The Golden Thread – The Week in Review
December 2–8, 2007
Welcome to The Golden Thread Online, your free e-letter from American Writers & Artists Inc. Every Saturday, you will receive this recap of all the strategies, insights and opportunities we send to you and your fellow AWAIers each week. Whether it’s a message from a fellow writer about how he landed a new client … a technique from a Master copywriter for writing a control … an insight into how to succeed in a new market … news of a brand new writing job or business opportunity for you … you’ll find it here in this easy-to-access and always available “Week in Review.”
In This Issue:
- How to Prosper in the Copywriting Revolution
An interview with Bob Bly about the changing copywriting industry and how copywriters can succeed. - Quick Tip: Turn Your Offer on Its Head for Better Results
Why you must give your order device the attention it deserves. - “Industry” Spotlight: SEO Copywriting
Learn about statistics and trends regarding search engine optimization copywriting. - What the Heck is SEO Copywriting Anyway?
Heather Robson lays out what sets SEO copywriting apart from other kinds of copywriting. - Title Tags – Putting Web Content to Work for You and the Search Engines
Industry expert Andrew Palmer shows you how to write better title tags for web pages. - Three Golden Rules of SEO Copywriting
Heather Robson shares three important tips for writing online copy.
How to Prosper in the Copywriting Revolution
Copywriting has changed. A lot. The buzz around the industry is how serious these changes are and how those copywriters who understand them will be able to profit from them.
And those who don’t understand them … well, there’ll still be plenty of jobs out there, but not the ones that’ll quickly get you to your 6-figure career goal.
We know of nobody better prepared to discuss these changes – and how you can use them to strengthen your career – than Bob Bly. So we spoke with him at his office in New Jersey and asked him the questions you need to know the answers to.
TGT: You recently said copywriting has undergone a revolutionary change. What sort of change – and how will it affect new and existing copywriters?
BOB: When I started in 1979, freelancing copywriting was a little-known profession. I’d get calls from clients who had no idea what copywriting was. They simply needed someone to write for them, and didn’t want to pay the big bucks ad agencies were asking.
There weren’t many of us writing copy back then. I sometimes felt I was an “only resource.” And I really was for the clients who sought me out. There was very little competition.
But in the past few years, the freelance copywriting marketplace has undergone nothing short of a revolutionary change – thanks, in large part, to the Internet.
Copywriting has turned from strictly a profession into a business opportunity. This means there are many new copywriters today … most of whom (those who haven’t discovered AWAI) just have a superficial understanding of copywriting.
In addition to that, clients now are well aware of copywriting and its potential for increasing their profits. To attract these clients, it’s critical that you learn how to distinguish yourself from the pack they can now so easily find just by searching “freelance copywriter” on Google.
Bottom line: What worked in copy a few years ago … doesn’t work so well today.
And what worked in promoting yourself as a freelance copywriter a few years ago … also doesn’t work so well today.
TGT: With all these changes, is copywriting still going to be the lucrative, exciting gig you’ve experienced? Or are the opportunities drying up?
BOB: Yes, it is going to remain highly lucrative … for those who understand the changes and can harness the differences for their benefit.
Chris Marlow is a master copywriter, but she’s also an expert on the business of copywriting. She recently did a survey that showed 22% of copywriters currently make a 6-figure income. That’s 22% out of a base number that’s much higher than it was just 5 years ago. This shows that 6 figures is attainable if you know how to navigate and play in this market. It’s still a great career … and it’s not going away.
TGT: That doesn’t sound bleak at all. Just different. Can you tell our readers about one of the differences that might have a big impact on their copywriting careers?
BOB: The obvious question in every new copywriter’s mind is “Why should someone pick me instead of one of someone else?”
The answer is fairly simple: specialize. But specialize in new ways that go beyond just picking your niche. Let me give you an example.
In an AWAI teleconference last year, we featured Michael Stelsner on writing white papers – a special type of advertorial copy. But Michael not only writes white papers, he calls himself “The White Paper Guy.” This degree of specialization gives him a huge advantage.
