Top Shelf Copy

Focus on Context

Doc Sheldon — Wed, 20 May 2015 14:00:53 +0000

We’ve all seen various repeats of “Content is King”, first uttered by Bill Gates in 1996. It was certainly true then, although many people seemed to think (and apparently, some still do) that focusing solely on content was sufficient to achieve success. Mr. Gates, of course, is bright enough to know that the “build it ... Read more

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Where Do Content Ideas Come From?

Kristi Waterworth — Mon, 18 May 2015 18:04:29 +0000

I was asked recently what my process was for developing content ideas — and I got to thinking that this particularly nosey client might not be the only one wondering how the gears and wires all go together behind the scenes. After all, we donâ€™t really discuss idea generation much, we just assume itâ€™s a ... Read more

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Improving Your YouTube Video Skip Rate

Kristi Waterworth — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 14:00:26 +0000

I’ve had a keen eye for marketing as long as I can remember. As a child, I reached for the Want Ads before the comics and always paid far more attention to commercials than the programming they were embedded in. After three and a half decades of watching, it drives me crazy when I see ... Read more

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Context Applied to Readability and Ranking

Doc Sheldon — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 14:00:53 +0000

Don’t think this is about the Flesch-Kincaid readability scale – it isn’t. There are times when that’s useful, but by now, most of us should have a pretty good grasp of determining who our audience is and how we should be writing to them. This deals more with how to write for both the readers ... Read more

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Fun with words: Tips for Effective Copywriting

Kristi Waterworth — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:00:46 +0000

Landing a copywriting job is the real deal â€“ now you have to produce. If youâ€™re lucky, the job is in your niche, which should make things a lot easier. And it does â€¦ at first. Exulting in the glories of an HVAC service with outlets in every town on the map requires fresh copy ... Read more

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Take Caution When Using Humor in Copywriting

Kristi Waterworth — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 14:00:13 +0000

Knock knock. Who’s there? Your doom. There are a number of methods to attract attention when it comes to marketing, from the profound to the sublime, but few can crush your soul as completely as humor. If you doubt me, take a long look at all the failed marketing campaigns that attempted to integrate humor ... Read more

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Exploding Kittens Blow the Lid Off of Kickstarter

Kristi Waterworth — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 15:00:57 +0000

Weâ€™ve seen some ridiculous things happen on Kickstarter in the last few years — remember the amazing potato salad that went viral? Â I still maintain that was some sort of undercover ploy by Kickstarter to remind people that they were still relevant and projects of every kind could get funded if they were interesting enough ... Read more

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The Importance of Brand Identity

Kristi Waterworth — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 15:00:13 +0000

No matter how big or small your brand is, your brand identity matters — probably more than you know. Â I was approached by a potential client this week and she said something that really stuck with me — she told me she chose me out of a list of copywriters because I had something no ... Read more

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I’m Writing to You like I’m Talking to You

Kristi Waterworth — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 16:00:31 +0000

Using a casual or conversational voice is a must when you want your copywriting to get your message across in a friendly tone and get that message to stick. After all, who is your audience more likely to listen to – a tight-laced lecturer or someone telling a story? It can be hard to find ... Read more

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Know Thine Audience

Kristi Waterworth — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 15:00:19 +0000

Itâ€™s a much-spouted theory that start-ups are doomed and any business thatâ€™s been around more than a couple of years is probably going to start feeding itself to a dark pit of extravagance and hedonism as it expands. Â Letâ€™s assume thatâ€™s a given, why not? The actually truth lies somewhere less dramatic, but only just: ... Read more

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