Tag: Singapore

Google Translate Bugs

Hearing how much of a help machine translations are, is no longer a foreign thing to many of us now. Living in a world where we are often seeking things to be done quickly and easily, it is not a surprise that many of us are relying on the likes of Google, Bing and Yahoo translators. Online and machine translations do have their own benefits and they work at times but of course, there will be times where you cannot trust the translations produced by these applications online.

As an example, I have typed “I fell from the tree and it hurts” onto Google translate and the Malay translated texts produced were “I jatuh dari pokok itu dan ia menyakitkan”. In this simple and short sentence, not only were there grammatical errors but the system has failed to translate the word ‘I’ into Malay! In instances like these, the end user has to be alert of such errors and make the sound decision to not put his full trust and faith onto online translation applications.

This is the reason why many professional translators push for human translation instead of machine. With the presence of human beings working on the copies, these professional and trained translators are able to fully understand the content better than a machine would. In addition, they are also able to sift out other aspects such as nuances and emotions portrayed and would translate accordingly, something a machine translator is unable to perform.

Personally, we wouldn’t recommend machine translations but in cases you need to use them, be sure to double, if not triple check before using the translated texts for submission!

 

 

Value Proposition

Writing might not be as straight forward as it seems and sometimes, certain techniques and style are needed. Ever felt that your copy is too flat or boring? Hoping to get more followers or projects but not getting them?

Perhaps, the factor that’s missing from your write-up is a value proposition. It is important to state what makes your brand or service unique. It makes you stand out among the existing competition and places you in a slightly higher level than the rest.

But, don’t just stop there! You have to ensure that your message is clear and believable. Listing out your unique point is important but if it is not clear cut, your readers might feel confused and undecided with what you have to offer. Making your services believable is equally important as well. Many of us tend to trust something more when we are presented with solid facts to back up certain claims. The same concept applies here. Present your readers with figures or testimonials to back up your claims on the services that you are capable of providing. This will instil more trust and confidence in them to engage in your services.

Sometimes, it is important to take a look and understand your copy from the perspective of your readers. This will definitely let you understand their wants and needs that can help you modify your write-ups to present the best for your readers.

 

Good luck!

 

The Challenge of Website Copywriting

Know Your Audience

This is crucial as you are ultimately putting in content to your website for your specific target audience. Not knowing who you are writing for can cause extreme damage as the style and tone of the website content may not be the one you are looking for. Once you have streamlined your audience, picking the right angle and messages for the website content should be followed up with next.

 

Only the Main Points

Sometimes, lesser is better. Just because you have more content, it does not necessarily mean your content is better. It is best if you can convey your messages by highlighting only the main points. Focus on the main issue at hand and concentrate on bringing out that one message you’d like your readers to understand and read about.

 

Call to Action

Be it website content or a single copy by itself, including the call to action is very important. You certainly do not want your readers to be left hanging, not knowing what to do should they be interested in your service/product. A liner or two highlighting the various ways of contacting you should suffice. Sometimes, some companies would choose to also include some discounts to entice readers to make an immediate action.

 

Here at copywritingservices, we provide copywriting services that suit your needs. Drop us a call at 6600 3798 for more infomation!

Copywriting Topics

Copywriting can be broken up in various topics and it is important that we understand different writing techniques are required accordingly. For certain companies, they would prefer professional write-ups whereas a handful would prefer a different style, in which they might adopt a fun and goofier approach for their content.

 

It is crucial for companies to know the style preference they wish to adapt for their copywriting copies as it serves as a representation of their company’s branding. This is also to assist the copywriters in planning out their draft copies by understanding the direction required to take for a particular copywriting assignment.

 

In order for a successful copywriting job to happen, clients are also expected to provide copywriters with sufficient information and guidelines upon confirmation of the job request. With limited resources to work with, copywriters may cause repetition when writing hence it is important that a strong teamwork between clients and copywriters is present. Should external meetings and interview sessions are required, copywriters should also be alerted beforehand so that they can gauge and plan out their schedule accordingly to meet the given dateline given by clients.

 

Do not hesitate to contact us if you require professional help in copywriting services at sales@copywritingservices.com.sg.

