three’s interactive trailer. The BBC released the season three trailer with an unusual fanfare of involvement. They provided fans with the ability to watch the original trailer, but to also click on various things throughout to receive insider information about the show. This could be a clip from the new season or interviews with cast and crewmembers. There were many a fan who spent countless hours watching behind-the-scenes information and this interactive trailer was shared far and wide across the Internet. While you may not be able to do something as drastic as an interactive trailer, you can engage with clients through social media or on your blog site. You can even hide little Easter eggs throughout your webpage encouraging people to look through every little detail. One example of this is a group of women who wanted to start up the art of letter writing again. When the International Geek Girl Pen Pal Club (IGGPPC) released their new website, they also released an incredible achievement game. All one had to do was go throughout the entire site to find the various achievements. This helped all of the women using this site to learn every detail about the IGGPPC and created an excellent feeling of community. In Closing The BBC has countless copywriting tips you can learn; all you have to do is read through their numerous sites. Take a few lessons from them and start implementing them into your company’s website. You will notice that you start bringing in great revenue the more you involve your clients and craft incredible content.

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 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

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

Brand Showcase: Target’s Copywriting Is on Target

June 19, 2024May 15, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Target. That wonderful, mystical land where one can buy shoes, clothes, novelty tees, movies, Legos, and food when they were simply going in to buy a crafty little graduation card. Target is a place that sucks you in, makes you spend every penny to your name, and you never feel like you wasted a dime. How do they do this? How do they bring in thousands of people a day and convince them to buy what they need and more? Copywriting Tips from Target Let’s take this opportunity to look at Target’s various copywriting and marketing campaigns, as well as taking a little journey through the store to see just what makes us spend all our money there. 1. All The Things! First off, Target tries to appeal to a very wide demographic from Millennials to the Greatest Generation, all while “targeting” the latest group of little ones with cute designs. They have something for everyone in their store and they know that’s what brings in the cash. However, their “something for everyone” isn’t dollar store cheap material; most of Target’s merchandise is very good quality. Many of their clothing items and shoes are even designed specifically for Target by many well-known designers around the world. What can a copywriter take away from this point? Offer something for everyone and you will please a wider audience. Take the time to learn your demographics – you may be surprised by just how diverse your potential customer base is. 2. Epic Lighting and Easy To Find Items. Their content marketing goes beyond just their Internet and mail content – it goes into their store design. The store is one that makes every shopper feel chipper, which helps foster the feeling of needing to purchase everything in sight. The lights are bright and the aisles are laid out in an interesting and easy-to-follow pattern. Because of this, we are all ready to purchase everything we see since we can easily go through the store. This is an incredible lesson for copywriting experts and for web designers. While you most likely will not be focusing on a physical shop, you will be focusing on the website people come to. If it is drab and difficult to navigate, people won’t stay for very long. Follow Target’s example and make your site an easy and fun experience for readers. 3. Creating Memorable Advertisements That Last Forever. Target has some of the greatest ad campaigns and many of these campaigns are ones that we will remember for a long time. For example, everyone remembers the Target dog, especially when it came to the Holiday season. Whenever you saw that dog, you thought of Target. Whenever you saw that dog on an item, you bought it. Their latest ad campaign is called “The Everyday Collection” which features photographs that look like high fashion photo shoots but they incorporated the typical everyday items such as laundry detergent, food, and vitamins. It is very much a typical Target ad campaign filled with witty one-liners, all while advertising their product. Every single marketing campaign is incredible; just look at their 2013 back-to-school campaign and their 2013 Holiday season campaign. The lesson copywriters can learn from this is common sense – create content that will be memorable. After you have begun creating memorable, compelling content, you will start seeing some excellent results! 4. Responding to Controversy. Controversy is never too far these days and it seems just about everyone is right in the middle of one. Target isn’t any different. They’ve had their fair share of controversy from the big security breach pre-Heartbleed to the Terry Richardson controversy. Target always takes adequate steps to ensure that these controversies are dealt with properly by not reacting immediately and thinking over the issue. This may not seem like part of a content marketing strategy, but Target always considers how many customers they will lose if they do not carry out appropriate measures. Instead of sweeping these issues under the carpet, Target deals with them in the open. This is a great lesson for every company to learn. Your copywriting can be great, but it can only go so far; having proper responses to any controversy whether large or small will help keep your business afloat. 5. Making Things Fun and Enjoyable For All. Target is the expert at making their content strategy a fun and enjoyable one. Their commercials are always upbeat or silly, their ad campaigns in the local paper always capture your attention, and they’re just plain ole good at creating successful marketing techniques. Many times, they utilize storytelling in their ads and content, which connects with their customers. This shows every copywriter why it is important to actively engage with your client base and make things fun. Create something that is unique to your company and that people will enjoy. In The End… Use Target as inspiration for how to engage with your customer base and how to have fun with your content strategy. Having fun is a huge element in the majority of Target’s marketing campaign and it sure works like a charm! You’ll start seeing excellent results if you follow some of Target’s great copywriting strategies.

