Understanding The Content Buzz

About a year ago, entire web was filled with a few wonderfully hip,fatally cool clichés; "Content is King," "Your Website Needs Stickiness," "CRM is key!" and new resources, allegedly customer- oriented, began to explode across internet. Syndicated web content became a cool way to get free words to fill up space on a website. Soon, companies such as moreover.com began create a content overlap. Website competition may be presenting exact same news feed at exact same time, with exact same keyword-rich content!

Once again, web industry began buzzing, "Learn How to Create Unique Content for Your Website!" The HTML Writer's Guild began offering classes in "Advanced Web Writing", EEI Communications began offering corporate training courses in "Writing for Web and New Media", and universities across country added web writing to their technology-driven and webmaster-centered curriculum. Once trained, web design companies began touting their new "writing skills", offering a one-stop-solution to their new website customers.

The Buzzkill for Web-Based Business

Before you ask, "What does this have to do with me, as a writer?" Answer this question: Did you just read ANYTHING about writers in last two paragraphs?

Of course you didn't. Writers, traditionally, have shied away from web markets. Many writers simply think that their skills are not meant for web-based work, resulting in a strange shortage of web content writers.

"Wait," well-informed web surfer may say, "There are plenty of writers on web! In fact, there's enough quality writing online that Salon.com can now charge for content!" While it's true that web- based magazines that specialize in content attract professional writers, it is not true that average corporate website, ecommerce outfit, or web-based business attract web-specific writers.

As an experiment, go to google.com and type in "content creation" right now. How many writers are pulled up vs. web developers offering content services alongside their website development and design? Why do you think they do this?

Apparently, writers just aren't interested. At a recent Creative Network gathering, a publisher told me that it is "Great" that I write for web. He employs over 60 writers at his consulting firm, yet none of them are really interested in web writing. They do, however, want to outsource work to me because their clients are looking for this skill.

You write your copy for one primary product or service.

Since most of ad copy is done in this manner, you may find that writing "Great" Catalog Copy is a little different. Online catalogs are a very popular medium on Internet, but unfortunately there are only a handful of web site owners who give their catalog copy any justice. Even though we have grouped this copy lesson into catalog copy, there are several different types of catalogs to consider. Some catalogs feature every product that their company sells, while others focus on a specific product line or specific selection of items chosen for a particular criterion.

Aside from your web site traffic or email list(s) subscriber base, three most important parts of a catalog are:

1) Product Placement in catalog. 2) The Amount of Space you give each product. 3) Graphics, Photos or Illustrations used. 4) and of course, The Ad Copy.

While ad copy is not most important part of catalog, it directly affects each of other parts. Without great copy, other key parts of your catalog have to work that much harder to be effective. This article provides some tips on writing more effective "Catalog Copy".

Here are my Top 8 Tips for writing Catalog Ad Copy:

1) Match amount and format of your copy to your catalog.

While major consideration of most offline catalogs is space, this is usually not a worry for online catalogs due to low cost of server space today. Unfortunately, reader's attention span has not changed. If you are offering a large amount of products you will want to keep your copy short and to point, while catalogs with few products can afford to write longer, more in-depth copy. Keep this in mind: More copy does not necessarily mean better copy.

Write copy appropriate for product. You don't write down home, earthy copy to promote ball bearings. You could, on other hand use this approach for personal items or a product/service that reflects a change in your home. Match type of copy you write to product and audience.

Another consideration in format is type of catalog you are writing copy for. Some catalogs are used as a sales aid, which would require a more direct, hard punch type of copy. Order Catalogs would be more straightforward, citing features, advantages and benefits in a more orderly and less flashy manner. Another words, get information out there in most favorable light, but keep it brief. This is not to say that it should be boring. Copy still has to move prospect to action. Still another may be a promotional catalog, where you are setting stage for a move to a "For more information, click here" page. Here you would keep copy short, but would use a more persuasive and dazzling approach, Like writing headlines. Again, because space is not a concern for most catalog webmasters, this is best approach for catalog sales on Internet.

2) Visual Aides, such as graphics and photos play an important part in your copy. Each has it's own use and should be thought of in that sense. While graphics and animations can create eye-catching lead-ins to your copy, they would not be used to display product. Think about it. Would you be more likely to click on a product that has cartoon look of a graphic or actual likeness of product? The same applies to displays or packaging. Remember use graphics to draw attention and photos (or illustrations in some cases) to present product.

3) Make your readers comfortable with ordering from you. Money back guarantees have no substitute on Internet. This is number one request from buyers. They want a guarantee that they won't be ripped off. Another one of biggest foes of Catalog and Internet Purchases is fact that people have to deal with a faceless seller. Reassure your buyer by mentioning names. Name other firms or clients that have used your service. They need not be famous people or companies. Here's a testimonial from Martha. The buyer doesn't know Martha from dirt, but because Martha liked product or service, your prospect feels a little more at ease. Again, photos play an important part. If they buyer can see you, they feel closer to you. "You" being yourself, staff clips or for that matter photos of anybody. A letter from President of company written to buyer in a personal form is a big helper too.