writing for the web
Post on 18-May-2015
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Writing for the WebTom Myer <tom@tripledogs.com>
Stop what you’re doing
In 11 words or lessdescribe your job
I’ll give you five minutes
Okay....we’re back!
Who can get it downto 7 words?
Is Tom crazy?
Not your Father’s Web
microcontent
content reuse
audience != passive
conversations
words w/o context
this wouldn’t be quite so bad except....
we’re talking about business here....
people do business with people they
1. know
1. know2. like
1. know2. like3. trust
(usually in that order)
1. know2. like3. trust
so there is a gap between
stranger cha-ching
the most profitable wayto leap the gap.....
is with words
not just any old words
the right words
the right wordsdelivered to the right people
the right wordsdelivered to the right peopleat the right time
the right wordsdelivered to the right peopleat the right timein the right way
That’s what I’m gonna teach you
In 11 words or lessdescribe your company
I’ll give you five minutes
Okay....we’re back!
Who can get it downto 7 words?
So....who is Tom Myer?
I’m a copywriter and communications consultant.
I help companies grow.
I turn words into money.
iHrrrl
Tell us how you do it!
TFFLR
Target
TargetFocus
TargetFocusFuriously
TargetFocusFuriouslyLeave
TargetFocusFuriouslyLeaveRevise
Target
Targetwho are you writing for?
Targetwho are you writing for?what do they care about?
Targetwho are you writing for?what do they care about?
what keeps them up at night?
Targetwho are you writing for?what do they care about?
what keeps them up at night?what problems are they facing?
Targetwho are you writing for?what do they care about?
what keeps them up at night?what problems are they facing?
what can you tell them?
Focus
Focusimmerse yourself
Focusimmerse yourself
research
Focusimmerse yourself
researchinterviews
Focusimmerse yourself
researchinterviews
read, read, read
Focusimmerse yourself
researchinterviews
read, read, readfigure out all the hot buttons
Furiously
Furiously
kick the editor out
Furiously
kick the editor outwrite fast and furious
Furiously
kick the editor outwrite fast and furiousdon’t hide your light
Furiously
kick the editor outwrite fast and furiousdon’t hide your light
be the real you!
Leave
Leavelet the draft rest
Leavelet the draft rest
walk away for a few hours
Leavelet the draft rest
walk away for a few hoursor a day
Leavelet the draft rest
walk away for a few hoursor a day
or a week
Leavelet the draft rest
walk away for a few hoursor a day
or a weekget refreshed
Revise
Reviseinvite that cranky, hypercritical
Reviseinvite that cranky, hypercritical
editor back into the room
Reviseinvite that cranky, hypercritical
editor back into the room
go through and cut out
Reviseinvite that cranky, hypercritical
editor back into the room
go through and cut outanything that doesn’t make
Reviseinvite that cranky, hypercritical
editor back into the room
go through and cut outanything that doesn’t make
sense to the audience
Inverted Pyramid Style
How informative can your first sentence be?
How informative can your headline be?
Who
WhoWhat
WhoWhatWhen
WhoWhatWhenWhere
WhoWhatWhenWhereWhy
WhoWhatWhenWhereWhyHow
I'm being followed, so I can only talk for a minute. In this telephone call, I will reveal the location of a suitcase full of money. I will then explain who gave it to you, and why. This telephone call will then go on to describe how to defuse the booby trap without attracting unwanted attention from the dozens of armed mercenaries who are out to kill you at this very minute. After you have finished listening to this telephone call, you will be wealthy, healthy, and safe, thanks to the important information that this telephone call has communicated. Uh-oh... I gotta go.
Exercise: Analysis
Exercise: Rewrite
Chunking
sounds gross, right?
chunking is a method ofpresenting information
it’s all about splitting conceptsinto “chunks” to
speed comprehension
bullets
bulletssubheads
bulletssubheadsone idea per sentence
bulletssubheadsone idea per sentenceshort sentences
bulletssubheadsone idea per sentenceshort sentencesshort paragraphs
bulletssubheadsone idea per sentenceshort sentencesshort paragraphsbolding/highlighting
bulletssubheadsone idea per sentenceshort sentencesshort paragraphsbolding/highlightingillustrative graphics
bulletssubheadsone idea per sentenceshort sentencesshort paragraphsbolding/highlightingillustrative graphicsdata tables
white space too!
use half the words!
people don’t read on the webjakob nielsen, 1997
Exercise: Chunking
Headlines
50/50 Rule
80/20 Rule
be USEFUL to the reader
be USEFUL to the readerprovide a sense of URGENCY
be USEFUL to the readerprovide a sense of URGENCYconvey a UNIQUE benefit
be USEFUL to the readerprovide a sense of URGENCYconvey a UNIQUE benefitbe ULTRA-SPECIFIC
Direct Headlines
Pure Silk Blouses - 30% OffDownload our Free E-book
Indirect Headlines
Fresh Bait Works BestEases Gas Pain
News Headlines
Introducing Product 2.0My Exclusive Interview with X
How-To Headlines
How to improve your salesHow to conquer fear of x
Question Headlines
Do you outsource work to India?Who else wants to get rich?
Command Headlines
Outsource your work to IndiaSubscribe to tdog.blog today!
Reason-Why Headlines
138 reasons why Apple rocks8 ways to improve your blog
Testimonial Headlines
“I think Tom is the best writer ever,”admits Angelina Jolie
Exercise: Headlines
Lead Paragraphs
What’s the point?
Make them read the next paragraph!
Ask a question
Open with an anecdote or quote
Paint a picture
Use analogy or metaphor
Use shocking statistic
Conclusion
TFFLR
people don’t read on the webjakob nielsen, 1997
microcontent
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