2 Surefire Ways To Maximize Your Adsense Earnings
Most webmasters know that Adsense generates a sizeable source of additional advertising income. That is why most of them use it to go after high paying keywords. They have with them the lists that tells what the keywords are and have already used various methods of identifying them. And yet, after putting up these supposed-to-be high paying keywords into their pages, the money they expected to come rolling in is not really coming in.
What is it that they are doing wrong?
Having the pages is with the proper keywords is one thing. But driving visitors to those pages is another matter and often the factor that is lacking.
The thing is, to get visitors to your high paying keyword pages, you need to optimize your site navigation.
Stop for a moment and think about how visitors are using your website. After a visitor has landed on a certain page, they have the tendency to click on another page that sounds interesting. They get there because of the other links that appears on a page that they initially landed on. This is site navigation. It is all about enabling visitors to move about your site. And one way of maximizing your Adsense earnings.
A typical website have menu links on each page. The wording on these links is what grabs a visitors attention and gets them to click on one of the links that will take them to another page of that website. Links that have free or download are oftentimes good attention-grabbers.
This navigation logic can also be applied to driving traffic to your high paying pages. There are some websites that are getting a lot of traffic from search engines, but have low earnings. The trick is to try and use come cleverly labeled links to get the visitors off that pages and navigate them to the higher earning ones. This is one great way of turning real cheap clicks to real dollars.
Before you begin testing if this same style will work for you and you website, you need to have two things. Something to track and compare and some high earning pages you want to funnel your site traffic to. An option is to select a few of your frequently visited pages. This is ensuring fast result to come by.
Now, the next thing to do is think of ways to get visitors viewing a particular page to try and click on the link that will take them to your high earning pages. Come up with a catchy description for that link. Come up with a catchy and unique description for the link. Think of something that people do not get to see everyday. That will trigger their curiosity enough to try and see what that was all about.
You can also use graphics to grab your readers attention. There is no limitation to what you can do to make your link noticeable. If you are after the success of your site, you will do everything it takes just to achieve that goal. Just be creative. As far as many Adsense advertisers are concerned, there are no written and unwritten laws to follow regarding what they write. Just as long as you do not overstep the guidelines of the search engines, then go for it.
Also remember that it is all about location, location and location. Once the perfect attention grabbing description has been achieved, you have to identify the perfect spot on your page to position that descriptive link to your high paying page.
There is nothing wrong with visiting other websites to see how they are going about maximizing their site navigation. Hot pages or Most read lists are very common and overly used already. Get to know the ones that many websites are using and do not try to imitate them.
Another way of doing it is to try and use different texts on different pages. That way you will see the ones that work and what does not. Try to mix things around also. Put links on top and sometimes on the bottom too. This is how you go about testing which ones get more clicks and which ones are being ignored.
Let the testing begin. Testing and tracking until you find the site navigation style that works best for you site.
Top 5 Ways To Generate Low Cost Website Traffic
There is one hard and fast rule in generating income for your website: A steady flow of website traffic. If no one goes to your site, it hardly bares a chance of generating an income. Many sites have tried and failed in doing so, and these results to the sites demise. It takes money to maintain an income generating site; it also takes money to make money.
BUT, it doesnt take a whole caboodle of cash to generate website traffic for your site.
Ever wonder how does big hit sites drive traffic top their site? Most of them are spending tons of money to drive the traffic to their sites, investing in many advertising campaigns and different forms of marketing schemes and gimmickries. This is all worthwhile because, well, they are what they are now, high earning, big hitting websites.
You dont have to do this if you dont really have their resources. There are many ways to generate low cost website traffic without having to spend what you dont have or cant afford. Many people have banked on high cost methods and have ended up losing their shirt over it.
Here I present to you the Top five ways to generate low cost website traffic that could help your site a whole lot. Even if you only get a small percentage of successful visitors in to client ratio it still works especially if you get a high number of website traffic.
Exchange Links
This is a sure and proven method. Rarely would you see a site where there is no link to another site. Many webmasters are willing to exchange links with one another so that they could produce more public awareness about their sites. Youll soon see and feel the sudden upsurge of the traffic coming in to your site from other sites.
A major prerequisite in exchanging links with other sites is having the same niche or content as the other site. They should share a common subject so that there is continuity in the providing of service and information to what interests your target traffic.
