I’m sure through any writer’s life there is a point when the brain decides, “that’s it, I want to be a writer” be it fiction, technical, hell even copy, there is a point when you believe you have what it takes and pursue your wordsmith profession.

Don’t forget that moment.

I’ve found that when I’m venturing into a new area of writing, new clients, new styles, I have a feeling that envelopes me, wondering if I’m capable or not, to make this matter worse I constantly wonder if people are judging the content and wondering if I am who I say I am.

When this feeling arrives I remember 2 things, 2 things that I’m I’ll refer to whenever I’m in doubt.

Firstly, I believe I can write.
I believe that I have the ability to write well, I understand english, I understand my audience, I understand the style and I understand the client. With these elements in firm belief I have no problem in believing I am capable.
I follow successful concepts and keep up to date with areas of the industry, in particularly digital content and seo reaffirming the belief that I have the tools available to tackle the job in hand.

Secondly, the people I work for, (freelance, contract, full time employment or anything else) picked me, the thought I was capable and able to do the job, why would they hire/choose/pick someone who was unable to do what they required.

I’m sure I’m not the only person in the creative profession that doubts their ability, photoshop designers and branding experts must also go through the same self doubt, I’m sure it’s human.

After I’ve calmed down, usually with a coffee, I get on my way and continue to do what I get paid to do, to be a writer, to be a damn good writer.

People are lazy! We buy things that make our lives easier, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and cars not to mention costly surgical procedures which could be solved with some light exercise. This laziness extends into the way we read and what we read. It is paramount as a copywriter to identify why people want to read and what they are willing to cast their eye over.
One thing is certain. Readers like short sentences. They get their information quickly, wasting no time and therefore getting more information per hour!

Equally! Why, as copywriters, are we using 20 words to describe something that could take 10. We need to make sure that we are frugal with our word use, keeping it short and sweet, not boring to our readers!

So how do we do it?

Simple!

Keep sentences short, don’t let them drag on, don’t dilute the content and inevitably bore your readership (they’re easier to lose than to gain)

Keep paragraphs short too! Don’t make reading a daunting experience, don’t give your readers a paragraph that scares them, puts them off or gives the impression it is “too big to read”.
If you have a large paragraph, attempt to break it down, split it where a new idea stream starts or where you move off the point.

Keep you words short! Copywriting has never claimed book prizes for emotive prose and beautifully written novels, it has however forged businesses, got people to act and influenced what people buy since its origin. So keep you words short, keeping your writing style short and sweet creates an energy, a feeling of pace and staccato giving people the initiative to click, to buy, to call and to act!

This goes for all elements of copy, be it the title, the body or even resource and author boxes!

Try and give them exactly what they need, exactly what you want to give them in the exact amount of words you want to tell them in.

• Woman of the Year! http://strn.gr/3620510 #
• Just added myself to the http://wefollow.com twitter directory under: #hull_east_yorkshire #entrepreneur #blogger #writer #seocopywriter #
• Last day at #wmps – change brings along melancholy as it results in leaving something behind #goodbyewmps #hellofdo #
• @PoshCartlich sounds like a bit of a cracker!!! Henry saying hello again also right? #crapfootballknowledge in reply to PoshCartlich #

• @suzidixon77 I'm a PR + Copywriter for a Luxury Holiday Provider including Maldives and all Indian Ocean. what are you looking for? thnx #
• http://bit.ly/9LBzcM – What is better agency or client side??? #
• @ReneeMHeath I'm am not! Boo! in reply to ReneeMHeath #
• Interviewing for my job!!! FTW – Another #lambtotheslaughter #

Which side are you on??

I’ve recently made the transition from agency to client and I’m looking forward to the different challenges that client side is going to offer.

As an agency writer you are constantly writing for numerous clients, producing content for a range of demographics and multiple campaigns. As an agency copywriter you have the fortune of developing an array of writing styles, discovering you ability to develop a different voice for a different audience. Another benefit of chameleonic writing demands means your portfolio acquires a lot more names on it (which is nothing but a good thing). Agency writing also forces you to produce a large quantity of content on a regular basis as you need to be able to keep the clients happy without prioritising one over the other.

Unfortunately the downsides are equally as plentiful.

With the development of real time results and Google caffeine seemingly caching anything as soon as it is published, the nature of copywriting has now turned into a journalistic role as well as a writer, by that I mean, people will look to search engines for the latest information and news giving them the information they require when they need it. Michael Jackson’s death was a perfect example on how people used Google to find information. Copywriters can therefore produce content in 10 minutes in order to respond to industry news. As an agency writer it is simply impossible to have your finger on the pulse of every industry in which you write. It therefore favours client side writers to produce content when it matters. Client side writers have one industry to write for, one client and one voice, giving them the opportunity to immerse themselves in the industry and react when needed.

I genuinely believe that agency writers are spread too thin across a range of industries and clients, which can dilute the potential impact of their writing. From personal experience I have seen how multiple clients can be a curse rather than a gift. By stretching your copywriting skills across many industries you weaken the potent potential of the writing and reduce the effectiveness of the entire campaign.

