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Articles

	How Poor Usability Can Kill Your Copy and Conversions
	Understanding & Communicating with Your Customers
	A Simple & Effective Keyword Strategy for Ecommerce Sites
	Should You Change Your Copy When Rankings Fall?
	How to Make an Emotional Connection Through Your Copywriting
	Copywriting Makeover: Value vs. Vision - Part 1 of 2
	Copywriting Makeover: Value vs. Vision - Part 2 of 2
	My SEO's Good. Now Should I Work On Conversions?
	Online Shoppers Ask for More Detailed Copywriting
	3 Simple Rules for Creating an Effective USP
	Copywriting Makeover: Facts Vs. Fantasy (Part 1 of 2)
	Copywriting Makeover: Facts Vs. Fantasy (Part 2 of 2)
	Opening Sentences That Close the Sale
	Will Longer Keyphrases Hinder the Effectiveness of Your Copy?
	The Purpose and Practice of Writing Successful SEO Articles
	Copywriting With Google's Dynamic Keyword Insertion Tool
	The 2 Most Common Mistakes When Writing With Keywords
	Copywriting Makeover: Making An Emotional Connection, Part 1 of 2
	Copywriting Makeover: Making An Emotional Connection, Part 2 of 2
	Copywriting Makeover: Know Where Your Customers Are In The Buying Process, Part 1 of 2
	Copywriting Makeover: Know Where Your Customers Are In The Buying Process, Part 2 of 2
	Optimizing Online Catalog Copy for the Search Engines
	Copywriting and Your Five Senses
	How To Ruin Your Press Release in 3 Easy Steps
	Copywriting Tips for Sales-generating Brochures
	They Are Searching So Why Aren't They Buying?
	Copywriting Makeover: It’s Not About YOU, It’s About THEM
	SEO Writing Strategies for Graphic-Oriented Sites
	Nip and Tuck – Three Quick Tricks for Writing SEO Copy
	Insider Secrets of Writing for Search Engines, Part 1
	Insider Secrets of Writing for Search Engines, Part II
	The "No META Tags, #1 Listing" Formula For High Search Engine Rankings
	Advertising Secrets I Learned From The Kirby Vacuum Cleaner Man
	How To Write Motivational Copy That Sells
	To Increase Your Advertising Effectiveness - Stop Selling!
	Your FAQ Page - A Sales Tool? You Bet!
	Your Target Audience – Who Are They & What Do They Want?
	Solving the "I Get Tons of Traffic But No Sales" Mystery

How Poor Usability Can Kill Your Copy and Conversions
By Karon Thackston © 2008, All Rights Reserved

It's funny how we, as website owners, don't always think like our visitors. A course of action that might seem perfectly obvious to us may stop our visitors right in the middle of their buying process. Take, for instance, e-commerce–type copy. Do you realize that what happens after your customers read your copy could make or break your sale? I'm not talking about shopping cart abandonment. I'm talking about good communication that keeps the buying cycle moving forward. Let me give you a real-world example.

One website offered custom-designed gift bags. The photos on their site were gorgeous. The copy seemed self-explanatory until I got to the request for quote page. There I found a form that asked questions I wasn't expecting. I was supposed to explain my preference of fabric color, the type of handle I wanted and a description of any accessories that should be added to the bag. I had no idea how to answer.

Because the copy stated that each gift bag was custom designed, I assumed I'd be given options to choose from. Instead, as it turned out, I was responsible for knowing precisely what I wanted and also for describing it in detail in writing on the request for quote form. It set me back a little.

Since most people aren't very comfortable with writing, I can easily see how a page like this would immediately stop visitors and send them packing. I could place the most compelling copy ever written on the sales page for these bags – copy that would have visitors primed and ready to whip out their credit cards. But after clicking to a request for quote page like the one described above, most would likely not order.

Would that be the fault of the copywriting? No. Yet most site owners would assume the text wasn't doing its job. Low conversions, in this case, would be an error in the sales process.

Web Page Copy Doesn't Involve Just One Page

Unless you're talking about a specific landing page that is created for the sole purpose of receiving clicks from a targeted PPC ad campaign, there are very few instances where the copy on one web page won't be affected by the pages around it.

Visitors click in and out of pages and back and forth throughout your site. They can also enter your site from literally hundreds of different links around the Net. For this and other reasons, you have to consider where they might come from and where they'll be headed.

How to Test

One of the best ways to make sure your site flows as it should is to ask several outsiders to take a tour. Have them start at one of the many beginning points (a search engine listing, a link to you from another site, your home page, etc.) and click through just as a customer would. Ask them to make notes about what they didn't understand as they go along so you'll know where to tweak your copy.

You may even choose to give them specific tasks to complete while they are there. For example, ask them to read the copy and then explain the benefits of a new product or service you've added, or ask them to tell you the process for registering for the members-only area of your site.

Another good idea is to draw a flowchart of your website. Seeing all the pages on paper can oftentimes give you a better understanding of how the copy on each page might affect all the others surrounding it. Once you take a look at the big picture and get some feedback, use that information to shore up the weak copy on your site.

When you take time to see things from your visitors' perspective and then implement adjustments accordingly, you'll begin to notice increases in conversions. And that makes all the work worth your while.

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Understanding & Communicating with Your Customers
by Karon Thackston © 2008

It happens all too frequently with novice copywriters. In fact, many pros also make the same mistake. Telling your site visitors what you want them to know instead of what they want to hear is never a good idea. And, the fact that this happens so regularly truly confuses me because every day - all day long - we tailor our communication to those around us. For some unknown reason, we start telling instead of sharing when we write copy.

In order to convey our marketing message effectively to those we are trying to persuade, we have to know who they are and what they want. Then we must communicate in such a way that we motivate them to take action. But, how?

Think

The first step is always to think about your target customer. Aside from market research and target audience analyses, just simply think about who your customers are and what they want. Let me give you a very basic example.

Let's say you bought a car. You'd want to share that bit of good news with the important people in your life. So, you decide to write an email to your best friend. You tell him that this hotrod will go from zero to sixty in three-quarters of a second, that you crank the stereo up so loud it can be heard for blocks around, that all the guys are winking at you at the stoplights and that - even if it means taking money from your kids' college funds - you've finally gotten the car you've always wanted. Your best friend is sure to be green with envy. But, let's say you wrote another letter to your… mom.

Now, which of the things on the list above do you think your mother would be thrilled to hear? Not many! Of course not: she's a mom. What do moms want to know? That the car has the highest safety rating, that it ranked high in Consumer Reports, that you got a great deal and you bought the extended warranty, etc., etc.

The core message stays the same: "I bought a new car." But, the way you tailor the details changes to fit your audience. It's really just common sense.

Read

There are lots of ways to find out what's on the minds of your target customers. You can visit online forums, read blogs or pick up industry-related magazines. You'll want to be sure to read the comments on blogs and forums, not just posts or articles. You'll find out specifically what your target market has on its mind when you read the comments.

Visit

If applicable, visit sites that post product or service reviews and read those. For every complaint, think of ways you can construct your copy to show your offer as the solution to the problem. For every compliment, think of ways to align your product or service with the best benefits named by the reviewers.

Survey

SurveyMonkey.com and other similar-type websites offer web-based software. Most allow you to use their product free if you do small surveys (10 questions or less). And 10 is plenty to start with. Put a link to your survey on your website where visitors can easily see it. You'll usually get a better response if you allow the answers to be anonymous and also if you offer a chance to register to win something. Twenty-five dollar or $50 Amazon gift certificates, a gift certificate for your products or services and other such things make good prizes.

Whatever method(s) you use, don't guess! Take the time to actually find out who you're communicating with before you begin to write. Your effort will be rewarded with higher conversion rates and a greater sense of satisfaction in your copywriting abilities.