Exchanging links also boosts your chances of getting a high ranking in search engine results. It is common knowledge that search engines ranks high sites that have inbound and outbound theme-related links. With a good ranking position in the search engines, you will generate more traffic in your website without the high costs.
Traffic Exchange
This is like exchanging links but on a different higher level. This may cost a bit more than exchanging or trading links but could be made cheaper because you get to earn credits. You can use those credits when viewing others traffic, while you earn credits when someone views yours.
Traffic exchange services are the viewing of anothers site or page. This is done vice versa where a site can use your sites contents and so can you to his or her site. You both benefit from each others efforts to generate traffic. The other sites visitors can go to your pages and know more about your site as well as theirs. Once again the public awareness of your sites existence is boosted.
Write and Submit Articles
There are many e-zines and online encyclopedias in the internet which provides free space for articles to be submitted. If you want to save costs, you can do the articles yourself. There are many freelance writers who are willing to write for you for a small fee, but to save money, it is wise to do those articles yourself.
Write articles that are themed along with the niche of your site. Write something that you have expertise on so that when they read it, they can feel your knowledge about the subject and will be eager to go to your site. Write articles that produce tips and guidelines to the subject or niche your site has.
Include a resource box at the end of your article that can link them to your site. Write a little about yourself and your site. If you provide a light, information-laden and interesting article, they will go to your site for more.
Make a Newsletter.
This may sound like hard work because of all the articles you may need to use to build a newsletter but on the contrary, this is not so. There are many writers and sites that are willing to provide free articles as long as they can get their name in on your newsletter. This will also provide free advertising for them as well.
As your newsletter gets pass around, you can widen your public awareness and build an opt-in list that can regularly visit your site.
Join Online Communities and Forums
This only requires your time and nothing else. You can share your knowledge and expertise with many online communities as well as your website. You can get free advertising when you go to forums that have the same subject or niche with your site.
Share your two cents and let them see how knowledgeable you are with the subject. As you build your reputation, you also build the reputation of your site, making it a reputable and honest business that could be frequented and trusted by many people.
Ways to Identify and Tackle Click Fraud
Identifying and tracking examples of click fraud is the first step to eradicating the problem. Click fraud is an enormous drain on the resources of advertisers operating on a national and international scale, estimated to occupy around 30% of all pay per click advertising spend. With so much at stake, its no wonder the search engines are investing so much time and effort into devising solutions.
One way in which Search Engines and other pay per click programme providers have attempted to curb the growing click fraud problem is through introducing IP address repetition algorithms. These formulae are designed to pick up on suspicious click patterns emanating from a singular IP address, which can help to uncover the existence of click farms and competitor-led sabotage, as well as identifying potential fraudsters at source.
However, there is an array of problems with this method of attempting to identify the fraudsters. Firstly, fraudsters logging on through a dialup modem, DSL line or cable modem can almost completely bypass this check, as with every new online session, a new IP address is generated. Furthermore, there is an extensive range of software available to alter IP addresses, which again can be used for ‘cheating’ the algorithm. Cookie and session tracking are other methods by which search engines can attempt to uncover potential fraudulent activity, but again there are ways around these for the fraudsters.
More comprehensive software is being developed which profiles and reports on the browsing habits of each click-through to enable companies to track and monitor suspicious behavior, although this could be seen by many as intrusive and ineffective as anything on a small scale is still likely to go unnoticed, based on the vast coverage of ads across the internet.
The problem of click fraud recently hit the headlines with a class action raised against Google, prompting Google to offer $90million as a potential settlement. Perhaps an acceptance of their responsibilities, Google’s offer goes some way to suggest the extent of click fraud, and its vast costs to the internet economy.
There are a number of self-help remedies that can be implemented to keep an organization out of trouble. The first of these remedies is the reliance on search engine optimization and organic listings. If a site is well and fully optimized, it could eventually realize a ranking that another site is willing to pay $2.50 a click for. Similarly, with organically high rankings there are no clickthrough rates, therefore the costs associated with PPC are not applicable. Although the process is significantly more laborious and takes significantly longer to see results, the SEO process is much cheaper in the long run, and with an estimated 25-30% of all clicks being performed fraudulently, an organically high listing can save money which would otherwise be drained by click fraud for more beneficial reinvestment.
