“Voice and tone” is one of the most important — yet most confusing — concepts ever known to both writers and non-writers alike. Part of the confusion comes from the fact that voice and tone are talked about together as if they are one and the same. (They are not.)
It’s an important concept because voice and tone can help distinguish you, your brand, your company, your business.
It’s confusing because rarely are the terms clearly defined.
Until now.
For example, my voice on this blog is identical to the voice I use in my workshops and at client meetings because it’s a reflection of me. It’s how I teach, talk, train, converse.
My tone, however, changes depending on my audience. On this blog, I skew towards the informal but never the irreverant; however, with a new client, my tone tends to be much more formal.
Still confused? Think about a recent conversation with your kids. What you said to them is your voice. How you said it is your tone. Same goes with copy, both online and off.
Ever been confused about voice and tone? Share your comments, ask your questions and let’s discuss.
No CommentsFor many, many reasons, I’m an unabashed fan of publicity guru Marcia Yudkin. And, because I’m an affiliate of hers, I have access to some of her resources to share with my readers.
So, today, I’m making Marcia Yudkin my guest blogger and reprinting (with permission, of course) this article. (Be sure to check out the link at the bottom of the article for information about a very special report.)
Location, Location: Geography in Web Marketing and SEO
by Marcia Yudkin
When you’re hunting online for a roofer, bicycle repair shop or optometrist, one of the first screening criteria you use when looking at web sites is “Are they nearby?” You want that question answered in the first five seconds after landing on a company’s site.
Sounds obvious, right? Yet during my judging of sites for the Webby Awards this year (my eighth time), failing to state clearly and prominently where the business operates is a common error, made by architectural firms, real estate developers, a one-state restaurant directory, a regional chain of hospitals, environmental engineers and others.
If you work nationally or internationally, web visitors might not realize that unless you say something like “From our headquarters in St. Cloud, Minnesota, we work with clients throughout North America and Europe.” Or, “Thanks to telephone conference calls and web-based collaboration tools, we can serve you regardless of where you live.”
Specifying your location and service area also helps you rank higher when shoppers search for a provider via geographical words. When you have a location-relevant business, don’t use only one geographical phrase, use many of them.
For instance, let’s suppose you have a pest-control business in Milford, Connecticut and serve customers within a 20-mile radius of your headquarters. One option that would help you come up in web searches would be to list all the towns you service. You could place such a list in a sidebar column and introduce it with “Getting rid of bugs and rodents in…”
Besides naming towns where you operate, you should think of general terms for your area, including the name of the county, the nearest big city, town neighborhoods and any local nicknames for your surroundings, so that you incorporate phrases like “Greater New Haven,” “New Haven area,” “New Haven suburbs” and “Naugatuck Valley.”
Where should you insert your location terms when location is central to your business? Always insert your most important location term in at least these four places: 1)Your graphical top banner. This is the picture that appears not only on top of your home page but also on top of major every page of your site. 2) Your page title. This is the wording that shows up in the upper left corner of your visitor’s browser. 3) Along the bottom of every page (designers call this the “footer”) along with your telephone number. 4) On the Contact page.
In addition, search engine optimization experts recommend you include location words: 5) In the alt-tag for the site’s top banner. The alt-tag is the little label that shows up when a user puts their mouse over an image. 6) In alt-tags for other graphics and photos included in the site. 7) Wherever appropriate, in photo captions. A caption is the line or two below a photo that identifies what’s in it.
Finally, try to include at least your most important geographical term in page headlines and subheads. These should be coded with the html command “h1” and “h2,” respectively.
By taking these measures, you maximize the chances that people looking for what you sell where you sell it can find you online. You also maximize the chances that when they reach your site, they realize quickly that you operate in the area they’re searching for. You then have the opportunity to turn your web site visitor into a customer.
Marcia Yudkin is the author of 11 books and publisher of the popular newsletter, The Marketing Minute. Ideas and techniques for getting found in geographical searches are part of her report, “Do-It-Yourself SEO: 16 Simple Tweaks That Increase Search Engine Traffic to Your Site.” It’s easy to follow and just $29.95: http://www.1automationwiz.com/app/?Clk=2705549
No CommentsSurely you’ve heard of “low-hanging fruit.” Somebody invariably says it in a planning meeting … “What’s the low-hanging fruit?” meaning what opportunity is there to achieve/complete/do something quickly and easily that will have a positive payoff.
