Category Archives: Writing

How to Make Your Webpage and Blog Copy Better

By mlundheim | Published April 5, 2013

Clients often ask me how they can make their website’s page copy and blog entries better. In a nutshell, here’s what I tell them.

To improve your website in general:

  1. Create a layout that’s easy and intuitive to navigate.
  2. Make sure visitors can understand who you are and what you do in an instant with a descriptive (rather than vague) tagline under your company logo and brief company description / elevator pitch on the home page.
  3. Include buttons with links to your company’s social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.). If you don’t have social media pages, create and populate them.
  4. Add a field for visitors to subscribe to your enewsletter. If you don’t already have an enewsletter, create and broadcast it regularly. Having an enewsletter-subscribe field helps you build your list of current and prospective customers’ email addresses.

To improve your site’s webpages and blog:

  1. Choose a unique set of two or three keyword phrases for each blog entry or page of your website.
  2. Incorporate your chosen keyword phrases into your webpage and blog copy, titles, photo captions, permalinks, and corresponding meta data (title tags, description tags, and keyword tags).
  3. Break your webpage copy and blog entries up into small, readable chunks — introduce just one concept at a time.
  4. Use informative and descriptive (rather than vague) headlines, subheads, photo captions and bulleted lists so each page of your website or blog is easy to scan and grasp at a glance.
  5. Strive to engage readers at the beginning of your webpage or blog copy, inform them in the middle, and tell them what to do (call to action) at the end.
  6. Link among your website’s pages and blog entries where applicable to keep audiences at your site longer, thereby boosting your website’s search-engine rankings.

To improve your blog entries: 

  1. Create an editorial calendar, so your blog entries align with your audience’s and your company’s significant events throughout the year.
  2. Proactively create your blog entries in advance and schedule them out.
  3. Write and post corresponding social media blurbs for each blog entry, which will drive traffic to your site and make it easier for your followers to share your content with their networks.
  4. Repurpose blog entries when possible into YouTube video scripts and guest posts.
Melanie Lundheim of Good Copy Fast loves writing webpage copy, editorial calendars, blog entries and social media posts for her corporate clients.
Also posted in Blogging, How to Write Better, SEO, SEO Web Copywriting, Social Media | Comments Off

How to Write Better in Six Steps

By mlundheim | Published March 26, 2013

Q. Will you teach me how to write better?

A. Sure! Here’s how to write better, in six simple steps:

  1. Write regularly in a journal or blog to practice articulating your thoughts and ideas.
  2. Write like you speak, using a conversational tone. Stuck? Record and transcribe your message, which will give you an editable first draft.
  3. Determine your goal. What do you want to tell readers and why? What do you want them to think, feel, know or do after reading what you wrote? Put your answers to these questions in order and you have your writing outline.
  4. Write a beginning, middle and an end, following my Hook, Line and Sinker method. To do this, simply pique readers’ interest at the beginning of your copy, tell them the features and benefits of your solution in the middle, and include a call to action at the end. Stuck? Finish this sentence and you have your opening: “I’m writing to tell you that ______.” (Just be sure to delete the “I’m writing to tell you that” part.)
  5. Edit. Shorten and simplify what you wrote, keeping in mind that, when it comes to copy, less is more.
  6. Proofread. Run your spelling and grammar checks. Then proofread what you wrote on paper to ensure it makes sense. Have others proofread your writing as well. Your copy should be error free. Read The Elements of Style (4th Edition) to brush up on your grammar skills, or have an editor proofread your writing for you.

For more copywriting inspiration, check out:

  • “A Short Guide to Writing Good Copy,” by Kelton Reid, Director of Marketing for Copyblogger Media’s StudioPress division. In his article, he quotes Albert Einstein, who said: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” So true.
  • “How to Write Copy” by Copywriter Damon Verial. It’s clear when reading this free, nine-part series that Damon has studied, learned from, and applied copywriting best practices from the masters — making him a copywriting master, too.
  • Peruse writings from those I’ve listed in “A List of Copywriting Masters to Learn From.”

 

Melanie Lundheim of Good Copy Fast has more than 30,000 hours of business-writing experience. Her clear, concise style helps increase the chances that what she writes gets read.

