The boom of information technology and the Internet brought about great demand for copywriting services. In this way, companies and professionals can market to their target markets more effectively with less cost if done correctly. In this article, we will list down the top five common copywriting errors to avoid and to attain success from ads and sales letters in your website.

Failure to Understand the REAL Purpose of Advertising

Copywriting is different from ordinary blogging or writing any promotional article. It is about getting your name exposed to be seen by many viewers out there. You should focus on your main goal in advertising and that is to generate sales. So when you start writing, keep in mind not to always talk about your product and services like you’re talking to yourself proudly. You are not a rock star. Urge yourself to resist this temptation and stroke your ego back into copywriting for sales and your customers. The fact of business life is that customers don’t care about you, your product or your company. They care about how they will benefit from your product so the attention must be geared toward them.

Targeting the Wrong Audience

Okay, so you have set the tone of writing to make them feel important and valued. However, if you market to the wrong set of readers, then your entire campaign is still bound to fail altogether. Regardless of how your copywriting is exceptional and how strong your convincing powers are, if you sell to the wrong people, you will flop. In business, first, you have to set goals and define to whom you are selling your products to and to whom they will appeal the most. Find out about your market’s needs and wants and how much this class can afford. Have a specific audience in mind, collect their initial feedback and grow from there.

Writing a Boring or Bland Content

Your copywriting post must have a couple of cliffhangers to keep your readers’ interest from start to finish. Copywriting is like storytelling; it should be make readers feel pleasure and relevant to their everyday life encounters. Use simple and practice words that everyone can easily comprehend. Be creative and inject quips exposing your sense of humor. Strive to have your personality mix with your sales pitch for it not to sound too technical or boring. Ask questions to jibe their thoughts and call for action. Content is king forevermore. So if you have cornerstone content, you’ll be surely ahead.

Using the Wrong Keywords

Your article should be optimized and search engine friendly. At the core of all these are keywords that users enter to land at your website. Therefore, you must put a lot of mindful efforts in researching and knowing what keywords are effective. If you have a website theme, don’t use the same keywords again and again. Choose from a long list of related keywords concerning your topic. A good suggestion is to use synonyms and let them be inserted in your sentences naturally (not forcibly). Do your utmost best to keep your readers and search engines happy. The golden rule is to write as if you are writing to be searched in Google and major search engines at all times.

Not Tracking Your Campaign Results

You should learn lessons from every post. And every post should be tracked and analyzed to compound profits and improve for the next one. By entering your ads and letters in copywriting, get responses and measure them. How many people have inquired about your product after publishing the article? How many of them actually bought and how many expressed their appreciation? The strategic benefit you get here is that you will be able to control your marketing effort. Should you give out more or just continue doing a good job? Your analyzing tactics should answer that question.

Having great ideas and being a good writer is not the be-all and end-all of being a successful copywriter. You should aim for consistency. Keep your tone in writing and products in the forefront of customers’ awareness. If you’re touching on sensitive topics, always remember to check your tone and stay neutral. Bad copywriting can reel its ugly head on you just like with this racist campaign by a local clothing company. Build relationships so that they put their trust in you. Once this is set, then you’ll have easier ways on how to get them hooked the next time. This becomes a perpetuating cycle and more people will be inclined to purchase your offerings.

We can also say that creating something humorous is not that easy. This goes for injecting humor in your writing as well. It has to be done creatively and one has to avoid overdoing it since like any other things on Earth, it may lose its magic when it is overdone.

But how do you inject humor in your writing? What can you do you to make your readers giggle or laugh?

