How to Write for the Internet
this is the most difficult thing for me yet!
Copy Writing
I have been fascinated with this world for a while now. For most of my adult life, I have done some form of writing. I have kept private journals, and some online blogs ( inconsistently). I have also started and tried to build a newsletter.
I always lost the sight for any of my writing a few months after I started because I got lost in my why!
- Why am I writing this?
- Who is it for?
- When will they ever find it?
Most times, I never could find the answer.
I had a conversation with a friend of mine toward the end of the year, we talked about copywriting. It was a great wholesome conversation, because we talked of good powerful copy that has sold over the years, we talked of David Ogilvy and his book on copywriting, we talked of how this is the number one skill when it comes to selling, yet, it’s importance is not stressed enough in our education.
Literacy & Trade
The fact is, the whole internet and all modern advertising has been built on copywriting, and people’s literacy levels. If the whole world was not literate, then it wouldn’t be possible to disseminate ideas. But since we can all read and write, we can trade.
About literacy & trade. It does seem however that we are taught to be literate, to be able to read and write, but not how we can utilize these skills to be able buy and sell. Which is where they power of copywriting starts to really show off.
How to Write Effectively.
In the beginning of last year, I watched a video that totally changed how I see & think about writing by the University of Chicago on YouTube. The Craft of Writing effectively.
Watch Below.
The premise of this video is that whenever you write, you need to do all the unnecessary writing, exploring different topics, ideas and thoughts, but then you should merge all that other writing and clean it up, be coherent in your thoughts and write for your audience. Cut out all the fluff that will be unnecessary to your ideal audience, and use the language they will understand and accept.
You Need to Write for your Audience
I am fascinated once more by this idea of having an audience. Who are they? why should they care? Are you in direct contact with them? Are they an imaginary force on the internet you are calling out towards?
But who is this Audience you speak of?
All my previous failed attempts at personal writing has been because of this. When I started losing the vision and the psych of this new writing, it was because I could not understand why I should publish on a public page to someone I could not define.
I think the trick or the goal is to just imagine this person, pull a description out of your butt, and decide that this is the person I am writing for. Moving onwards, these are their fears, likes and interests, and this is what would be most important to them.
What Valuable thing Can I tell you today?
When you’re talking with friend, you don’t think of the things you are going to say, the conversation flows naturally. You have a bunch of things to say. But it seems when you are writing on the internet, this is not the same state of mind that you approach the whole thing with.
Why?
Really, it’s just a matter of accepting. I have come to acknowledge that there are no rules to how you structure to do anything on the internet. but we are mostly going to input rules in our own lives because that is how we have been raised to think. To look for frameworks, syllabuses and model ways of doing x.
How to write for the Internet or Anywhere Really!
I have observed a lot of copywriters try to fake the value to their audience. So they will find a general topic and write tips and tidbits about that general area , as much as they possibly can.
For example, I previously saved a database of a YouTuber’s videos, and I could immediately tell there was a method to his technique. I have studied and milked as much value from this personal research as possible.
If you study the video titles, you will notice a pattern. There are common words that Copywriters use.
- How to
- Here is Why
- Why?
- Top 5
- 5 best
- Explained
- Revealed … and so much more.
This is the skill of copywriting
This particular creator in my database creates content in the Web Development, software development niche. But these practices cut across all niches available. I recently was in one of those web health blogs, and I could see it all over. Similar language, similar style of crafting value, but a different niche all together.
If you went to crypto blogs. You will probably find the same techniques. Health and fitness, Household and Furniture, Cooking, even blogs about writing.
I find it valuable that I can notice these patterns in my online consumption. I think you have to pay attention to notice it, or you need to be trained in this particular form of copy writing.
My Personal Struggle with Copywriting & Embracing the Unknown
What I find most difficult, is having something valuable to share personally. Seeing that I am interested in a myriad of things. I am not just interested in writing, or web development, or personal finance, or parenting. I am interested in all those things.
And maybe a personal blog is an avenue to find all these different ways of expressing yourself, and putting it out there in the world. That you do not need to communicate value that looks a certain way, only need to communicate things you find valuable.
My new commitment to writing and publishing is helping me unlock all that, and just let it out in the world.
I hope you can enjoy and learn something too. Or not.