 

 

 

 

Also posted in How to Write Better, Writers' Block | Comments Off

I love to write!

By mlundheim | Published February 7, 2013

Here’s a memorable quote from the 1994 hit movie, Forrest Gump:

My momma always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’

Freelance writing is like a box of chocolates, too.

Weekly, clients call me with new and interesting assignments. All require me to conduct research and learn, regularly, about intriguing topics, audiences, and forms of written communication.

For example, I might write web copy about salt and a speech about SEO one week, followed by a semiconductor script or microneedles case study the next.

In celebration of Valentine’s Day in the month that marks my 15th year as a freelance writer, I just wanna say, “I love to write!” In fact, I love all forms of internal, external and online communication. What occupation do you love and why? Share below!

Also posted in Communications, Freelance Business Writer | Comments Off

Heartwarming Holiday Ad with a Twist

By mlundheim | Published December 22, 2012

The Long Wait is the 2012 British Arrows Awards “Best Commercial of the Year”

Last night I attended a screening of the 2012 British Arrows Awards at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minn. During the screening, I got to see dozens of bronze, silver and gold award-winning ads.

Some ads made me laugh out loud. Some made me cry. All inspired me to push myself creatively.

Among my favorite ads last night were those that took me by surprise. In the spirit of the season, here’s one of them. Click and enjoy the 2012 British Arrows Awards “Best Commercial of the Year: — The Long Wait.

Happy holidays!

 

Good Copy Fast Founder Melanie Lundheim is a freelance business writer based in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

 

Also posted in Creativity, Inspiration | Comments Off

Facts Tell, Stories Sell

By mlundheim | Published December 13, 2012

An enewsletter I look forward to receiving is Steve Slaunwhite’s Marketing Memo. In today’s edition, “Facts are not enough,” he discussed a strategy he uses to engage readers. Here’s how it works:

  • Beyond sharing just the facts, strive to tell stores.
  • Aim to turn on the movie projector in audience members’ minds.
  • In the process, people can see what you’re telling them, making your messages more meaningful and memorable.

A talented writer, Steve’s story cemented in my mind a method I plan to apply today. Have you used or come across this storytelling technique before? If so, share a link to your favorite example in the comments section below.

Also posted in Communications, Copywriting Experts, Inspiration, Quick Tip | Comments Off

State Abbreviations, AP Style

By mlundheim | Published September 19, 2012

Professional journalists and business communicators in the United States commonly write in Associated Press (AP) style. AP style recommends abbreviating most states in text. Because of this, the most used page in my AP Stylebook is the one with the AP style state abbreviations listed. Here they are, for your reference.

Note: AP Style state abbreviations differ from their corresponding United States Postal Service abbreviations, provided in parentheses.

  • Ala. (AL) — for Alabama
  • Alaska (AK) – this state is not abbreviated in text
  • Ariz. (AZ) — for Arizona
  • Ark. (AR) — for Arkansas
  • Calif. (CA) — for California
  • Colo. (CO) — for Colorado
  • Conn. (CT) — for Connecticut
  • Del. (DE) — for Delaware
  • Fla. (FL) — for Florida
  • Ga. (GA) — for Georgia
  • Hawaii (HI) – this state is not abbreviated in text
  • Idaho (ID) – this state is not abbreviated in text
  • Ill. (IL) — for Illinois
  • Ind. (IN) — for Indiana
  • Iowa (IA) – this state is not abbreviated in text
  • Kan. (KS) — for Kansas
  • Ky. (KY) — for Kentucky
  • La. (LA) — for Louisiana
  • Maine (ME) – this state is not abbreviated in text
  • Md. (MD) — for Maryland
  • Mass. (MA) — for Massachusetts
  • Mich (MI) — for Michigan
  • Minn. (MN) — for Minnesota
  • Miss. (MS) — for Mississippi
  • Mo. (MO) — for Missouri
  • Mont. (MT) — for Montana
  • Neb. (NE) — for Nebraska
  • Nev. (NV) — for Nevada
  • N.H. (NH) — for New Hampshire
  • N.J. (NJ) — for New Jersey
  • N.M. (NM) — for New Mexico
  • N.Y. (NY) — for New York
  • N.C. (NC) — for North Carolina
  • N.D. (ND) — for North Dakota
  • Ohio (OH) – this state is not abbreviated in text
  • Okla. (OK) — for Oklahoma
  • Ore. (OR) — for Oregon
  • Pa. (PA) — for Pennsylvania
  • R.I. (RI) — for Rhode Island
  • S.C. (SC) — for South Carolina
  • S.D. (SD) — for South Dakota
  • Tenn. (TN) — for Tennessee
  • Texas (TX) – this state is not abbreviated in text
  • Utah (UT) – this state is not abbreviated in text
  • Vt. (VT) — for Vermont
  • Va. (VA) — for Virginia
  • Wash. (WA) — for Washington
  • W. Va. (WV) — for West Virginia
  • Wis. (WI) — for Wisconsin
  • Wyo. (WY) — for Wyoming
  • Also: District of Columbia (DC)