A Simple & Effective Keyword Strategy for Ecommerce Sites
by Karon Thackston © 2008

When it comes to ecommerce sites, there are plenty of keywords to choose from. Because sites typically follow a fairly set format, numerous pages are created between the home page and the order confirmation page. Those pages all need keywords and phrases if they are going to rank high in the search engines. So, how exactly do you choose the best keywords for each page? Here's an easy strategy to follow. (Please keep in mind that all keyphrases used in this article are for example only and have not been researched.)

Home Page > > > Broad Keywords

When you start out, use keywords and phrases that are descriptive of your overall site. For example, if you sold clothing for the entire family, you might opt for phrases such as "ladies clothing," "men's clothing" or "kids clothing." Those would be expressive, but could also be worked easily into the home page copy.

Think of the sales process as a funnel. It's broad at the lip and gets more narrow as you move closer to the spout. The same goes for the keyword strategy: broad keyphrases at first and more specific ones as the subject matter gets more specific.

Category Page > > > Specific Keywords

Once you move to the category pages, you'll want to select keyphrases that work well with what you're trying to describe in your copy. If your visitor clicks on the women's shoes category, she'll want to read about and see pictures of women's shoes. Perhaps you'll use phrases such as "fabric ballet flats" or "leather peep-toe pumps."

I typically create a paragraph at the top of the page, then add a descriptive sentence or two under each image. Sometimes, I'll also add a paragraph of copy at the bottom of the page. This helps guide your visitors through the sales process.

Product Descriptions > > > Long-Tail Keywords

The product description pages should incorporate long tail keywords that are laser specific. If your visitor clicked on a link for "Bermuda shorts" on the category page, you'll want to get as detailed as possible, so your customer can make the decision to buy.

For instance, a keyphrase such as "Liz Claiborne pastel plaid Bermuda shorts" would be perfect for a product description because it is… well… descriptive. Long? Yes, it is a long phrase. Most long-tail keywords will be. But the further into the sales process a customer gets, the more specific their searches will be. Chances are, someone who has decided she wants pastel plaid shorts will use a phrase like the one above instead of something like "Bermuda shorts."

Here's a plus: Because long-tail phrases are much less competitive than broader terms, you stand a better shot at getting ranked highly for them.

A Word on Linking

Here's where some copywriters get confused. When you use links in anchor text, you're giving credit to the page being linked to. For instance, if you have a category page for shorts, you would want to use the keyphrase "Bermuda shorts" in the anchor text of a link that pointed to the Bermuda shorts page. That way, the Bermuda shorts page gets credit for the link. The link would be of no (or very little) value to the general shorts page.

When you take note of the navigation and purchase cycle of your visitors, you begin to see why this simple strategy for keyword placement works so well. Using more specific terms as you write more specific copy helps usher visitors from the front door to the checkout counter with ease while also boosting your search engine rankings.

Should You Change Your Copy When Rankings Fall?
by Karon Thackston © 2008

I've been on a seesaw for the last year. I have a client who, for almost 12 months, has been asking me to rewrite their home-page copy because they dropped from the top 10 to position #11 (the dreaded second page!). My question to her was always, "Is your copy still converting the way you want it to?" She answered yes every time, to which I advised, "Leave the copy alone."

"But what about my rankings?"

"Is business suffering?"

"No, we're swamped."

"Leave the copy alone."

"But it's over a year old. Don't you think it needs to be refreshed?"

"Is your copy still converting the way you want it to?"

"Yes."

"Leave the copy alone."

We'd have this same discussion every 3 or 4 months. Some people just get hung up on being in the top 10, and their tunnel vision can cause them to make decisions they otherwise would not make. Others think that, because they are tired of seeing their website copy, others are too. This is usually not true.

My suggestion was to enhance her linking campaign with some quality articles through an article distribution campaign, but to leave the copy alone since it was still doing its job. Search engine positioning isn't the whole ball of wax. Getting top 10 rankings shouldn't be your primary goal. Attracting and keeping more business is what it's all about. If that means using search engine optimization as one tool, so be it. But too many times, website owners bow to the SEO gods and sacrifice conversions and their best business sense all for the sake of saying they are #1. Not advisable, if you ask me.

I am happy to report that, after holding at #11 for many months, this company's site is now back in spot #5. While we can't say with any certainty that it has driven any more business to their site than being at #11, the managers are quite pleased.

Never Change Your Copy?

Is this my advice in every case where rankings drop? No. There are instances where you do need to change your copy if your rankings decrease. Ask yourself (or your client) these questions:

1) Are conversions suffering?

If you're experiencing a decline in conversions, by all means take a look at your copy. It might need some help. But keep in mind that decreasing conversions may also be due to a new and more complicated shopping cart, recent design changes that impaired usability for your visitors or a dozen other reasons.

2) Have products or services changed?

If you have products or services to add or remove, certainly you'll want to change your copy to reflect that.

3) Has business fallen off?

If, due to the decrease in search engine positioning, you've tracked a definite lag in business, then yes, you'll want to make an effort to gain the lost rankings back. But, changing the copy isn't the only way to do this. If you answer no to the other questions, I'd leave the copy as-is and opt for an article distribution campaign first.

4) Other than hoping to appease the SEO gods, is there any other reason that the copy mandates changing?

If the answer is no, don't change the copy.

With all of the above, if the answer to each question is no, leave the copy alone.

There are as many reasons for your positioning to change as there are days in the month. Guessing at and trying to adjust for mysterious shifts usually does little good. Plus, while you're chasing the golden ring, you may be losing sales.

How to Make an Emotional Connection
Through Your Copywriting
by Karon Thackston © 2008

"But how do you do it?" That was a question I was asked by a prospective client the other day. While he was a good writer, he was frustrated with trying to use the data he'd collected on his customers to make an emotional connection. If you know where to look, you can easily find clues about what people are feeling. Once you discover that, making the connection is simple. Let's use weight loss as an example.

Evaluate Your Customers

While some things about your customers may be obvious, you'll get much better results if you actually evaluate or research your visitors in some way. You can perform exit surveys on your site, send out an email asking customers to participate in a quick study or use other means to collect data.

Always read your customer feedback with care. Never discount information because it might not have been what you were expecting. Honest, constructive criticism can open the door to new ideas, products and/or services. Also, study your testimonials. Is there a trend? Do most people compliment you on the same thing(s)? If so, those elements are evidently very important to them.

Research your customers' lifestyles as well as basic demographics. In other words, knowing that your visitors are primarily women between the ages of 50-60 who make over $60,000 per year is nice. However, it does not reveal that they are approaching retirement and trying to save money wherever they can for fear of not having enough. It also doesn't tell you that their doctors recently told these women their cholesterol and blood pressure were getting too high (probably due to steady weight gain year after year).

Put Yourself in Their Shoes

Once you've collected the data, put yourself in your customers' shoes for a day. Don't just read over the findings in a methodical manner: actually think about what the findings mean. Go back to the paragraph above. Let's dissect those bits of information.

…women between the ages of 50-60 who make over $60,000 per year, approaching retirement and trying to save money wherever they can for fear of not having enough, doctors recently told them their cholesterol and blood pressure were getting too high (probably due to steady weight gain year after year).

What if you were in this situation? What would you be feeling? "Just great! Now all that extra money I've been trying to put toward paying down the mortgage is going to have to go to some expensive weight loss program. Or worse yet… I'll have to go on high-priced medication forever and put up with all those quirky side effects. Most of the time, months later, the news reports always say these pills don't work or can possibly kill you! I don't want that. My only other choice is to try to lose the weight. I don't know how to do it alone, so I'm going to have to join a program. That's just perfect. Approaching retirement and I'm going to be a slave to the calorie counter. Good grief!"