1. Crack jokes. This is, of course, the most popular means of making people laugh. However, one has to remember that cracking jokes should be done sparingly. Too much joking around may give your readers the impression that laughter is forcibly evoked which should not be the case. Anyone who wishes to inject humor in his/her work should keep in mind that the jokes should not be an overkill. After all, if the joke is funny, it will be funny no matter what. Also, one has to remember that jokes should be relevant to the content of the work.
2.  Surprise your audience. Apart from funny jokes that play with people’s sensibilities for funny things, another thing that makes people laugh is when they get surprised with things they never imagined. At times, these involve some mismatches and other things that are hilariously different. Some examples of these are images of animals looking different and people behaving in weird yet funny ways.  Meanwhile, some prefer using “the rule of three.” It is done through using a pattern where the first two givens or situations follow a particular logic and then twisting it on the third. This is surprising and funny because people would usually expect what the third one would be given the logic of the first two situations but instead, they get something else.
3.  Play with words; puns are also fun. Sometimes, we laugh because things sound so funny. According to some experts, words that start with the letter “K” have higher probabilities of evoking laughter. Wordplays can also be done through playing with words and their meanings. Here, you can actually make a set up by posting a statement that would make your readers expect and then show something else or another interpretation of the statement. It could be a play on its hilarious literal meaning or simply using some of the words’ homonyms instead of coming up with something funny. Apart from this, we also giggle when we encounter clever wordplays that result in twists in meaning just like how puns work.
4.  Tell funny stories and anecdotes. Nothing compares to real-life funny experiences as they are the most natural ones. These experiences can be turned into beautiful stories that can add flavor to your work.  These stories should be properly inserted in your work. One of the most important considerations should be the stories’ relevance in relation to what you are working on.

There are actually a number of ways to inject humor in your work. Apart from the ones mentioned,  it is also important to remember that in making people laugh or giggle, it is also essential that you do it with substance. Contrary to what many people think, making people laugh is not easy. It requires a certain level of cleverness, artfulness, and a innate talent for humor.

Storytelling writing does not always mean writing for fictional books or articles. It is practically writing itself. We naturally and frequently tell stories about our family, friends and work. Therefore, we are ALL storytellers. In order to captivate your readers and make them experience your vision and your imagination through words, you have to learn the art of storytelling. This includes facing the challenges of digital age storytelling. In this article, we will tackle on some tips on how you can make them picture characters and settings in their minds by developing ideas that you get out on paper.

Be Inspired

Watch great movies and read great books. Have great conversations with people around you—in the house, in the office, in the streets. Keep your ideas running! There’s something to be written about everything, if only you know how to deliver it well. You can mix real-life stories with the ones you’ve gathered on your subconscious mind. Put the themes and plots together and you can build your own tales. Pick the ones with clear action, defined characters with a structure that is simple and easy to understand. As a beginner, note that you have to put in the source where you have adapted stories from especially if they are copyright protected. It is important to pay courtesy to the original author.

Follow the Formula: Structure > Conflict > Resolution

The structure, conflict and resolution of the story following the plot are important elements of the story that should be well thought of. Events in the story should have a relatable sequence that suggests a glimpse of surprise at first. Characters playing out the conflict must arouse emotions to the reader for the story to be effective.

Write Naturally

Storytellers tell their stories in many different ways. The best way to do it is to absorb the story like it’s your second nature. Read your writing over and over until you see the scenes in your mind. Meditate on it. Remember to start and end with a bang. Use hooks and cliffhangers—the more mysterious, the better.Never ever use jargons that will sound abstruse to your readers. Rather, use laymen terms to talk about incidents, traditions and descriptions of events and let them flow naturally.

Keep Your Audience in Mind

Before writing anything, decide what type of audience or readers you are targeting. If they are children, you have to make your story really straightforward for them to have fun and enjoy the script. If they are young adults, you can put in more metaphors and puzzling thoughts to pique their psychology. If they are more senior, you should follow through with more analogies, facts with a fusion of anticipation line by line, paragraph by paragraph. Think about the demographics of your readers and have their beliefs acknowledged and confirmed to make them put their trust in your writing and also relish your work.

