Get Your Exclusive Report on Quality Writers & Effective Content
We’re tired of the same old newsletters, emails filled with ads, pitches for products, and lists of blog posts we read when they were published in their RSS feed (or on Twitter).
If we’re going to sign up for a newsletter, we want to get something for it. We want something of value that every other man and his dog who visits the website doesn’t get. That’s why we created Hot Topics from Angie’s Copywriting.
A New Kind of Newsletter
By signing up to our email list, you’ll get access to unique, in-depth information you can’t get anywhere else.
You’ll also get:
- great discounts that actually amount to something
- access to products/services before anyone else
- opportunities no one else will get
- and insider news about Angie’s Copywriting, tests we’re running, contest we’re holding
- much, much more
In short, this is a newsletter you actually want to be on, and we know you’ll be upset if you miss it!
Your Sneak Peak of This Month’s Issue
We won’t give you all the goods found in this month’s issue of Hot Topics. (You can get access by signing up here.) That would be cheating, but but we will let you in on a few of the juicy tidbits you’ll find inside it.
If you’ve been searching for a decent book on SEO copywriting, look no further than Practical SEO Copywriting, by Glenn Murray. We’ve reviewed the book here before, but if you look in this month’s issue of Hot Topics, you’ll get a huge 35% discount on this and other books Glenn has written.
He’s never given such a huge discount before, so combined with his money-back guarantee, you can’t go wrong. Get it. You won’t be sorry.
We also gave list members access to our exclusive report on writers, education, and quality content. If you hire writers, are a writer yourself, or produce quality content, you definitely want to see this report.
Inside the exclusive report, you’ll find out what 8 of the industry’s biggest experts had to say about:
- hiring writers
- how much education plays a role in producing quality content
- what they look for in a writer
- what degree a writer should consider to improve their content
- what university education (or lack thereof) has done for their business
- what traits content has to have to be effective
- and much more insider information
This report is huge. We learned a ton doing it, and we’re sure you will, too.
In fact, those who got a sneak peak at it were shocked by the huge amount of information in it. They also said it’s a really engaging read (which convinced us to release the entire report, instead of just half of it.).
(Courtesy of April Allen of Aprill.net)
Wanna know something else? It’s also the only one like it available online.
What are you waiting for? Get signed up and get your copy now!
Horror Movies, Great Copywriting & Profitable Websites
The other night, I was working away at my computer watching “Paranormal State” on Netflix (New to Canada! YAY!) and because it isn’t exactly a show for my kidlet, I plugged in my headphones. The apartment eventually got dark, but because I’m quite a connoisseur of scary stuff, I didn’t pay much attention. It takes a lot for a movie to scare me.
Suddenly, I heard something move to my left, and I admit it: It scared the crap out of me! I yanked the earphones out of my ears and literally looked to make sure I was alone.
Of course, I laughed at myself. It was silly, but the show and my own habits set me up to freak out and do exactly what I did. It did scare me enough to start thinking though…how similar are scary movies to good websites? Is there anything I can learn here?
(Credit)
Scary Movies Bring Everything Together
Horror movies use our minds to scare us. Every element works to gain our trust, suck us into the story, and make us part of the story…the music, the images, the sounds…it all fits together perfectly.
Websites aren’t supposed to scare us…well, some are, but generally speaking, they’re not supposed to. What they are supposed to do, however, is to gain our trust, suck us into the sales funnel, and make us buy into the ultimate goal. Every element needs to work together to do it.
The Perfect Introduction
If you’ve ever watched Paranormal State, you’ll notice it starts off with a black screen, completely devoid of everything except simple white lettering. The sounds are reminiscent of something banging on the pipes and other sounds you’d normally hear at the scariest points of a movie.
The message is written clearly, simply, and is very much to the point. The text is in a font you’d normally see used on official paperwork, and before the show even starts, you know the entire show will be presented from an investigative standpoint.
Websites and copywriting need to set up the visitor instantly. The first thing they notice should already tell them what to expect from the rest of the site. If you were to think of your website like a movie, it should give hints about the main elements of the plot.
Not sure what the plot for your website or copywriting should be? Here are a few tips:
- Start with the end in mind – Decide where you want visitors to be at the end of their visit. Hopefully, this is at the end of a conversion.
- Decide where each ‘viewer’ starts - Websites are a lot like a ‘choose your own adventure story’. Your job is to figure out where each segment will land and begin their journey. Even though they may start at multiple locations, they should have a similar theme.
- Connect the Dots - Make a note of all the important ‘intersections’ for each of your conversion paths and make sure each visitor can go through the ‘story’ without getting lost. Can they skip to the end at any time?
(Credit)
Focus Attention On the Most Important Information
In a scary movie, you’ll notice that only one element, sound, visual stimuli, or script, will peak at any one time while the foundation of the story is being laid. At the key points where you’re being drawn into the story, only one element will build tension. This might be a character talking while nothing notable can be seen onscreen, or it might be the music slowly building the tension while all is quiet and still.
