Why Research Shouldn’t be a Copywriting Secret
You’ve heard a lot of talk about content being “king” – but how do you make sure your content stands out from the rest?
You probably already know the standard tips for great online writing:
- Use active verbs
- Keep sentences short
- Eliminate every weak word
- Avoid adjectives and adverbs
- Use “power” words in sales copy
- Break up the text with bullet points and sub-heads
These are all highly relevant, but you need one more thing…
Rock-Solid Research
As someone with a magazine and newspaper background that spans 30 years, I’m constantly amazed at the amount of unoriginal material recycled into product after digital product. I suspect it has nothing to do with using PLR and everything to do with hastily lifting data from online articles and calling that “research”.
It’s not.
If you truly want your articles to be original, make use of the 3 cardinal rules of writer’s research taught in journalism courses at every university:
- Keep a note of all sources – Even if your client isn’t interested in citations, you need to be able to back up your facts. Besides, you may wish to contact that particular expert or consult that particular government department for a future project.
- Be meticulous in your quotes and attributions. Don’t change one word of a subject’s quote, be sure to cross-check spelling on names, and verify titles and dates. (Triple-check your spelling, while you’re at it…)
- Triple check your facts. Where you are giving factual data, make sure it’s accurate. Then make sure again. And again. (Assumption is the enemy of authoritative writing.)
To that I’d add my own # 4: Learn to question every fact you dig up online. Is this the originator’s post? Is this the source? Can this fact be cross-checked? Disproven? Is there any hidden twist to it no one else has uncovered yet?
I can’t stress this enough: If you come across a fact on the net, don’t just lift it from the site – go back to the source. Find the originator and get your facts from the horse’s mouth.
“But Online Copywriting is Different“
You’ll always find those in online copywriting who scoff at being thorough: They’ll tell you that online copywriting is “different”, and that grabbing a quick fact and pumping it out is okay – even necessary – in order to satisfy clients.
I won’t kid you: Some of this fraternity make a lot of money. Some are “successful”: But if you care about your reputation as a copywriter, you won’t go for the easy buck.
It may surprise you to know that lack of quality is not exclusive to the world of online copywriting. In offline journalism, those who are sloppy researchers are usually called “hacks”.
Making a Living vs. Ethics
There has always been a war between deadlines forcing people to “pump it out” and make a living, and the ethical duty of responsible, truthful writing.
After 30 years in publishing, both behind the scenes and on the scene, all I can tell you is this…
If your research is not original — if you don’t schedule time into your projects to go the extra mile — you won’t stand out. Your copy will be exactly the same as 90% of all other copy on the net and you’ll drown amid the sea of competition.
And sloppy research always comes back to bite you in the patoosh, in the end.
Next post, we’ll cover 7 meaty offline sources of research material.
And if there’s anything else on copywriting you’d like discussed, just leave me a comment and I’ll be happy to schedule a post.
Filed under: Sales Copywriting
Marya, this is so true. I get so tired of hearing people advise others that it’s easy to make money as a writer. After all, they reason, you can easily write four or five articles an hour.
Facts? Research? Totally optional for these “writers” I think.
Cindy, they wouldn’t last five minutes at a newspaper or magazine. And the sad part is, many beginning online writers think churning posts out in fast-forward is not only acceptable but desirable. Hmmm… maybe I’ll schedule a post for how to legitimately speed your writing time up while still researching thoroughly…
Marya,
This is great information. I know someone who is interested in copy writing and I will forward the link to your blog. It is very helpful, and everyone who is dealing with content, should take this to heart. As a blogger, I truly want the information I am providing to my readers to be accurate and true. Since I am new, I
have only been writing from my personal experience, but as I go forward, this is great information to keep at hand. Thanks much
Thanks for the kind words, Grace. Looks like you’re off to a great start with Doughraisingmom.com. Writing from personal experience is great if you can make the reader feel “She’s writing personally to me about things I want to know”, which is what you’re certainly doing.
In turn, I appreciate the tip in your post “Baking for Money, Is it Possible?” re Dave Ramsey’s book, “Total Money Makeover” – I’m going to check it out for sure. And if your friend has any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them.
Marya,
I love writing for all my blogs but there are times that I find doing research for posts is too much like having to write papers at college. I wish there was a way to make it fun. I love the topics of all my blogs, but I don’t know everything and I still have to research. I use some PLR rewritten because I don’t have the time to do all the work involved with research. How do you feel about PLR Marya?
That’s a great question, Cindi. I think PLR is like anything else in life: You can use it well or misuse it. People who buy PLR and slap it unaltered into their blogs are violating the terms of use, because one is supposed to alter it – that’s just a basic condition.
If you’re a copywriter, PLR can provide research clues if you’re totally unfamiliar with a subject. For example, if I was given an assignment on something that isn’t my forte, like Forex trading, I might buy a PLR package on Forex trading, read through it and make notes on points to research.
That’s mostly the way I use it, on the rare occasions I buy any. However, if you’re not a copywriter providing material for a client – if you’re running your own blog, for example, and your focus is on promoting an affiliate product – I see nothing wrong with rewriting good PLR articles.
Just make sure you buy PLR from a copywriter with a solid reputation. They will have done strong, ethical research for you.