When I get stuck, here’s how I break through
Content & StrategyThe little group of Jamaican children kept glancing at me.And pointing.And giggling.I was 17 at the time, and visiting Jamaica as part of a church group on a mission trip. We helped to convert an old warehouse into a church/school…
Get an interview for your business content
Content & StrategyInterviews are a fantastic way of gathering raw content for case studies, news stories, testimonials and other business copy.
Interview know-how is an essential tool in a journalist’s kit of tricks. Whether you prefer a good grilling by…
How a simple tool helps me write headlines with confidence
Content & Strategy Copywriting SkillsIn many cases, the success of a blog post or sales page rests on the strength of the headline. Says David Oglivy, among the most successful copywriters of all time:
On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body…
5 Travel Brands With Super-Sticky Content
Content & Strategy(And What We Can Learn From Them)
These are the online travel brands that pop. They’re the ones that lure swarms of qualified traffic and keep their audiences salivating for more.In other words, these brands are ‘sticky’.What…
Advice on being a freelance copywriter – 10 things I’ve learnt
Content & Strategy Copywriting Skills FreelancingI’ve been self employed since 1996 and running my marketing, copywriting and training business since 2008. Time, I thought, to reflect on what I’ve learnt.
Behind the scenes what have I learnt about keeping sane and solvent?
1.…
The copywriter’s recipe for online content marketing that sells
Content & StrategyContent Marketing That Sells
“Writers tell, copywriters sell” is one of my favourite lines that I’ve penned over the years.Now it’s being challenged by content marketing—the publication of material designed to promote a brand,…
How Content Syndication Can Boost Your Business
Content & StrategyEvery content marketer has a dream of penning a piece that will earn the same mass exposure as the uber-viral Gangnam Style music video. While that’s nothing more than a dream for many of us, greater exposure is certainly a goal that’s within…
Expectations: the great creative hurdle
Content & Strategy Copywriting SkillsA friend of mine (a poet at heart) recently told me he was trying to write a poem, but hadn’t drafted anything he considered worthwhile. Or anything at all, really.His reason? He had his heart set on writing a 30-line sonnet. And he hadn’t…
USING GOOGLE+ FOR B2B – INFOGRAPHIC
Content & StrategyToday’s infographic (shared by guest poster Russel Cooke) provides helpful tips and tricks to get more out of your Google+ profile: How to get started with your Google+ profile, how to find connections, and how to keep growing. About…
Why good online copywriting makes a difference to your business
Content & Strategy Copywriting SkillsI’ve written many times about the importance of using quality copy on your website – and it’s something that many businesses now recognise – but what’s often overlooked is how well you write elsewhere online can also affect your company’s…
Great copywriting is about great sentences
Content & Strategy Copywriting SkillsThat great copywriting is all about appealing to the emotions shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise to anyone. However, writing great copy is often easier said than done, with many traps awaiting the inexperienced writer.But why is…
The 4 Things You Must Include in Your White Papers to Engage, Persuade and Convert Leads
Content & StrategyOne of my freelance projects involves finding interesting technology resources and recommending them on a client’s blog. I read a lot of technology white papers and often pass over quite a few duds before I find one that is valuable enough…