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

9 Content Strategies to Get Unstuck from a Content Rut

June 19, 2024April 17, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Are you a new business, a mid-size to large business, or any other size business with a stagnant online marketing campaign? Do you feel your online presence is not really going places yet? Let’s talk about how to get you on the road to success! Here are a few ways to stop stagnating and come up with new, fresh material that will make readers love you: 1. Don’t Stop Your Yapping We’ve all heard someone, somewhere say “stop your yapping” but when it comes to content marketing strategies, if you aren’t yapping you’ll start drowning. Talk about your content with other marketers within your company and start sharing ideas. Someone will have at least one idea, but are too scared to share. Opening up a sharing ground will be a great way to begin getting out of the stagnant content marshland and beginning to create new content strategies that will be the bee’s-knees, the cat’s pajamas, and the best darn content out on the Internet. 2. Spot Those Problem Areas Get your magnifying glass out and get ready to find those problem areas in your content. We know you really love what you have published and you just cannot understand why no one is reacting to your wonderfully crafted content. While it may be amazing and well written, if it is not bringing people in, there is a problem and you have to find it to move on. When you begin to correct the problem area and find a new, impactful way to create content, Moz suggests that you create a small list of goals you would like to accomplish. They urge writers and marketers not to spread themselves too thin when creating these goals. If you are trying to juggle twenty semi-important goals instead of, say, five important ones, you will find yourself burning out quickly and the content will continue to be stagnant and not have any sort of impact whatsoever. Once you have found the problem, it is time to make a strategy. 3. Ender Didn’t Beat the Buggers With Luck He beat them with strategy. If you do not know the story of Ender Wiggin, check out Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. In this story, Ender is chosen to be the leader of humanity in a war against an alien race referred to as “buggers.” Ender had to do a lot of strategizing and learning from his mistakes before he finally beat them at their game. This goes for your content. You can’t just whip something up and expect it to go viral in an instant. If you constantly just write or create stuff and throw it out there without a strategy, you will see your content marketing campaign going stagnant and you will watch as your viewers back away with looks of consternation. Do not let that happen! Start working on that strategy and learn from your mistakes. Your mistakes are your best teaching tool. You will learn what needs to change if you are willing to open up your mind to take those mistakes as learning aids and not failures. 4. Everyone’s a Critic The Internet is a lovely place of opportunity, but can turn into a stinking quagmire of criticism quickly. Many people say, “Avoid the comments!” because this is where most of the horrible criticism is but you should not let that bring you down and stop you from producing great content. Just because someone says it is awful does not mean it really is. Take a lesson from some famous, classic authors. One critic of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn said the book was, “No better in tone than the dime novels which flood the Blood-and-Thunder reading population.” Did that stop him from continuing to write his amazing novels? No! So, do not let those comments stop you from promoting your company and producing your content. However, by avoiding the comments section your content will become stale. Within those horrible comments are some real gems of information. You will be able to learn what people like or dislike and can implement that into your new content strategy. Many authors have used negative reviews as a way to grow their writing, hence becoming national bestsellers. 5. You Do Not Have a T.A.R.D.I.S. So stop acting as if you do. If you spend all day in meetings, chat with coworkers over lunch, and work through your mountain of emails every day, you will find your content is beginning to stink like a disgusting swampy pond. Swat those mosquitoes away and start managing your time. No time machine will be here to take you back and, according to the Doctor, you can’t cross your time stream anyway. Business2Community points out that humans tend to be more alert in the morning. Sure, we all may be groggy without our morning cup of coffee but we also do not have a whole days’ worth of worries and to-dos floating around in our brains. We can think much clearer in the morning and, in fact, many people come up with some of their best ideas in the morning. The first thing to do when you get to work is to carve out about 30 to 45 minutes to sit and think. Start brainstorming and you will see that you come up with some pretty epic ideas! 6. Become a Lurker Lurking is creepy when done in real life but it can be very beneficial on the Internet. We aren’t talking about Facebook stalking, rather going to the different social media sites and looking at what is trending or what articles Buzzfeed and Upworthy are currently posting. Apart from Buzzfeed and Upworthy, HubSpot also suggests listening to new TED talks. TED talks are really interesting and provide amazing inspiration on a variety of topics. Gaining web inspiration is an excellent way to learn new information and to begin to spruce up your content marketing. While you’re at it, how about looking for inspiration from your competitors? We know … Read more