Then, as you near the climax of the movie, you’ll hear the intensity build in two of the elements. The music will intensify as the characters begin to realize whatever it is the climax will be. You’re naturally pulled into the storyline and find yourself experiencing the story yourself. Waiting. Wondering. Wanting to know. The climax? All three elements reach their peak.
Now, think of your conversion process.
While it may not be as noticeable in a shorter process, ecommerce stores make it relatively easy to plan out. Think about it:
You start the story by landing on the site. Already getting an idea of what you should be looking for, you follow a category or click on a product page.
Once there, the theme of your visit surrounds this main piece, giving you information, and convincing you to purchase that item. There are other paths you could take, other products you could purchase, but the main focus should be centered on the product you initially chose. In short, even though there are other elements present, the other stimuli should be muted and naturally direct focus on the main path.
From there, you place your item in the shopping cart. The end (the checkout button) should be calling to you, but things like sales, free shipping if you buy $X more, and other offers should be intensifying. They’re all indications of the climax to come.
By the time you’re done, you can’t help but think about how nice it will be to get your items in your home and in your very own hands. Clicking the checkout button? That’s the climax. The moment of relief from all the built up tension.
(Credit)
Every Story Has a Hero
No matter what kind of movie you watch, they always have a star. There is always one main character you can rely on to find happiness, save the day, or defeat the bad guys. This is where most of the focus is centered, and generally, where the story begins and ends.
Does your site have a hero? Does it have a product, a group of information, or offer that everyone can look to for help? Will it save the day?
The next time you watch a horror movie, or any good story, watch it, enjoy it, and be entertained, but watch it a second time. Take time to watch it with the sound off, listen to it without watching the screen, and if you can, read a script from the show. Make note of how the elements work together and how the movie draws you in until you convert and buy the story. Then, look at your own website, or get someone else to do it, and see if it does the same.
Protecting Your Content and Your Reputation — A Response
I want to respond to Kristi Hines’ post entitled ‘Protecting Your Content and Your Reputation’. While she does bring up a number of very valid points, I do have a number of points to add. After all, we’ve all had different experiences, learned a variety of different things, and I think we can all learn from it.
(Credit)
Having Submitted Work Edited
In a recent post giving advice to site owners on hosting guest posts, I recommend site owners make writers aware of what they’re editing. Unfortunately, many of them don’t follow this advice. Now, as a writer, I have to admit it annoys the heck out of me to have work edited and cut for no reason. From a site owner’s perspective, however, I really dislike a writer freaking out when I edit their content.
Why do I do it? Several reasons, aside from spelling and grammar, there are space constraints, optimum length for my readers, to fit in with my site theme and focus, etc. It also depends if it’s my site or not. If it isn’t mine, I tend to edit out extremely controversial points for the sake of my client. Bottom line, editing is a fact of life for a writer, so if it’s vital that the content remain exactly the same, sharing content may not be for you.
Policies and Income Generation
I personally have a big beef with this one, and not Kristi’s points either. Terms and conditions are nasty if you fail to check these out before sending in work. However, there are a number of assumed laws to be aware of. For example, Australian writers hold the rights to their work even if they’ve sold it. In other countries, the rights change hands as soon as the money does. (I cover this in my contract.) You need to be just as cautious of the ‘understood’ rules as you do the printed ones. On the same hand, never assume anything. I’ve learned the hard way to always get everything in writing.
Posting your work on sites that use ad revenue are a waste of any serious writer’s time. Trust me. I’ve tried it and I’ve yet to find a method that works well with these sites save for one: mass produce a creepload of content and spread it everywhere. You’re far better off spending the time to write decent content and using it to directly market yourself via a website or blog.
So long as you’re getting something of what you consider to be equal value in return for your content, you aren’t exactly losing it. For example, links, traffic, and money are common currency in a writer’s world, and as far as I get what I agree on initially, I’m happy with that. The important thing is to make sure the tradeoff is worth it to you and that you get it in writing! Many times, I’ve traded copy for something else and not gotten it in the end. Protect yourself.
(Credit)
Reputation Leakage and Image
This is a huge one in some respects, but not so much in others. You are definitely judged by the company you keep. Without a doubt! However, this works in both ways. Use your access to high-end sites to your advantage, but don’t fall into the common trap of marketing to your peers either.
You gain and lose authority according to your clients, not necessarily from your peers. They pay you, and what they care about is what kind of a job you can do for them, not how many invitations you get to the next major conference or who you sit with while you’re there. Don’t underestimate the importance of complementary businesses either. These can potentially generate a large amount of profits if you play your cards right.
And while I wouldn’t get into the habit of appearing on low grade sites, I think people put a little too much emphasis on negative PR. I’ve learned there really is no such thing as bad PR so long as you deal with it the right way. The short-term damage is often far worse than the long term.
In short, treat your online business as you would a brick and mortar store. If you conduct yourself in the same way, you’ll do fine and have nothing to worry about.
Writing for Free — How to Avoid ‘Copy Crooks’ and Get What You Deserve
There has been a particularly heavy run of scammers praying on writers these days. Some in particular have been extremely convincing. For example, ‘send in a resume and a requested writing sample and we’ll pay you big bucks to write for us.’