Another example: I recently ran into a copywriter who specializes in writing copy for small- to medium-sized businesses that make between $3 million and $5 million in sales.
TGT: You and other top copywriters talk a lot about the importance of writing for the Internet. Does this mean print direct marketing is dying?
BOB: Not at all! Anyone who tells you that hasn’t looked at the DMA statistics. Print direct marketing is still very active … and still growing. It’s not growing as fast as online marketing, but it’s still a very lucrative way to make money.
But with the Internet growing so rapidly as a medium for direct marketing, if you don’t write online copy, you’re at a huge disadvantage. And in writing online copy, it’s important to understand the differences and the similarities between these two types of copy.
The key point for AWAIers is that they should not depend solely on print or online DM. Do both.
TGT: Most freelancers I know aren’t exactly spring chickens. How does this “revolution in copywriting” impact our retirement possibilities?
In fact, this revolution offers a great opportunity for establishing passive income that will fund your retirement – regardless of how old you are. It’s what I call the “Internet Marketing Retirement Plan.” Here’s how it works …
When you’re freelancing, you trade hours for dollars. Dentists have a saying: “Unless you’re drilling and filling, you’re not billing.” The same with freelance copywriting. If all I do is write copy and I decide to take a week’s vacation, I earn nothing for that week.
But the “Internet Marketing Retirement Plan” offers a second income stream. It involves writing or producing products to sell on the Internet, products that provide you with passive income whether you’re writing or not.
For example, I recently went on vacation and earned $0 in copywriting. But I made $6,240 that week in passive income using this plan.
This is a huge new opportunity that other copywriters can take advantage of too.
TGT: Any last words for our readers?
BOB: This is the most exciting era in copywriting. But it can also be the scariest if you don’t know how the market has changed and how to benefit from those changes.
Prepare yourself with knowledge … and you will prosper from this revolution.
Quick Tip: Turn Your Offer on Its Head for Better Results
Many C-level copywriters treat the order device as an afterthought. And they’ll stay C-level as long as they do.
What these copywriters don’t get is that the order device is one of the most important components of your promotional package.
For starters, a substantial number of your prospects will look at your order device before reading your letter. So it must clearly restate your promise and benefits – briefly, but compellingly.
Your order device must also present your offer in a way that makes the prospect want to put his hard-earned money down. As a reminder, the offer is what you’re giving in exchange for that money: the product (including how much or for how long) and any special extras (like premiums or discounts).
Frequently, you’ll be presenting a multi-level offer, perhaps a one-, three-, or six-month supply of a nutritional supplement or a one-year or two-year subscription to a newsletter.
Generally, each level of your offer will also have premiums, discounts, and other extras. Many copywriters handle this in what seems the logical way on the order device: by listing the options from the least expensive to the most expensive.
But because your most expensive option should be the best deal with the most extras, it makes more sense to present that option first.
Putting the most goodies and the best offer up front can significantly boost results. Here’s what a typical offer like this looks like (notice the difference in font size):
- BEST DEAL! Get 6 months of NutraPress and receive a 35% discount plus FREE SHIPPING for a total saving of over 40%. You pay only $XX.XX for six full months of guaranteed nutritional support. Plus, as our way of thanking you for you first-time order, you’ll also get …
- Premium 1 (described)
- Premium 2 (described)
- Premium 3 (described)
- GREAT DEAL! Get 3 months of NutraPress and receive a 25% discount ($XX.XX plus $XX.XX shipping and handling). And, as our thank you for your first-time order, you’ll also get …
- Premium 1 (described)
- Premium 2 (described)
- REALLY GOOD DEAL! Get 1 month of NutraPress for $XX.XX (plus $XX.XX shipping and handling). And, as our thank you for you first-time order, you’ll also get …
- Premium 1 (described)
“Industry” Spotlight: SEO Copywriting
SEO copywriting is a specialty that’s in high demand. As the Web grows, so does the competition among Internet businesses. So if you have the skills to draw visitors to a company’s website by improving its search engine rankings, you will never want for work.
