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When You Can’t Afford an Editor: 5 Easy Tips for Stronger Content

July 16, 2018 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Few people go into business planning to give it their second-best effort. Instead, they prepare. They plan. They invest in the website and store front, possibly in business coaching and financial planning. They do what it takes – spend what it takes – to provide the best services and products possible.

But not many of them leave room in their budgets for content writing or editing.

It’s one of those things that most people do for themselves (regardless of whether or not they should). But I’m not here today to try to convince anyone that they should hire an editor. The truth is that most of the business owners I know realize they need help with their content, but they just can’t afford it. Until that glorious day when content writing skills are as appreciated as accounting skills, I understand that people will write their own content.

That doesn’t mean I have to sit by and let them do it badly.

There’s no substitute for a professional, trained editor, but there are things that anyone can do to help strengthen their business’s or organization’s content. Here are five easy tips for writing stronger content.

  1. Have another industry professional read it. No one knows your industry as well as the people in it, so there’s no one more qualified to spot an informational error than those people. If you’re in a professional association, see if someone there would be will to fact check your content; if you’re not, ask a local colleague. They’ll help you spot any industry-related inaccuracies that others will miss.
  2. Have someone outside the industry read it. Once the pros have had a go, head the other direction and find people completely unfamiliar with your work. These people will be able to tell you what does and doesn’t make sense to layman (which is especially helpful when you’re trying to draw in new clients).
  3. Have an English teacher read it. But not for grammar. English teachers around the world might revolt because of what I’m about to say, but it’s the truth: your content writing doesn’t have to be technically correct. Remember when you were taught not to start sentences with conjunctions? And when the teacher said not to end a sentence with a preposition? Forget it, especially if you’re writing for your website. Proper grammar isn’t the most important thing; connecting with your audience is! Instead, see if an English teacher (or other publishing professional) can give you a solid copyedit – spelling, punctuation, word usage (should you use whet or wet?).
  4. Read it backwards. Start with the last sentence of your copy and read it backwards, one sentence at a time. When you read it as written, your mind fills in spaces with what you know should be written (even if it isn’t there or if it’s written incorrectly). By reading it backwards, you force yourself to read each line individually, which will help you identify those typos.
  5. Read it out loud. It’s easy to skim over an awkward sentence when you’re reading, but it’s hard to ignore it once you’ve spoken it out loud.

Will these five tricks turn you into a master copywriter? Sorry, no, but using these tricks with help you strengthen what you’ve written, making your content more effective.

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Filed Under: content, copywriting, editing, writing Tagged With: content, copy, editing, self-editing

Tips for Editing Web Content (via Custom Fit Online)

June 4, 2018 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Passing college writing classes does not mean you have the tools to write effective web content. Fear not! That doesn’t mean you can’t pick up those tools, you just need to know where to find them.

One such place is Custom Fit Online, where writer Erica Osburn shared a blog post about writing and editing website content. Not business content, website content. Why? Because people who read blogs are not necessarily the same people who read brochures, so you need to know how to reach those people.

As Osburn puts it, “Editing your content for the web requires acknowledging, first and foremost, that people use and read web content for different reasons than print. Once you understand that basic difference, you can edit your content (and, ideally, compose your content) with a focused approach.”

After she helps you identify your audience, her post includes some of the writing tips you (hopefully) learned in school (such as writing actively – don’t let the report be read by Jane), but it also includes online-specific writing tips, including:

  • Chunk It Up
  • Use the Inverted Pyramid
  • Be a Perfectionist … And Give it a Rest

I am, of course, more than happy to help organizations and businesses with their content if this is too overwhelming or you’re not sure if you have the time to learn how to use your new tools properly. Applying Osburn’s tips, however, should help you create quality content that works.

For more advice from Osburn, click here to read “Tips for Editing Web Content.” Or contact me directly to see how I can help you create website content that attracts and keeps your readers’ attention.

Did you find this information helpful? Sign up now to receive more business writing and entrepreneurial tips right in your inbox! And don’t forget to connect with me on Facebook!

Filed Under: content, editing, websites Tagged With: content, copywriting, website content

Make It Yours: 5 Ways to Tailor Your Content

July 25, 2016 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

meineresterampe_pixabayOne of the worst things you can do for your website (and your business) is to reuse someone else’s content. It might let people know that you’re a locksmith in Minnesota, but without any custom-written content, you’ll look just like everyone else. No one will know what makes you uniquely qualified. No one will know why they should hire you. (Not to mention, it’s stealing.)

Before you copy and paste someone else’s words, learn how to tailor your content to meet your – and your customer’s – specific needs.

  1. Identify Your Audience: Who do you want to reach? Perhaps you like the website for a company in Los Angeles, but you live in rural Minnesota. Your audience will have different needs and values. They’ll even talk differently. Your content needs to reflect that.
  2. Interview Yourself: Imagine you’re considering hiring yourself for the job – what would you want to know before you sign a contract: Who are you? Why did you get into the business? What’s your educational background and training? How long have you done this? How can you help? Once you’ve answered these questions, keep asking yourself “why.” That will give you the in-depth, personalized content you need to express yourself.
  3. Avoid Generalities. How many companies do you know who have launched “new and improved” products? Don’t settle for that generic description. If you bought new equipment for your locksmith business, be specific. Instead of “new and improved,” tell your customer – our latest technology lets us get into your secure places 25% faster and with no visible damage.
  4. Skip the Clichés. It’s tempting to use popular phrases, but don’t. Put your content in your Don’t tell people you’re the hardest working man on the block. Tell them you’re the hardest working locksmith in eastern Minnesota.
  5. Have Someone Else Read It. I always have someone proofread my books, and I write hundreds to thousands of words on a daily basis. When you’re trying to get the right tone, when you want to make sure the content makes sense, there’s no better test than having someone else (especially someone unfamiliar with your business) read your work to make sure that it makes sense.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to emulate another person’s website. By all means, if the layout and content work, why mess with it? You do, however, need to take that content and make it your own. Give it your voice so your customers will know who you are and why they should hire you.

Filed Under: copywriting Tagged With: content, websites

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ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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Karin understood my advertising and marketing writing needs and accomplished the project in record time. She asked all the right questions up front to equip herself with enough … [more]

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Substantive Fiction Editing: A substantive edit looks at the big picture. Start here to tackle the big issues before moving on to the nit-picky details. Substantive edits not only point out … [more]

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Lover of all things fiction, I also love University of Michigan football, the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings, kayaking, gluten-free cupcakes, and my husband.

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Press Release Tool Kit Stop waiting and hoping for people to notice you and your organization! With this Press Release Tool Kit, you’ll learn to apply the step-by-step process I use to … [more]

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