Writing web content that keeps readers reading.

Writing for the web is much different than writing fiction or non-fiction for a magazine, book, or just for you. To write effective web content, you must master the art of writing succinctly. Studies have shown that you have a little over 4 seconds to catch the attention of the reader. After that short a glance, they will move on unless you grab them.  

A page laden with long paragraphs will look like too much work to most readers. Keep your web content concise.  

When reading on the web, most people do not read long pieces word for word. They scan them to see if there is anything earth-shattering that they must read. That’s one of the reason keywords are so important. They pull in the reader’s attention and tell him/her what to expect from the web content. 

Here are some suggestions for writing web content that will catch the attention of readers:

1.      Make every word count. Wordiness in writing web content will send readers to the next website or blog. If ever there is a time to leave out those pesky, persistent, petulant adjectives, this is it. Adverbs should go by the wayside also when writing for the web.

2.      Make sure you pay attention to the keywords (these are the important nouns that define your topic) of your web content so that the search engines will glom onto what you’ve written and bring readers to it.

3.      In addition to making every word count, make your paragraphs count as well. Short paragraph are more inviting to readers. Keep them short and get to the point. 

4.      Use headings to your advantage. At times, in writing we use cute headings and sub-headings. In writing web content, your headings and subheadings might be the one part of the page that catches the eye of the reader. Each heading or sub-heading should tell the reader what’s in that paragraph or section of the article. Don’t substitute cute for informative.

5.      Use white space to your advantage. Make the piece easier for the reader by breaking up the reading with blank space. 

6.      Use lists and graphics to get your point across in a short-handed fashion while keeping the reader interested in your web content.

7.      Talk to the readers. A friendly, conversational tone will help readers stick with your web content. Web writing should be breezy as opposed to ponderous. Keep it light and the readers will thank you by taking more than the 4+ seconds to read the page.

What techniques do you use to keep readers on the page?

Why editing is essential for web copy.

The content you put on your website represents you. What image do you want to present to the world? Here are some of the important reasons why editing is essential for web copy.

1.       Your writing is a form of communication. If you truly want to communicate to your readers, errors will not help you do so. Errors will draw the reader’s attention to the error and away from the message.

2.       Errors in writing brand you as careless. Even simple typos strike some people in the wrong way. In some cases, if there are numerous errors, readers may interpret them as meaning you are not dependable.  Why should they read the content you write if you are not dependable? If you are careless with the face you present to the work will you also be careless with the work they want to entrust to you?  All that perception comes from not going that extra step and having your copy for the web edited.

3.       If you don’t have someone edit your copy, you may miss not only typos but information errors as well. People are too busy today to double and triple check the information provided. If you are known as reliable in providing quality information in your copy, you can destroy that reputation by letting one error statement slip into your copy. It may be due to just using “wasn’t” in a sentence instead of “was.” An editor would have caught that. It may be hard to regain the trust of your readers once it’s gone.

4.       In addition to losing business and readers due to having errors in content, the problem may grow beyond that to losing you credibility or standing as someone who knows what they are writing about. 

5.       Misinformation is a problem on the Internet. As a writer, you don’t want to contribute to the perpetuation of misinformation. By simply having your web copy edited before posting it, you’ll cut down on the possibility of this.

Beyond all these reasons to have your web copy edited before posting it, it is equally important to not edit your own copy. It is essential to have a professional editor edit your copy to ensure the best job possible. Writers do not see their own errors. They have the copy in their head and are apt to read an error as correct because their mind is forming the sentences instead of their eyes catching the errors. Therefore, always have your web copy edited by a fresh set of eyes before posting it.

Techniques to help you meet deadlines at work

Meeting deadlines is an important attribute in an employee or for any business owner. If you have difficulty managing your workload,  here are some ways to ensure you meet your deadlines:

1.       Take a good hard look at your work habits. Are you using your time wisely? Are you working only on projects you like and having to rush to complete the others? Are there too many interruptions? Analyzing what is hindering you in trying to meet deadlines is a beginning.

2.       Next, rearrange your schedule and work habits to get more work done. Set a schedule that will help you be productive and let others in the workplace know that you need some uninterrupted work time.

3.       Recognize the importance of meeting deadlines. Usually your boss will give you a deadline for a reason. Even if the deadline is arbitrary, it is important for you to meet it. Why? It’s important because meeting the deadline for a work assignment tells your boss or your customers that you are responsible. It tells him/her that you care about your job/business.

4.       Approach each work assignment individually. If a work assignment is large, divide it into manageable parts.

5.       Based on the amount of time before your deadline, establish due dates for each part of the assignment. Write due dates on the calendar for reference.

6.       Check your calendar each day to determine what parts of your work assignments are coming due. Set priorities and work on the ones that are due first.

7.       If you don’t meet one of your mini-deadlines, don’t let it slide. Immediately re-work your calendar to redistribute your work.

8.       If you have multiple work assignments, repeat the process for each of them.

9.       If you know with certainty that you will not meet your deadline on a particular work assignment, it’s best to tell your boss/client early on, rather than waiting until the due date. That way, your boss will be able to assign another person to the job to help you.  Or your client will be able to make adjustments according to the new schedule.