Essentials for Copywriting Job Requests

When it comes to copywriting, it is best to fully understand the context of project that needs to be done. Some of the common questions a copywriter might have:

 

  1. What is the direction needed for the copywriting job?
  2. What is the tone of write-up needed by client?
  3. Are there any special information client wishes to include for the copywriting job?
  4. Will there be external interviews required for the copywriting job?
  5. Will the materials be given by client or is self/additional research needed from copywriter?

 

Understanding in depth the answers to these questions can greatly help the copywriter work towards a more comprehensive write-up. In addition, it also assists the copywriter greatly to set aside extra time for additional self-research if need be which ultimately confirms final dateline for the project. In ensuring the project goes on smoothly, it is crucial that both the client and copywriter understand the expectations and quality level of the copywriting request.

 

Do not hesitate to contact us if you require professional help in copywriting services at sales@copywritingservices.com.sg.

 

What does a copywriter do?

Let’s go back to basics. Many clients whom we have worked with are still unsure of what copywriting is and what exactly a copywriter does.

Copywriting in a nutshell consists of a lot of different things. Mainly, they are often referred to as creative writing and they come in various platforms such as web content, news releases, brochures, training manuals etc. Copywriters basically package powerful messages by stringing the right words and images into the right form and length to capture attention and motive minds.

In addition, copywriters are also responsible for creative ideas or concepts and give it substance, direction and content.

What do you guys think, do you agree with our take on copywriting and copywriters above?

Bad Writing? That’s fine!

bad

You have all the grammar, punctuations and spelling in check but this does not necessary mean that you’ll be a top copywriter. Wait, what? Yep that’s right! Copywriting requires more than just writing; most times it involves critical thinking to write effectively rather than correctly.

 

Step 1 – Write in 2nd person

When writing a commercial copy, you are a salesperson and no longer just a writer. Like any other good salesperson, you need to speak directly when making sales.

 

Step 2 – Use command language

No matter how obvious you think it is, let your readers know what to do. Examples would be “Open now”, “Turn to the next page” and “Read on”.

 

Step 3 – Avoid rambling sentences

Keep your sentences short and simple. It is all about making it easy for the eyes to look, read and understand.

 

Here are just some of the many points that we have listed. Do you have your own to share?

Hear it from the experts

Ever thought what some of the industry experts have to say about copywriting? Check out some of them below!

#1 Neal Schaffer
Be yourself. Be passionate about your subject. Be generous in sharing your knowledge. Align your content with your business objectives. This is a great combination for creating something which is bound to stand out

#2 Rich Brooks
Well, you can write controversial posts about politics or religion, but that won’t help grow your business.

Instead, survey your current clients and try and get them to share their biggest problem or pain point with you. Find out what they struggle with, and what would make the biggest difference to their bottom line.

Once you get those responses, create a series of blog posts that address those problems one at a time. Demonstrate how they can overcome those hurdles, whether with your help or on their own. Those are the type of posts that people read, share, and take action on.

In short, those are the posts that stand out.

#3 Sarah Arrow
To create content that stands out, you should focus on the one thing the reader can take away from what she’s reading and take action on.

When you know how something impacts upon your reader you tailor everything to help her and it will stand out from the crowd. The biggest mistake any writer makes is to think they can write for everyone.

#4 Demian Farnworth
Relentless research.

Website Copywriting Skills

There are various elements of copywriting with the common ones such as blog posts, advertising copies and newsletters. However, another major aspect is website copywriting. Even though the same concept applies, website copywriting requires much more in depth research and understanding of the company and its services.

Websites are usually seen as the #1 marketing tool for businesses. It paints them an image online and is the most accessible feature for potential clients all around the world. This is the reason why website copywriting requires proper planning, research and polishing.

A good way to kick-start your website copywriting project is to gather as much information as you can. Work well with your client and ask them questions such as “what do you sell”, “how do your products or services help people” and “why should customers engage in your services?” Knowing all these would help you greatly in knowing the direction of your work and to target specific points that would resonate well for your client and their customers.

Once the basics have been laid out, the rest of the processes would follow through but this does not mean it is as straight forward as it seems. Picking out key details and including specific keywords for SEO purposes and working with images are all part of the process as well and would require additional effort to get it completed.

Knowing that such a complex process is involved in website copywriting, it is important you choose the right person to work with that understands your expectations for the project.

Till then, write along my friends!