Tips Archives - Stephen Marsh Copywriter

5 Quick Things That Will Probably Make Your Website Better

Posted 17 Jun 2020 by Stephen Marsh in Blog, Digital, Tips, Writing

Busy?
This is a 3 minute read.

I don’t know you. I don’t know your website. But, over the years, I’ve seen the same pitfalls come up time and time again – and applied the same quick fixes to make them better.

Yes, a website that performs is the combination of a huge number of different things. The right user experience. The right tone of voice. The right messaging underneath it all, based on a deep, true understanding of what your audience cares about.

But all of that is pointless if the execution holds you back.

So, if you’re reviewing your website and wondering what’s wrong, here are five prime suspects to get you started – not hard-and-fast rules, but things to consider.

101 Reasons Long List Posts Like This Are Crap

Posted 02 Mar 2020 by Stephen Marsh in Blog, Content, SEO, Tips, Value, Writing

Busy?
This is a 6 minute read.

Reason zero.

These long-format list posts I keep seeing all over the place take a huge investment of time and energy to write.

So any introduction never gives a deep sense of perspective, or motivation.

It’s just a rushed afterthought with the microscopic level of effort that is still available.

Let’s Stop Being Negative About Being Negative

Posted 16 Feb 2020 by Stephen Marsh in Audience, Blog, Clients, Style, Tips, Writing

Busy?
This is a 4 minute read.

I was talking to a client the other day about negativity in copywriting. We discussed the notion that you should never use a negative word, like ‘don’t’ or ‘frustrating’ or ‘painful’.

And, reader, it was painful indeed.

It’s another of these nonsensical copywriting ‘rules’ – usually the product of:

A copywriter who needed to find a topic for a blog post
A client who trusted that blog post to be well-researched and informative
An understandable desperation to make copywriting a one-size-fits-all science – something that’s easy to do and judge for quality

In reality, copywriting is a creative balancing act. The skill of using the most appropriate techniques for a given moment.

So, for the sake of balance, here’s when I think negativity is a positive for the task at hand.

Four Things I’d Do To Your Email Copy

Posted 08 Jan 2017 by Stephen Marsh in Email Copywriting, Sales, Tips, Value

Busy?
This is a 4 minute read.

I like being helpful (and I’m particularly helpful if you book me). So here’s what I do when I’m faced with some email copy that’s not working – and how in-house writers can make their emails more interesting, engaging and high-performing.

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