SEO Hosting Blog

Getting leads from your landing page requires having well-written copy that grabs the visitor’s attention immediately, earns their trust, and motivates them to take action. Over the years, I’ve written more landing pages than I can count, and I’ve learned a lot along the way.

The most important thing I’ve learned is that effective landing page copy typically has 4 essential elements:

1. Short, benefit-driven headline—The headline is the first thing someone will see when they arrive on your landing page. This is your one and only chance to reel them in. Your headline has to grab the visitor’s attention immediately and entice them to keep reading. It should be short and benefit-driven. I highly recommend testing out different headlines to see which works best. (more…)

For the past several years, I’ve been working full time as a freelance copywriter. On many occasions, I’ve picked up new clients who turned to me after having an awful experience with another freelancer. Understandably, they need me to assure them that I’m different and that not all freelance copywriters are a disaster to work with.

The simple fact is that there are good freelance copywriters and bad freelance copywriters. It’s just like any other industry. Before you hire one, you have to do your homework to make sure you’re doing business with a reputable individual.

Oftentimes, these poor experiences could have been avoided if the client had been able to spot the following red flags.

Red Flag #1: The copywriter doesn’t have any samples to show you

Look, we all have to start somewhere. I get that. But before you hire any copywriter, you have to make sure he or she can actually write. You don’t want to throw away your money on someone who just isn’t cut out for the project.

A good copywriter will be able to show you examples of past work. If the freelancer can’t show you any prior work they have done, you’re better off looking for someone with more experience.

Red Flag #2: The copywriter doesn’t have any testimonials or positive reviews

If a freelancer has satisfied clients, you’ll know. As a freelancer, I’m always looking to collect testimonials from my clients, and I display some of them on my website. There are also some reviews on my LinkedIn page. Other freelancers who participate on Elance should have reviews on their profiles that you can look at.

So, if a copywriter is unable to present you with any recommendations from past clients, that’s a red flag worth paying attention to. It’s either a sign of inexperience, or it means that they do subpar work.

Red Flag #3: The copywriter is slow to respond to emails

Communication is key when dealing with freelancers. You’re working with someone who might be located across the country or even across the world. You need to be able to communicate with them effectively if you want your project to be successful.

If a freelancer is slow to respond to emails, it’s a sign that they’ll drag their feet on your project. On business days, I typically have my email open all day, and I respond to emails very shortly after they come in. Heck, I even respond to emails at night and on the weekends from my phone.

I’m not saying this to pat myself on the back. My point is that you want someone who will be on the ball; not someone who you have to constantly try to chase down.

Red Flag #4: The copywriter’s bids are too low

Look, we all want to get a good deal. Nobody wants to spend more on a freelancer than is absolutely necessary, but there is such a thing as paying too little. Remember, you get what you pay for. Do you really think a talented, reputable copywriter is going to work for pennies? Of course not.

When a copywriter sends you a lowball quote, chances are that they do low quality work. Save yourself the headache, and spend a little more to get the job done right the first time.

Have you had any bad experiences with freelancers? What did you learn?

I hate to be “that guy,” but most music that gets played on the radio makes me want to repeatedly shove pointy objects in my ears until I can no longer be subjected to the garbage polluting the airwaves. However, despite how much I disdain pop music, I have to admit one thing: copywriters can learn quite a bit from it.

What am I talking about? Here are a few lessons pop music can teach us as writers.

1. Have a hook—The best pop songs have a strong hook that gets stuck in your head for days. I go to these fitness boot camp classes, and of course, they play horrible pop songs. Even worse, these songs get stuck in my head for days, and nothing can be done to scrub them away. Recently, I’ve had some song stuck in my head that has the refrain “I’m glad you came.” I have no idea who the artist is, but what I do know is that they have a simple, memorable hook.

Copywriters should strive for the same. If you want to suck readers in, get their attention, and make sure they never forget about the product or service you’re pitching, you need to have a clear, strong hook in your copy. Make your words memorable.

2. Keep it simple—You don’t hear a lot of 4-syllable, SAT words in pop music. No, for the most part, the language is simple enough that a child can understand it. Sure, there might be some clever wordplay and double entendres, but the words are simple and clear.

Take the same approach with your copywriting. Just because you have a huge vocabulary doesn’t mean you should use it. Ditch the corporate jargon and buzzwords in favor of simple, easy-to-understand language.

3. Connect with your audience—Music has the power to move people. One of the biggest reasons a song goes popular is because listeners can relate to it on some personal level. Whether the song is about love, heartbreak, or just getting drunk and having a good time, it forges a personal connection with the listener.

Your copy should connect with readers in a similar manner. You need to show them that you understand their pain points and have a product that provides benefits they care about. The better you understand your customer, the more effective your marketing efforts will be.

What are some other things copywriters can learn from pop music? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Bullet points are a writer’s best friend. Readers have short attention spans and limited time to read, so bullet points can be highly effective in delivering information in a quick, easy-to-consume manner. Numerous eye-tracking studies have shown that even if people don’t read anything else, they’ll almost always read the bullet points.

Of course, like anything else, bullet points have to be used wisely to get the most out of them. How can you get more from your bullet points?

• Format them correctly—It’s important to pay strict attention to the way you format your bullet points. There should be consistency with each bullet point. For instance, I start each of these bullet points with a verb, describing the action you need to take. I also bold the main message, and follow it up with a brief description.
• Highlight important information—Many people tend to scan rather than read content word-for-word. That’s why I like to highlight the main message in each bullet point. Someone looking at this bulleted list could read only the bolded phrases and still get the main idea I’m conveying.
• Place them in a logical order—Consider the order of your bullet points. If you’re providing step-by-step instructions, make sure you’re bullets are in the correct order. If you’re highlighting benefits of a product in sales copy, put the most attractive and important benefits at the beginning of the list. Order matters!

Do you use bullet points in your writing? What are some of your tips for using them effectively? Share by leaving a comment below.

I’m a copywriter, so I obviously tend to pay close attention to the words I see on company’s websites and advertisements. I’ve noticed that a lot of the copy I read is brimming with weak, throwaway phrases. These are wasted words. They carry no weight, and they should be cut out from the copy altogether.

Let me give you some examples of the types of phrases I’m talking about.

• “We are committed to your satisfaction.”—Really? You want your customers to be satisfied? You want them to like your products and services? Wow! What an amazing company you run. That’s so very unique and such a strong selling point. Do you also “go above and beyond” to ensure your customers are satisfied?
• “We’re a results-driven company.”—I see this a lot in the messaging of marketing companies. There sure are a lot of results-driven marketing firms out there, as opposed to, you know, companies that don’t care about getting results for their clients.
• “We’re a leading provider of…”—Is it just me or is every company out there an industry leader? Let me clue you in. No one believes you. You’re wasting space when you use words and phrases like leading, best of breed, and world-class.

You only have your reader’s attention for a brief period of time. And in many cases, you only get one chance to make the sale. Don’t waste this precious opportunity by littering your copy with weak phrases.

What are some other weak, throwaway phrases that are pervasive in marketing copy?