Posted by:
Michel Fortin
January 12, 2010
Issue #840
A while back, a bunch of copywriters who also blog – like yours truly – shot the breeze on the Nuts and Blogbolts talk radio show.
It was an interesting and, at times, spirited discussion.
After some talk about content and copy (or should I say, writing content versus writing copy), the show’s host, Mike Sansone, asked each panelist if we would individually respond on our blogs to this question:
“Writing for the visitor is more important than writing for the search engines. Can both be met without sacrificing quality?”
Ryan Healy posted his answer on the subject. Good answer. I agree with him, because he makes some great points. But I also disagree as I think there are ways around it.
So I guess my answer is both “yes” and “no.” Here’s why.
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Posted by:
Michel Fortin
November 17, 2009
Issue #802
A student, who is an upcoming copywriter, recently asked where he could find clients willing to pay higher rates for his skills.
Having built a client base through networking on Internet forums geared towards start-up business owners, he now wanted to find opportunities that would allow for upward mobility within his craft.
This is a common scenario, because local and especially start-up businesses are easy to find, and provide plenty of opportunities to practice your emerging copywriting skills.
In a previous article, I talked about three tips for aspiring copywriters. I recommend any new copywriter to follow these three tips to start building a track record and get to a level that makes them appealing to higher-paying clients.
But after your copywriting skills are developed, however, it becomes desirable if not necessary to seek out clients — better, more lucrative clients — who are established enough to pay a fair wage for your skills and, above all, your results.
Granted, making this transition to a busier, in-demand copywriter who commands higher fees requires breaking out of your comfort zone and delving into new networks to increase the likelihood of rubbing shoulders with your target market.
(As the saying goes, “If you want to become a millionaire, hang out with other millionaires.” This is true in networking as it is in developing the millionaire mindset.)
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Posted by:
Michel Fortin
September 8, 2009
Issue #754
Warning! This article is open, candid, and unabashed. And it uses stronger language than the norm. — Michel Fortin
Lately, I’m seeing a lot of posts in public forums and blogs these days about people getting really sick and tired of seeing “crappy,” “hypey,” used-car, Ginsu-like, looooong copy.
Some of them come from guru-bashing naysayers, which I always take with a grain of salt. But many of them are intelligent and commonsensical. I object to much of the former, but the latter are interesting because I believe that, while negative feedback does have its place, it’s often misplaced.
Here’s why.
They blame long copy when all too often it’s not the copy’s fault. Or more importantly, it’s not because of the length. Let’s get something clear off the bat: Long, Ginsu-like copy does work. It has always worked. It will always work. And it’s here to stay.
But (and it’s a big “but”) …
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Posted by:
Michel Fortin
August 25, 2009
Issue #744
There’s an interesting debate going on in my copywriting forum, about copy cosmetics and specifically the formatting of headlines and sub-headlines.
My post here is not to discuss those issues directly. I’ll reserve that for another article.
However, I do want to add my thoughts on one issue that seems to keep coming back in the forum — the issue of using long-winded, excessively wordy headlines that are prevalent on websites nowadays.
One extremely talented member, JayKay, is a graphic designer with a flair for direct response. His thoughtful—and often thought-provoking (and sometimes controversial) — posts are a wonder to read. And, a breath of fresh air.
Here’s why.
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Posted by:
Michel Fortin
August 11, 2009
Issue #734
I love social media. And I love trying and testing new stuff. If there’s some new social media tool, website, or community, I’ll be one of the first ones to try it out.
But there is a limit. And I think we need to be careful. Because social media is like a drug. It can become dangerously addictive. It can even kill your business.
Social media seems to be the current fad. Everybody’s in on it like it’s one big cocktail party you just don’t want to leave.
But the way social media is currently being touted, hyped up, and used (or should I say, abused), is reminiscent of something that happened way back in the 90s.
(I’ll come back to this in a moment.)
Yesterday, I watched a brilliant video by Loren Feldman. Feldman has a tell-it-like-it-is style. While he may be blunt and use strong language to voice his opinion, he is never afraid to voice it. Regardless of what I think of his style, his video resonated with me.
In it, he drove home an important point. I believe what he talked about is not only right, but also something we need to realize and become wise about before we needlessly kill our businesses. And that’s ignoring the most important place on the Web …
… Our own websites.
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