Not a good situation, is it? You don't really want to find or participate in a weight loss program, do you? So, for someone in this state of mind, what could the copy say that would be persuasive and would speak to them on their level?

Asking questions is a good approach. "Looking for a weight loss program that fits your hectic lifestyle?" "Need an affordable weight loss program that produces quick results?" Think of questions that reflect their state of mind and that you can answer positively.

In addition, you can list features of your product or service that would appeal to a person in the mindset outlined above.

It's easy.
Everything is prepackaged and precounted.
It's affordable.
You get quick results.
Your health improves as you lose weight.
It gives you more energy.
Introductory program saves you money.
Others have seen blood pressure and cholesterol drop within just 4 weeks.

There are lots more. All these features could be worked into your copy along with the appropriate benefits and end results to clearly show these women that your weight loss program is right for them. Whatever you do, don't forget the vital step of adding benefits and end results to these features!

You could even create a "pre-retirement" package designed to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and boost energy along with losing weight, so women have better health and more get-up-and-go for the years to come. Give it a discounted price and toss in some supplements and you've got a tailored package these women would probably love.

The whole idea is to learn the who, what, when, where and why of your site visitors. Once you understand what emotional state visitors are in and which emotional level they are on, you'll be able to create copy that is highly effective.

Copywriting Makeover: Value vs. Vision - Part 1 of 2
by Karon Thackston © 2007

There's no doubt. Wholesalers USA knows their customers. They've spent the time digging through log files to analyze site stats. They've spoken with customers on the phone and emailed with them. They've used client feedback to develop new products that have taken off like a rocket! Wholesalers USA understands the importance of giving the customer what s/he wants. What they needed some help with was translating that message into natural-sounding SEO copy that would deliver qualified traffic.

The Problems

According to Wholesalers USA, they've been working for years to get organic listings for two extremely important keyphrases. Unfortunately, they've had little success, their highest achievement being about page five of the Google search engine results pages (SERPs). This left them with a hefty monthly pay-per-click (PPC) spend of $4,000 on average to get the traffic they needed.

Still, the most important factor to them was not reducing that painful PPC outlay, but creating SEO copy that puts the customer first. They refused to have copy on their site that sounded choppy or forced -- and I applauded them for that! At the same time, I also assured them that SEO copywriting could be written to meet all their goals.

Because of their extensive work to get to know their target audience, Wholesalers USA was able to tell me that 50% of their customers were extensive crafters. These creative types might be purchasing mosaic glass tiles, gems, stones and other items for their crafting business or just for personal use. Regardless, we knew we were dealing with people who were focused intently on creating beauty.

The existing copy had one sole message of value. You can see the original at <http://www.copywritingcourse.com/wholesalersusa-home-original.pdf>. Wholesalers USA wanted visitors to know they offer true wholesale prices and -- unlike other companies -- had no hidden charges or minimums. Because feedback told them new visitors sometimes questioned the quality of their products (due specifically to prices that were far below their competitors'), Wholesalers USA also touched on why they could sell so low.

But the two things the copy didn't take into consideration were the search engines and the creative nature of their visitors. To get high rankings for a page using particular search terms, the page has to reflect original content that is keen to the topic. To mesh with the site visitors, the copy also needs to use words like "gorgeous," "beauty," "elegant," "whimsical," "professional" and others.

The Solutions

This fix was relatively easy. I wanted to develop trust and set Wholesalers USA apart from others, so a conspicuous mention of participation in a popular TV show was included in the content. I also needed to alter the message slightly to incorporate a feeling of belonging for creative crafters. To do this, select words were used to connect with the visitors.

Because there was scant little copy on the home page, I wanted to expand the content just a bit. Adding brief descriptions for each product graphic shown was a logical choice that would be of value to customers and the engines.

All the while, the two search terms Wholesalers USA needed to rank highly for (along with other secondary terms) were incorporated into the copy to aid with rankings. The client added a new title tag to further optimize the page and continued their efforts in the way of directory submissions.

In Part Two of this series, we'll walk through every step of the rewrite in detail and also review the results, with direct feedback from Wholesalers USA.

Copywriting Makeover: Value vs. Vision - Part 2 of 2
by Karon Thackston © 2007

In Part 1 of this series, we discovered that explaining the value your products offer is only one part of the copywriting process. Creating a visual image is another. While Wholesalers USA knew their target customers better than most companies do, they needed help with two areas: optimizing their copy for the search engines and incorporating visual imagery.

The Rewrite

Since Wholesalers USA had extensive information about its customers, assessing the target audience was a quick process. We were able to move immediately to step two: the selection of keyphrases. Again, Wholesalers USA had done their homework.

Checking a variety of sources, they developed a collection of keyphrases they thought would work well for their home page. In addition, they reviewed their on-site searches for additional terms users frequently queried.

As I began to write, I kept these terms in mind and created ways to use them so they would flow naturally within the text. I also made a point to incorporate the "creative terms" mentioned in Part 1 and improve the feeling of trust for the visitor.

Keeping quality as a primary focus, I rephrased and repositioned the headline previously located in the center of the top banner area. Rather than:

"Bringing You Quality at Wholesale Prices - Always the Most Value for Your Money"

We used:

"Always the Highest Quality at the Lowest Prices"

This was inserted as a bold headline before the opening paragraph. The reworked headline flowed better and gave a more direct message. The following replaced the headline in the center banner area:

"Gorgeous Glass Mosaic Tiles and Glass Gems Direct from the Wholesaler"

Keyphrases found here helped contribute to the overall optimization of the page.

The copy began with a play on an old saying. It delivered a brief explanation of why tiles and gems were so inexpensive and how quality was retained, then worked its way to a mention of a popular television show to boost trust and credibility. Although they had the privilege of providing tiles, stones and more for an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Wholesalers USA mentioned this only on internal pages. Adding this to the home page copy (and providing a link for the details) allowed visitors to immediately see how different Wholesalers USA was from other companies.

To extend the copy and provide additional opportunities to entice visitors, very brief descriptions of each category represented on the home page were written. This also allowed the search engines to better assess the subject and relevance of the page. (Currently the descriptions are listed at the bottom of the home page until the programmer is able to move them underneath each graphic.) You can see the current home page copy at
<http://www.copywritingcourse.com/wholesalersusa-home-current.pdf>.

The Results

Mark from Wholesalers USA explains the results best. "Before the rewrite we didn’t have any organic traffic for the supplemental keywords. The only traffic we had with these words were with PPC advertising. For our two main key phrases… I believe we were around page 5 on Google as of the update this past January. Previously we were found around page 35 for one phrase and the other could not be found at all.

"The biggest impact we have noticed is the dramatic increase in organic traffic (about a 50% increase) and in the number of conversions we are receiving from the organic phrases targeted in the makeover. A quick look… this afternoon shows where the phrases ranked in the search engines: [typically from #1 to #10].

"The rewrite has had a better effect than we expected. Almost immediately (within a few days) we started seeing traffic based on the new keywords and since then we see many of these key phrases continuing to move up in rankings.

"Although there are still many visitors who don’t purchase on their first visit, we do see that most of our visitors are adding us to their favorites. This typically results in a sale at a later time as our log files show a relatively high conversion rate for these visitors (direct traffic)."

Good deal, Mark! That's what it's all about!

My SEO's Good. Now Should I Work On Conversions?
by Karon Thackston © 2007

It happens more frequently than you might think. People spend a lot of time and money getting their sites ranked highly in the search engines, but give little or no attention to converting their visitors into paying customers. What's their logic? From what copywriting prospects tell me, "I wanted to get my rankings in place before working on my conversions."

It may look as though I'm sitting firmly on the fence; however, I don't think SEO and conversions are separate entities. I believe you need to work on them together. Let me tell you why from a copywriting and marketing standpoint.

