Eight reasons people like working with me.

  1. I am reliable. Clients know they will get what they need.

  2. I am fast. The sooner I deliver, the sooner the project is finished.

  3. I am meticulous. Every thought, word and phrase counts.

  4. I often deliver more than is expected. Clients appreciate choices.

  5. I am flexible. Things change and I stay in the flow.

  6. I am responsive. Your time is valuable. I appreciate that.

  7. I work in virtually all mediums and dozens of client categories.

  8. I worked with agencies on big accounts. There is no better education.

How rich media ads provide moving experiences

You want your advertising to move people emotionally. How do you do that? Rich media advertising is getting the views, the clicks and the budgets that traditional advertising can only watch with envy.

Ads that actually get views A recent study showed that rich media ads had 297% more viewers than traditional banners ads. What does this tell you? Simply that people want to see movement in an ad. They want to interact with it. While static ads get occasional glances, rich media ads deliver an engaging interactive experience.

Moving viewers to action Thanks to HTML5 and other technology breakthroughs, rich media ads can get bigger or smaller, float, change shape, play video and audio, run games, and much more. The viewer has the controls to enter, engage, explore, find answers and buy. And you get rich data from the process.

Inviting clicks The headline seems irresistible. You have to click it, and guess what: the ad expands, a product appears, and that’s just the beginning. A whole stack of files can come to life with a click. You can drill down to product features, reviews and ratings. Even connect to Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest within the ad. You’re not looking at an ad—you’re having an interactive experience with rich media.

Putting viewers in the game Rich media is perfect for gamification, the process of bringing game-like activities to promote a product or service.

Show and tell with video Your audience loves video and prefers it to text. Your rich media ads can have multiple videos that tell your story and sell your brand.

Deliver 360 experiences You can take your audience on a journey, explore a property from every angle, bring a big box store down to size, test drive an auto dealership—just a few examples. Advertising once static has come to life.

One-stop solution Of course you love visits to your website. But rich media ads can provide tons of information right out front where the impact and interaction are immediate. You can help visitors find a store, use a coupon, send a tweet, add a review, enter a contest, and open an account. It short, it’s a whole new experience—inviting the customer to explore, learn, compare and purchase.

A transformation in effectiveness To understand the power of rich media, think about the ancient world of television. The first TV sets were black and white, and people were ecstatic. Then color television was introduced, and black and white went dark while color captured the market.

Rich media advertising tells a similar story. The static banner ad was once the hero of online advertising. Now it has been eclipsed by rich media ads. Vastly superior, they provide a real experience for viewers, and dynamic data for you.

“Deep” is another way to describe “rich” Beyond the two dimensional, rich media ads can have many interactive elements just waiting to engage the viewer. This is a revolution in advertising and brand building.

A gold mine for business With rich media ads you have easy access to more and better data and analytic insights. You can get personal with your audience, learning how they interact with your ad: where they go, what they like, how long they look, what they see, when they click through, and why they buy. This information can help you strategize, target, create, and connect with your audience.

Talk to the experts at Digitaland, and get the power to move your audience to action.

 

The most enthusiastic words in advertising history.

Perhaps no other industry is more obsessed with positive words than advertising, and each decade has had its favorites. Back in the 50s, 'nifty' and 'swell' reverberated through the offices. The 60s welcomed a terrific word--you guessed it. Somewhere along the way, 'cool' made its debut and has enjoyed a chill evolution.

Transitioning to the 70s, 'rad" 'and super' were among the enthused newcomers. The 80s brought us 'excellent,' 'spectacular' and 'wonderful,' and the 90s followed up in 'perfect' fashion.

The turn of the century was 'killer,' as 'da bomb' exploded on the scene and 'sick' had a healthy debut. In recent times, 'awesome' and 'amazing' are the a-list of minimalist vocabulary, and millennials have given us 'dope.’ With the legalization of marijuana, we might expect a brand elevation: "That's cannibas!"

Hope you enjoyed this (supply your favorite word) tour.

(c) Miller McMillan

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The advantages of hiring a remote writer

Boy, that word 'remote' sounds so lost at sea, far from everything, missing in action, out of sight and out of mind.

The reality can be quite different. I work successfully with many agency people I have not yet met in person--and nobody has ever insisted that I fly to San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta or New York to put a face with a place the next morning.