Remember that when looking at your workload, meeting deadlines and the quality of your work are both important. Don’t let the work slide to the last minute.  If you keep to your schedule, you will avoid all that time you spend in angst and devote that time and emotional emphasis to the quality of your work.

Marketing your artwork

To carve out a piece of the art market for yourself, you must let your creative mind consider all possibilities. Tap into every opportunity you can to grab the attention of the market and set yourself apart from the others.  Here are some tips on how to go about devising a marketing plan that will work for you:

1.       Create a brand that sets you apart. Devise a look for your advertising and paper and online communications that shows off your artwork. For example, if you are an oil painter and you do mainly landscapes, you would do well to include one of your favorite landscapes on your business cards, on post cards that you use to announce your art events, and on newsletters that you send out to tell people what you are doing. Choose one picture and don’t change from picture to picture. Essentially, you want people to think of you when they see that picture.

2.      Create a presence on the Internet. You should have a website at the very least. Remember to use the painting you chose for your brand and the predominant colors in that painting on your website as well. That’s your brand. It goes everywhere. 

3.      In addition to a website, create a blog and publish frequent articles about what you are doing as an artist. This will draw traffic to your website.  I know artists who post sketches of artwork-in-progress to draw people to their websites. 

4.      Hook an online gallery into your website so you’ll have a means to sell your artwork to those who don’t live in your area. It will also give you a means to show your artwork to customers near and far. 

5.      Be active on the Internet. Visit blogs and galleries. Submit y our work to reputable online galleries. Also, chat with other artists. You never know when they might hear of someone looking for your type of artwork. Do a good deed and recommend their work as well.

6.      Don’t concentrate only on the Internet. Continue all the traditional ways of creating a presence. For example, join art groups and associations in your area and other areas if they pertain to your type of work. Enter your artwork into local exhibits.  Join the local chamber of commerce to spread the word about your artwork. 

7.      Show your work locally and in surrounding areas. Many times libraries will welcome an exhibit of artwork, and many city government buildings and hospitals enjoy having exhibits by local artists. 

8.     Keep your customers and potential customers up to date about what you are doing. Learn to write a professional press release. Create a mailing list on the Internet and one for the regular mail. Every time you show your work, send a press release to these two lists. Keep your name and your activities in front of the public by sending short notices to community magazines that publish a monthly calendar of events.  Publish a newsletter on at least a quarterly basis to update previous customers and to let potential customers and groups know about what you are doing.

As an artist, you are an asset to the community. Be sure to keep everyone up to date on what you are doing and the artwork you are producing. Your contributions to the world of art around you will be one of your greatest marketing tools.

How to live an easier life

Note:  It's the weekend.... so I thought this post might be appropriate...

How to live an easier life

Some people thrive on hardship, chaos, gossip, and drama. If you’re not one of them or you don’t want to be one of them, you don’t have to buy into that way of living or thinking. At one time or another we have all fallen into the “if only” trap. “If only” I were rich, life would be easier. “It only” I were beautiful/handsome, life would be easier. “If only” I were more popular, life would be easier, etc.

If those wishes came true, they would do little to make life easier, happier, or brighter. It’s our internal workings, our minds that make life easy or hard. Work from the inside out and you may find life much easier. Here are a few ways to get started:

1.       Give up your expectations of how you think life should be. No matter what you expect, life will most often surprise you and give you something else. What life gives you might be just as good as what you expected but will you allow yourself to enjoy it? In most cases, if your expectations are not met, you’ll be disappointed. If you have no expectations, you won’t be disappointed and you just might allow yourself to enjoy what happens without making your life harder by being disappointed over your unfulfilled expectations.

2.      Live in the present. We can spend endless hours worrying about yesterday and tomorrow. It is, of course, appropriate to be prepared for tomorrow. If you have committed to do something for your job, your family, or your friends, you must be prepared to follow through. “Live in the present” doesn’t mean that you don’t take care of your obligations. Instead, it means that in any situation, remind yourself to enjoy the present moment. It will make life so much easier and more enjoyable. 

3.      Be true to yourself. You will make your life so much easier if you don’t fill it up with activities, events, clubs, associations, etc., that mean nothing to you. So many times, our lives become crammed with club meetings and activities that we enjoyed at one time but have lost their sparkle. Nothing says you have to continue with any activity that does not serve a purpose in your life. One of the best ways to make your life easier is to weed out all the activities that are no longer useful to you. Your life will become so much easier if you boil it down to meaningful activities only.

4.      Simplify. With all the responsibilities we face in everyday life, it all becomes too complicated at times. To make things easier, look for ways to simplify each aspect of your life. If you reduce a ten-step task to a five-step task, you’ve probably freed up some time for you. For example, if you always go to a laundromat on a certain night despite the fact that it’s always crowded and it takes you twice as long as it should, you’re only making life harder for yourself. By trying that same Laundromat at another time, or another night you may be pleasantly surprised.

In summary, look at all the activities and chores in your life and determine ways to simplify them and you’ll not only make life easier, but free up time for things you enjoy.