Year on year, as the pay per click advertising market continues to grow and expand, surely click fraud will follow suit. Unless an effective means of preventing click fraud is developed and successfully implemented, buyers will steadily lose confidence in the advertising medium and turn to more effective, less wasteful marketing methods, which would seriously hit the search engines and could potentially threaten the online economy as a whole.
Top Seven Ways Writing Articles Can Explode Your Business
In today’s highly competitive internet universe, the importance of attracting highly targeted traffic to your website cannot be overemphasized. Routing web traffic to your site can be your only means of survival, especially in the cutthroat world of ecommerce. Getting a high search engine ranking can be very difficult. Fortunately, there is plethora of website promotion strategies you can use to drive traffic to your website.
There is a wide variety of strategies you can adapt, from paid advertising to affiliate marketing. However, most of these techniques require payment. Nevertheless, there are ways to promote your website and increase your web traffic without spending anything. Writing articles is one of the best web site promotion strategies you can use, and they can be very effective. How, you may ask, can writing articles help improve your web traffic? Here are the top seven ways in which it can help explode your business.
1.Reach more people
When you write good articles, it would be a shame not to share them with other people. You can post your articles in your website or you can submit them to other sites such as e-zines and online publishers. By submitting your articles to these sites, you give exposure not only to your ideas but also to your website. Simply include a link back to your site or include your information in the resource box. With this, you get exposure and free advertising as well. Submit your articles to popular e-zines and take advantage of their popularity. Other sites who find your article relevant may also link back to you. Thus, you increase your link popularity, which is one of the most important strategies in the internet world. Remember that most people are looking for information online and by filling this need with your quality article; you may reap the benefit of more exposure and higher web traffic.
2.Free Advertising
Submitting your articles to other websites presents an opportunity to advertise your website without paying exorbitant fees. Although you should avoid marketing language in your articles and make it informative and useful to your readers, you can always include your site’s link in the resource box. In addition, by making your article relevant and helpful to your readers, you are making a good impression for your website, which could ultimately lead to a visit and hopefully a purchase. Good quality content in an article is far better and more effective than a few lines of ad space. You have a very special opportunity to presell your product or service to your prospective customer.
3.Gain High Search Engine Ranking
Create a new web page for your article in your website. Optimize your article to make it search-engine friendly. Use top-ranked keywords and Meta tags that can give your website a high search engine ranking. As soon as you upload your new webpage to your server, search engines will spider through it and you can gain an increase in search engine ranking. Remember that search engine optimized content is a very effective strategy to gain a high ranking in search results.
4.Increases Link Popularity
Instead of looking for other sites who would want to establish reciprocal links with your site, you can simply submit an article to other sites. Just do not forget to include a link to your site in your resource box. When these websites pick up and publishes your article, you automatically get a link partner. Try to get as many link partners as you can. Link popularity is one of the factors used by search engines in determining search engine rankings. Make your article especially useful and appealing, so that more websites will be encouraged to publish it.
5.Optimizes your site for improved search engine ranking
By making your site keyword rich, you can greatly improve the search engine ranking of your site. Remember that keyword density is one of the most important factors that search engines use when determining the search engine ranking of site. However, you should always provide relevant, useful and pertinent information. Avoid the temptation of overusing keywords just to gain a high ranking as this may turn off most web surfers. Relevance and quality is still the most important things to consider when writing articles and it will be doubly useful to your site if you make these articles search-engine optimized.
6.Establishes a Good Impression and Reputation
By writing excellent, original and relevant articles, you not only give your site exposure, you are also creating a good impression on your prospects. Encourage more people to visit your site and do business with you by establishing an impressive reputation through your articles. Be seen as an expert in the field and your will ultimately gain more customers eager to do business with you.