I use this same principle when approaching web copy. Working from a site map (and if you’re not using an information architect or IA, you’re nuts, plain and simple), I NEVER start with the home page; rather, I start with the low-hanging fruit.
I’ll write the Contact Us page and the About Us section first. Why? Because they’re usually simple, straightforward and an easy way to get me in the mindset and find the voice and tone of the company or brand. Only after I’ve built some momentum do I tackle other, more challenging pages.
There’s also something encouraging and freeing about checking off three, four or five pages of copy. And every time I share this tip in my workshop, people go nuts.
That’s the beauty of a simple, but powerful solution.
1 CommentI just picked up Guy Kawasaki’s newest book, Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition and the front cover had a compelling paragraph I just had to share.
The paragraph is why this mega-entrepreneur wrote this particular book — and it’s also why he has such a following.
Read on for a beautiful example of original, attention-getting copy in a unique voice that coaxes, entices and begs the reader to want to know more. It’s one for my swipe file, that’s for sure:
No CommentsI wanted to provide hardcore information to hardcore people who want to kick ass, and I wanted it in something you can hold in your hand — a book. Why? Because a book boosts up faster than a blog and is not dependent on Internet connectivity, battery life, or the ineptness of HTML printing.
This administration is touting “a new level of transparency” both in government and communication about that government, and has pledged to “use technology to reform government and improve the exchange of information.”
Merriam-Webster defines transparency as: “free from pretense or deceit, frank, easily detected or seen through, obvious, readily understood.”
I say, “Bravo!” for transparent communication … especially in business.
Remember, communication only happens when a message is sent, received and understood. Here’s my clear communication checklist to help you promote transparent communication between you and your constituents.
Does/is your communication:
In my opinion, transparency in communication is not that difficult to achieve from a tactical standpoint; it does, however, require you, your team, your business and your brand to make a real commitment to transparency. Are you in?
No CommentsOnline entrepreneur, and former copywriter, Alexandria Brown wrote this for a recent ezine. With permission, I’m reprinting it here because she’s spot-on about so many things, such as finding the person who’s the right fit, allowing enough time for copywriting, and fueling your copywriter with the right stuff.
“8 Things You MUST Know Before Hiring a Copywriter”
by Ali Brown
If you’re considering hiring copywriting help for your next sales letter, brochure, website, or marketing project. Congrats! You should get great results if you hire a pro to do it right.
Many solo-preneurs have valid concerns about letting an outsider develop their content. After all — it’s your business, you know it best, and your image is critical. However, you’re wrapped up in your business every day.
A good copywriter can see your business in a new light, draw out the key benefits of your products and services, and communicate that excitement to your clients and prospects.
Working with a writer isn’t complicated, however it will benefit you tremendously to become familiar with how the relationship typically works and ways to help the process move along smoothly. So, here are my top 8 tips on how to choose and work with a copywriter:
1. Understand what you’re trying to accomplish.
Streamline the writing process by figuring out the principal points you need to communicate — *before* you bring in a writer. Who is your target audience? What is your message? What is unique about your business? In what tone do you want to speak to your reader?
And most important: What response do you ideally want the reader to make? Having this information agreed upon BEFORE you get a writer involved will save you unnecessary copy revisions and keep your costs down.
2. Have a realistic schedule.
Rushed work usually means it’ll be expensive… or just plain bad! Avoid hastily hiring a copywriter and dumping a rush job on her. Not only will you not have time to thoroughly check her experience and references, but, no matter how wonderfully talented she is, her first draft will not be ‘fully cooked.’ Most copywriters need some time to let words and ideas simmer.
Most writers will request several WEEKS to develop your copy, so set a realistic schedule to give the creative process ample time. Count on going through one or two revisions as your writer refines the piece and conveys the key benefits of what you’re promoting.
3. Make sure the writer has written for the *medium* you want.
Let’s say you need someone to re-energize the copy on your Web site. A freelancer who has only written magazine articles won’t likely have the skills to create content for a dynamic Web site. She’s probably not proficient at breaking-up copy into easily digestible bits, integrating hyperlinks that entice your users to take action, and keeping your end-user in mind to plan a friendly, easily-navigable site.
She may be able to learn how, but you’ll be paying for her slow ramp-up speed. Take time instead to find the right person — it will save you many headaches down the road.
4. Experience within your industry isn’t always necessary.
When I was a copywriter myself, I heard many prospects say, ‘So you’ve never written for a _______ company before?’ A valid concern on your part, but don’t worry. A writer’s ability to write well for the medium is typically more important than her having prior experience in your industry.
