Archive for May, 2009

How to build the perfect email. Part 3 Copy continued.

How to build the perfect email. Part 3 Copy continued.

Posted by katetoon on May 28, 2009
Here are my other core email copy guidelines for ensuring your email really hits the spot. 5)    HTML header By this I’m referring to the piece of copy that appears before the email proper begins. Most silly people write some nonsense such as: “If you are having trouble viewing this email communication,...
Filed in: Information architecture, SEO, Usability
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How to build the perfect email. Part 2 Copy

How to build the perfect email. Part 2 Copy

Posted by katetoon on May 27, 2009
Most email copy is dreadful and consists of overlong, chunky paragraphs of guff that no one ever reads. Writing copy for emails is a different skill again from writing for the web and an art in itself. Here are a few useful tips to guide you: 1)    Consider who your email is from Decide whether your...
Filed in: Copywriting, Information architecture, SEO, Usability
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How to build the perfect email. Part 1 Strategy

How to build the perfect email. Part 1 Strategy

Posted by katetoon on May 25, 2009
I’m sure that barely a day goes by when you don’t check your email. Electronic Direct Mail (eDM), as some old-school folk describe it, has become an integral part of how we conduct business, socialise with friends, shop, bank and interact with the world. It’s crucial to get it right. Over the...
Filed in: Information architecture, SEO, Usability
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How would you build a social media campaign?

How would you build a social media campaign?

Posted by katetoon on May 25, 2009
Working on a social media project for a new client today. He’s a very nice chap with a small, small budget so want to give him the best I can. My intention is to: Set up WordPress blog with: RSS feed, feedback form, couple of static pages, XML site map. Set him up with Twitter, Linked in and...
Filed in: Advice
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Producer/AM needed – 3 month contract

Producer/AM needed – 3 month contract

Posted by katetoon on May 24, 2009
I have a bit of a thing for trying to set up people with jobs. I do it not for the recruitment bonus (which unfortunately I always miss out on) but rather for the love! The love people. Here is a new opportunity that might tickle your fancy. Digital account manager/producer - 3 month contract to perm...
Filed in: Jobs
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Print friendly – makes the most horrid pages printable

Print friendly – makes the most horrid pages printable

Posted by katetoon on May 24, 2009
PrintFriendly makes printing on the web better. You’ll save paper and ink, plus get great looking documents. (KT – Plus its free!) Prints Clean: The algorithm removes ads, navigation, and all the junk you don’t want to print. Prints Pretty: Uses best practices in print Typography...
Filed in: Information architecture, Usability
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Ten-minute play ‘Mates’ in Wagga

Ten-minute play ‘Mates’ in Wagga

Posted by katetoon on May 20, 2009
Off to Wagga Wagga on Friday (pronounced Wogga Wogga for those non-Aussies out there) to see the first production of my ten-minute comedy ‘Mates’. It’s always a bit nerve racking seeing one your plays for the first time so toes crossed the guys have done it justice, or even better...
Filed in: News
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Working on new play “Play (with) Misty for me”

Working on new play “Play (with) Misty for me”

Posted by katetoon on May 18, 2009
Onto second draft of a new ten-minute play called “Play (with) Misty for me”. Hoping to enter it into Crash Test Drama, here in Sydney and if it goes well into a few Short and Sweet competitions later this year. The play is based on the insane conversations you have with people in dog parks;...
Filed in: News, Plays
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Wicked widgets

Wicked widgets

Posted by katetoon on May 18, 2009
Fun site where you can download little widgets to add to your blog or website. I’ve added a magic eight ball (for now) temptation is to add loads but they tend to make your site look a bit cheap and tacky, don’t you reckon? http://www.widgetbox.com
Filed in: Random
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How to write a copy deck in five easy steps

How to write a copy deck in five easy steps

Posted by katetoon on May 17, 2009
It isn’t always this easy to put together a copy deck so I thought it might be nice and loving of me to let you all know how I approach the writing of a web copy deck, in five easy steps. Of course all good web copywriters will have their own process, but this post is more for those unfortunate account...
Filed in: Advice, Copywriting, Information architecture, SEO
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Cut back your copy

Cut back your copy

Posted by katetoon on May 13, 2009
Some words add nothing but length to your copy. Here are some examples. Adjectives Use adjectives to make your meaning more precise and be cautious of those you find yourself using to make it more emphatic. The word very is a case in point. If it occurs in a sentence you have written, try leaving...
Filed in: Advice, Copywriting, SEO
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How to build a very nice navigation

How to build a very nice navigation

Posted by katetoon on May 11, 2009
Navigation by the dictionary definition is, “the process or activity of accurately ascertaining one’s position and following a route”.  In webby terms it means exactly the same thing; helping users finds content they want quickly and easily. Yet I still see websites that don’t have a clue...
Filed in: Advice, Information architecture
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How to write great SEO copy

How to write great SEO copy

Posted by katetoon on May 10, 2009
People are arguing right now about just how important keyword saturation or keyword density is to improving your search ranking. While it may not be the number one factor in winning the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) battle, it’s definitely worth giving keywords a try. The truth is that writing...
Filed in: Advice, Copywriting, SEO
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My top five QUICK SEO FIXES

My top five QUICK SEO FIXES

Posted by katetoon on May 5, 2009
There are, of course, a million things you should be doing to keep on top of your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy. However, sometimes it all feels a bit overwhelming, doesn’t it? Let’s keep it simple. Here are (in my humble opinion) the five most important fixes you can do in minutes...
Filed in: Coding, Copywriting, SEO
Top 500 sites

Top 500 sites

Posted by katetoon on May 4, 2009
A list of the top 500 registered domains (∗.example.com) ranked by the number of linking root domains. This data is sourced from 46+ million domains and 36+ billion pages. My site comes in at 278 (wishful thinking). http://www.seomoz.org/top500
Filed in: Cool stuff, News
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Getting to know your colon

Getting to know your colon

Posted by katetoon on May 3, 2009
Shove a few colons in your copy and it really looks like you know what you’re doing; use them incorrectly and you can look like a right flump. Semi-colons (;) Semi-colons should be used to mark a pause longer than a comma and shorter than a full stop. Don’t overdo them. Use them to distinguish phrases...
Filed in: Advice, Copywriting
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Writing a new play ‘Soup and Sparrows’

Writing a new play ‘Soup and Sparrows’

Posted by katetoon on May 2, 2009
A ten-minute short play about the lows and lows of looking after your mum-in-law when dementia has set in. Cheery huh? Not based on real life I hasten to add but on my somewhat infertile imagination.
Filed in: Plays
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