If you want to become a great storytelling writer, you should know that reading articles on how to be one will only provide you little guide. The best way to learn the art is to refine your skills. Listen to other storytellers, take the chance to let others review and critique your work and practice, practice, practice! Set aside three to four hours of your quiet time to write and tell stories—not every other day but every day. The more you write, the better you will be at it. So take chances and make the plunge!

1.       Submit to Admittance

Don’t be pretentious; don’t try to hide it, or you will have a harder time in solving your problem. If you face your fear on this form of social anxiety, focus on it and accept it so that you can deal with this more effectively. Start with an internal dialogue with yourself. Try to find a calm and quiet place and write the reasons why you have this fear in a clean sheet of paper. Clear out other mental thoughts that may obstruct this concentration. By having this self-talk, you understand yourself more and get your anxieties out. You can also try talking to a close friend about your situation and just let loose.

2.       Think Positively

Sometimes you tend to overthink and circle the what-ifs on the cobwebs of your brain. What if you write about wrong things that would make the public go mad? What if people don’t like your writing and your character? What if people bash your posts and comment terrible critiques? In a heartbeat, turn these negative thoughts to positive ones. Ask questions like how you can make your writing incredible or how readers will benefit from your sharing and feel satisfied from it. By changing your psychology and focus, you will immediately turn depression and fear 180 degrees. Best of all, smile!

3.       Focus on Your Readers

Let your readers enjoy what you write by passing on the focus onto them. Set a conversational tone in your writing and intend to speak with them. The more connection you have, the more friendly you will seem and the less anxiety you will feel. When people sense the contact you’ve established, they will get to appreciate you more and you’ll break the vicious cycle. Believe that you can make it to progress on to becoming more confident every time you publish a post.

4.       Be Yourself

To quote Judy Garland, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” Demonstrate your own style of writing and let your uniqueness be shown. This is how people will recognize you as a writer and also concede to your own fire of writing. Pick out the lessons you have learned, write to inspire and strut your stuff!

5.       See Yourself as the Expert You Are

If you have successfully done the first four steps, then move on to the final and most important of all: repeat with assurance that you are an expert! You have lots of useful information to change the perspective and lives of many people. You have the privilege to write and use it rightfully—own this moment. As you feed the mind of your readers, enjoy the experience and be prepared to learn from them also.

Don’t let this fear in public writing run and ruin your life. Our world is one that is full of possibilities and optimism. Slapping some words on paper or on the web is not something to be ashamed about. As the beauty and substance of your words and thoughts lie on the eye of your readers, written words are always relative. Every writer and every post will always be bound to be judged anyway.

Writing, as we know, affects our personality. It even brings changes on how we think. Don’t be surprised when I say that writing can also be helpful to someone who wishes to lose weight.

1. Writing helps you to develop self-discipline and control. Writing is not just a careless means of venting out. When you write, you undertake certain decision-making processes that require you to think and rationalize. You’ll want to make sure that you’re making sense and that you are expressing yourself responsibly. This has a lot to do with self-discipline and control. These two qualities are helpful for anyone who is trying to lose weight. Sometimes, even if you have the willingness and the drive to do it, if you do not have discipline and control, then you are more likely to just give into the many temptations around. If you’re working as a journalist and you happen to have a field assignment in a war-zone, there are certain topics which you should and shouldn’t write about because this could have affect the lives of the people in the area.
2. Writing influences you to pay attention to even the smallest details. A good writer pays attention to even the smallest details which others often disregard. These small bits of information can actually have a huge impact with regards to the article’s unity and coherence. If you’re writing a review on a conference you’ve attended and you forget to note the middle initials of the names of the speakers, there’s a possibility of a mix-up occurring. There could be speakers with the same first and last name for all you know. When it comes to dieting, a lot of people also let things “slide.” Instead of making sure that they act according to their dietary plan, some would decide to cheat a little by nibbling on piece of cake. I would suggest researching on how much calories that “nibble” would contain.
3. Writing enhances your ability to focus. Talking about unity and coherence, articles should be written having only one main focus. Good writers are able to stick to this practice. Their goals are crystal clear to them and they do not get easily misled. This characteristic of writers is something very helpful to those who wish to lose weight. Get a customized dietary plan and follow it to the letter. If you don’t set your sights on your target, you’ll be prone to getting sidetracked. I’m sure you don’t want to waste all your initial efforts now would you?

