How much time do you waste choosing just the right content for your business?
Have you ever had a disagreement with a fellow co-worker, client, freelancer, or someone else over the use of certain words in your social media campaigns, e-mails, newsletters, landing pages, or other marketing materials?
Sometimes, it can seem like everyone has an opinion on what will work best. This can mean that you spend hours managing this process, working with different egos and resolving arguments over one simple ad.
Well, instead of wasting resources, it’s time to move forward and get results.
How?
- Use AP Style.
The Associated Press issues an updated book every year called “The Associated Press Stylebook.” It’s available at http://www.apstylebook.com/. Basically, it provides a dictionary-like guide to correct spelling and grammar that is used by most media venues in the U.S.
By using the guidelines in the book as a standard for all of the copywriting done in your business, you remove the need for many disagreements. After all, if someone insists on using a certain word or style, you simply point to the entry in “The AP Stylebook” and show the correct usage that your team follows on a regular basis.
2. Act!
Stop worrying about each little word and pleasing everyone. It’s impossible to make everyone happy and can suck the life right out of your day!
Instead, choose a few varieties for your content and make it live as soon as possible. If you don’t implement, nothing will happen. Hours will turn into days, and days will turn into weeks… without any content being posted whatsoever! Remember, it doesn’t need to be perfect.
And this brings me to the next point…
3. Test.
A simple test can end many disagreements within seconds. Simply write your content and publish two different versions.
Monitor the outcomes easily with a tool like Google Analytics, AWeber, Webtrends, or another, online tracking program. Then, see which version received the most attention. Repeat this process regularly to ensure you get the best results from all of your content.
Now, you can use this data for your next copywriting project because you know what words work with your audience.
Stop the Fighting!Why waste time on dumb conflicts over word usage, grammar and style?
Instead, start writing using the guidelines in “The AP Stylebook,” test different versions of your copywriting and check the results to see what resonates the most with your audience.
This way, you’ll quickly discover what content offers the best return on your investment, end disagreements over word usage and be able to focus on what really matters for your business success.