Here’s an example of how to abbreviate a state in a sentence using AP style:

In Minneapolis, Minn., the weather today is sunny and warm. 

In search of a writer who is familiar with AP style? Email Melanie Lundheim, Corporate Freelance Writer and Founder of Good Copy Fast.

 

 

 

Also posted in AP Style, Productivity, Tools | Comments Off

Quick Tip: Speak Positive

By mlundheim | Published September 13, 2012

“Think positive” and “Be positive” are common maxims. To carry them out, try to omit such as words as “don’t,” “can’t,” “not,” “won’t,” and “no” from the sentences you think, speak and write. For example:

  • Instead of: “We’re not getting along.”
  • Choose: “We need to find ways to get along better.”
  • Instead of: “I won’t be ready for another hour.”
  • Choose: “I’ll be ready in an hour.”

You’ll find that it’s a lot easier to think and be positive when you use positive language. What did you notice after attempting this exercise today? Share at the Good Copy Fast Facebook page.

Also posted in Communications, Quick Tip | Comments Off

How to Give Away Your Content and Win Online

By mlundheim | Published May 17, 2012

Give Away Your ContentThey say “content is King” in the World Wide Web. Yet, if you give away your content online, how can you succeed? Here are two rules of thumb, relayed to me by my writing and Internet marketing mentor, Bob Bly:

“Your free content tells your readers what to do. Your paid content tells them how to do it.” – Internet marketing consultant Wendy-Leigh Montes de Oca

“You can also tell people how to solve a minor problem when you’re selling the solution to a bigger problem.” – Internet marketing guru Terry Dean

So set some of your best content free online. In the process, you’ll demonstrate your thought leadership, add value to your clients, and start to see your website traffic and sales soar.

 

 

 

Also posted in Conversion, Internet Marketing, SEO | Comments Off

Melanie Lundheim Shares Freelance Writing Tips at the U of MN

By mlundheim | Published March 29, 2012

Melanie Lundheim Today the University of Minnesota Department of Writing Studies hosted an event: ”What can I do with a Certificate or Master of Science degree in Scientific and Technical Communication?”

The guest speakers included a technical writer, an IT professional, a recruiter of technical professionals, and me, Melanie Lundheim, corporate freelance writer that specializes in communicating about technical subject matter in lay terms.

Graduates and undergraduates interested in technical communications were in attendance, where they learned about what hiring managers look for in candidates, what should be in their writing portfolios, and the outlook for technical communicators.

View a narrated version of my presentation: “Tips from a Six-figure Freelance Writer: Your Future is Bright!” 

 

 

 

 

Also posted in Communications, Online Training, Presentations | Comments Off

Good Copy Fast Quick Tip: Write Like Your Audience Speaks

By mlundheim | Published February 23, 2012

We’ve all heard about the benefits of conversational writing. In marketing communications, just remember to use your audience’s tone, rather than your own. Here’s how:

  1. Observe how your audience speaks
  2. How does their style differ from yours?
  3. Make your message resonate with, rather than intimidate, your audience

In general, easier-to-grasp communications are more effective. So think
“use,” instead of “utilize,” or “get,” instead of “obtain.”

What’s unique about your audience’s conversational style? Share at
the Good Copy Fast Facebook page.

Also posted in Communications, Listening, Marketing, Quick Tip | Comments Off