Now you're talking – e-

copywriting for all your

audiences

Jonathan MelvilleDigital Editor

Introduction

The last 15 years have seen most of us become more

familiar with the Internet.

The traditional, linear relationship between client and

organisation has been disrupted.

Most businesses have an online presence and are used to

publishing information about the company and its products.

 

 

 

Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and others allow organisations to interact more closely with stakeholders.

It's important to write for different audiences in different styles, but that has to be done in different places.

Overview

Overview

Introduction

Defining our audience

Devising a content strategy

Case studies

Hints and tips

Defining our audience

Defining our audience

You probably already know who your main audiences and demographics are.

You may have a website which tells them what you think they need to know.

But it's important to find out what they actually want from you.• Why do they come to your site?• What do they do when they get there?• Do they want what you're giving them?• Is there a better way to reach them?

Defining our audience contd.

Trying to write for a variety of different audiences on the same website can be confusing to users.

One option could be to create multiple sites for multiple audiences, but this can lead to huge resource issues.

Instead:

Know what you're company does/offers Tell customers clearly and concisely what that is in a single tone of voice on your website Approach different platforms in different ways

Defining business objectives

Every business should have defined business objectives:

• Specific – define single/multiple objectives

• Measurable – value of objectives

• Agreed – those achieving objectives should agree them

• Realistic – objectives should be achievable

• Time Specific – time limit on achieving objectives

Business objectives should be reflected in digital strategy

and web content.

Digital strategy

A digital strategy is a business strategy based on the use

of information technology.

Process of specifying an organisation's objectives, goals,

opportunities and initiatives to deploy online assets:• Websites• Mini-sites• Mobile sites• Social media• Newsletters

Content strategy

Your content strategy is part of your larger digital strategy.

Content strategy allows you to:

• Identify target audience(s)

• Define tone of voice across platforms

• Plan site features

• Create relevant content

• Monitor and evaluate

Audience types

People tend to fall into one of four categories:

• Drivers - want to know the facts about your company

and/or product and how to get it. Keep it simple.

• Analyticals – love number crunching, facts and statistics.

• Expressives – they have feelings and want to feel good

about themselves. Want their lives/persona to be improved

by your product.

• Amiables – want to solve problems and help others.

Impress them with case studies.

Understanding audience needs The best way to find out what type of audience you have, and

what they want, is to look and listen. Different ways to do this:

• Analytics – can be free and top level information useful

• Read blogs or discussion forums to see what they're saying

• Online survey – fast, cheap and not (too) obtrusive. Add to

website or email

• Focus groups – invite cross-section to discuss

plans/ideas/wants/needs

User profiling

When identifying our users' needs and preferences, we conduct a user profile analysis to consider the following questions:

What are users' motivations, habits and preferences?

What are the users' technological capacities?

What are the users' physical capacities or limitations?

Where are they located?

Example 1: GTC Scotland Probationer site

Example 1: GTC Scotland Probationer site

http://www.probationerteacherscotland.org.uk/

New site created for Scottish probationer

teachers in 2007 by regulatory teaching body,

GTC Scotland

Formed steering group for site within

organisation to plan content

Example 1: GTC Scotland Probationer site

Sent surveys to local authorities on

Surveymonkey tool, asking what teachers wanted

to read

Invited teachers from different areas and

with varied experience to focus groups

Wanted real-life examples and honest stories

from peers

Created content schedule and ongoing site

maintenance plan

Writing for our target audience

Once we are aware of our target audience, we can identify the appropriate content and write according to how we see them:

We must anticipate: • The depth of interest the audience needs in the subject matter • What their existing knowledge is • What their views are • What possible reaction they will have to the material

Content Objectives Each platform requires different writing style, but the rules for considering which one to use should be the same. Ask some simple questions:

• What do we want to accomplish?

• What is the key message?

• Is it a news item, a hint/tips, an article or does it require

an entire web page or will a single tweet suffice?

• Is it to inform, update, persuade, reassure, motivate etc?

• What type of response do we need – do we want to

inform or do we want reader interaction?

Writing for different platforms Twitter

140 characters per tweet

Content and style varies but short,

snappy and informative tends to work best

Users expect interaction where possible

Lighter tone is usual, reflection of

account holders personality – BBC News more

serious than Empire film magazine

Writing for different platforms contd. Facebook Timeline of news stories

Chance to add photos, video and detail

Style varies but concise and informative

is helpful

Users expect interaction where possible

Tone of voice depends on subject matter

Example 2: Positive about Science

Example 2: Positive about Science http://www.infoscotland.com/science/

Government campaign aimed at encouraging

school children to take science in High

School

Held focus groups with students to find

out what types of sites they liked

Responses suggested interactive, flashy

sites were popular, allowing them to play

games, read stories/case studies and watch

videos

YouTube videos and channel created

Monitoring and evaluation Once site is live, tweets have begun and

the Facebook page opened, that's just the

beginning

Monitor Google Analytics to see who's

using different pages on website

Create tracking for links used on Twitter

and Facebook to see if they're being

clicked on – bit.ly offers this

Keep an eye on user statistics on

Facebook to see how many people are

interacting with page, new members –

Nutshellmail is a useful tool

Case studies

Filmhouse

Filmhouse

• Signed up for Twitter Summer 2009 - @Filmhouse

• Initially unsure how to best use it

• Jenny Leask signed up with a personal account to get used to style

• Now 1,623 Followers on Facebook and 2,577 Followers on Twitter

• Very informal yet informative – mimics style of programme intro

• Constant and consistent – tweets in evenings and over weekends

• Proven sales – last minute screening of The Illusionist put on sale on

a Tuesday morning, sold 86 tickets via Twitter alone

Glasgow Film Theatre

Glasgow Film Theatre

• Available on website, Twitter and Facebook

• Currently developing new website

• Knew site had to work for all audiences, ranging from children to the very

old - aware all groups are using the site and buying tickets online.

• Interrogated Google Analytics - what pages were used, which weren't,

where people clicked, which links were most popular

• Went through all the festival feedback and evaluation to consider any

criticisms which related to the site

• Asked friends who were GFT/GFF customers to let us know what they

thought of both sites and how they worked

Royal Lyceum Theatre

Royal Lyceum Theatre

• August 2007 - Lyceum website relaunched to reflect new branding

• December 2007 - filmed and posted first YouTube videos

• August 2008 - joined Flickr, but ended up using Photobucket

• May 2009 - joined Twitter and used it to chat informally with anyone

interested in the Lyceum and their work. Drew attention to videos,

reviews, competitions and events

• October 2009 - abandoned Photobucket and started utilising Flickr

• December 2009 - opened personal Foursquare account

Royal Lyceum Theatre contd.

• January 2010 - Lyceum Facebook page launched, a “middle

ground” between Twitter and main site - more formal than Twitter but

still quite chatty. Also good for direct communication with and between

audience members.

• March 2010 - launched Lyceum mobile site to cater for the growing

demand for mobile browsing. Not all content from the main site on the

mobile site. Optimised to run on mobile devices, so embedded content

stripped out, images are smaller, etc.

Hints and tips

See what your competitors are doing

Carry out research on where your customers are

Join Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr

yourself

Write for the medium you're using rather than

who you think is using it

Take small steps – use one new tool for your

next campaign

Monitor links and users/fans using tools such

as bit.ly and Nutshellmail

Don't be afraid to make mistakes

 

 

Jonathan MelvilleDigital Editor

Jonathan@reelscotland.com

www.jonathanmelville.co.uk

Contact

@jon_melville