Content thieves. They’re everywhere these days. You could say the term ‘copy writing’ has never been more apt. It’s not just the copy sweatshops and unscrupulous business owners guilty of lifting other people’s content and claiming it as their own. Even professional journalists are at it. The Independent’s Johann Hari had to hand back his George Orwell […]
Six Ways of Writing Red Hot Openers that Get Readers Eager for More
“A good headline gets your foot in the door of the reader’s mind. An unfortunate lead paragraph can cause you to lose a couple of toes.†– Howard Newton, J.M. Mathes, Inc. Where to start? Knowing how to starta sales letter is always a challenge. And so it should, because a weak opening can cost […]
Which Marketing Channel is the Most Trusted? Our Survey Says…
Getting people to trust you has always been a cornerstone of effective copywriting. It’s a simple principle: if people believe what you say, they’re more likely to buy. A key factor in building trust, that’s often ignored, is the channel you use. An advertorial, for example, in a well respected broadsheet is likely to have […]
Three ways of creating a mobile version of your website
Do you own a smartphone? I bet, being the sophisticated reader that you are, you do. You only need to do a quick scan of people on trains, in supermarket queues and around the office to know that smartphones are absorbing more and more of people’s attention. And there are plenty of stats to prove […]
The Copywriter’s Crucible Puts Clichéd Copywriting on Trial
Sooo, the new website is up and running, after a few minor technical hitches. On the home page you’ll see I’ve followed through with the idea/threat of switching to promoting myself as an agency. Along with the elevated sense of self importance, I’m hoping it will push me up higher into the big leagues as […]
Behavioural Economics – Mind Tricks You Can Use in Your Copywriting
Why do people buy things? Sounds a simple question. In the copywriting world, you’re taught to use a combination of aspiration, emotion and logic to secure a purchase. But there can also be subconscious irrational reasons at play. Over the last decade ‘behavioural economics’ has grown in popularity as a way of identifying the irrational […]
Why Facebook’s popularity is great news for copywriters, and bad news for article writing sweatshops
When one door closes, another door opens. Long time readers will know that I’m not a fan of the $10 (or less) per keyword article copywriting gigs you find on freelance bidding websites, like Elance and Guru. I pity the copywriters that feel forced into these jobs, where they’re paid sweat shop wages to hammer […]
Why Complex Copywriting Can Give Your Product the WOW Factor
After reading this headline, I can imagine many of you are shaking your heads thinking ‘Gheeze Matt, what planet are you on? Don’t you know you should keep it short and simple?’ Allow me to explain. Yes, it’s true – generally speaking you should keep copywriting simple. Unless you’re writing for a highly educated niche, […]
Why Brief is Better when it comes to B2B Email Copywriting
Writing B2B emails is one of your trickiest tasks as a copywriter. They might be brief (100 words max). But that just means you’ve got more to pack into every word. Business people can be stressed and busy at the best of times. They don’t have time to patiently check through every message. If you’re […]
Targeting the Youth with Direct Mail and Right Writer review
I know my blog’s output has been poor over the last few months. So to try and make amends, I’ve got a double whammy of posts for you: UK’s youth the most engaged with direct mail With all the fuss over how social media and the internet is giving young people the attention spans of […]