Although writing doesn’t directly help you lose weight, one does need to have a set of behaviors and characteristics in order to be done successfully. You need to have the proper mindset as well. So steel yourself and prepare for the best writing and weight-loss combo ride of your life.

An effective writer should be capable of making his readers comprehend even the most technical of articles.

All articles should be engaging to readers regardless of its nature. The following are just some of the ways on how to engage audience in reading technical articles.

1. Let them know that they have something to do with it. There are some things that people can’t fully appreciate thinking that they have nothing to do with them. One example of a technical news would be this analysis of the recently passed Philippine Cybercrime Act of 2012. Since this news deals with law, a lot of people understandably won’t be able to understand the specifics of this law. As a result, they will just “go with the flow” and blindly follow public opinion. Readers need to be adequately informed of the importance and effects of this news in their daily lives. This way, they could become more interested and eager to continue reading.
2. Make them learn the “Math or Science” of things in simpler ways. When dealing with technical topics, it is inevitable to touch on some scientific, mathematical and other “nosebleed” aspects of things. Including technical terms in articles can’t be helped. However, this does not necessarily mean that it’s impossible to interpret these jargons in simpler terms. Let’s take the topic of earthquakes as an example. When news about earthquakes are reported, information about the intensity or magnitude of earthquakes is included. However, just how many people do you think really understand what the numbers mean? When the appropriate government agencies disseminate information regarding the earthquake-prone areas, is it written in such a way that most people, especially the masses, can understand? It is important to use simple analogies and logic in interpreting these data.
3. Provide illustrations or diagrams. One way of interpreting data is through the use of illustrations and/or diagrams. Most people are visual by nature so this is one of the best and most basic ways of interpreting data. In relation to the earthquake example earlier, the earthquake intensity or magnitude levels can be illustrated in order to show just how destructive earthquakes are as the intensity level increases. Diagrams can aid in giving out a step-by-step plan of action should an earthquake occur.

When writing, one has to remember that it is not always about what is being stated but also about how it is stated. No matter how technical the topics are, it still depends on how these concepts are delivered to the readers. Of course, not all technical news should be “dumbed down” if you know what I mean. Think of your target audience and set the tone of your article to match them.

More and more writers are starting to take on the inspirational approach in writing their articles. But of course, before you start writing, it is important to take note of the qualities of inspirational articles.

1.      Engaging. One of the most important things that each inspirational article should have is its ability to engage each reader. When trying to impart a message, it is important to establish a connection with the readers. Remember, the reader has to feel that spark that would keep him asking for more from you or else, you are going to lose him. Capture his heart and attention immediately. Nowadays, people have shorter attention span so if your article doesn’t interest them from the onset, they are more likely to skip your article. So be sure that you define your target audience together with the main topic of your article.

 2.      Relatable. Try to put yourself in your reader’s shoes and write about things that may be close to his/her heart and connect on an emotional level. This way, the reader becomes more willing to participate in the discourse. He would feel that both of you have a kind of shared experience to which he can relate to. The best inspirational topics are those that have inspired your own life. If you think that your story may be boring, think again.

 3.      Not too long but meaty. As mentioned earlier, people today have short attention span. Always assume that your readers are busy people whose time is very precious. It is best to make sure that you are not going to waste their time simply by telling them things over and over when in fact you can share them in a concise manner.

 4.      Insightful but not preachy. When aiming to share something that’s inspiring, it is important to keep in mind that you have to use the right tone. Do not frighten him/her by projecting yourself as though you are a know-it-all who’s there to give him sermons.  Instead of talking to him in a very didactic manner, why not speak to him as though you are a close friend or even a family member who wants to impart something that would move him? The goal is to open his/her heart and mind and absorb the insights in your article. Sincerity is the key. As long as what you’re writing comes from the heart, this shouldn’t be a problem.