People mistakenly think search engine optimization is the one-step process of getting ranked highly on search engines. You "do" SEO and when you're finished *poof* your site is ranked highly. In reality, SEO has numerous steps, all of which intertwine with the foundation of your marketing plan. For instance, if you were creating an online marketing plan for a new site you wanted to launch, what would the process include? Certainly there are numerous steps, but let's focus on the three below for now.

> > > Creating An Attractive, User-Friendly Design
A recent study by MarketingExperiments.com found that using eight particular elements in your site design can improve conversions by more than 70%. You would want a design that instills trust and confidence while reducing anxiety.

> > > Organizing An Effective Navigation Structure
Obviously, you want it to be as easy as possible for visitors to find what they're looking for. If they aren't able to navigate the site quickly, they'll get frustrated and leave.

> > > Writing Persuasive Copy That Informs and Sells
Just having words on your pages isn't enough to connect with your visitors. You want specific copywriting about each product or service that entices, explains, convinces and converts.

Amazingly, these same three steps are fundamental to developing a solid search engine optimization strategy. So what's the problem? If you complete the steps with SEO tunnel vision - without giving any thought to your visitors along the way -- you may be doomed to repeat everything you've already finished. Here's why:

> > > Creating An Attractive, User-Friendly Design
Many times, sites designed strictly to rank highly in the engines neglect the design process. You can have a site that's at the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs) and gets a ton of traffic, but causes visitors to immediately click away due to lack of trust. If this is the case, you'll need to change some or all of your design elements, which could possibly have a bearing on your rankings.

> > > Organizing An Effective Navigation Structure
I've read about companies who develop navigational structures specifically for the engines. They tell their clients to avoid cross-linking between certain pages or areas of the site so as not to "confuse" the search engines. Whether it confuses the search engines or not, if you want to make more sales, cross-linking and up-selling are excellent strategies that make it easier for your visitors to find -- and buy -- what they need. If you're ranking highly but not making sales, it may mean you need to radically improve your navigation, which could change your rankings.

> > > Writing Persuasive Copy That Informs and Sells
Keyword-stuffed, third-grade-level copy that is repetitive and boring won't make sales. If you've slapped up any old copy thinking you would improve it later, you're probably in for a rude awakening. Copywriting is a pivotal element in search engine optimization. Unless you're having great success with a massive linking campaign, copywriting will play a major part in your rankings. Changing copy can (and almost always will) cause either a negative or positive change in positioning. Oftentimes, pages fall, then return with higher placement -- but not always. If your copy is preventing your site from converting, it needs to be changed immediately even if that means a temporary drop in positioning.

The search engines do not make your site successful. The search engines don't buy anything from you. All they do is send traffic your way. Although there is no discounting the value of free traffic from the engines, you can get traffic from countless other online and offline sources. Your site is what makes you money and it needs to be developed for your visitors. But by focusing strictly on SEO, it is highly likely you'll be forced to change most of what you've built in order to improve conversions later on. That means spending more time and money on something that could have been turning a profit by now.

Online Shoppers Ask for More Detailed Copywriting
by Karon Thackston © 2007

I found out quite by chance. I noticed a research brief in my inbox entitled, "Bad Web Experience Impacts Brick and Mortar Shopping." Being primarily focused on Internet business, I really didn't pay it much attention. But then I noticed it made reference to a customer's online experience, too, so I read on.

Allurent, Inc. gave the following details from their Online Customer Experience Survey. A total of 82% of consumers who participated said having a frustrating online shopping experience would make them less likely to revisit a retailer's site. That's expected. The survey continued by saying if the experience improved, visitors would be open to buying more from the offending sites. Logical. But what does this have to do with copywriting? It's what I read next that caught my attention.

According to respondents, visitors want specific "interactive and engaging features" when they shop online. One of those "engaging features" included better copywriting. Specifically, "68% want the ability to 'feel' merchandise through better imagery, more product descriptions and details."

Just exactly how do we accomplish that? It's really not difficult.

Use More Descriptive Adjectives

Break out your thesaurus and find words that impress, inspire and convince your customers more effectively. Look at the examples below to see what I mean.

=======
Before
=======

Great Top for Hot Summer Days

When it's hot outside, this top will help keep you cool. Made of cool nylon, you'll love how it stops moisture. Available in four pastel colors.

=======
After
=======

Perfect Tank Top for Hot Summer Days

When the temperatures are steamy outside, this tank will help keep you remarkably cool. Made of breathable 100% nylon, you'll love how it sheds moisture. Available in four spring-fresh colors.

============================

See the difference? The latter paints a more vivid picture of the tank top than the former. It also gives more detail. It's not a nylon blend, it's 100% nylon. They aren't just any colors, they are spring-fresh colors.

Create a Sensory Experience

Site visitors are looking for an experience as close as possible to standing in the brick and mortar store. That means you have to create copy that plays on all five senses to bring the products to life.

See if this example makes you hungry:

============================
Definitely NOT Grandma's cinnamon rolls! Bake them fresh right in your own
oven. As the aroma begins to waft through the air, your nose will start to
tingle and you'll immediately know they are worth the wait. The scents of
freshly ground cinnamon and yeast begin to merge as the dough rises and the
cinnamon, sugar and butter begin to bubble. Open your oven door to reveal
one of the largest sweets you've ever seen. Drizzle the homemade frosting
over the top to complete your warm, gooey treasure. Your taste buds will
praise you with every bite!
============================

Do you notice the detail? With the exception of hearing, all five senses were addressed here. Smell the aroma. See the largest cinnamon roll you've ever seen. Taste the gooey treat. And the description of warmth brings in the sense of touch.

Rather go on vacation than eat sweets? How about this?

===========================
As your day begins, enjoy a gourmet breakfast prepared by your own private
staff -- at your disposal 24 hours a day. A gorgeous view overlooking your
own crystal-blue freshwater pool welcomes you to another exciting adventure
in Hawaii. A morning stroll along your private, white-sand beach is the
perfect way to welcome the day. A fun-filled outing can consist of splashing
in the surf, sunning on the beach or napping in an authentic hand-woven
hammock that cuddles every curve of your body. At the end of the day, you'll
have sun-kissed shoulders, a glowing bronze tan and a phenomenal appetite!
Unwind poolside at the gazebo as you prepare for a world-class dinner that
rivals any five-star restaurant. Refreshing after-dinner cocktails are
especially enjoyable when sipped on the terrace as nature provides an
amazing display of sunsets and a soft, caressing breeze you won't soon
forget.
============================

Now, isn't that better than:

============================
Rent our two-bedroom condo right on the beach! You'll have a private staff
to meet all your needs. Pool, hammock and gazebo are on site. Gourmet chef
will cook all your meals to order. This is the best vacation house you've
ever seen!
============================

The next time you begin to write copy, think about every aspect of the product. How can you entice the visitor? How can you help him or her touch, smell, see, taste or hear what you have to offer? The more real you make the experience, the better your conversions will be!

3 Simple Rules for Creating an Effective USP
by Karon Thackston © 2007

You have one, whether you know it or not. Everybody does. There is something unique about your business; you just have to discover what it is. And therein lies the problem. Most business owners and managers don't understand how to create a truly unique selling proposition (USP). There are specific criteria to consider in order to get your message across clearly and succinctly.

1. Define Your Uniqueness - Just as the name suggests, a "unique" selling proposition must explain how your company or offer is unique. It's easy if you have a product that's new to the marketplace. Everything about it is unique. But what about those companies that have been around for quite a while? Or products that have a great deal of competition? Uniqueness might be more difficult to define.