7.Enhances your credibility through references and testimonies
Certainly, your articles are going to receive feedbacks and testimonies when you publish them in e-zines and free article sites. Record these positive feedbacks and comments and use them as promotional material in your website or in any of your advertising efforts. Your credibility will be greatly enhanced by these feedbacks, as it will create a good impression on your prospects as well as your existing customers. In this highly competitive world, excellent credibility and trust may be the only things you need to attract new customers or make loyal patrons out of your existing customers. Original, relevant, useful and pertinent articles are important tools you should utilize to improve and explode your business
The 3 Easiest Ways For Newbies To Start In Affiliate
The 3 Easiest Ways For Newbies To Start In Affiliate Marketing
With the aid of the Internet, you can almost have everything right at your fingertips. With just a few clicks you get access to thousands and even millions of pieces of information and data on virtually any field of interest. As years pass by, the Internet continuous to effect radical changes in many facets of human endeavors, including commerce. Experts say that the information space, commonly known as the world wide web, grows by over a million pages everyday as more and more people utilize the Internet for information, education, entertainment, business and other personal reasons. It doesnt take a business-oriented individual to realize that this phenomenon can bring about sky-high financial gains. The Internets fast-growing popularity in the recent years is surely an opportunity for business that any entrepreneur would not want to miss.
You might be thinking only businessmen can make much money out of the Internet, dont you? Think again. You too can earn big bucks through the Internet even if you dont have products to sell and high-profile and established company. How? That is through affiliate marketing. You might have come across these words over the net while surfing. Affiliate marketing is a revenue sharing between a merchant and an affiliate who gets paid for referring or promoting the merchants products and services. It is one of the burgeoning industries nowadays because it is proven to be cost-efficient and quantifiable means of attaining great profit both for the merchant and the affiliate and other players in the affiliate program, such as the affiliate network or affiliate solution provider.
Affiliate marketing works effectively for the merchant and the affiliate. To the first, he gains opportunities to advertise his products to a larger market, which increases his chances to earn. The more affiliate websites or hard-working affiliates he gets, the more sales he can expect. By getting affiliates to market his products and services, he is saving himself time, effort and money in looking for possible markets and customers. When a client clicks on the link in the affiliate website, purchases the product, recommends it to others who look for the same item or buys it again, the merchant multiplies his chances of earning. On the other hand, the affiliate marketer benefits from each customer who clicks on the link in his website and who actually purchases the product or avails of the service provided by the merchant. In most cases, the affiliate gets commision per sale, which can be fixed percentage or fixed amount.
If you want to be an affiliate marketer and make fortunes out of the Internet, you may follow the following three most basic and easiest ways to start an effective affiliate marketing program. First is to identify a particular thing you are interested in or passionate about so you wont be bored and forced to develop your affiliate web site later on. Focusing on a specific area you know very well will help you bring out your best without much risks and effort. You can add a personal touch to your site and give your visitors who are possible buyers an impression that you are an expert in your field. In this way, you gain their trust and eventually encourage them to buy the products you endorse. Next is to look for good paying merchants and products or services related to your interest and create now a website. In choosing the products, you must also consider its conversion ratethe number of visitors-turned-buyers. There are various affiliate networks and affiliate solution providers that can give you info on the most profitable products and best paying merchants. The key here is, be wise enough to choose the right one.
Now that you have decided where to concentrate, have chosen the products to endorse and the merchant you are supporting and have created your own web site with top level domain name and reliable hosting, you are ready to promote. This is a crucial task, since it is through this that you would be able to increase traffic to the business website, sales and of course, profit. In affiliate marketing, it is possible to earn large sums of money in a short span of time especially when youre endorsing high-priced items. Expensive products are hard to sell; however, with the right marketing strategies and sales techniques, you can draw visitors to the merchants site and make them buy the products. How to promote the products, though, would need a separate discussion. Continue to educate yourself by reading books or other articles online about the best advertising techniques.
Keep in mind, there is no facile and quick path towards success. Affiliate marketing may seem very tempting due to numerous encouraging testimonies of merchants and affiliate marketers alike who have benefited from it, but it entails great deal of hard work and persistence. Likewise, you need to be creative, flexible and willing to embrace new ideas to market your partners products until you find the perfect strategy that works for a specific market that you are targeting. Neither signing up for an affiliate program nor copying ads and leading others towards the merchants site doesnt guarantee success yet. Many affiliate marketers fail to understand this, so when they dont make sales, they quit, look for other programs and repeat the same mistake. In the end, they conclude that affiliate marketing is just one of those scams in the Internet. Even as you sleep, you can work your way to great financial success if you employ the right strategies in affiliate marketing. Be creative, be smart and surely, youll achieve your goals.
Four Ways to Personalize Your Copy and Capture the Readers
Four Ways to Personalize Your Copy and Capture the Readers Attention
Your writing success has a lot to do with how people react to copy that you produce. People like to read what speaks to them directly because it’s the kind of writing they can relate to. This is why many writers take great pains to ensure that their copy is personalized so that readers will feel that it was written with their interests and needs specifically in mind.