Many writers are true generalists and write just as well for an edgy new media start-up as they do for a giant hospital network. They’re very proficient at diving into your business, learning it inside and out, and churning out great copy to entice your target market.
Now of course, if you’re producing a technically oriented business-to-business Web site or marketing piece, you may want to hire a writer with experience in both your project’s medium and your industry. If you find a good one, hold on tightly and pay well. You’ve struck gold!
5. Ask for references, and contact them.
All writers can show you samples of well-written material, but how do you know if they’ll work to understand your communication needs, meet deadlines, and act professionally in front of your clients? Any great copywriter should have an ample list of references that she can share with you. Be sure to contact at least two of them, and ask them about her weaknesses as well as her strengths.
6. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for.
It amazes me how businesspeople will drop thousands of dollars on Web or print design and hesitate to spend half as much on great copy. Pictures and design enhance your message, but jeez folks …the writing IS your message!
Good copywriting does not come cheaply — you’ll find writers who charge anywhere from $75 – $250 per hour and up. You’ll pay on the higher side for an experienced writer, one with a particular specialty, or one who’s also a proficient editor. (Many writers are also great editors, but not all writers are editors, and vice versa.)
Veteran sales letter pros typically charge high flat fees, and I know of a few colleagues who charge up to $100,000.00 for one single salesletter, plus royalties. But you can find good copywriters for much less.
7. Work on more than a handshake.
True writing pros will give you an agreement they’ve drawn up for you. However, you’ll occasionally find yourself having to draft an agreement for the project. This doesn’t have to be complex — a simple letter that you both sign should do fine. Be sure to include the project size, number of revisions included, timetable, and agreed fee (this can be a flat fee or hourly rate).
And don’t forget to ask what’s *not* included. For example, many writers charge extra for in-person meetings, research time, and weekend or rush work. You should also expect to pay an upfront retainer. Most writers charge one-third to one-half of the total project fee upfront, and many won’t begin your project until they have the signed agreement and check in hand. And if you have sensitive or proprietary information, don’t hesitate to have your writer sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
8. Give your writer background info at the start.
It often happens that a writer is hired for a large project, and the first thing she’s asked to do is come in and interview all the principals of the company. After several days of interviews, the writer is then handed the company’s brochures, annual report, and marketing plan.
If this background info had been given up front, the client could have saved hours of time and money! At the beginning of your project, pass on any and all previous and applicable info.
© 2001-2009 Alexandria Brown International Inc.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning ‘Highlights on Marketing & Success’ weekly ezine with 36,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.AlexandriaBrown.com
No CommentsThe husband just emailed me with news of layoffs at his workplace.
Not him. (Not yet, anyway.)
The negative impact of this current economy keeps inching closer and closer to home for all of us, it seems.
Still, there are some positives …
So, what are you doing to maximize your online presence in spite of budget cuts, resource curtailments and lean staffing?
The answer is copy, my friends. Copy.
It is among the most affordable (and need I say necessary) investment to make any time of year, in any economy.
There’s plenty of information, experts, books and resources to help guide you.
I could (and do) share tons and tons of copy ideas, tips, techniques and best practices on this blog, on twitter, in my newsletter, at workshops and anywhere anyone else will listen, so even those with the strictest budgets can invest in making online copy improvements.
So what’s stopping you from creating more relevant, more compelling, more effective web copy?
No CommentsWith each passing January, I realize just how long I’ve been writing. I say it’s been 20+ years but it’s really been a lifetime.
At the age of 3, I became a self-proclaimed writer by scribbling “mmmm” on a piece of paper. At the age of 10, I submitted a handwritten short story to (and got my first rejection from) our local newspaper’s Sunday magazine. In college, I wrote resumes and bad, angst-filled poetry. At my first real job, I wrote anything and everything from TV scripts to commercials to taglines to correspondence.
And then there were the days of typing and mimeographing midterms for my college work-study program where I earned the nickname “Machine Gun” for my super-fast typing skills; the days of the literal cut-and-paste style of editing at a regional magazine; and the days of interviewing a little-known Tim Zagat about the Zagat Survey‘s move to something strange, new and wonderful called the World Wide Web.
Suffice it to say, I’ve seen a lot of changes in the way we prepare the written word for consumption.
