Pure Ink Creative » Articles

Pure Ink Creative in the Press

sarah — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:58:26 +0000

Sheffield Star

Pure Ink Creative on why small businesses should invest in website copywriting in the Sheffield Star Business supplement. Click on the images to view.

Professional House Builder

Pure Ink Creative on the benefits of businesses having optimised websites featured in Professional House Builder. Click on the images to view.

5 Ways to Save Time Website Copywriting

sarah — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:13:27 +0000

If you’re confident of your website copywriting skills but don’t have enough time to create copy then check out these five ways to speed up your website copywriting below…

1) Don’t force it

If you’re not in a creative mood or if you’re all out of ideas then it’s always going to take longer to create website copy. When the feeling’s not right for website copywriting, do something else instead as it will be a painful and drawn out process to create copy if you’re not in the right frame of mind.

2) Use your muse

Inspiration is an elusive spark which can leave a brilliant idea at the front of your mind at any time. Make sure you capture your ideas and inspiration by taking a notepad with you wherever you go so you can jot your ideas down – it might be a title for a blog post or an idea for a case study for example. Writing your ideas down means you’ll have a clear idea of what to work on in your next website copywriting session so you can save yourself time by being more focused.

3) Share your ideas

It can be beyond frustrating to spend an hour writing something which is going nowhere – you’ve spent enough time on it to warrant finishing it but what if it’s just not good enough? To avoid wasting time on website copywriting which is not appropriate, relevant or interesting enough for your website, share your idea with a friend or colleague first. They’ll be able to help you decide if it’s worth spending time on and remember if you need to rethink your idea refer to your ideas notepad and start again.

4) Set a deadline

Give yourself a set amount of time to create your website copy and stick to it. Better still, tell your colleagues and clients when they can expect to see your new piece of website copywriting online so you can add some pressure to your deadline.

5) Outsource your website copywriting

If you’re really stuck for time then consider outsourcing your website copywriting. Most website copywriters (including Pure Ink Creative) are flexible so they will be able to help you out on anything from a handful of product descriptions or a few blog posts to complete website rewrite projects.

For more advice on website copywriting or to ask for a quote to outsource your copy contact our website copywriters today.

3 Ways to Handle Criticism of Your Website Copywriting

sarah — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:27:31 +0000

As the saying goes – ‘everyone’s a critic’, which means when it comes to website copywriting your copy needs to be spot on. If your website copywriting has been at the receiving end of a ticked off client, colleague or superior then it can be tempting to either run away and weep or defend your copywriting even if you think your critics have a point. Instead, face your critics and learn from the experience with this simple guide to handling website copywriting criticism.

1) Ask for specific feedback

If you pass your website copywriting to your boss for sign off and they throw it back in your face with a general ‘this is rubbish’ or ‘try harder’ then you need to find out the specific parts of the copy they have an issue with. It could be the actual way you’ve written the copy such as poor grammar or an incorrect tone of voice or it could be the concept in the piece of work. Be brave and ask for specific feedback so you can overcome the precise issues in that piece of writing and create a better piece of finished copy.

2) See the positive side

Looking at the brighter side of criticism can be tough when you’re in the moment – a critical email from a client pointing out spelling mistakes or a going over from your boss about a poor blog post is always going to hurt. Instead of letting the criticism get you down use it as a way of improving your writing. If you’ve been told you have issues with your spelling then create a list of words you often spell incorrectly or grammatical mistakes you’ve been pulled up on and refer to this as you create your copy. If you have trouble perfecting the tone of voice of your company for example, then create a ‘house-style’ document for your company so you know which words to use when you write. Using criticism as a way of improving your website copywriting skills is a positive way to handle your critics.

3) Don’t give your critics any ammo

Take the time to create brilliant pieces of website copywriting and you will be sure to silence your critics. If you’ve written a great piece of online copy and proofread it so you know it is error free then you will be in a much better position to handle any criticism. If you’re not confident that the piece of website copywriting you’ve created is the best it can be then you’ll have a very shaky foundation to stand on when it comes to defending your work.

Criticism can be a great way to develop as a website copywriter so even though it can be tough it’s usually worth listening to! For help on any aspect of website copywriting please get in touch with our website copywriters on 0114 2580393 or send email us at talktous@pureinkcreative.com.

Why a Professional Website Copywriter is Worth Paying For

sarah — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:00:50 +0000

When you’re planning a website revamp and you put a list together of the resources you need for it to be a success – don’t overlook the importance of hiring a website copywriter.