Being able to personalize your copy means that what you will produce is unique a testament to your skills and talent. If you want to personalize your copy, here are 4 ways you can use your one-of-a-kind style to write copy that truly stands out:
Know who you are
Psychologists, writers and marketers from Hippocrates to Brian Tracy have created labels to categorize each person’s personality. That’s why you get words such as Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic and Phlegmatic and the more recent Driver, Analytical, Amiable and Expressive. What about you? Are you upbeat? Assertive? Aggressive? Optimistic? Laid Back?
Find out which personality type you are if it’s still unclear to you. Taking tests or asking close friends for their opinions will help. You could also check your writings in the past so you can compare how you have progressed over time.
Be who you are
One common mistake among writers is that they try to be something they are not, thinking that readers will appreciate the effort. Wrong. Readers can be quite clever at spotting fakes so the tone and manner of your writing will tell them whether you’re bluffing or not.
Instead of pretending to be someone else, use your own quirks and personal ways of expression to write your copy. You’ll find that it will be easier to write and the flow of the copy will be looser and more effortless.
Speak to your readers through your writing
Writing is a means of expression, so it has the same function as speech to communicate and reach out. Instead of agonizing over how to personalize your copy, try to speak to your readers through your writing but use the tone and style that you would use if you were speaking.
Try using the first and second person when writing. If you want to personalize your copy when writing about organic vegetable planting, for example, avoid using third person nouns such as ‘the gardener’, ‘they’ or ‘them’. Use ‘I’, ‘my’, ‘you’ or ‘your’ to make it sound as if you’re talking directly to the person.
Imagine that you and your reader are engaged in a real discussion. How would you talk? How would you present your ideas? What words would you use? By writing an article that sounds as if you were speaking to the reader directly, you will be able to produce a highly personalized copy. The flow of ideas will be much more natural and easy to relate to.
Personalize your copy but be useful
There is a point in a writer’s work where he or she must compromise. After all, the end user of a write-up is not the writer but his readers. If your readers cannot relate to or understand what you have to say, then all your efforts would be in vain.
Try to write copy that your readers will find interesting and useful, something that will allow your personality to shine through at the same time. Personalize your copy by making sure that readers equate you to quality write-ups and information that they can truly make use of and value.
6 Ways to Make Your Copy Upbeat and Fun
You’ve probably read enough articles, news stories, press releases and books to distinguish different tones and moods in the writing style used by the copywriter or author. Simply by changing a few words, adding punctuation and pauses for effect and using a different way to separate related topics, a writer is able to change how the reader feels about the write-up. So you think you’re too serious, businesslike and ‘heavy’? Here are ways you can make your copy upbeat and fun:
Don’t assume
When writing copy, avoid wrapping your content in a veil of secrecy and enigma. Being mysterious is fine for puzzle makers and fortune tellers but it doesnt always work with writers. Use an unassuming tone in writing instead. Avoid being overbearing or condescending. Just write clearly and use a light, undemanding tone.
Use humor
Humor is very nearly a universal language, which means that with the right words, you can affect the way people see things and even cause them to break into a smile or even laughter.
To make your copy upbeat and fun, inject humor into your writing. Be lively and write with enthusiasm. If you’re bored, it will be reflected in your finished copy. Dont be afraid to make people laugh because it’s often the easiest way to show them what you mean.
Don’t overdo the words
Some of the best and well-loved writers of the past and present centuries used simple, easy to read language. Anne Rice, Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Paulo Coelho and Isabel Allende are the kind of writers that did not require their readers to read their works with a dictionary next to them. As a result, their readers find it easier to understand and appreciate their efforts.
To keep the mood of your copy upbeat and fun, don’t try to exert too much effort to impress your readers. They want to be entertained and to be informed not bewildered or confused. Don’t make it too hard for them. Use long, complicated words only when necessary or as a requisite in the article you’re writing.
Lighten up the language
Very often, to make your copy upbeat and fun, you might have to use colloquial terms or slang. This is often the case when the term you’re considering is too technical for your readers to appreciate.
