TIP: Don’t ask your website copywriter to be a minimalist. The search engines won’t like it. By same token, don’t ask them to simply jam every page full of hundreds of your primary keyword phrases, because your human readers won’t like that (in fact, neither will search engines). The trick is to expect each page to repeat one or two primary keyword phrases 5-10 times.

TIP: Remember, balancing human and computer requirements is time consuming. Try to have a clear understanding of objective of each page before your writer starts. You’ll get a much better product with fewer time consuming iterations.

REALITY 2 – BENEFITS, AUDIENCES, PRODUCTS, SERVICES, FEATURES A website copywriter deals in benefits, audiences, products, services, and features. This is black and white.

These things may be painfully obvious to you, but they won’t be to your copywriter. And although a good copywriter will be able to draw them out of you, they won’t be able to accurately and comprehensively identify them alone.

TIP: Before you engage a website copywriter, make a list of what you do, who you do it for, and what benefits it gives them. Your job will cost more if your brief consists of one line, “I want to increase sales!”

When it comes down to it, a good website is written around benefits. Customers are only interested in how you can benefit them. This means benefits are website copywriter’s inspiration. By end of project, you’ll be sick and tired of hearing your copywriter ask, “But what are benefits of that to your customer?” You’ll definitely thank them for asking though.

TIP: Don’t confuse features with benefits. A feature is what you do or how you do it. A benefit is what advantage that brings to customer. Your list should make a clear distinction between two. This will save your copywriter a LOT of time, and save you a lot of money. Most importantly, it will MAKE you a lot of money because your website will engage your customer.

Website copywriting is an artform. But because it’s an artform with a commercial foundation, it can be understood by anyone in business. And when you understand commercial realities copywriter, greys of artform will begin to seem more like familiar black and white of nine-to-five. Then, and only then, will you be able to make most of your website copywriter.

* Glenn Murray is an advertising copywriter and heads copywriting studio Divine Write. He can be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at glenn@divinewrite.com. Visit http://www.divinewrite.com for further details or more FREE articles.

4. What does rest of fine print say? Have you given over rights to your work simply by submitting it? Such details are often included in that tiny type. Read it carefully.

5. Is judging “blind”—are you asked to submit a manuscript without any identifying material on it?

6. If a fee is charged, does it seem “worthwhile” considering potential prize? For example, a $25 entry fee for a possible $100 prize might not seem as alluring as a $25 fee (or less) for a $500 (or more) prize.

Considering these questions should set you on way to thinking more critically about contest process, and they’ll assist you as you navigate many listings and advertisements you’ll find more time you spend investigating opportunities to develop your writing career.

© Copyright 2004 Erika Dreifus. All rights reserved. Article reprint permission is granted provided that entire article, including “About Author” information, remains intact and unaltered. Please send a copy of reprint to erikadrei@yahoo.com .