Internet access, for example, is very ordinary. The most recognized features are price and speed. But the world leader in Internet access, AOL, has built its reputation based on ease of use. Starting in its earliest days, AOL landed and kept millions of users because they were spoiled. Everything they needed was in one place. No need to have an Internet service provider (ISP) and use a separate email program and a separate browser and a separate instant messaging program. It was all included. Forget that AOL charged twice as much as everyone else, was famous for dropping the connection and had pitiful customer service. They made it easy and that's what early surfers wanted.

2. Be Specific - I once landed on a website that presented the following USP at the top of every page. See if you can guess what type of business it was. The USP read something to the effect of, "Helping people live better, healthier lives more efficiently." Got any ideas? It was a company that provided kitchen equipment of all sorts. The common denominator was that this equipment was primarily used by those who wanted more natural foods. Canners, grain mills, bread machines and the like would be found at this company.

Do you see how the USP defines their uniqueness in a very specific way? They do help people live better, healthier lives. But the kicker is that they help their customers do this more efficiently. Grinding your own grain for flour, canning your own vegetables and baking your own bread takes a lot of extra time. Most naturalists would be delighted to find products that help them do this in less time.

3. Keep It Short - USPs are not introductory paragraphs. They are generally a short sentence or two. Don't ramble. The more concise you are, the better your results will be.

To give you a good idea of what works, let's look at a few examples.

Good USPs

Practically everybody knows the M&Ms' USP, which also happens to be their marketing slogan: "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands." How about Domino's Pizza? Originally, they took the pizza delivery industry by storm with a guaranteed delivery time. Their USP was "We deliver hot, fresh pizza in 30 minutes or less or it's free." Their marketing slogan was very similar to their USP. And who could forget Burger King's USP of quickly giving the customer a handmade burger with whatever they wanted on it. The marketing campaign featured the "have it your way at Burger King" slogan and jingle. All of these are very descriptive, specific and short. Also, they are easy to remember.

If you've created a new product or service, ask yourself why. Was it to fulfill needs customers were voicing? Was it to plug a niche nobody else was giving attention to? Those can be the basis for strong USPs.

Make a list of features and benefits. Ask customers what they like best about your company, your product or your service. Compare your offer to what the competition has available. All of these can be excellent brainstorming techniques that may jumpstart your thinking. Before long, lots of unique aspects will come to mind, giving you the basis for writing a strong, descriptive, specific USP.

Copywriting Makeover: Facts Vs. Fantasy (Part 1 of 2)
by Karon Thackston © 2006

Time for a pop quiz! Name three products that sell better when a facts-based approach to copy is taken. Just off the top of my head I'd say computers, fax machines and microwave ovens. Now, name three products that sell best when the copy is romanticized. Travel, fur coats and jewelry are good examples. Knowing when to use facts and when to use fantasy was a problem JuliesJewels.com had on one particular website page. Let's see how approaching the copy differently brought this e-commerce company greater success.

The Problems

One of the hardest things to learn as a copywriter is which focus or approach to take with copy. There are general guidelines to follow, but experience will tell you that there are almost as many exceptions as there are rules. However, in the case of JuliesJewels.com's Moissanite jewelry page, it was obvious we had a clear lack of -- and a clear need for more -- emotion.

For those who may not be acquainted with Moissanite stones, they were originally created in a laboratory by a Nobel Peace Prize-winning scientist. They are made of a replicated mineral that was originally found in a meteorite that crashed to earth thousands of years ago. However, unlike cubic zirconia (CZ), they are extremely hard and do not form a cloudy appearance over time. Moissanite offers the brilliance of a diamond without the flashy price.

Now, the guideline goes: If you have a product that is unfamiliar to the marketplace, you will want to educate your site visitors while you sell to them. However, sometimes "educate" gets confused with "provide facts." This was one problem Julie's page suffered from.

As I read the original copy (which you can see here: http://www.copywritingcourse.com/juliesjewels-moissanite-original.pdf) terms like "replica" and "lab" and "wholesale" struck me as cold and undescriptive. Yes, they were absolutely true, but they completely disregarded the wonder and enchantment brought about by one of these manmade diamonds.

While a few words like "beauty" and "lustrous" were included, they did little to help a man feel proud and confident that he was choosing a gorgeous piece his wife or girlfriend would swoon over. It didn't evoke any emotions in women who lack the funds (and the desire!) to spend thousands on diamonds yet still dream of jewelry that was is unique as they are.

Another challenge was the page's so-so performance in the search results. Considering how horribly competitive most jewelry terms are with regard to search rankings, Julie's positioning for this page wasn't too bad. The Moissanite jewelry page usually bounced between positions 11 and 30 on the major engines. However, the goal was to push the page as high as possible while driving visitors deeper into the category.

The Solutions

The key points that needed to be made on the Moissanite jewelry page were these:

1) Moissanite is the next best thing to a diamond, closely replicating a diamond's luster, vibrance and quality.
2) Unlike CZs, Moissanite jewels are rare, not a victim of a flooded marketplace.
3) While not considered "cheap," Moissanite is definitely affordable.

To prepare myself for writing this page, I looked over the various other pages of the Julie's Jewels site. I wanted to dream a bit about the earrings, rings, necklaces and other pieces I that included Moissanite stones.

As I clicked from page to page, I took notes about what I saw, what I felt and how I reacted to the pictures of the jewels. I also went to various diamond websites. Since Moissanite is almost as hard as diamonds and since it so closely resembles the characteristics of diamonds, many of the adjectives used to describe diamonds would also be applicable to Moissanite stones.

Lastly, I thought about who would be buying these gemstones and why. Perhaps a man who truly wanted to impress his fiancé, but who didn't have the money to pay for a one-carat or two-carat diamond ring. Maybe a woman who wanted a pendant that was truly exceptional, but didn't care to pay the extensive markup usually found on diamond jewelry. While the reasons might vary, the common denominators were that beauty and quality mattered as much as price. Once I had a good grasp of the target audience and the products, I set out to write a new category page.

In Part Two of this series, you'll see how the rewrite unfolded and what those changes accomplished for Julie's Jewels.

Copywriting Makeover: Facts Vs. Fantasy (Part 2 of 2)
by Karon Thackston © 2006

In Part 1 of this article series (found here) we discovered the challenge faced by the copy of Julie's Jewels Moissanite page. The original copy (found here:
http://www.copywritingcourse.com/juliesjewels-moissanite-original.pdf) was too factual for visitors to relate to effectively. I outlined the problems and the proposed solutions. Let's continue as I show you the rewrite and the results.

The Rewrite

Building excitement about Moissanite jewelry was a primary goal during the rewrite. These stones needed to be positioned above other manmade gems such as cubic zirconia. Their special qualities had to be brought to light while also evoking emotions that are associated with buying something rare, exclusive and truly exceptional.

I chose words and phrases including "spoiled for anything else," "alluring" and "wonder."

However, affordability also needed to be conveyed -- but without discounting the perceived and actual value of the stone. To accomplish this, I included mentions of how affordable Moissanite stones are along with verbiage describing the clarity, quality and excellence of these jewels.

You can view the revised copy (PDF) here:
http://www.copywritingcourse.com/juliesjewels-moissanite-rewrite.pdf.

In addition, Julie's Jewels faces some stiff competition from national retailers and other sites that carry Moissanite. There was really only one main phrase the page needed to be optimized for. The challenge with that, however, was using the term enough to make an impact with the engines, but not so much as to sound odd because of too much repetition.

The Headline

A huge change took place with the headline. The original headline was created with no appeal to the site visitor. Likely used strictly for navigation and search engine optimization (SEO) purposes, it merely listed the name of the page. The use of the simple term "Moissanite Jewelry" was replaced with a headline that clearly stated the primary benefit of this product:

"Moissanite Jewelry Offers Affordable Luxury"

The Opening Paragraph

The original copy used an opening paragraph that skipped from one topic to another. Beginning with information about Moissanite being created from minerals in a lab then jumping to the fact that this type of jewelry was available at wholesale prices, it needed some help in capturing and retaining the attention of the visitor.