Yet, some things never change …
And some things do change (thankfully) …
So let me venture a few predictions — trends, really — that should, from my perspective, impact or change copy and the approach to it in 2009.
Consumer-Generated Content Expands
Look for more companies to open the way for both B2C and B2B audiences to participate in real dialogue with them. Watch for more brands to use Twitter to generate conversation starters — conversations that will find their way into the copy strategy behind television commercials, print ads and web content.
Video Content Surges
The popularity of video as entertainment will give way to video as critical communication tool. In the early months and years, however, video content strategy will be overlooked or under-resourced by everyone but the most savvy marketers.
The Value of Original Content Rises
Consumers will continue to demand fresh, thought-provoking content, which will require an investment in resources and a commitment to quality where copy is concerned. If consumers don’t get it? They’ll be extremely vocal about finding it elsewhere or creating it themselves.
Content Aggregation Grows
Content aggregation sites like Alltop.com will drive businesses to use human content aggregation to better organize their own content in ways that are more meaningful to audiences.
Mobile Content Extends Its Reach
Demand for mobile content delivery will become more urgent — which means more companies need to make their web sites and blogs phone-friendly.
SEO & Content Get Happily Married
Companies will become zealous about balancing the need for optimizing online copy for search with the need to publish copy that’s relevant and interesting to audiences.
Total Team Education Becomes High Priority
Companies will happily invest in expert-led training workshops and resources, especially as it relates to social media and Web 2.0 strategies.
Partnerships Form, Storm, Norm & Perform
Collaboration between companies and outside resources, such as web copy experts, communication strategists and online media buyers, will grow exponentially as companies realize the bottom line benefit of niche-based strategic planning.
Agree or disagree with my predictions? Post a comment to voice your opinion.
No CommentsHere’s a question I asked on LinkedIn back in December and the subsequent discussion. I thought I’d share the dialogue since we talked about the “untalked about” such as:
Special thanks to my “guest bloggers” for their keen insight. These folks had a lot of great things to add to the conversation. Read on to see what they (and I) have to say, then continue the conversation by adding your comments and opinions to this post.
My Original Question:
When it comes to web copy, what’s your (or your client’s) biggest challenge?
Answer #1:
In my experience, trying to get clients to understand that web copy is different than print copy is difficult. People don’t read copy in a web site they way they do a print piece and very rarely are they going to read it all! We’ve always tried to get clients to use headlines and bullets to separate content and make it easier for someone to find the information they are looking for when skimming pages. To add another twist, you need to have keyword rich content for SEO purposes. There are so many things to consider to write good clean copy that converts customers.
Answer #2:
Web sites often take a bad turn when user interface and web copy experts are not brought in to a web redesign process early enough and, therefore, appropriate use cases are not developed and planned for in the site. Use cases, for example, often don’t take into consideration where visitors are coming from and where they are in the education or buying process. It is easy to forget that we never sell anything … people buy things and we need to make that buying process as easy as possible. Design, copy and information architecture all has to work hand in hand, as a team so to speak. The process takes time and great thoughtfulness and one has to get to an outside-in view on their organization … not the typical inside-out view most organizations take. Anyone ever been to a web site that reads like a brochure — and a bad one at that?
My Reply:
Thanks for your comments and input. I couldn’t agree more with both of you. It is a delicate balance in achieving effective, readable copy that is optimized for search but, of course, it’s very doable. And I especially appreciate that you realize the value of bringing in web copy experts at the beginning of a project. In working with a wide range of clients to develop web copy that is on brand, on message and optimized for search, I find that clients typically overlook one very important thing: their customer. As you said, many companies take an “inside out” approach and I find this to be especially true when they speak to their customers. My goal is to help companies find and use their voice when communicating with their customers — both online and off.
Answer #3:
Wow. Big topic. There a lot of angles to copy that complicate it. Your question asks what’s the biggest challenge with copy. Its a tough question because there isn’t a lot of good advice or absolutes about it. It’s almost always a “depends on the situation.” Sure there are some web copy baselines, like ones mentioned above (concise where possible, use of headlines, etc.), but writing copy depends greatly on its application in a given site. I have a few questions that I use to gain greater insight to the context of copy’s role in a given place- it helps bring focus to the writing process:
~~What is content?~~
Big provocative question to start, but an important one. Often the web development process separates visual design from copy content, resulting in a site where words are most definitely working nearly on their own and can be written as such (assuming a good creative brief and IA have been completed). But, in other cases a “high design” site will depend on the integration of copy with visual design. This type of content development requires a different process — designers and writers working o together with an interaction designer, many storyboards and pots of coffee.
