Net Words: Creating High-Impact Online Copy

by Nick Usborne

Book Overview

A guide to creating copy that connects with customers­­and makes the sale

Advertising and promotion professionals have long known that, while bells and whistles may grab a customer's attention, words make the sale. Yet, nearly a decade into the Web revolution, E-commerce professionals are just now waking up to the fact that the usual high-tech, graphics-heavy approach to site design is bad for business.

Net Words...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0071380396
• ISBN13: 9780071380393
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A "must have" for anybody who does Online Copy writing

The book is very compact and well written. Nick Usborne wrote this book based on his own experiences as online copywriter. You can tell, because he provides a lot of examples of issues that are exclusively Web related and also about differences between copy writing for the "real world" and the unique challenges and subtle differences to the copy writing for the Internet. Some things that work great offline in its specific environment such as print magazine or Television don't work the same way online, because peoples behaviour and expectations are different. People are still people, be it "offline" or "online" which makes a lot of the classic rules of copy writing as true on the Internet as they are in the real world. This makes the book a good choice for offline copy writer who want to start writing copy for a Website, Blog or eZine as well as for Internet Marketers who want to learn the basics of Copy writing to improve the copy on their existing Websites. Just FTI, Nick Usborne has an Email Newsletter you should sign up for. Search the Internet and I am sure you will find it.

The True Key to a Successful Web Site

Nick Usborne, in his straightforward style, uncovers the dirtiest secret in the internet: The success of your site depends primarily on the copy. Unique graphics might get you noticed and win a few design awards, but without good copy, you don't stand a chance. Nick gets this message across by pointing out specific examples of sites that "get it" by using copy to establish a unique voice. He also show a number of examples of "corporate-speak" copy that is guaranteed to lose readers. By highlighting the differences between good web copy versus traditional advertising copy, the book teaches you how to write what people want to read on the 'net. Nick's approach to writing copy emphasizes bright, descriptive, no-nonsense and humorous text while eliminating stilted, boring, and unintelligible language. And the sections on writing sales copy (in the right place) is golden. Bottom Line: If you write for the web, especially if you're a one-person show, you need to read this book.

The competitive weapon you've been looking for!

You and all your competitors are spending big bucks, duking it out online for customers, trying to cut the burn rate or increase profitability. The conversion rate on your site is about average; 1%, 2%, maybe even 5% if you are lucky, really lucky.The conventional wisdom is, of course, to increase your marketing budget; spend more money to drive customers to that same site where 1 or 2 out of 100 becomes a customer, signs up for your mailing list, or requests more information. Your marketing agency, your media reps, and the sales folks at those CRM and software companies will reassure you that more visibility and more technology will be just what you need. Before you spend another dollar, buck the conventional wisdom and snap up a copy of "Net Words" before it sells out.Simply put, Net Words will help you develop a competitive advantage, the ONLY competitive that your competitors cannot immediately copy or match with a big enough budget. That advantage, oddly enough is a voice, the words you use to connect with your customers; the words you use to touch, comfort, reassure, and connect with your audience. Can it really be that simple? Absolutely!Nick covers online copywriting like no one else. While others have written about one to one marketing and the vast potential the web offers for this ideal, Nick shows you how to get there. He provides simple examples that clearly illustrate every inch of the process. You will learn simple methods for increasing the conversion rate on your site, improving the response to email marketing campaigns, and truly building relationships with your audience. Net Words is simple, honest, and maybe even obvious, too obvious. You remember the emperor who had no clothes, well; the online emperor has no c-l-o-s-e. Large and small companies alike, Net Words will help you change that.

Copy is critical for Search Engine Marketing - Nick Knows!

Three years from now the most important person on your web team will be your copywriter. Increasingly, Copy - or rather finely tuned, accurate verbal content - talks to search engines and customers alike. Talented writers who understand your market AND the search engines are already both rare and valuable. As the Search Engines become better and better at "understanding" the copy on your site, you'll be increasingly dependent on good copy with content; and increasingly free of tricks and scams to achieve high rankings on search engine results.How do you learn about writing copy for your website. You read Nick's book. Period.

Entertaining and important

Nick Usborne shows how to make the most of the limited time you have to capture and hold site visitors' attention. This book is easy to read - it's actually fun to read - and is full of that practical, solid advice that you can put to work immediately.