- There are 1,099 search engine optimization jobs posted right now on just three top job sites.
- Copywriters who specialize in search engine optimization charge anywhere from $300 a page up to $12,000 for an entire website.
- SEO is a rapidly changing field. Copywriters who make it a point to know the fundamentals and keep up with significant changes can command higher project fees.
- Online sales have grown by 20 to 25 percent per year. In 2005, they reached nearly $80 billion, and have continued to increase.
What the Heck is SEO Copywriting Anyway?
Websites depend on traffic in order to make sales. One major source of traffic is search engines. Google is the most popular search engine, but there are many out there.
The higher a website’s search engine rankings, the more traffic the site will get.
The way a search engine ranks a site is complicated. It considers a number of factors. Many of these factors are the concern of the Web designer. Some are dependent on the online community. And others fall to the copywriter who is creating the content.
That’s where you come in.
When you write copy that is useful to a Web page’s visitors, that gives other sites a reason to link to it, and that appropriately uses keywords, you help to build that Web page’s popularity. That means more visitors and more potential revenue for your client.
Now SEO copywriting is certainly a specialty, but it is not a niche industry. Online advertising is a channel that most businesses use. And it’s only going to continue to grow.
Every copywriter, no matter what niche you specialize in, needs to know how to write SEO copy.
Once you master that skill, you will be able to approach your existing clients and offer these benefits:
- More traffic to their Web pages
- More repeat visitors
- Better search engine rankings
- A higher percentage of conversions
By mastering SEO copywriting and helping your clients see the benefits, you’ll make yourself more valuable to them, you’ll line up more work, and you’ll command higher fees.
When you know SEO copywriting, everyone wins. So tune in to the next issue of Copywriting Insider to learn more about writing successful SEO copy.
Title Tags – Putting Web Content to Work for You and the Search Engines
One of the most important aspects of the copy on your website is the title, which then becomes the “title tag” of each independent page.
Having a proper, keyword-rich, title tag will make a big difference to your search engine rankings. It’s equally as important as your visible text copy and the links pointing to your pages – perhaps even more so.
What is a title tag?
The HTML title tag is what the search engines use for the clickable title of the page in your search engine listing. It’s also the text that appears in the reverse bar of someone’s browser (the very top) when they view the page.
Since this text is how your listing appears, it’s a critical aspect not just of optimization, but also of your marketing. After all, even if you have high search engine rankings you still must convince searchers to click through to your page, right?
Therefore, the title must be good copy.
It’s best to choose the most relevant keyword phrases from your page and incorporate them in your branding. Combine them as a compelling phrase.
Here is an example: If your company is “Plants Nouveau,” a business that markets new plants, you shouldn’t place only the words “Plants Nouveau” in your home page title tag. Instead, use something like “Plants Nouveau – Introducing New Plants to the World.”
This allows your company name to be searchable, as well as the keyword phrases “New Plants” and “Introducing New Plants.”
Convince the searcher to click on your listing, and use descriptive keywords to increase the odds of acquiring that click.
You want to create an engaging … appealing … and influential title.
Keep in mind … you might test different text to see what ranks higher and converts better. You might just find that your non-high-ranking title actually gets your page more clicks/page views/conversions.
Bottom line is … a good title helps you rank high. Just as important, it can compel surfers to click to your page. So don’t get overly creative. Instead, put the title to work for you.
Three Golden Rules of SEO Copywriting
Be useful: If the three rules of real estate are “location, location, location,” then the three rules of SEO copy are “be useful, be useful, be useful.”
SEO means building a site and writing content that will get Google’s attention. (Other search engines matter, but Google is the most important.) Google’s Golden Rule is to provide useful results to searchers. If you write useful content, you’ll succeed.
- Match keywords to what you are writing: The content of a website is not a vessel for keywords – it’s a means of communicating with people who are looking for what you have to offer. That means writing strong copy like you normally would, and then taking steps to incorporate your keywords.
- Do your research: Research the keywords you are considering to make sure you use the strongest ones. Then tweak the copy a bit to make it support the keywords or phrases you’ve chosen.