Unfortunately, this has sucked in a good number of newbie and experienced freelance writers. Don’t to fall for it!
Providing Writing Samples
Lots of clients and companies request a specific sample related to their industry. When you submit this sample, the idea is that the client will see how you write in their industry and what kind of knowledge you have about it. Unfortunately, those who are crooked will take the sample and just never bother to contact you. Never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever submit a writing sample.
Don’t fear however, there are ways around this little hiccup to satisfy both the client and the writer.
Send links to work you have done previously, or a link to your online portfolio. Whatever you use for this should be diverse enough that the client can see what you’re capable of.
If it is something you want so badly and you have no other choice but to submit a sample, consider writing the piece and adding little tidbits of hidden text. It can’t be just any kind of hidden text, however. Add a standard phrase such as ‘Angie Nikoleychuk‘ and add it to the end of a paragraph in the middle of the sample. Once you’ve done that, set up a Google Alert specifically for the ‘security phrase’. When they attempt to use it, you’ll be instantly notified.
I’ve found that generally works brilliantly. After all, if the scum bag is too lazy to write his or her own piece and too lazy to pay anyone to do it, they are most likely too lazy to read through the entire article. You might also want to consider including these pieces in places such as CopySentry. (The cost is deductible in many instances 
)
Writing ‘On Spec’
Writing ‘on spec’ means you write up the piece according to the instructions given by the client. Submit it to them to the client for their inspection. If they like it, you get paid. If they don’t, you have to rewrite it or the client moves on to another writer.
While this might sound like a fair practice, this is the number one way writers often get screwed out of their money and their work. How? You submit your best piece of writing and the client ‘rejects’ it. However, two weeks later, you’ll either find it plastered all over the Internet with a different by-line, or they will have someone rewrite your piece for a dollar or two and make thousands with it.
Granted, not all clients will do this, but it happens all too often to try it.
Require all clients to give 50% of the project up front. This way, if they take your draft copy (or original piece) and fail to come back with the rest, at least you’ll have something to cover your efforts. Also, this is a good way to get rid of the scammers right off the top. On larger writing projects, I will even ask for 50% up front, 30% halfway through, and the remaining 20% at the end. The client demonstrates a small bit of faith in me, and I demonstrate a certain amount of trust in them.
Writers hate asking, clients hate handing it over, but you only have to get cheated out of a pay check once to get over it.
When Is It Ok to Write for Free?
I don’t generally write anything for free, but like anything, there are exceptions to the rule. In some instances, the exposure is an equal trade off for the money. In some instances, the opportunity to write about the topic is more than enough to peak my interest.
My article for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, my guest post at Search Engine People, and even SEO Scoop are great examples of this. These were all opportunities that I rather quite enjoyed doing and don’t often get the opportunity to cover in my daily work. Combine that with the great exposure, and I was more than compensated for my efforts.
So I guess the moral of the story is, unless you are sure you get something from it for 100% sure, don’t give your work away for free! If that person wanted you to write it, your stuff is obviously worth the compensation!
The Single Biggest Way Professionals, Businesses and Freelancers Hinder Their Success
No one goes into business, or starts a career with the goal of failing. Everyone starts with the best of intentions, works hard, and does the best they can possibly do. But, you need to also remember that nothing ever stays the same. Everyone is always looking for a better/faster/more efficient way of doing things. Failing to keep up with these changes, as well as what’s going on in your industry, can literally degrade the quality of work you do as well as the service you provide.
Don’t see it? Take SEO, or search engine optimization, for example. Say Google changes its algorithm, which determines how it organizes and presents search results. If you don’t keep up on what these changes are, you can’t adapt your methodologies and techniques accordingly. This means you are unable to do your job, and may even cause your clients to suffer terrible penalties by the search engines.
As a writer who provides a large amount of SEO copy and articles for marketing, I am passionate about the SEO industry and associated news. However, I also need to keep up on what’s going on in the writing industry as well as the areas my clients are involved in.
Is this time consuming and take a lot of work? You bet it does, but it I owe it to my clients. I wouldn’t feel right about doing my job and having others pay me otherwise.
You can find the latest news and information just about anywhere. Belonging to the right groups is often a good start. For me, I find Twitter keeps me up on all the important news bits and information in terms of writing and SEO. I am a huge user of Google Alerts and Social Media searches and monitoring. Lastly, I have an extensive RSS reader that pulls feeds from some of the most influential blogs and bloggers in these industries.
Of course, there’s other benefits to this as well. I’ve become well-versed in many different areas, which satisfies my information obsession. The amount of unexpected things I’ve learned and had the pleasure to do has been amazing. It is these things that really make this ‘job’ the absolute best I’ve ever had.
It has also allowed me to get in contact with and become great friends with great people from all industries and walks of life. There is always a good conversation or debate somewhere. When I’m having a down day, or an extremely stressful moment, or am having one of those ‘OMG what am I doing moments’, I always have support and the backing I need to succeed. I hope that I can do as much for them.
If you are not keeping up with your industry, you are doing yourself and your career just as much of a disservice as you are your clients.
