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If you’re a writer (or even if you aren’t), head over to Copyblogger for a series on writing magnetic headlines.
The opening installment makes a compelling case for why you should write headlines first. The rationale? Your headline articulates your promise to the reader, and writing it first ensures you fulfill that promise in your body copy. Writing the headline later often leads to a marginal promise.
The value of character blogs – which are usually authored by a fictitious character, brand or toy – is an ongoing debate among marketing and communications professionals. But there’s little doubt they are rapidly growing in quantity and creativity.
As character blogs evolve, they use a variety of new approaches and tactics – including a few examples that present character blogs next to posts from real people. Consider several television blogs highlighted by Neal Justin in the Star Tribune.
I teach a communications class every spring semester at a local college. This January, I polled my class and asked the question, “How many of you are published authors?” No one raised a hand. I told them that within a day they would not only be authors, but also publishers. Then I explained how they would start a blog that next day. Within 24 hours, they all had their first post on their first blog. They were now publishers and published authors. Each student’s words were readable by anyone on the Internet. Once again, the Web has taken something that was almost impossible (getting published) for someone (an author) and made it incredibly easy.
Depending on the perspective and context, the term “Web 2.0” references a revolutionary business progression, the latest cool application, social media, rich media, new media, or any combination of the above.
Seeking to move beyond the buzzwords, MarketingProfs has another good what-does-it-mean-for-me article; this time, the focus is Web 2.0 and its impact on marketers. Stephanie Diamond, a former AOL marketing director, outlines five focus areas.
Are you a professional writer?
Before you answer, consider another question: What percentage of your day is spent writing?
If it’s more than 50%, says writing consultant Stephen Wilbers, you’re definitely a professional writer.