In an effort to create a visual image for the site visitor, the new copy begins with:

"Once you experience the wonder of Moissanite jewelry, you'll be spoiled for anything else. This alluring stone has the brilliance and sparkle of a diamond, yet it is affordable on practically any budget. Moissanite is the hardest and most dazzling stone, second only to a diamond."

Because this is a category page on Julie's ecommerce site, photographs of Moissanite jewels in different settings are shown along with links to the associated pages. The original copy stopped there. With the new copy, I added brief descriptions underneath each image. This accomplished two things.

1) It allowed me to entice the visitor to click through to the page using both words and visuals.
2) It gave us additional opportunities to use Julie's keyphrase without sounding overpowering.

The Results

What was the outcome of this makeover? I'll let Julie tell you herself.

"I was on the 2nd and 3rd page of SERPs for this category. Now, I'm on page #1! The Moissanite page is now the 3rd highest entry page for the site. This page is the parent category for six sub-categories. Those sub-categories have seen nice jumps in traffic as opposed to a year ago (prior to copy rewrite). This not only helps the main category but sub-categories as well. I'm also getting double the contacts about Moissanite as a result of increased visitors on the Moissanite jewelry page."

Before you start listing facts and figures in your copy, take a little time to research how consumers buy that particular product. Because people don't react the same ways to every product or service, jumping to conclusions about how they buy can be a dangerous practice that's best avoided.

Opening Sentences That Close the Sale
by Karon Thackston © 2006

It's one of the best pieces of copywriting advice I've ever been given. "As often as possible, start your paragraphs with sentences that hook readers and drive them deeper into the copy." Why? Because - after the headline - the first sentence in any paragraph is what gets read most often. After that point, customers usually skip to the next section unless they feel compelled to keep reading. That means your job, as the copywriter, is to entice them into each segment, so they will consume as much of your copy as possible.

Take your cue from Reader's Digest. They crank out - issue after issue - exceptional opening lines for their articles that engage then hook readers. What happens next? The reader is pulled into the story full force. Here are some examples.

It was a horrific display of irreverence.

By the way she dressed, you would have never guessed she was only 14.

As he reached into the box, something inside it moved.

See? Those sentences boost your curiosity. They make you wonder what happens next. They cause you to visualize a scene that might be taking place. You can do the same thing from a marketing perspective when you write your copy.

For instance, rather than starting the copy for an email to Australian hotels like this:

You may be aware of www._______.com – we are an Australian-owned and managed online hotel booking service.

Really capture their attention with an opening sentence that is specific to them like this:

Now you have the opportunity to affordably position your hotel in front of approximately 6,000 travellers every day that are looking for accommodations exclusively in Australia.

For an Australian hotel that depends on the Internet to generate reservations, that sentence gives them many reasons to keep reading.

Here are some other before-and-after examples of opening sentences.

==============

BEFORE: Hello and welcome to our website. If you are looking for [enter product name here], you are at the right site. (In this case, the example is from a wedding photographer's site.)

AFTER: We don't take pictures. We capture precious memories that you can enjoy for a lifetime.

==============

BEFORE: Our site has been online since 2000, and this marks our 6th year online providing designer-inspired sunglasses.

AFTER: How do you get the latest designer-inspired looks without paying outrageous prices?

==============

BEFORE: Our cruise website offers unbeatable rates and a diverse array of travel services guaranteed to satisfy even the most discriminating vacationer.

AFTER: Just imagine yourself on the white sand beaches of Honolulu, hiking through the balmy rainforests of Belize or whisking down a powdery, snow-covered mountain in Aspen… all at up to 50% off!

==============

BEFORE: Thank you for shopping for your corporate gifts at _________.com. We hope your shopping experience is delightful.

AFTER: When you truly impress your clients with distinctive corporate gifts, they remember you longer, feel a closer relationship and are more likely to reward you with increased sales.

==============

See the difference? The "before" sentences are dull, average and unflattering. The "after" sentences are intriguing, imaginative and enticing.

Don't stop after you create inviting headlines. Keep the momentum going by writing intriguing opening sentences, too. When you do, you'll help convert more site visitors into paying customers.

Will Longer Keyphrases Hinder
the Effectiveness of Your Copy?
by Karon Thackston © 2006

The length of search phrases continues to grow. Back when the Internet was just an upstart, single keywords were the only thing you needed. But in recent years we've seen the number of words used in search phrases triple and quadruple. Rather than a single keyword, searchers who live in countries where English is the primary language are now using three- and four-word phrases as a standard, according to Web analytics company, OneStat.com.

While the worldwide average is two words per search phrase, the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia all show that searchers prefer the use of three- or four-word terms. What does this mean from a copywriting standpoint? Writing with a single keyword in mind is relatively easy. Using two-word terms is a bit more of a challenge. But when you get to three- and four-word phrases, your risk of sounding stiff and awkward increases substantially.

Why Longer Phrases?

Longer search phrases are the natural progression of the Internet population boom. As more and more information is placed online, it becomes increasingly difficult to find exactly what you're looking for. When there were only a few thousand sites, entering the word "marketing" into a search engine would bring up a handful of sites for you to choose from.

Now, however, you find hundreds of thousands of sites dealing with everything from marketing plans to marketing jobs to university curriculums for marketing degrees. The natural action for copywriters is to follow the search trend of the target audience and use the keyphrases that they use.

That leads us back to our original question… how?

Tips for Writing With Keyphrases

The biggest mistake I find search engine optimization (SEO) copywriters making is attempting to substitute a generic term for a specific keyphrase. For example:

At our Mexico cruise vacation site we offer the best rates on Mexico cruise vacation packages to the most exciting Mexico cruise vacation destinations. Visit our Mexico cruise vacation specials page for deep discounts today!

Or

Welcome to our Chicago web design firm site. If you're looking for innovative and creative Chicago web design firm, you've come to the right place. No other Chicago web design firm has the talent or technological skills to develop the type of high-end sites we do. When you're ready for a truly professional Chicago web design firm, contact us today.

Oh please! My 10-year-old nephew could write better copy than that. When you substitute generic terms (in this case: site, packages, vacation destinations, vacation specials, etc.) with the specific search phrase, you get a bunch of repetitive, awkward babble. The longer the keyphrases are, the more clunky the copy will sound.

The best advice I can give is to break up some of the mentions of longer keyphrases. Yes, you do need to keep the words of the phrase in the same order most of the time. However by using punctuation and other elements you can still make the phrase appear less obtrusive.

For example, let's look at our Mexico cruise vacation site again. Rather than using that bunch of fluff written above, try this instead:

Long stretches of sunny beaches, delightful fiestas filled with lively bands and some of the most delicious fresh seafood you've ever tasted. Where can you find it? In Mexico! Cruise vacation destinations from Cancun to Cozumel offer some of the most exciting adventures and beautiful scenery found in Mexico. Cruise vacation specials make these remarkable getaways even more affordable than you might think - etc., etc.

Do you see what was done? Using punctuation, the phrase "Mexico cruise vacation" was broken up between sentences. Because the search engines all but ignore punctuation, they see the phrase as one term. However, the site visitor doesn't. They don't notice that the phrase is being repeated because it spans two sentences.

If the trend continues as it has in the past, search phrases will get even longer in the not-so-distant future. However, when you get creative with keyphrase use in your copy, you'll find longer search terms are not a problem to work with.

I was so excited to read his post! Google-icon Matt Cutts was blogging on August 21st and hit the nail on the head (as he does quite frequently). The title of the post was, "SEO Advice: Writing useful articles that readers will love." That, in and of itself, says it all. Why is this such a thrilling post? Because it reinforces what I've been saying for years. Whether you're writing content for a website, an article or any type of SEO copy, you must think of the reader first.