 5.      Provocative. Just because you aim to inspire doesn’t mean you have to spoon feed everything. Most of the time, it is better to lay out your main points and let your readers  synthesize it themselves. Make your points clear but always leave something for them to ponder on. Challenge them to think and analyze and come up with their own opinions. This is the true meaning behind inspiring and motivating people. You don’t direct their lives but rather guide them and show the different paths available to them.

If you want others to be inspired through your articles, make sure that you are inspired first. How can you write inspirational articles if you, yourself, were not inspired by it? As long as you as the topic is close to your own heart, showing sincerity and concern in your article will be automatic. To give inspiration to other people is to share your own blessings. So share them well.

1.       Be Constructive

When asked about the ambiance of the restaurant or the taste of its entrees, most people would say “Good.” The other half of the large population would say “not bad,” “nice,” “okay,” or “bad.” If you’re publishing a review, these adjectives would not be enough! If everything would just be good, then readers might assume that they are all in the same level of goodness. Don’t go for the basic but be constructive and descriptive as possible. Use superlatives and comparatives in describing the service, price, interior and exterior among other things in a restaurant. Let your compelling sarcasms shine through to excite readers even more.

2.       Give Out Basic Details

List the location or address of the restaurant at the beginning or at the end of your post. You can also write if the place was difficult to find, if booking or reservation is required, if there’s a dress code to follow, how long you have to wait until you get a table, etc. Also make sure that you include the restaurant’s opening hours and days in a week, to guide potential diners more coherently.

3.       Provide a Short History

Backgrounds are usually interesting. Who the owner is, how the restaurant came about, the branches or franchises, the foundation year and other nitty-gritty trivia about the restaurant are stuff that readers would want to know. These pieces of information will make them understand why the restaurant has such a theme, cuisine, feel and vibe.

4.       Assess the Quality of Service

Apart from the food, the quality of service the restaurant offers is the most important. Notice how the waiters introduce you to their food menu and assist you and lead you to your table upon entrance. Follow through by explaining in detail how they take your orders. Do they suggest the chef’s recommendation, special meals, and other favorite variants? Do they repeat your orders for confirmation and advise the waiting time? How they serve the food and how they act around other customers and among themselves are some of the considerations you have to document as well.

5.       Evaluate the Price for Value

Luxurious restaurants have higher prices but this does not mean that you won’t suggest visiting the restaurant anytime soon because of its expensive cost. Deliberate the price for value by comparing your complete experience with similar restaurants, the uniqueness of the food taste, the size of the servings, and other features that would explain how you feel about getting your money’s worth for the entire meal. You don’t have to list the actual prices on the bill, but do give an approximation of the budget.

Restaurant reviews must be well-rounded by giving the readers an instant clear picture of how your experience was like during your stay. In the end, give personal recommendations—state reasons why you will go back or not. While you’re in the restaurant, getting a notebook or small journal will be helpful. Else, take notes mentally or bring a voice recorder—or a friend—with you. Mention both the exceptionally good and bad points. Reread your article afterward and pat yourself on the back for doing a good job! Before we wrap up, here’s a sample review of the Chinese food at Masuki. You can use this review as an experiment and make it even better. Bon appetit!

…just what do all these words mean? If you answered, “Hello,” that’s one point for you. If you think it’s difficult to memorize all these, what more if you want to learn how to speak fluently using all those languages? I guess this is why over the course of time, English has become the internationally accepted language worldwide. Some even consider it as the “global language.”  Nonetheless, there are still those who prefer to stick with using their native tongue not only with regards to having conversations but also in other things, such as literature. They would rather use the language that is most comfortable with them. A recent study shows that Europe’s teenagers rate poorly when it comes to speaking in foreign languages.