Do not use offensive words
Sometimes, in an attempt to make writing upbeat and fun, some writers make the mistake of using words that are entertaining only to a few but highly offensive to the majority. Words that reflect bigotry, hatred or prejudice can seem upbeat but may not be effective in the context of the whole write-up. Avoid these words.
Don’t try to please everyone.
There is no way your writing will be able to appeal to every reader. Not even the best and brightest writers have been able to do that. This is why writers have target audiences or niches and why write-ups are characterized by genre.
Can you imagine if horror master Stephen King wrote a romance novel in the style of Harlequin books? Of course not. Writers will always have their own styles and a segment of the audience who admire them.
To keep your copy upbeat and fun, avoid trying to cover several genres or styles of writing in one article. Use one or two at most. Whether you’re writing a humorous story, a satire, a critique or are simply offering your opinion, stick to a tone of voice that is the best vehicle for the message you want to share.
Unbridled Writing: 6 Ways to Make Your Copy Flow
Writing copy can be like driving a car. There are days when everything is smooth and continuous, some days it can be boring, some days you can get lost and have to find your way back. There will also be days when you run out of gas and can go no further. When or if this happens, it can be very troublesome, particularly if you have a deadline to meet. So how do you make your copy flow? Here are ways you can use:
Use an outline
Before you begin a writing project or an article, write a short, simple outline about the topic. Use headlines, sub-headings and a list of topics under each one. This will serve as a map to help guide you on what to write. This is also a good reference if you wish to have an overview of how the write-up will progress and be unveiled to the reader. This will help make your copy flow just when you need it most.
The outline will also help control your writing. Sometimes you can get carried away by emotions, mood or inspiration. The result you produce too much content that you probably won’t need to make your copy worthwhile. With an outline, you know exactly the kind of ideas you want to use and exclude those that do not belong.
Use an idea book
Inspiration can strike from anywhere. When it does, you can’t really choose the time or the location. It happened to Michael Jackson once, when he was on board a plane. The music and lyrics to a song came to him but since he couldnt write music and had no recording device with him, he had to endure the long flight with the music ringing in his head.
It was only when the plane touched down and he could finally record the music that he was able to write the song. The song, titled ‘Muscles’, later on became a hit for diva Diana Ross.
Like Jackson, how often have you been touched by the Muses only to find out that you have nothing to write with because you’re in the middle of a party or putting on make-up in the bathroom?
Make sure that when you’re blessed with an idea, you’re ready. Keep a small notepad in your purse or around your work area. When an idea comes, write it down immediately. Don’t wait. Memory can be very slippery and confusing so don’t rely on it too much. Write the idea down, record it, paint it, illustrate it anything that will help remind you later. So when it’s time to write, you can make copy flow and not have any problems producing a write-up.
Allow topics to transition
To make copy flow when writing, allow relational progression from one topic to the next. If you have an outline, this is rather easy to do because you have a sense of which topic to write about in the next sentence or paragraph.
Don’t try to impress or worry about grammar… yet
You cannot make your copy flow if you keep getting distracted by other tasks such as editing or proofreading. Forget about these things at first. Your job is to write, so do it and stop worrying about correct grammar or spelling. If you’re using a word processor, making the corrections will be a breeze later. Write as the thoughts come to you and don’t interrupt.
Review what you’ve written
In many cases, when you’re stumped in the middle of an article, you could refresh your mind by going through what you have already written. This will help remind your brain of the message you’re trying to get across.
Write. Just write
Oftentimes, the best way to make your copy flow is to keep writing. Again, worry about the outcome later. You can always go back and make revisions. For now, write what you know, unleash your creativity and keep writing.
5 Ways You (Yes, You) Can Make Copy Good
Everything about a write-up its perceived value, efficacy and message rests upon good copy. Copy is substance and without it, even the most skilled and well-meaning writer and his article will be ignored or derided, the article’s message lost and considered worthless. Is it still any wonder why people go through great lengths in order to produce a good piece of writing? Learn the ways you, too, can make copy good:
Know what you’ll be writing about.
There is nothing worse or even more pathetic than a writer who bluffs. True, many writers have written well-fabricated tales and passed them off as genuine but they were able to do so only because they backed up their writing with plenty of research.
If you were asked to write about cryptozoology right now, for example, how much would you be able to produce without using a single reference? Probably not a lot even to convince your 7-year-old niece.