Time + experience = outstanding copy

If you’re contemplating whether or not someone in-house can create the copy for you to save some money then you need to consider the amount of time required to produce first class copy. Creating compelling copy to the standard required to make your marketing campaign a success is not easy. Many marketing attempts fail and cost businesses a lot of money and one of the reasons why is that companies use inexperienced people to create their marketing copy.

It also takes people a lot longer to create copy than it would a professional website copywriter as this is their area of expertise. Website copywriters have the skills required to understand and create effective content at a much faster rate than someone who doesn’t truly understand copywriting and they have an unparalleled understanding of tone of voice, headings, layout and much more.

Search engine optimisation skills

Some website copywriters specialise in creating online content and these are the people that you need to talk to the next time you want to revamp your website. There’ll be a good reason why you’re at the point of needing to change your website and for many companies it’s because their current website isn’t generating enough business.

Website copywriters specialise in creating copy that is designed for online audiences as they understand the habits and behaviours of people using the internet. Another major reason to employ a website copywriter to create your content is that they excel in producing search engine optimised copy – this is writing copy in a certain way to give your website a good chance of getting near the top of the search engines. If your in-house team don’t fully understand search engine optimisation (and that includes anyone who’s basing their skill set on reading ‘SEO for Dummies’) then you need to hire the services of a website copywriter. The quest to get high up in the search engines can be a long and arduous task so you need to get the right people in at the start to give your website the best possible chance.

To give your marketing message the best chance of reaching your potential customers, invest in the services of a website copywriter.

Concept Work in Copywriting – How to Make the Most of Your Website Copywriter

sarah — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:11:17 +0000

Companies enlist the services of a website copywriter for a number of different reasons including…

To put persuasive words to their business ideas
To create copy which follows certain criteria and guidelines
To help with search engine optimisation
To create copy that they don’t have the time to write themselves.

Website copywriters can also work with businesses to develop themes and concepts for their marketing campaigns. This service can save businesses hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds as you won’t need to spend your entire marketing budget on the extortionately high fees which many advertising agencies charge.

Ideas people without the ‘wacky’ price tag

Website copywriters are highly skilled in the art of producing creative ideas and messages. Often a website copywriter can work with your business to brainstorm different concepts for your website, leaflets, flyers and brochures, either in conjunction with a designer or alone. A website copywriter can develop overall themes for your marketing campaigns and also play around with headlines and snippets of copy until they hit the perfect one. This theme can then be communicated to your web designers/printers/marketing department as this is something that they do on a regular basis.

An unfortunate pitfall that some businesses fall into is believing that they need to throw a lot of money at a large agency which provides a complete service ‘in-house’ but this can lead to businesses receiving a poor return on investment. Website copywriters are trained and skilled in creating effective ideas and won’t charge the earth to have a conversation or meeting with your designer to make these ideas happen.

Compare the quotes

If you’re about to embark on a big marketing campaign and you’re looking for some expert help to make the theme a winning concept then talk to a website copywriter first. Create a list of at least three website copywriters that you like the look of and ask them for a quote, compare this to the quotes you receive from a large agency. Some large agencies will use scare tactics to make you feel that you need to spend a fortune as they can do it all. In reality the process is a very simple one and you may find that you get a higher return on investment from using the specialist skills of a creative website copywriter.

To find out more about website copywriting get in touch with our website copywriters today.

How to Write an About Us Page for Gift Websites

sarah — Mon, 24 May 2010 10:58:20 +0000

It might sound shallow but most of us would agree that giving and receiving gifts is one of the best things about birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries and other special occasions. Many people choose to shop online to buy gifts so if you run a gift website then you need to capture the excitement and fun that giving and receiving gifts brings with some clever website copywriting. The perfect place to really show off your business’s brand and inject some fun and passion into your website copywriting is on your ‘About Us’ page. Below are some top ideas you can try out to make your website’s About Us page appealing to your visitors and in turn persuade them that your company is the right one for them to buy from.

Meet the team

Even if you’re the sole employee of your gift company you can still let your visitors know a little more about you. Being open and friendly with your website visitors is a great way for them to find out what the company is about and also you can show how enthusiastic you are about your business and your products. There are plenty of ways to introduce yourself and your team members to your website visitors and often fun snippets of information work better than a complete biography. Give your team members a quick interview about their favourite and worst gifts they’ve been given or they’ve sent. Have your team create gift wish lists from the collection of gifts on your site or ask them the ultimate gift they’d give to someone if money was no object.

