It’s been a long time, as life has been very hectic, but here is a round-up of my favourite finds from the hundreds of things I’ve read over the past few weeks.
27b/6 website: David Thorne is an Australian satirist famous for sending a drawing of a spider in lieu of an overdue utility bill. If you want a good laugh, visit the website, click on the logo, and enjoy.
How to find good keywords for your small business website - Does what it says on the tin.
Website Marketing Plan - This site is packed full of resources for beginners to marketing.
Meta tags: title, keywords, description - A good guide to meta tags: read this if you need to optimise your website.
11 ways to think outside the box - Interesting article from Stepcase Lifehack about how to look at things in new ways.
Is your website copy too excited? - Exclamation marks are bad!! Really bad!! Men With Pens explain why.
This photo was taken by a friend of mine on a trip to South Africa. If you fancy a bit of illegal parking - this is the place to do it!
Another round-up of my favourite finds from the hundreds of posts I’ve read over the past few weeks.
31 Ways to Grow a Business - Ryan Healy sums up the contents of nearly every marketing book around in this perfectly formed blog post.
Strong Copy Vs. Cheeky Design - A collection of billboard and other ads where strong copy is key, from futurenow’s marketing blog.
The hardest thing to teach your clients about social media marketing - Read this post from 10e20 if you’re at all interested in Twitter, Digg, Reddit, blogging etc.
Top 10 don’ts for SEO Copywriting - Excellent advice from Axis Web Host.
Tips for successful e-newsletters - This post from the Business Writing blog will help you write an effective e-newsletter - it’s packed full of great advice.
I hope you enjoy these recommendations!
I’ve just written an article for Essential Writers, to help budding freelance copywriters take their first steps in the industry. Essential Writers is a great website for all kinds of writers, with news, advice, forums and competition info.
Here’s a selection of my favourite finds online over the past few weeks:
100 classic posters from the past - a wonderful selection of classic posters that will give designers and copywriters inspiration, from Yeeeeee.
Give before you try to get - a must-read for anyone who wants to know how to sell more effectively by Dosh Dosh.
5 ways to set your goals in stone - most articles about goal-setting and motivation pass me by, but this one is superb.
54 tips for writers, from writers - an inspiring collection of thoughts and advice from writers such as Ernest Hemingway, Seth Godin and Kurt Vonnegut, lovingly compiled by Marelisa Fábrega, creator of the Abundance Blog. A must-read for anyone interested in writing, whether for business or pleasure.
DEADLINE post-it stop motion - this is a great video created by a design student whose life has been taken over by post-it notes.
The oft-confused features and benefits - writing about ‘benefits’ in your marketing material will have a dramatic impact on its success. For the ultimate guide, look no further than this blog post by a master of copywriting, Michel Fortin.
Landing page basics - excellent advice on how to get the most out of a marketing campaign that leads a customer to your website by Brighter Marketing.
8 brilliant tips that boost conversions - helpful tips on improving the ’stickiness’ of your website by ClickTale.
Let me know what marketing, copywriting or just plain interesting, sites and blogs you’d recommend. I’m always keen to add to my list of must-reads!
There is so much good information on the web. Each week I come across yet more gems. Here are my favourites:
The Elements of Style - this timeless book by William Strunk Jr. should be on the bookshelf of any writer or editor. If not, here it is, now online.
How to create a highly viral blog - great post by Jonathan Mead. The title speaks for itself.
The funny thing about brands - thought-provoking post from The Marketing Donut.
Can you change everything? - a list of things you can do to get out of a business rut, by the great Seth Godin. I love lists.
Customers are not the enemy - this is a short, sweet, and spot-on post by Jason Ball.
Last night I was fascinated to see an advert for the ‘Barzebo‘, a delightful new product costing just under £200. The Barzebo is a new take on the Gazebo, and would look truly stunning in any garden. No doubt there will soon be hundreds, nay thousands of people, chilling out at the Barzebo, making their neighbours green with envy.
I’m not sure how successful the Barzebo will be, but if it sells well, it will demonstrate the power of advertising - the ability to sell a product that we don’t really need.
There are hundreds of techniques which enable advertisers to sell products, even those with little or no market appeal. Every good marketer or copywriter must learn these techniques and continually improve their learning.
I’ll go into more detail about these techniques in future posts, but, in the meantime, I plan to keep an eye out for similar products which make me chuckle, just like the wonderful Barzebo.
Here is my pick of the best blog posts and free resources on the web from the past week:
Marketing Donut - this new site contains lots of free tools and articles for SME’s, including help with preparing a marketing plan, sales tips, advertising strategies and more.
Copywriting checklist - an extremely useful checklist which you will return to again and again, from Bill Hilton’s copywriting course.
WordPress 2.7 User Guide and Manual - excellent guide from Spectacu.la, WordPress theme experts.
Why you need a USP for your business - useful blog post about finding your USP by Monika Mundell, freelance writer.
Two ways to say more with fewer words - another great post about copywriting from Copyblogger.
If you’ve come across any gems on the web this week, I’d love to hear from you.
I just found a great way to find people and topics to follow on Twitter - Monitter.
There are many websites which allow you to do this, but Monitter is my favourite. You can type in up to three keywords or phrases, and within a matter of seconds you will be shown relevant posts - in real time. You don’t have to sign in with your Twitter user name and password, unlike other similar websites. You can also add a search to your RSS feed so you never miss a post. Make sure you click on the ‘help’ option to find out exactly how to use the keyword facility for the best effect.
So if you are looking for people interested in the same things you are, whether for fun or for business, give this a look.
I spend a ridiculous amount of time reading blogs and articles about copywriting, marketing, and business in general. Each week I’m going to pick my absolute favourites. I hope you find them useful. Here’s my first selection:
50 Trigger Words and Phrases for Powerful Media Content - from the brilliant Copyblogger. Print this off and pin it to your noticeboard.
10 Reasons Paper is the Most Flexible Productivity Platform - from Stepcase Lifehack. This is a gem.
How to Demo Twitter - great post from Open Forum about the benefits of Twitter.
Why People Hate Marketers - refreshing post about the benefits of brutal honesty, from copywriter Ray Edwards.
Marketing and Branding Resources: The Ultimate Encyclopaedia - this collection of marketing info is a great find from Chris Brown.
Older Posts »
Photo by