7 Ways to Add Value to Your Next Online Copywriting Assignment With Social Media
By Nick Usborne

As an online copywriter, you can add enormous value to the relationships you have with your clients simply by including social media as an element within each assignment you take on.

In fact, you can also use your social media expertise to attract a whole lot more copywriting projects, from a wider variety of clients.

But, before we get into those seven ways … let’s first look at the impact of social media on ALL online marketing.

Social media is no longer an optional add-on. It’s taking center stage, at the heart of more and more online marketing campaigns. This is true of huge companies, like Ford, and tiny companies, like your favorate local restaurant.

Ford didn’t launch its latest Explorer model at an auto show, it launched it on Facebook.

Local restaurants and bars are spending less money on traditional advertising, and more on getting in front of people through services like Google Places and Facebook Places.

And, that’s just through the Web. Put smart phones in peoples’ hands, and they are finding places to meet and eat through Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp, and a host of other geo-location-based services.

Social media is changing the way companies market themselves, and it’s changing the way individuals find the products, services, and places they want.

For you, as an online copywriter, this can either be a hurdle, or a huge opportunity.

Bottom line … when a client asks you if you can help them integrate social media into your web-writing work, you have to be ready to say YES!

Okay, now let’s look at seven ways you can leverage social media expertise to add value to your online copywriting services.

(I’m not saying there are only seven ways. These are just seven examples.)

1. Add that sales message to more places

Let’s say you are writing a sales page for a major new product, service, or event. That’s a nice assignment. But, you don’t have to stop there. You can suggest they also create a dedicated Facebook page to help support the launch. Many companies have individual Facebook pages for each of their principal brands, products, and services.

You can then pick up the job to create and write the Facebook page.

2. Add a QR code to that email campaign

Maybe you’re working for a company that is promoting an event, a sale, or a special offer at a retail location. Sure, you can add a link in the email to a special offer page on their website. But, why not also include a QR code? (That’s one of those square, funky-looking bar codes.)

Readers can then scan the QR code on the email with their smart phones, click through to a mobile offer or discount page, and take that to the event or retail location — on their phone.

Anyone with a smart phone would prefer that to printing out a coupon from a website and having to take the paper coupon with them.

As for you, offer to write the mobile offer page.

3. Integrate social media plugins on home pages

If you are writing or rewriting a company’s home page, suggest they make it more current and interactive by including social plugins. They could show updates from their Facebook page, or the stream from their Twitter page. This is a great way to demonstrate that a company is active and engaging with their customers.

4. Use a Facebook Comments Box to add interactivity on article pages

Blog posts always have a comment function, so people can share their views on the author’s post. But, if you are adding content to a static website, you can now add a Facebook Comments Box. This gives your site page the same functionality as a blog post — allowing readers to comment, interact, and become engaged. (Engaged customers buy more often, and spend more.)

5. On customer service pages, suggest they include Twitter

If you are helping a client with their online customer service page, they may offer service by phone, email, and live chat. Well, you can step in and suggest they also use Twitter as a customer service channel. Some of the largest companies in the world now handle the majority of their customer service conversations through Twitter. (Check out twitter.com/comcastcares/)

6. Write shareable web content

Maybe you are already skilled in optimizing web content pages for the major search engines. But, did you know you can also optimize them for social media? Social Media Optimization — SMO — can have a huge impact on how widely a page is spread and shared through social media channels.

Next time you write a content page, ask your client whether or not they would like it optimized for social media.

7. Using testimonials? Get some from social media streams

Traditional testimonials can become a little tired. Besides which, a lot of readers take them with a pinch of salt. Instead, monitor and search social media sites for positive comments about your client’s product or service, and use those as fresh, spontaneous testimonials.

And, this is just the beginning.

There are countless ways in which you can integrate social media into your online copywriting work.

Expertise in social media will immediately increase your value in the eyes of your clients and prospects.

And, by expanding the scope of each online copywriting assignment to include social media, you’ll also be able to charge higher fees.

Social media is happening now. It’s a fun area to work in. It adds value to everything you do. And, it sets you apart from the competition.

This article, 7 Ways to Add Value to Your Next Online Copywriting Assignment With Social Media, was originally published by Wealthy Web Writer.