Use images and videos

Images and videos satisfy your visitors’ curiosity as they will be able to put a face to a name and have a stronger connection with your business. Images and videos are also ideal if you’re not a confident website copywriter, however you should always use some text to introduce and explain your uploads. Try uploading images or videos of your team with their favourite gifts from the website with their top three reasons for choosing that particular gift. Demonstration videos are always good to illustrate how particular gifts work but they are also a great way to show what your team members are really like.

Ask the team

If you have a team of gift experts working for you or even if you work alone, you can still have an ‘Ask the Team’ section on your ‘About Us’ page. It’s not so much the standard ‘Contact Us’ form but more listing the names, job titles and direct email addresses and phone numbers of your team so people know who they are talking to. By having this information on your website your visitors can contact the right person in your customer service team to find out about your delivery process or contact your buyer to find out what new stock is coming in etc.

There are plenty of ways to make your ‘About Us’ page more appealing to your target audience, to find out more contact the website copywriters at Pure Ink Creative on 0114 2580393.

Blog Up Your Gift Website

sarah — Fri, 21 May 2010 09:07:07 +0000

If you’re the owner of a gift company and you don’t have a blog then you’re missing a marketing opportunity. Writing regular blog posts is a great way to help your website achieve a good position in the search engines and encourage visitors to buy your products. If you already have a blog but you don’t update it regularly and you struggle with website copywriting then you are wasting a great resource. Check out our pointers for a successful blog…

Be yourself

The point of a blog is to show the human side of a business so the website copywriting that you create for your posts should be casual, informal and entertaining. Visitors want to see what’s going on behind the scenes of your company and want to read something light so you don’t need to slave away over your laptop for hours thinking of ingenious ways and tactics to sell your products – keep it light. Talk about the people who work in your team, events you’ve been to, office banter and new products that have just come in. If you’ve just had a shipment of cool new gifts then mention these in the blog, if you’ve been to an exhibition talk about that, upload photos of you and the team…the possibilities are endless.

Optimise your posts

The search engines love websites which have plenty of new content on them but adding regular blog posts is just the first step. Make sure you include some of your keywords in your blog posts to boost the chances of your website appearing higher in the search engines. That doesn’t mean including them to the detriment of the flow or subject of the article. Instead, just incorporate a couple of keywords in each blog post because if you’re updating your posts regularly the volume of keywords will increase naturally.

If you’re not a fan of website copywriting or if you struggle to find the time to update your blog regularly then give the website copywriters at Pure Ink Creative a call on 0114 2580393 or contact us here.

How to Write Articles for Gift Websites

sarah — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:06:44 +0000

The competition is fierce when it comes to gift websites. There are so many businesses which offer similar products that as a business owner you need to do all you can to make your website stand out from all others. It’s not only well written product descriptions that will help you achieve this but well written articles too. If you struggle when it comes to website copywriting and you feel that you’re missing the mark then check out our top website copywriting tips for creating excellent articles that your visitors and the search engines will love…

Make your copy search engine friendly

You should have a list of effective keywords that you are optimising your website for and you need to make sure that you include these in your articles. Adding optimised articles to your website on a regular basis will help towards getting your site above your competitors in the search engines. The key to effective website copywriting is to ensure that your keywords are well placed throughout the article so that the copy flows naturally and ideally you should include them in the article headings too.

Add links to your products

If you’re not including links to your gifts within your articles then you’re missing a trick as these will also help towards the optimisation of your website and encourage sales. If your article is about how to buy the best 60^th birthday present for example then as well as giving general tips and advice, you should also be adding example gifts into your website copywriting which your visitors could consider purchasing. This will help with internal links to your website and can also persuade visitors to make a purchase.

Make the most out of events

If you own a gift website and you’re not capitalising on events such as Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day then you need to up your website copywriting game. There is a huge amount of scope for articles in this industry and you can create a number of interesting articles about these events along the lines of ‘Top Tips for Mother’s Day Gifts’ or ‘The Most Romantic Gifts to buy Your Valentine’ and so on, each one of these gives you the opportunity to advertise your gifts throughout your website copywriting. You could also celebrate the more weird and wonderful days such as national ‘Talk Like a Pirate Day’ as these will separate you from your competitors and can create highly amusing and interesting articles.

Effective website copywriting is essential for your website to compete in this industry. If you struggle to set aside the time to create your articles or you struggle with website copywriting then contact the team at Pure Ink Creative. We have a team of expert website copywriters who specialise in creating successful articles for the gift industry and would love to help your website succeed.