~~Who is your user?~~
It was mentioned above. You can’t forget your user. Of course, everyone talks about their user, but do you know what motivates them? What kind of language resonates with them? Also, “them” represents a potentially diverse set of users who have varying motivations, purposes for visiting, etc. Finding the right way to message to a diverse group is at the center of “all things web strategy.” The way to deal with this is probably in a book-to-be-written, but for the sake of this discussion, I’ll just say its important to (1) identify whether you have a diverse psychographic user set and (2) prioritize them demographically ahead of time for the sake of conflict resolution with your team.
~~Why is copy important?~~
It seems silly, but I always ask the question. It seems defacto to believe carefully crafted copy is important to the success of the site, and most of the time it is. Sometimes though, its not worth putting resources at something that success if not dependent on. Fact of the matter is that some sites don’t have or need a lot of copy, or copy is generated by some of other means, such as the users themselves, dynamically aggregated, etc. Copy is sometime most important for its impact on SEO. Of course another complicated beast, but when your search engine performance is crucial, resources need to be committed to well-planned copy. Keyword density, linking and content order need to page addressed on a page-by-page basis. And, often pages that do not seem important, actually are because of their impact on how search engines see your site. When writing copy, know why you are writing it. Sometimes its to persuade people, sometimes its to persuade Google Bot. And sometimes, its guide the user and not get in the way.
~~Where are you?~~
Most content is written on a page-by-page basis. I think this is a great practice. Not just because its logical and manageable, but because it allows the writer to address the unique needs of each page. A writer should ask before each page, “Okay, where am I?” It’s critical to realize that when writing a page of content, the page lives in an environment. Not all pages work on their own; rather they work together in sequence with one another in a network of only slightly predictable user paths. A good exercise to make sense out of this is for each page, ask (1) who SHOULD visit this page?, (2) why did they arrive here? and (3) where might I want to send them next? You can probably think up others, but hopefully you get the point — good copy is dependent on its ability to serve the situations a page acts.
SO, what is the toughest challenge in web copy? Dealing with these dynamics and their effects on the writing process.
Answer #4:
Years ago at AOL/CompuServe/Netscape in Columbus, I worked with financial content and Forbes.com, which was one of my biggest providers. They quickly learned that their usual 14-page magazine articles were a total yawn on the Internet, so they’d massively edited them down for the web and we were very successful with those articles — especially “top 10″ lists. The web has attention-deficit disorder, so you’ve got less than 2-3 seconds to capture the user, so you better make it immediately worthwhile. Waste the user’s time and he’s gone to the next thing an instant. To answer your question as it pertains to me now, the challenge is to meet the above demands plus what the others above mention, and to also pass medical, legal and regulatory reviews.
My Reply #2:
You bring up an interesting challenge and one that I think is rarely talked about. You’re exactly right when you say users are more prone to clicking away if there’s no immediate payoff. That’s why companies need to understand (or remember) that interactive is both a “push” and a “pull” medium.
Our job is to create compelling interactive experiences rich with content that users both want and need. (Of course, content is not just copy, it’s also video, audio, PDFs, data, downloads, charts, music, presentations, etc.)
I hear you about the medical, legal and regulatory reviews … one great thing about the interactive space is that you can make those necessities available but non-intrusive, meaning that you can put a privacy policy, legal disclaimer, contest rules or T&C in a place where site visitors can see it or agree to it without cluttering up what they’re trying to do.
Remember, interactive is a task-oriented medium, so we must help them accomplish their task in a way that’s both engaging and easy. Still, we live in a litigious society, so medical, legal and regulatory reviews are all the more important; however, they must be balanced with the user experience.
I suspect, perhaps, that as a whole, we’ve kept an “us” and “them” mentality, with interactive services on one side and medical/legal/regulatory on the other. Wouldn’t it be interesting to open up a dialogue between the two sides and start looking at a holistic solution that serves the user and satisfies the regulatory side?
From my experience working with legal and medical review, we are often forced to acquiesce on content, sometimes to the detriment of the user experience and project goals. I’d love to see a more collaborative relationship between these two oft-times opposing sides.
And, with the explosion of user-generated content and social media influences, don’t you agree that it’s well past time we loosened the reins just a tiny bit on the “we can say this, but not that” mentality that’s pervaded the content approval process since before the internet age?
No Comments