• @omfg_followme #procrastbuster write a brief for my fdo freelance ready start asap! Brap in reply to omfg_followme #
• @omfg_followme what a pleasant short story!!! #growthfail in reply to omfg_followme #
• RT @vickeegan Five loves and five hates after the first 10 days of my Google Nexus One (Android) mobile http://bit.ly/3sMv9g #
• @omfg_followme FDO twitter link needs http:// cruz beckham shiz #
• @PoshCartlich nice twitpicage!!! in reply to PoshCartlich #
• @omfg_followme not a problem I'm viewing on hootsuite with issues plus mobile issues, it ain't clickable any hoooooows in reply to omfg_followme #
• @PoshCartlich yup OT bitch again! ha! think of da monies if you have time check out Ustream – lil wayne on live vid stoned and amusing! in reply to PoshCartlich #
• Lil Wayne smashed on live vid! @poshcartlich http://ustre.am/_kvtj:cZY #
• @PoshCartlich think its viewable on iPhone too!! #
• @tudoradam its an owners thing! in reply to tudoradam #
• @tudoradam if you see the algorithm lying around please gimme a copy! in reply to tudoradam #
• RT @aplusk: Come on son! http://bit.ly/aqHBEq #
• @tudoradam Shame!! I think Colin is the culprit! how was the HQ? in reply to tudoradam #
• RT @tudoradam 'Internet addiction' could appear on official list of mental illnesses – http://bit.ly/aVRhZ2 john? @omfg_followme #
• @omfg_followme denial is often the first stage John! in reply to omfg_followme #
• @omfg_followme just left wmps, bought an autotrader, looking for another car with a pint good days! in reply to omfg_followme #
• @omfg_followme I think you told me about the £3.50 all day place. That's bloody good value! Seeing if a 370z is on the cheap! in reply to omfg_followme #

• @omfg_followme #procrastbuster write a brief for my fdo freelance ready start asap! Brap in reply to omfg_followme #
• @omfg_followme what a pleasant short story!!! #growthfail in reply to omfg_followme #
• RT @vickeegan Five loves and five hates after the first 10 days of my Google Nexus One (Android) mobile http://bit.ly/3sMv9g #
• @omfg_followme FDO twitter link needs http:// cruz beckham shiz #
• @PoshCartlich nice twitpicage!!! in reply to PoshCartlich #
• @omfg_followme not a problem I'm viewing on hootsuite with issues plus mobile issues, it ain't clickable any hoooooows in reply to omfg_followme #
• @PoshCartlich yup OT bitch again! ha! think of da monies if you have time check out Ustream – lil wayne on live vid stoned and amusing! in reply to PoshCartlich #
• Lil Wayne smashed on live vid! @poshcartlich http://ustre.am/_kvtj:cZY #
• @PoshCartlich think its viewable on iPhone too!! #
• @tudoradam its an owners thing! in reply to tudoradam #
• @tudoradam if you see the algorithm lying around please gimme a copy! in reply to tudoradam #
• RT @aplusk: Come on son! http://bit.ly/aqHBEq #
• @tudoradam Shame!! I think Colin is the culprit! how was the HQ? in reply to tudoradam #
• RT @tudoradam 'Internet addiction' could appear on official list of mental illnesses – http://bit.ly/aVRhZ2 john? @omfg_followme #
• @omfg_followme denial is often the first stage John! in reply to omfg_followme #
• @omfg_followme just left wmps, bought an autotrader, looking for another car with a pint good days! in reply to omfg_followme #
• @omfg_followme I think you told me about the £3.50 all day place. That's bloody good value! Seeing if a 370z is on the cheap! in reply to omfg_followme #

• @PoshCartlich no sympathy found here sir! None at all! in reply to PoshCartlich #
• @PoshCartlich ha I wish – doing overtime again, hell they've got me at the weekend too! in reply to PoshCartlich #
• At work – on Saturday – despite leaving in 4 weeks! I am a good man! #committed #
• @PoshCartlich yeah I did working with @omfg_followme again! Woohoo! I'm working like crazy and you have half term! in reply to PoshCartlich #

Writing for robots and readers is a difficult job for a professional copywriter. In order to strike the balance between ranking for keyword terms in search engines and making sure that the readers find your articles, informative, inspiring and interesting. Getting the balance right is vital for a successful SEO and marketing campaign. It is pointless ranking for a KW term which won’t give the readers the information they require. You may be ranking for “car insurance” but if you only deal with travel insurance or classic car insurance you may not be ranking for the right terms and therefore becoming redundant to the readers.

Pleasing robots varies in difficulty considerably depending on the competitiveness of the particular keyword. it is worth comparing the traffic figures for keywords against the competitiveness.

Long tail optimisation often gives you the opportunity to target many low traffic easily achievable keywords to and generate the traffic that a competitive would achieve. When choosing whether to target the long tail it is worth deciding what the ROI would achieve. The ROI is not monetary but more the usage of time and how much work it takes to rank for a keyword.

• FF# @michaeljessop @poshcartlich @omfg_followme @Disposable_Her0 Great Guys!!!! #