There is such a barrage of worthless articles floating around the 'Net these days. Keyword stuffed, useless ramble that was obviously written with the sole intent of attempting to rank high. Striving for top rankings is not a bad thing, but the purpose of writing SEO articles is threefold not onefold: provide information, rank high when used on your site and increase link popularity. That means the practice must follow the purpose.

Why Write an Article?

Let's start at the beginning. Why write articles to begin with? While having SEO content on your site is a good thing, your first concern should be with offering useful information to your readers. Cutts agrees with this practice and makes a point to discuss why providing relevant, helpful information is vital.

If the information isn't helpful, those who visit your site will have little interest in reading it. Yes, if the page ranks highly, it might bring in a bit of traffic. But if visitors take one look at your article then click away, what good have the high rankings done you?

Likewise, if you choose to distribute your article throughout the Internet, it is highly unlikely that others will elect to run your article on their sites. If your work doesn't provide solid information and is poorly written, it will not be considered link-worthy.

Optimizing for the Engines

Once you've decided what information you want to provide, you can turn your focus to SEO. Copywriting for the engines requires balance. You never want to sacrifice the reader's experience for the sake of rankings. Stuffing keywords into text is a method that will almost always backfire. Practically no one wants to read an article (or website page) that constantly repeats the same exact terms to the point of extremes.

Cutts also addressed this issue in his blog post, stating that he included keyphrases within his own article and also used similar terms. Cutts made a point of suggesting that we pay more attention to keyphrase use (and the use of variations of those keyphrases) than focusing on keyword density.

The Two Most Important Keys

The two "meta-issues" Cutts highlighted in his article were both related to user experience, not to the practice of SEO copywriting. First, pay attention to the content you offer. Always impart useful, concrete knowledge to your reader. Second, study your niche (a.k.a. know your target audience!) and write specifically for the purpose of helping them.

There is other great information included in Cutts' post, and I encourage you to read it plus the comments that follow. You can find it here: http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/seo-advice-writing-useful-articles-that-readers-will-love.

These are things I (and other SEO pros) have been preaching for years. User first, search engines second. When you get the priority straight, the rest will fall into line without much hassle.

Automation is an odd creature. It usually seems, at first glance, that automating a process can make things easier, simpler and faster. But oftentimes, once an automated process is in place, trouble spots pop up. This is sometimes the case when looking at the copywriting aspect of Google's dynamic keyword insertion tool.

In case you're unfamiliar with dynamic keyword insertion (DKI), it's a feature of Google's AdWords program. It is often used for large campaigns in order to automatically insert the keyword into the headline of an ad. Truly, it's a lifesaver for many pay-per-click (PPC) ad managers who have to stay on top of thousands of ads every day. It's all done with a simple syntax command: {keyword:_______}.

From a timesaving standpoint, this is a wonder tool that has rescued PPC managers from the mind-numbing chore of typing the same keywords over and over. From an economic point-of-view, DKI *can* (not always) perform well enough to make it a viable option for larger campaigns. But what happens with regard to copywriting and eye tracking?

See It and Click It

The human eye is normally drawn to things that are unusual. Things that look out of place or different get noticed far more than things that blend in. For instance, on a page full of black text and black & white photographs, a small red square in the bottom corner will get focused on almost immediately. Why? Because it is completely different than everything else around it.

This same principle applies when considering your copywriting strategy for AdWords. When using DKI, you'll want to keep your eye on the results pages. Why? We've all heard that using the keyphrase in the headline pulls better. It does… most of the time. There is an exception, however. This exception is what you'll be watching.

In fact, a study done last year by Enquiro, Did-It and Eyetools tracked users' interactions with the Google search results page. It found that surfers normally reviewed the page in an F formation. They would scan vertically down the left side of the page and then over to the right (where paid ads are) *IF* something caught their attention. That's the point we'll explore in this article.

In order to get clicks, you first have to get seen. If your ad looks and reads like all the rest, you've completely lost your originality advantage.

See For Yourself

Copywriting using DKI is a balancing act. You have to consider several factors, including the character count of your longest keyphrase, your ability to add text to the keyword-rich headline and how the ad looks on the page.

Take a look at some examples below. Remember that AdWords results show differently at various points throughout the day (and in relation to individual account parameters), so you may not see exactly what I saw when doing this research. I'm sure it will be close enough for you to get the idea.

Go to Google and type in the phrase "cruise vacation center" (without using the quote marks). See how all the ads look different? They don't all have the same words bolded. They don't all use the same copy. The bold words stand out because they are different. In this case, your eye will usually go first to the ads with bolded words in the headline.

You see ads offering a 6-night cruise for $xx.xx and other ads promoting X% off on a cruise vacation, etc. There is diversity and that's a good thing.

Now, what if you type in "home improvement”? (Again, without the quotes.) If your results page looks like mine, practically every ad has the exact same headline: home improvement. Not only do most of the ads look the same, the headlines read the same. Your eye doesn't know where to go because everything seems identical. But wait! About four or five ads down, something catches your eye. It's an ad that has no bold in the headline. That stands out because it's different! As you scroll further down the page, more ads with no bold in the headlines pop out at you. In this case, because everyone else has opted for the DKI feature, their headlines are all very similar, making them less noticeable. But the ones who wrote custom headlines won out, thanks to diversity.

Tips for Writing With DKI

If you want or need to write using the DKI option, consider these tips:

1. Use a descriptive word along with your keyphrase. Instead of just inserting the phrase "airline tickets," place the word "discount" or "cheap" before your keyphrase to help it stand out.

2. For keyphrases that will take the entire 25-character limit, consider using one word of the keyphrase in the headline, instead of the entire phrase. Rather than "home improvement," try inserting just "home" or "improvement" along with other text you write yourself.

3. Keep it applicable. Your headline still has to convey a strong message about what the customer can expect at your site.

4. Test & Track! Everything in advertising is subject to change. Smart marketers always test and track to get the best results.

With a little forethought, you can develop a combination of DKI and custom-written AdWords ads that drive qualified visitors to your site.

Discover the proven methods for writing powerful PPC ads with Karon's latest ebook How To Write Successful PPC Ads. This quick-read has easy, tested ways to create PPC ads fast that get higher click-through rates. Learn PPC copywriting today at http://www.WritePPCAds.com.

It really gets my blood pressure up. SEO copywriting has begun to get a poor reputation all due to carelessness. How so? Because too many people claim to know what they are doing. In reality, they simply shove keywords into copy without any concern for how the copy flows. Copy that sounds mechanical or stiff is a sure sign that an amateur writer has had his/her hands in things.

When you write SEO copy, you should take the time to find out what works and what doesn't. There are two mistakes almost every amateur search engine copywriter makes. Let's take a look at each one.

#1 - The List

Let's say you visit the home page of a website that sells beauty supplies. As you read the copy, you keep coming across a string of items: hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables. The copy reads something like this:

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The Best Selection of Hair Salon Supplies, Hair Salon Equipment and
Professional Manicure Tables On the Internet

When you're shopping for hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables, you need a vendor who offers great selection as well as great service. Because buying hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables can be an expensive venture, you also want a company that delivers the lowest price.

Trust ABC Beauty Supply to bring you the widest selection of hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables in stock every day. Orders are shipped within 24 hours and - for all hair salon supplies, hair salon equipment and professional manicure tables orders over $100 - shipping is absolutely free!

------------------------------------------------------------

Do you see how that flows (or doesn't flow) when you use all your keyphrases in a row every single time? One time, sure. That's fine. Even twice, depending on the length of your copy. But to put all your keyphrases in a list and use them every time you have the smallest opportunity is just far too repetitive. What do you do instead?

