Tips, news and views from Green Light Copywriting

The A to Z of smarter business copywriting: Part 2 22 November 2012

Read on to find out what happened next after the first half of last week’s quick A- Z of smarter business content.

N is for Not What’s Expected

Surprise! The copywriting balance lies in giving enough of what’s familiar, with a little of the unexpected. (That’s what my very first blog post was all about! You can read it here). The secret is not simply to be wacky or quirky for its own sake, which could potentially be very negative for a brand. It is to know when and how to use the unexpected to make your message pop.

O is for Omnivorous

…Or what your audience isn’t. It isn’t just one big crowd wanting to digest the same type of content. Your audience is made up of potential customers – all with different needs. Be sure that the content you write is designed specifically for difference audiences, whether you want to make them hungry for your latest offer or build up their appetite for visiting your website.

P is for Price (Tag)

…Or more accurately, the sense of value that your content creates. Your copywriting approach can actively add value to how others see your services in many different ways. Are you telling an inspiring story? Does your content convey what’s special about your business, but without doing the hard sell? How can you subtly suggest that your company is superior to other ones out there on the market? It’s all about attaching the right price tag to your content.

Q is for Question

Question yourself constantly when you’re writing for your business. Ask exactly what you’re writing – and why. Enjoy the process, but don’t let yourself get too comfortable. Staying within your comfort zone can put you at risk of cutting yourself off from why you’re writing in the first place. Constantly question what’s important to create more effective and focused business content.

R is for Robot Language

If you’ve ever taken a look at this blog before, you’ll know my view that robot language is the enemy of good business content. The robot’s voice is full of jargon and devoid of life. It is all too commonly used in company copy, even today. Avoid using robot language and you’ll be on track to create more interesting content that people actually want to read.

S is for SEO

SEO is a big deal for businesses – for obvious reasons. So, for online content, you want your SEO to be up to scratch as much as possible. The bad news is that the rules around SEO for Google are changing all the time and are soon likely to change even more. The good news is that well written content is naturally optimised. Focus on creating content that tells a good story and make sure you keep up to date with changing approaches to SEO copywriting.

T is for Tone of Voice

Q: What speaks for your brand and defines you in your market?
A: Your tone of voice and your consistent use of it across all your marketing.
I’ve seen more and more businesses begin to value and embrace tone of voice. I recently helped to develop a particular tone of voice for a company in the manufacturing sector. They told me that after this they noticed one of their competitors attempting and failing to imitate their new house style…

U is for Unique or USP

The Unique Selling Proposition or selling point is a common concept in business. Even more so for copywriting. So I won’t say too much about it here. I like to boil it down to focusing on finding what is unique about a company. But I also work hard at setting this unique quality within its context and market so I can contrast it with what’s already available. This approach will help to keep your content more focused on the important stuff.

V is for View

This is a reminder to keep a clear focus on why you’re writing. It’s not simply to fill a web page or nudge dormant customers, is it? The View is your insight into the real purpose of your business content – for example, the aim to encourage sales by tapping into people’s business pains or to nurture great customer relationships by sending them updates that they’ll find useful and timely. The View is the real purpose behind your content.

W is for Who, Where, What and Why

Think of these as the compass points of your copy. They define and shape exactly where you take your messaging. They also clarify the boundaries and keep you on track when you’re tempted to wander off.

X is for Xenon

Just in case you didn’t know, Xenon is an inert gaseous element. Who wants their business content to be the Xenon of the content world? Avoid turning your own business copy into an inert force by following these rules – use as little jargon as possible, keep your language uncluttered and avoid including too much information if you can.

Y is for “Yes, but…”

“Yes, but is this point really relevant…Yes, but is there a more interesting way of saying that?” This is the phrase that will help you question (see Q above) exactly what you’re communicating about your business. The people you want to reach are pressed for time and bombarded with marketing messages. Thinking “Yes, but…” will help you say less, but with more impact.

Z is for Zig

…While others zag. Just having nicely written content isn’t going to do much if it doesn’t bring something fresh to your industry. How can you approach things differently? How can you add real personality and expertise? What will help make your copy and content strategy zig while others still zag?

Camilla Zajac, Green Light Copywriting, November 2012