To avoid groping blindly about regarding your subject and make your copy good, do research. Use at least three good references for your write-up. If you have to interview someone for it or try something yourself, then do so. This will allow you to gather enough information to use with your write-up.
Think about your readers
Your readers or audience have different voices. To make your copy good, consider carefully what it is they like and are interested in and then zero in on those. Speak their language so they become much more comfortable with what you have to say.
If you’re writing for kids aged 9 to 12, for example, you wouldnt use the kind of language you write with if your audience were men and women in their 20s and 40s, right? Remember that you’re trying to sell an idea through your writing, so speak to your readers in a way they can easily relate to.
Watch your grammar
If you were a good listener during your grammar class, you might want to heave a sigh of relief. A high premium is placed on good grammar and if you want to make copy good, make sure you avoid hideous grammatical and spelling mistakes.
Be careful with subject-verb agreement, punctuation marks, tenses, sentence completion and clauses. Bad grammar is never viewed as good copy and is even dismissed as very amateurish and unreliable, even if it’s an expert talking.
Mind the headline
The headline serves as the introductory statement to your write-up. Without a good headline, there’s a good chance your target readers might ignore your article and look somewhere else. This is something you can’t allow to happen. Imagine having to miss 7 out of 10 readers just because your headline doesnt work.
Make sure your headline is effective, clear and concise. It should interest the reader, make them wonder, raise their curiosity, even intrigue them so that they have enough reasons to want to read more.
Make copy easy to read
Finally, to make copy good, it has to be relatable and easy to read. If you’re writing about planting roses for beginner gardeners, for example, don’t make it sound like an instructional material for producing fossil fuel. Read your work out loud if it sounds like normal speech, then you’re on the right track.
Mind your readers. They are, after all, the end users of your work and they should be able to like what you offer them.
5 Ways to Write Copy and Avoid Being Clever and
5 Ways to Write Copy and Avoid Being Clever and Critical
There are times when writing can inspire such strong emotions that you find yourself becoming critical or overly clever. While it may sound or look good to you and a few people who know you, it may not always have the same kind of reception with the rest of your audience. By using a tone of writing carelessly, you might not get the kind of results you want. Here are reasons why you should avoid being clever and critical just to write copy and how to improve your writing instead:
Being overly clever is seen as arrogance
You’ve probably come across writers who try too hard to impress their audience. You will agree that they often seem condescending and annoying. The reader’s usual reaction is often, ‘What, does this writer think I’m dumb?’
By being too clever, you’ll alienate your audience, who won’t be too pleased at being subjected to a write-up that seems to insinuate that they are ignorant. Instead, speak to them the way you would to a respected colleague and don’t simply assume that you know better.
Being critical can ruffle the wrong feathers
There are writing styles and topics that call for a writer to use a critical tone. Satire, for example, is very often critical. However, really great writers still manage to inject good humor into the writing, which is actually a sign of genuine talent.
When writing reviews, for example, you also need to be critical in order to inform the reader the positive and negative points of the person, event or product being reviewed. Being critical could be harsh but if you can phrase your sentences well, your write-up will be easier and more fun to read.
Be like Shakespeare
No, it’s not about iambic pentameters and rhymes but being able to state the obvious without doing so. Instead of confronting the issue upfront by being clever and critical, find ways to describe, illustrate, critique or opine. You can add words, omit some, use metaphors and other tricks of the language. The key here is to produce a well-written piece. Just don’t overdo it, though or people will know you’re trying to be clever.
Avoid strong language
You don’t have to be offensive just so people will know that you have something to say. Sometimes, writers can’t help using strong language when trying to be critical about something.
Some writers may even use strong language in the hopes of preventing boredom in their readers. However, this trick often backfires since not everyone is appreciative of language used only in B action movies and street fights. If you use strong language out of context, your readers might think that you are either trying to be clever or being overly critical.
Instead of falling into this trap, turn to useful references such as a dictionary or a thesaurus for better alternatives. You’d be surprised at how well you can write copy that expresses exactly what you want to say using well-chosen words. You’ll gain more respect for it.
Use humor instead
Instead of being clever and critical when writing copy, consider appealing to your readers’ funny side. Some of the best writing ever produced used humor to express opinions and ideas even about the most serious of topics. Doing so will allow you to explore a different aspect of your subject and to offer your readers a means to see things in a different light.
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