Discuss each one in its own section. Talk about the various types of hair salon supplies. Review the reasons your hair salon equipment is better than that sold by others. Or even list the features and benefits of the line of manicure tables you offer.

#2 - Substituting Keywords for Generic Terms

This technique (just like the one above) is perfectly fine IF you use it in moderation. However, to replace every instance of a generic term with a keyphrase will cause your copy to sound downright silly. Let's have a look at an example from a Web design site.

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New Orleans Web Design

Our New Orleans Web design firm offers a high level of creativity to businesses located in the general area. Our New Orleans Web design styles are never made from templates. Each New Orleans Web design is a custom creation just for your site.

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If you walked into a Web design company's office and the employees began to talk like that copy is written, you'd most likely think they were on drugs! So why in the world would you write your site copy that way? The reason is because most amateurs mistakenly think they can't write for both the search engines and the site visitors. I'm delighted to say they are wrong! You can most certainly write for both with great success.

Try this:

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Progressive, creative, upbeat. Those are phrases that best describe many online businesses based in New Orleans. Web design for your organization should match your style. Never created from templates, the site designs you’ll receive will be truly reflective of your corporate personality. Because we work exclusively with companies located in or near New Orleans, Web designs retain that Big Easy feel.

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Did you see it? The phrase was broken up using punctuation. That won't hurt your rankings one bit, but it will make your copy sound a LOT better.

These are not all the mistakes. I wish they were! But most of the mistakes made by amateur writers can be fixed using one simple test. Read it out loud. If the copy sounds ridiculous to you when you read it out loud, it is going to sound equally ridiculous to a site visitor.

Take your time. Learn the ins and outs of SEO copywriting before you begin to create the text for your (or your clients’) pages. Then you can rest assured that your copy will convert better while it contributes to your high rankings.

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One statistic shows that over 80% of all buying decisions are emotional. That means your copywriting should be, too. This is something I firmly believe in and have preached for most of my copywriting career. However, all too often, I find people skipping the vital step of making an emotional connection with their customers. That can be a tragic, and costly, mistake.

That’s why I was excited when I had the opportunity to rewrite the homepage copy for a vacation cruise service. While the copy they used previously gave all the details and got them a good number of bookings, it just didn’t have what it takes to make me start daydreaming about my next cruise. It didn’t… but it was about to!

The Problems

The previous copy on the Cruise Vacation Center home page faced a couple of challenges. (You can view the original copy at this link: http://www.copywritingcourse.com/CruiseVacationCenter-Original.pdf.) The copy was very company-oriented instead of customer-oriented. It talked about who Cruise Vacation Center (CVC) is, why the visitor should buy from them, and some wonderful benefits CVC offers its clients including excellent bargain rates and extra discounts. However, all the verbiage was geared toward the company. The customer was left out.

The home page copy also lacked emotion. It was very matter-of-fact. In addition to making visitors aware of the wonderful prices and deals CVC offered, I wanted to create a vision for the site visitors. I wanted to give them what they needed in order to float off into a daydream about fabulous ports-of-call; warm, gentle breezes; and thrilling adventures.

While I was painting a picture of the vacation of a lifetime, I also had to be sure to include a vital fact. CVC’s business plan was set up to be most affordable for the customer when s/he booked online. Without sounding rude, I had to do everything in my power to get the site visitor to book their cruise vacation while at the site. This was an extremely important issue and a point that needed to be woven throughout the copy.

Lastly, the page had to uphold Cruise Vacation Center’s excellent search engine rankings. They were ranked at the top of several major engines, and the rewritten copy couldn’t jeopardize their positioning.

The Solutions

The first step was, without question, to woo the site visitors with delightful fantasies about their next vacation. My goal was to conjure up all sorts of visions in the minds of Cruise Vacation Center’s visitors. I wanted the visitors to be dreaming of exotic places with lots of fun things to do, interesting sights to see, and 24/7 access to gourmet meals that rival any five-star restaurant. I wanted their blood pressure to drop 10 points just from reading about the onboard staff of hundreds who would pamper them with VIP treatment. After reading this copy, I wanted them ready to leave on vacation today! However, I also had to persuade them to book online rather than calling CVC’s office.

During the rewrite, I had to carefully plan the use of their primary keyphrase, “cruise vacation,” so as not to disrupt their most reliable source of business… the search engines. After all, there is a delicate balance between pleasing the search engines and appealing to site visitors.

If I leaned too much toward the search engine side of the equation, the conversion ratio of the home page would suffer. In other words, Cruise Vacation Center would get lots of visitors, but few of them would book cruises.

If I leaned too much toward the customer side of the equation, CVC’s rankings would plummet, and they would need to find a new way to drive qualified traffic to their site. As is normally the case with SEO copywriting, balance was going to be vital.

In the conclusion to this two-part series, you’ll see how I handled the rewrite and what the end results of all the work were. Curious to see the new copy? You’ll find it on CVC’s site: You can see the new copy on CVC’s site at http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com.

In part one of this article series we began looking at the Cruise Vacation Center site: a travel site whose copy was sorely lacking in emotional appeal and visual imagry. (You can see the previous version of the copy here: http://www.copywritingcourse.com/CruiseVacationCenter-Original.pdf.) In the conclusion, you’ll see how all the rewrite turned out and how exciting the end results have been.

The Rewrite

It took me a while to get started on this copy. Before I began writing, I wanted to really be in the mood. I played around on the vacation search feature of CVC’s site and read all about some of the places I have always wanted to go. I took my time and let my imagination run wild while reading about the ports-of-call, the activities, and the ship’s amenities.

When people shop for vacations, they are typically interested in what they’ll get first and they worry about the price second. They want to feel and sense the experience of a vacation while reading about it on a website or in a brochure. It sort of falls into the same category as copywriting for brides.

Getting married, for most people anyway, is a limited experience. It’s not something you do every day. While a bride may be working on a budget, she still loves to see the $10,000 Donna Karan gowns and imagine herself in one. The same holds true for those planning a vacation.

You usually only go on one vacation/holiday a year. That’s why we dream. It’s a limited experience. Something we plan for and look forward to for months on end. So, while a vacation planner may not choose to buy the king-sized, master, grand suite, all-inclusive, five-star vacation trip around the world, s/he sure has fun reading about it and imagining it. Why do you think shows like “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” are so popular?

Once I’d filled my mind with everything wonderful about cruise vacations, I was ready to tackle the copy.

Keyphrase inclusion was simple on this page. There was just one keyphrase, cruise vacation. I used both the singular and plural forms throughout the text. My challenge with the SEO aspect of the copywriting was to keep the balance.

Normally, when there is just one keyphrase, there is a very high tendency by most people to ram, shove, and squeeze the phrase into every nook and cranny of the copy. I beg you… resist that urge! As you’ll see shortly, SEO copywriting is NOT about forcing keyphrases into every possible slot.

And, of course, there was the matter of letting visitors know that they would get a better bargain and save more on their luxury cruise if they booked online.

Starting at the top, I changed the headline of:

“Planning quality discount cruises for you since 1993!”

“Book Your Exotic Cruise Vacation Online and Get Rock-Bottom Prices to the Hottest Destinations”

Next, I immediately began to entice the visitor with visions of what s/he could expect - from their vacation and from CVC.

Rather than talk about the company directly as the original copy did:

“Dreaming of a cruise but don't want to pay full price? Cruise Vacation Center is one of the nation's largest cruise agencies.”

I started the copy with this:

“Just imagine… you’re walking along the deck of a grand cruise vessel as it gently keeps rhythm with the waves. The sun is on your shoulders and a soothing breeze wafts through your hair.”

I continued to build the new copy with phrases like: “wander your way through the medieval castles,” “stunning gardens of the Mediterranean,” an

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