In UI, Words Matter Too

                                           

Words and pictures. We can argue what's more important till the ^ come home.

The smartest design/communications organizations don't play that game. They know words and pictures both matter. They know that words and images work together to get your message across.


Recently, Convincify did a lovely job of illustrating that point.

See what I did there ;)

twitter.com/convincify

No Matter How Mobile-Ready Your Site, You're Still Using Words, Right?  

You can't control the types of devices your users access, read and view your site. But the words you use to get your message across - yep, those are up to you. Certainly, your site must be responsive. Yes, you should test it for various resolutions and compatibility with different devices. 

And, you should spend at least as much time, effort and brainpower getting the words on the screen right. 

Right? 

Right. 

Whew. Good. I didn't *really* want to discuss this until the cows came home. I'll be moooooooving on now.

Move Over Down to Read Your SERPs

Speaking of moooving, you should click over to a SUPER helpful article just posted to the MOZ blog. On the latest eye-tracking studies, it has some very important info for people who want to make the most of their words.

To wit, page descriptions matter more than ever, especially when your prospects are searching on a mobile device.

"Remember you're dealing with a reduced space, so ensure your most important information is at the very beginning of page titles and descriptions, including priority keywords in the body of the website content."

Read the whole article on Moz.com. It's worth all 8 minutes, I swear.
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Need a writer who gets your business, and keeps up with scintillating SEO stuff, too?  Well, I try. The result is 
Writing That Works, for you and your prospects. 

This'll Get Your Ghrelins Going

Here's a fact that probably won't even score you a point in Trivial Pursuit: The Oxford English Dictionary adds new words every year, but more precisely, every quarter.

For what it's worth, cis, commissurotomy and grandissimus made the list last quarter, while gherlins was added in June. Right or wrong, sciency had them all beat by more than two years.

FLOTUS, decluttering and stir-fry were some of 2015's additions that left me wondering, well, what took you so long, OED?

Curious about when a particular word became part of OED? There'a a timeline for that. The next OED new-word list will be available at the end of March.

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If word games and origin stories really get your gherlins going, good - you might enjoy a trip to Lexicon Valley. 

Who Needs Facebook?

According to Pew’s 2015 report on social media, 72% of US internet users – that's 62% of adults in the US - are on Facebook. The majority of Facebook users use it daily. According to PR firm Burson-Marsteller, 87% of United Nation member countries are on Facebook. So is the POTUS.

Yet, I still get “the look” when I tell some small-medium sized business owners, “you should be on Facebook.”

 “Yeah. I know,” the principle often says, sometimes shrugging and adding almost apologetically, “my wife says that.”

(Yes, I'm serious. I really have heard that. But I digress.)

“I Don’t Need a Facebook Page; I Have a Website”

Years ago, when I first encouraged some friends and business owners to create a business page, they weren’t all sold on the idea. 

“People get their news from Facebook,” I’d say.

“I know, but they’re not looking to me for news,” they’d say.

“That’s true, but you need to be in the room," I’d reply. 

“It just seems like a waste of time,” they’d say.

“It certainly can be,”I’d agree. “But the effort will pay off.”

 “I don’t think it’s worth it,” they’d say, nearing exasperation. “Especially since _(I don’t have anything to sell/I’m not a celebrity/I have a website/insert other reason here)_.”

That's when I’d nod agreement and repeat, “you need to be in the room.”

Very Comfortable Virtual Gathering Space 

Facebook is a room where the conversation is always in full swing, where users visit day and night, ask their friends whether they'd recommend certain plumbers, find out a favorite former teacher recently passed on, and catch up with far-flung family members. It’s very social and in that atmosphere, our guard is just a little bit relaxed. 

We’re looking for advice. 

We’re asking for recommendations.

In that room, the conversation is flowing and we’re receptive. 

So, sure - you don't need to be on Facebook. I mean, what business needs a friendly, receptive forum in which to share its message? 

Just How Nice is Your Website? 

Of course, when Facebook users search for your business and don’t find your Facebook Page, they may look for your website.  Or they may not, if a similar business pops up in their feed, and that page appeals to them…I think the business term for that is "lost opportunity."

Now, assuming said user goes off to find your website, well – when they find it, it better be good. 

Because for Facebook users (remember, that's 62% of adults in the US) the medium shapes their expectations. Facebook is a friendly, engaging, comfortable place.

Newsflash: most websites aren’t.

So, when Facebook users encounter clunky, less-than-responsive websites, “yuck” is a pretty common response. And “yuck” dramatically increases bounce rates.

So yes, Virgil/Virginia, your business really does need a Facebook page. Even in 2016, when Facebook is reportedly “over.” (Just ask Fox News if there’s any value in it.) 

Facebook Maturing, Young Audience Returning

Some of the more adamant “I don’t think I need Facebook” folks will toss out the “common knowledge” that Facebook is no longer popular, and cite a stat about the droves of young people who no longer use it.

Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat and other forums have each taken a turn as the rising star of social media. It's not Facebook's turn. Been there, done that. Snapchat is the undeniable winner right now for reaching young (tween, even more so than teen) audiences. But there is plenty of anecdotal evidence and empirical data suggesting that Facebook has serious staying power.

 Remember those rascally teens who jumped onto Facebook, then departed when their parents showed up en masse? They’re back.

Facebook Group pages are one reason. Colleges and universities are among the many organizations using group pages to reach young adults – whether it’s professors posting that classes have been cancelled or clubs sharing internship opportunities; as kids get older, there are new attractions to the original social network. Many professional organizations use Facebook groups to share news - a la LinkedIn, but with a more interactive nature (and much better photo sharing capabilities). And let's not forget, Facebook is fun. A Facebook group page is an almost-perfect collaborative tool grads can use to plan a High School reunion. (So, if you’re a banquet hall or bar owner, and you don't have a page, you might want to get started it. Now.) 

The return of older teens/young adults has inspired several new apps designed to clean up some of those teenage indiscretions on Facebook. Because the kids who signed up in ‘04 and ’05 are now …drumroll please… entering the workforce. And as Mark Zuckerberg’s sister has said, “even the most incompetent HR manager can find and judge you based on your Facebook profile.”

And if that’s not proof that you and your business should find your way to (or back to) Facebook, what is?

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Two things I should tell you:  This post originally appeared on LinkedIn. And I manage Facebook pages for business clients. Get in touch with me here, on my website, or via Twitter.

Food for Thought: Words Matter

I'm pleased that the Washington Post took on the silliness of food labeling, and hope its light tone will garner attention for a rather serious problem: our food supply is sick.

Sure, it's about the best in the world, but - yikes. 

I would farm if I could; instead I read labels and fret over each item in my grocery cart. 

Here's the article and the explanation re: why kale isn't healthy. Read it and ... eat smart. 

#GoodLuckWithThat

Meanwhile, have you read Anticancer: A New Way of Life? If you have and would like to offer a review (or even just a few comments) please get in touch. 

January, Janus Words, and other Two-fers

In our social media-obsessed world, it seems somehow fitting this year ends on a #TBT.

Translation for luddites: TBT is Twitter/Facebook speak for "Throwback Thursday."

Now, throwing it waaaaaayyyy back, I'm sharing an oldie-but-goodie from CJR about two-faced Janus words. Who knows how our language will evolve and change in 2016?

In Case You Haven't Heard, Oxford's Word of the Year Isn't a Word

In case you haven't heard,
Oxford's word of 2015
isn't a word.

This is sort of a haiku.
Words make me

Customer Service Is Important to Writing Because - ?

BECAUSE YOU'RE WRITING FOR PEOPLE AND PEOPLE LIKE TO BE TREATED WELL.

There. That's the executive summary, in case you don't have time to read the rest. Here's the rest:

I've been a copywriter for -- well, a long, long time. Whether it's a service agreement, ad copy, a white paper or company return policy, there's a secret to writing it well: Remember who you're writing for.

The Secret to Good Copywriting

I started lodging service complaints when I was in first grade, so you might say my writing career started on a sour note. I prefer to say that my writing is always, always informed by my customer service bent.

In my pollyanna world then, a good copywriter must be at least part customer advocate. When approaching an assignment, I ask about a gilion questions - often digging in to customer service and operations issues. This can make new clients nervous.  (I've heard more than once, "We're not writing about that. We just want to tell them about our new product." )  What I often hear about the final copy from my clients is, "Oh, I think our customer will like that."

Ya think?

Sarcasm aside, it's business 101. Generally, my assignments are not designed to serve my clients. They're intended to serve my client's CUSTOMERS.

(Un) Common Sense & Courtesy

There's some evidence that common sense and common courtesy are not quite as prevalent as they once were. In order to keep it positive, I'll point out that some companies (like Zappos, for one) use good customer service as a differentiating factor in their marketing strategies.

It should be obvious, but it's worth stating: If "good customer service" is a key piece of your marketing message, you really need to have the service and operational chops to back it up.

Also worth noting: Providing good customer service doesn't mean you have to be a doormat. I like the way HelpScout (nice product, even better philosophy) puts it:

Help Scout is fond of the Ritz-Carlton principle, to be “Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” We hold doors, offer a strong handshake, and will pass on the last piece of pie—unless it’s pumpkin.

As HelpScout tips often point out, there are courteous ways to resolve problems with customers that don't involve bending over, or even handing over the last piece of pie/last slice of your margin.

A little bit of respect, and a lot of questions, can go a long way in creating good business communications and delighted, repeat customers.

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If you need a copywriter who's a little nutty about customer service, I might be the right choice for you. If you can overlook how long it's been since I updated my website...