One of the differences between copywriters and creative writers is that creative writers use fiction skills in their writing. Using the five senses in their writing is one of those fiction skills.

Don’t panic with the thought of using “fiction” skills. Using the five senses isn’t hard to do. Let’s try it.

For example, it’s fairly easy for a real estate agent to describe a home for sale by stating that it has hardwood floors, a winding staircase, and an impressive entry way.

But let’s add in the five senses:

Before you ever step foot in this turn-of-the-century home, you’ll realize you’ve found a true work of art.

Inside the entry way, the crystal chandelier lights up the newly refinished hardwood floors. You can almost envision Clark Gable crookedly grinning at Scarlett O’Hara as she glides up the winding staircase, the sounds of her girlish laughter and the swish of her green velvet gown echoing behind her.

The smells of the home are a mixture of old and new. Fresh paint and hardwood floor stain mix with the smells of antique furniture and old rooms.

As you walk up the winding staircase yourself, feeling the solid banister under your fingertips, you almost feel as if you’re taking a step back in time. Better yet, you’re going on an adventure.

* * *

We were able to add in sight, sound, smells, and touch, but not taste. We could have had Clark smoking a cigar.

You don’t have to add characters to your content to add in the five senses. They just  seemed to fit in this scenario.

Try using the five senses in your Web copy and you just might discover that your content is much more vivid and alive, bringing your potential customers into the content with you.

And that, my friends, is your goal.

Robin

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If you have a site that sells clothing, you may think that having pictures of the clothes with a brief description of them is enough content for your site.

Wrong.

What about adding content on what constitutes the latest styles for this particular season?

What about tips for accessorizing for this season? Are scarves in? What type of pants are in style? Cuffs or not?

What about accessorizing each outfit with jewelry, shoes, etc.? You may make more sales if you do.

What colors are in style this season?

You could create content focused on different body shapes. For larger people, what tips would you offer?

What about creating an interactive area where your potential buyers could match tops with pants and add jewelry, shoes, etc., to the mix to see how it looks as a complete outfit? Let your buyers get creative with their own outfits.

With the idea above, you could even have a ”wish list” area where your buyers could save their clothes, then direct family members to the area for gift ideas.

You could set up greeting cards for family members/friends to send out when they purchase clothes as gifts.

What about setting up an expert Q&A on your site, so that your visitors could send in questions and a fashion expert could answer them. Post a new question each week on the main page of your site.

Consider creating a newsletter that offers style tips, what’s “hot” in the clothing industry this season, and other items of interest to your buyers. Offer a discount once in a while. Encourage your potential customers to sign up and list their birthdays. On their birthday, offer a nice discount as a gift.

Any other ideas?

Robin 

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What is a “walk through”?

Let’s say that you’re a real estate agent, and you’re trying to think of different types of content to add to your Web site.

Consider walk throughs.

Remember that in order to make the sale, you’ll have to find out the likes and dislikes of the female part of the buyer equation (if there is one), because her approval will more than likely make or break the sale. (http://www.searchengineworkshops.com/articles/largest-audiences.html)

To give you a little tip, what do women look for when buying a house? What about a walk through of the master bathroom, the walk-in closets, unique areas that will grab their attention such as a shoe closet, or a glimpse of the roomy kitchen?

What types of walk throughs am I talking about?

You could certainly do video walk throughs, which are quite effective. Or, you could have a slide show and use text to describe what the visitor is seeing.

What other online businesses could benefit from walk throughs?

Vacation property

Hotels

Bed and breakfasts

Museums

What about hunting or fishing retreats/camps? Wouldn’t that be a great selling point for an avid hunter . . . to see a walk through of the terrain he’s going to be traveling through if he chooses to go on that particular hunt?

What about spas and other retreats? Let your potential customers feel the relaxation all the way through your Web site as they view the pictures, watch the movies, or read the content.

Get creative here. You could even have walk throughs of antique stores. Try a walk through of an antique book store. How enticing would that be? Wow . . .

Robin

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I was reminded today of a familiar term for writers: writers block.

When I think of writers block, I think of a frustrated writer waiting for a spark of inspiration as he or she stares at a blank piece of white paper stuck in an old manual typewriter.

As search engine marketers, we all know how important content is to a Web site. Content can take many forms, from the nostalgic angle of your products to the history behind your restaurant or city and even to the descriptive text you use to describe each of your products.

It’s the beginning of 2008. We’re all on the Web, the Content Capital of the World. Without content, the Web would cease to exist. Yet, some SEOs, Webmasters, and Website owners refuse to add additional content to a Web site.

Why? Could it be that they get writers block every time they sit down to write? They just don’t know what to write about.  

Yet on the Web, do you realize you can write about almost anything, as long as you’re knowledgeable about your topic? (Let’s face it: some people don’t even fulfill that basic requirement!)

Here’s a little trick to help you get started.

Instead of staring at a blank sheet of “paper,” type your topic on the page as the title, then start typing. Just type. Don’t lift your fingers from the keyboard. Type.

Type for 30 minutes without stopping. Don’t edit or stop to correct misspellings. Type anything that comes to your mind.  

After 30 minutes, if you’re in the middle of a thought, keep going until you wind it down. Save the page.

Read over the content but don’t make any changes. Give it a day or two, and then look at it again. This is the time to edit it.

For 2008, let’s see if we can get past the piece of white paper by trying this little trick. Let me know how it works for you.

Good luck!

Robin Nobles 

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Content comes in all types, lengths, and mediums. From an SEO point of view, we simply know that it’s important—no, crucial—to add content on a regular basis to our Web sites. The content we add must be of value to our potential buyers.

But truthfully, “writing content” is the most difficult and time-consuming part of the search engine marketing process. I’ve been in the SEO industry for nine years, and I can honestly say that writing content is the part that most SEOs dread. Optimization isn’t a problem. It’s writing content that’s the problem!

One solution: User-generated content.

Click to read the full article in Search Engine Land. If you like the article, please consider voting on it at Digg, del.icio.us, reddit, Netscape, or your favorite Social Media site through the link at Danny Sullivan’s site (Search Engine Land). Thanks!

Robin

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