You’re Screwed in your Christmas

Copywriting Endeavours …

By Anthony Carter

… But Salvation is at Hand if You Pay Attention to My

Christmas Copywriting Tips!

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Christmas copywriting?

What is this strange sounding animal?

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Do you write Christmas related stuff for your internet

or content marketing endeavours?

Takes some effort, doesn’t it.

Why?

Because we (us writers, copywriters, etc.) need to try and take advantage

of shoppers and the shopper mentality.Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/verzo/

But without overwhelming them.

But … how much is too much so as not to overwhelm them?

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Think about this for a minute …

Research from eBay has

suggested that consumers

start thinking about Christmas shopping

as early as May!

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They might not start buying at this time,

but they do start thinking about what is needed.

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This eBay research does make sense, though.

Going online months earlier makes more sense than fighting the crowds in

early December.

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As well as this, you can go online

any time of the day or night –

wearing just your underwear, if you

so wish.

This eBay research clearly puts into perspective

the fact that …

Copywriters need to start thinking about their Christmas

targets no later than early autumn.

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So, in light of that, here are some tips to help you.

1.Implement a ‘controlled burn’ …

This means no overkill …

Start slow and be subtle …

Just a few Christmas hints early on, gradually building up

as the time draws nearer.

At the end of the day, we all love Christmas, but in the proper context and time.

2. Avoid the hard sell …

The hard sell has been used for generations.

Especially in industries such as

automotive and beer.

Credit image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/timpearcelosgatos/

However, consumers really don’t appreciate being continually bombarded.

And the same thing is true

for Christmas copywriting.

Hard sell may frighten away readers – even before they’ve got

half way through your article!

And whatever you do, avoid some specific phrases like the plague!

Phrases like …

“This is a one-time offer”

“Our product is the real deal”

“Think about what this means … to your kids”

“Here’s a token of our appreciation”

Etc., etc. You get my drift, right?

The one with the kid

thing is especially annoying!

3. Keep advertising separate …

Most stats show that consumers are cautious with their spending –

even heading in to the Christmas shopping season.

And many still spend wisely first, buying the

necessities before being swayed by any

advertising.

But it would suggest that targeted advertising to a specific audience for a particular product

would work …

However, from a copywriting standpoint, keep

this advertising copy separate from your general copy.

You can then be more specific to whom you target.

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Ad copy should be direct and to the point.

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But ad copy that has few details and lots of

fluff will not win over that choosy consumer.

4. Remember the mobile world …

Shopping via mobile devices is more popular than ever.

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39% of UK shoppers, for example, now

use a mobile device to shop online.

What does this mean for your

copywriting strategy?

It means you should make your content “friendly” to mobile devices.

Break up the content with sub-headings and bullet points.

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Refrain from using long-winded paragraphs.

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Don’t use complicated graphics that may slow down page load.

If people can access your content

easily on a mobile device then you’re ahead of the game.

My last tip is a very important one …

5. Remember relevance …

Content relevance is one of the most important factors in internet marketing.

And especially after the Google Penguin and Panda updates.

Just because you may be writing something geared toward Christmas does not mean

you can just throw in a few Christmas-related

keywords willy-nilly and leave it at that.

Don’t force keywords into content if they don’t fit.

As a copywriter or content writer, you really won’t get away with it.

Take advantage of the fact that you

are writing for Christmas …

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… and craft a piece specifically tailored to the holiday season.

In other words, don’t stick Christmas keywords into

content that is not related.

Just take time to create Christmas-specific content.

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Let it draw your reader in.

At the end of the day, it will be better for the reader – and even better for

your SEO efforts.

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In conclusion …

Make sure you’re in the game properly.

But make sure you do it right.

To that end …

May your Christmas copywriting campaign be a success!

Thank you for watching.

This presentation was brought to you by Carman Online Content Publishing.

If you are in need of any written content (copy, blog posts, press releases, white papers, case studies, articles, etc.), we would be delighted to discuss

your requirements with you. Our contact details are overleaf.

Website: http://cocp.co.ukEmail: info@cocp.co.uk

Connect with us socially:FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/CarmanOnlineContentPublishing Twitter: @COCPGB

And finally …

… a special thanks to Homer Simpson for helping us out …