It would be nice if there was only one writing style across all English publications, but life is never that easy. Ideally of course, if you're a freelance editor, you would want to own a copy of every style guide, because you will often have to edit according to every client's respective house style. but that can get costly and confusing.
Read moreThe Copywriter's Foolproof Guide to Creating Effective Copy
Copywriting is different from content writing in that it's about selling something, whether it's a product or service, or selling a company through their website. Effective copywriting will target a specific audience by getting inside their minds and using the language and tone that most appeal to them. A copywriter must keep both their client and their client's customer in mind, while also reining in his or her own voice. I go through a specific process when I write copy for a company's website to make sure the language feels right. This guide will help you to create the most effective copy for your brand.
Step 1: Who?
Naturally, the first thing you need to consider before you begin writing is who you're writing for? Who is your client is and who is their target customer? Does your client cater to millennials? Stay-at-home moms? Successful copy depends on reaching the right audience, and if you use high school slang or make millennial pop culture references on a website intended for the 35+ crowd, chances are they won't stick around to keep reading because they won't identify with your content.
Step 2: How?
How does your client want their customer to feel? Once you know the target audience, you can branch off into a tone that would best appeal to the audience. A high-end restaurant, for example, would probably want you to use a more formal language and fancy-pants wording to portray a luxurious, exclusive tone. A fast-food chain, on the other hand, might prefer to keep things casual and use simple, fewer-syllable words to portray a chill, laid back vibe.
Step 3: Make a list
Based on my established target customer, I will then make a list of words that would resonate with or be used by that audience. For example, one of my clients was in a music-related field and they wanted to project an image of luxury. So, before even beginning to write the copy for their website, I made a list of musical-sounding words and that I thought would appeal best to their target customer.
You won't use half the words you come up with, but creating a list of related words puts you in the mindset of that customer and will help generate some kind of flow of ideas.
My actual rough copy for a company's website content.
Step 4: Write out the Facts
I don't know if I'm just a weird person or if other writers would agree with me, but I feel words before I understand them. When I write, I first write total garbage in the way that I want my writing to feel before plugging in the right words to actually convey my message.
Write down the necessary information before tailoring the content to your client, then just write out anything that comes into your mind. Many writers have trouble getting words out because they over-think what they're writing out, but the best way to figure out what you want to say is to "word-vomit" all over the page.
Step 5: Plug-in
Once I've gotten all my ideas on the page, I mould the text to the client. I'll throw in words from my list, read the text aloud, and see how it flows and makes me feel. Of course, there are infinite ways to write the simplest of ideas, so you will probably want to re-write the whole thing in a completely new way.
I don't think most writers are ever fully happy with their writing; I still re-read old posts and wish I'd written something differently, but by following these steps you can at least ensure that the copy you've written will effectively resonate with your intended audience.
The B*tch of Bay Street
Yorkville: One of Toronto’s most prominent neighbourhoods, and a concrete runway for the well- manicured, well-coiffed, and well-dressed. And those are just the pets.
Long gone are the days when a couple designer pieces and a subscription to Vogue meant you could consider yourself fashionable; nowadays, a true fashionista surrounds him- or herself with an equally fashionable entourage, whether it be their friends, their children, or more commonly these days, their pets.
Four years ago, Samantha Armstrong, founder of HOUND Collection, recognized a thriving trend among the fashion-forward young professionals who wanted to walk their dogs in style, so she decided to take it into her own hands to create a line of handmade, on-trend accessories for dogs.
“HOUND was an idea I came up with when I brought home my first dog, Henry, 4 years ago. I scoured online and every luxury pet boutique for something for Henry to wear, [but] everything "luxury" really just meant kitschy. Rhinestones and hot pink weren't my thing”, says Armstrong.
Working at a high-end shoe store in Yorkville no doubt influenced Armstrong’s personal taste and affinity for a trendy, well-made product. Although starting a business is a daunting task (and even more so for a 23 year old), it seemed like the obvious next step for this dog-loving fashionista who was inspired by her desire to find accessories that reflected her personal style... but for her dog. Armstrong decided that she couldn’t be the only fashion lover wanting her dog to be as well-dressed as she was, and after sourcing her materials, relentlessly promoting on Instagram, and putting in long hours between classes, she had a product and a name: HOUND.
“Our target market is the young, trendy girl with a need for staying on trend. Whether it's disposable income, or a maxed out Visa - HOUND is [a] must have in [her] wardrobe. We target the basic Aritzia customer: women aged 18-28. We'd love our customers to have to make a conscious decision between a HOUND set or a new pair of shoes come payday.”!
In only 7 months, the brand has gained a substantial following, with close to 7,000 followers on Instagram, and with some of her main markets being New York, California, Melbourne, and the UK. HOUND sets can even be seen adorning the necks of pets belonging to Marilyn Denis, and a variety of fashion bloggers such as Danielle Bernstein of WeWoreWhat, Jenny Bernheim of Margo and Me, and Vancouver-based blogger, Lily Nguyen, of Bleed for Fashion. Armstrong even requests that her customers take Look of the Day shots of their outfits paired with their dog’s HOUND set to promote the brand’s focus on being fashion-forward.
A collection of luxury dog collars may elicit an eye-roll or two from some who believe “it’s just a dog”, but in a time where “Mommy’s little princess” onesies are no longer exclusive to babies, and with the creation of the aptly titled “s’paw” day, a trendy HOUND set almost seems like a wardrobe staple for your best friend.
*All photos are from @houndcollection on Instagram.
**Article originally posted on Oh, George!