How Do You Spell “Home Page?”
October 28, 2009 at 8:06 am
In 1898 someone came up with the idea of putting tea into porous sacks and the “tea bag” was invented. By 1936, the word was being spelled “tea-bag”. In 1977, it was called the “teabag”. I came across this fact in the captivating book by Naomi Baron called “Always On: Language In An Online World” (2008).
We see similar practice with the evolving language of the web – or Computer Mediated Communication. I have always rebelled against e-mail, preferring to use the more (advanced) email. Likewise with online and offline. But strangely, never homepage or insidepage. My proposals are peppered with the original use of the words “home page” and “inside pages” indicating that in this regard I’m back at the very beginning of spelling.
What do you use? Are you consistent? Are you aware?
Tags: online copywriting, Writing for the Web
Great Value Training – Web Writing
September 24, 2009 at 8:00 am
From time to time I do training for the Europa Academy – yes the one that Bill Cullen resides in. They offer great value training courses, from excellent trainers (not just me!), in a lovely venue. The next training days I’m doing for them are in October.
Great value training days
Writing for the Web: 15 October | €195
Internet Marketing: 13 October | €195
Tags: internet marketing training, online copywriting, web writing training
When online copywriting isn’t enough
January 20, 2009 at 5:49 pm
I’m an online copywriter. I love writing content for web; taking huge swathes of multi-syllabic, long sentences written in the passive voice and converting it to something short and punchy. When I’m not writing content for web, I teach others how to do it. It’s not rocket science. If you can write, it’s just like learning to surf – wonderfully exhilerating once you know how!
But sometimes web copywriting isn’t enough.
Recently I was introduced to a company that needed help with the copy for its marketing materials – both online and print. I was called in to help. And boy could I help! Because I am that rare and unique being (in this market at least) who also wears another hat – that of Marketing.
Long before I got into copywriting, I learned everything I know about marketing. This was before Internet Marketing had evolved (yes kids… I am that old!). Since I’ve been working in Internet Marketing since 1999 (a whole decade!) I’ve evolved with it as new techniques and ideas evolve. So when I was called out to this new client who needed a copywriter, it turned out that I could give them more, much more.
They already had asked two other copywriters to work on some content for them, and they just weren’t happy with what they’d got. I’m sure the others did a good job, but they were copywriting messages that they were provided by the client. What the client needed was someone to help them craft those messages in the first place. And this is what I did.
And so when we had identified the benefits and the key messages, then I got around to crafting the copy. We got the brochures done first and now we’re moving on to the website. Soon we’ll be introducing email marketing, and are looking to get high results on search.
The result?
One happy client who is getting the kind of results he wants. And for me, it’s all good – business that’s interesting and worthwhile and pays on time.
[Another good news story for January brought to you by Brightspark!]
Tags: marketing, online copywriting, Web Copywriting
Write for Web Training – this Friday!
November 17, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I was quoted in The Sunday Business Post the other week saying that it’s a lot harder to find examples of really bad website writing nowadays than it used to be. I started delivering web writing training back in 2002 and back then it was very easy to find examples of how things shouldn’t be! TD’s were often used as examples of those whose sites tended to be crap. But last year’s general election saw many of my favourites improve their online writing style.
I’m preparing a fresh set of examples for the web writing training course that’s being delivered this Friday. I choose examples that are relevant to the sectors of people who are attending. Corporate Ireland has switched on to the importance of web content. No longer is it acceptable to simply paste in your marketing brochure.
What participants in my course will learn is how we read online and how to structure their writing to make sure it works. Setting up content so it scans easily, ie when people land on your page and give their attention for a couple of miliseconds – does your content make them want to stay?
Then when they make that all important decision of engaging with your content, is it written in a way that they will take it in? A mix of tabloid journalism style with clear explanatory messaging is what we’re after here.
The course is suitable for those who have to write stuff that will be read on the web. It includes writing killer email copy, as well as some little tweaks to style that work for intranets.
It’s very practical and requires no study afterwards; all the messages get planted direct into your head. There are a few places left. If you fancy entering 2009 with the knowledge of how to write to be read, contact me and I’ll put your name down for this Friday.
