Display copy

Display copy: Why is it important?

Because ‘readers’ don’t read

I’m often amazed at the amount of energy writers put into perfecting the sentence structure in the fourth paragraph of their piece when those same folks toss off a headline in the 17 seconds before happy hour on a Friday afternoon.… Read the full article

How to write press release links

Create nofollow links, anchor links

Now that Google has cracked down on link schemes, link networks and unnatural linking, PR pros have to work to avoid SEO penalties for linking.… Read the full article

Why writing links well is so important

Get clicked by writing good link text

Users look for links on pages like puppies look for your best shoes.

Or so say Kara Pernice, Kathryn Whitenton and Jakob Nielsen, the authors of How People Read on the Web.… Read the full article

Why write a multi deck headline?

Because it’s the best-read element on the page

Decks — those one-sentence summaries under the headline — do the heavy lifting on web pages.

Indeed, according to The Poynter Institute’s Eyetrack III study of reader behavior:

95% of web page visitors read all or part of the deck.

… Read the full article

Subheads take the cake

They’re ‘the most important thing you can do’ online

Think of subheads as the icing on the cake.

Skimmers look at subheads to learn what content you’re offering on a web page, blog post or news release.… Read the full article

Why callouts?

They attract attention, make messages memorable

Callouts (aka breakout quotes, pullout quotes or pull quotes) are “the print equivalent of a sound bite,” according to the authors of The Newsletter Editor’s Desk Book.… Read the full article

Make sure every picture tells a story

How to write compelling captions

Too often, editors crank out captions (aka cutlines) in the 15 minutes before happy hour on a Friday night.

Their loss.… Read the full article

Keep captions short

How to sell crisp cutlines to clients who want to include too much

“Help us with captions,” wrote Sue Grabowski, president of Grabowski & Co., in our recent member survey.… Read the full article

8 types of benefits headlines to try

Focus on the readers’ needs

Stuck for a benefits headline? Browse these eight approaches for inspiration:

1. Direct headline

The simplest approach, this headline just states the benefit clearly:

Save $100 on conference registration when you sign up by Feb.

… Read the full article

Write colorful benefits heads

4 steps for telegraphing the biggest benefit

To write a good benefits headline, list:

Your readers’ biggest needs in the topic you’re writing about. “Write about your greatest benefit for your reader’s greatest need,” counsels marketing guru Dan Kennedy.

… Read the full article