Of course, with globalization, there are many literature media out there that attract peoples’ attention regardless of the origins. A popular example would be the Japanese manga (comics). There are very popular all over the world. If you happen to work as a translator or encounter a task that involves translating articles, here are some tips which you might want to take note of:

Direct Translation (Word-for-Word) is a No-No

If you’re thinking about using online translating tools, such as Google Translate, to help you with your work, think again. Back in college, I took two Japanese classes and did exceptionally well. *wink*  With that experience, I can tell you that if you want to translate even one, single sentence correctly, then there’s no way you’d be able to do that word-for-word.

Let me give you an example. “Namae wa desu ka?” In English, it means “what is your name?” Namae, as you may have already guessed, means “name.” Notice where the noun was placed in both sentences. The sentence structure is totally different from what is usually used in English. So if you have any plans of cheating your way into doing this, I suggest you go back to the drawing board and try again.

Use a Dictionary and/or Thesaurus of the languages involved

Unless you really have mastery over the languages involved, this is a very good advice to follow.

I may consider myself  as someone who is proficient in English but I’m not exactly “perfect” either. As for Japanese, it’s not one of my primary languages. Remember that not every word has a direct translation with another language. In that case, you’ll have to find some other way to describe it as close as possible to the original definition.

Don’t forget to apply the other Factors and Techniques in Writing

As mentioned earlier, translating articles from one language to the other is more than just direct translation. There will be times when you’ll have to rephrase some sentences, or even paragraphs, during the course of your work. In that case, you are prone to making common mistakes in grammar, for one. So be sure to proofread your articles as well while taking into consideration the language you are going to translate your article into.

Pretty simple, right? No need to “cheat” your way into doing this by relying on those online translating tools. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t use those tools. Just don’t completely rely on them. Ganbatte kudasai minnasan! Good luck everyone!

If you’re struggling with writer’s block, no need to fret. All writers experience this. Even famous writers/authors such Dan Brown, author of the Da Vinci Code, and J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, including a future encyclopedia, also admit to having writer’s block from time to time.

Now that you realize you’re not the only person who might be suffering from this kind of “mental freeze”, I hope this gets you on your toes. Here are some simple, and often overlooked, tips to help you out.

Try to get some air. Mental block is usually a result of a stressed mind and body. Don’t keep yourself trapped in a place where you feel “boxed” in. Go near a window, open it, and breathe some fresh air. While you’re at it, take a little stroll and “walk it off.” Stand up and walk around the lobby or perhaps your garden or yard, if you have one. Walking helps blood to circulate around your body. Also, if you plan to do this, don’t forget to bring a pen and paper with you. You never know when ideas might pop out of nowhere. A little change of pace might be all you need to get refreshed and inspired to write.

Refresh your mind and body with some cool liquids. Cold drinks give a satisfying feeling that could trigger you to have a good mood. Any cold beverage, like milkshakes, fruit shakes, iced tea, etc., will do. There’s nothing like a cool glass of lemonade to help you “chillax” and reboot.

Don’t be too conscious. Write whatever comes into your head. It doesn’t matter if you start your piece with the body then end up writing your introduction afterwards. You can always organize your ideas after you’ve noted them all down.

Too lazy to walk around, stretch out and jump around instead. Stretch your arms and feet and jump around a few times. Yes! Jump around like a little kid who scored a lollipop. If you feel like it, go ahead and bang your head on the table or on the wall…kidding. That’s my thing and I don’t want anyone to copy my bit okay? (plus, it hurts a lot afterwards so kids, don’t try this at home)

If you’re still having trouble after doing all the suggestions above, then try to find your comfort zone and get some sleep. Sometimes, a little power nap is all we need to feel calm and relax. 30 minutes of dozing off gives me wonders as I burn the midnight oil.

I’m sure that there are lots of other ways to deal with writer’s block. If you have other effective tips, I hope you’re generous enough to share it. Looking forward to breaking down the walls of writer’s block with you all.