In fact, many progressive agencies like the idea of having team members working at a distance. They can hire people as needed and avoid taking up long-term space for short-term assignments. But they have to be selective.

Issues with remote

Remote is a problem when a freelancer is not responsive to communications or responsible about delivering. In such situations, absence makes the heart grow resentful and adds unnecessary time to the producer's schedule.

My rule is that I need to perform as if I am working full time with the company but never asking about health insurance, time off or codes for the restroom.

When in doubt, look about. Remote can work for you.

 

 

It's easy to let go of an idea if you're not too attached.

I once heard an agency owner say, "Miller, it's easy to come up with a great idea. You just have to come up with enough ideas."

Those words sounded simplistic to a 27 year old, but they ring true today. I find it helpful to generate a lot of ideas and not get attached to any one of them. Typically, the agency or client will gravitate to several before choosing their favorite.

I am collaborative and diplomatic about ideas and scripts. The people I work with are very bright and imaginative, and collaboration brings out our collective best.

However, things may not always work out perfectly.

I once helped an entertainment agency pitch the relaunch of a TV show. My idea felt right to a limited audience of one, me. The agency didn't get it and I had zero leverage, so we kept cranking out more ideas. A month later, the agency didn't get it in a different way. Another agency won the account with the same idea I had proposed.

A few simple things to improve readability

1. Write mostly short sentences with no more than 12 words.

2. Use active voice. (I wrote this sentence. vs. This sentence was written by me.)

3. Avoid long introductory phrases or clauses. Write the way people talk.

4. Know your audience and stay on message.

5. Refine your work. Then refine it again. Think like a skilled editor.

7. Resist the temptation to write 2000 words if you only need 20.

8. Try to be rhythmic. Great writing has rhythm and is easy to read.

9. Resist temptation to impress with big words. Prefer fewer syllables and more substance.

10. Write short paragraphs. The appearance of a long paragraph can be a barrier to readership. Designers like text blocks, but readership prefers one to three sentences per graph.

11. When someone refers to copy as verbiage, they may be thinking of writing and words as a commodity.

They may be very hard to please.

What it means to work with "the best."

I'm talking about those rare people who are so good at what they do, you relax when the assignment goes out. Here are a few examples from my own experience.

A writer who "gets it" so quickly and so well, the first draft is almost final.

Designers who make an idea look far better than anything I could describe.

A music mixer who turns two dozen audio tracks into stereophonic bliss.

The Benefits

Absence of stress

Time for other things

Brand consistency

Significant value

Work becomes fun

 

The best are few and far. I feel lucky to have them.

(c) Miller McMillan

Looking for a copywriter? What search engines won't tell you.

Hiring a copywriter is different from unearthing a plumber. There are more things to consider than hourly rate and the ability to show up yesterday. Here are questions you might ask to separate the expert from a questionable hire.

1. Do you have agency experience? (If they begin by telling you about their past life as a travel agent or CIA operative, you have asked a good question and received a bad answer. Next.)

2. Where did you learn about copywriting? (If the candidate went to school but flunked algebra and quit, that's okay. Some of the best copywriters got their education in the mail room, with a secondary degree in life experience.)

3. What are you passionate about? (People and persuasion would be good answers beyond an obvious affinity for language and writing.)

4. Who are your favorite writers? (Very telling.) And what do you like about their writing?

5. Are you conceptual? (If they respond with a metaphorical answer, that's a good sign. The ability to create ideas is a huge advantage.)

6. What do you think about selling? (Copywriting is a form of selling. A good candidate will like to sell.)

7. Do you have experience in search engine marketing and social media? (This is often essential.)

What else?

Naturally, you will want to see examples of work. However, if your business is selling gold coins, it is not necessary to find a writer who has written about gold coins, knows what 'numismatic' means, or can recite the names of presidents depicted on various denominations of currency.

And if you are selling something esoteric -- like left-handed forklifts with auto-reverse, internal combustion, pneumatic tires and easy loading palettes -- there's a distinct possibility that your search for the perfect candidate may disappoint if prior product knowledge is required.

Just look for writing talent and allow a little time for the writer to get a handle on forklifts. If the candidate has a sense of humor, converses easily, and has a friendly demeanor, you're doing well.

More important than metrics

Know that expert writers are more than disciples of keywords and poster children for SEO metrics. The best writers can craft paragraphs with musical rhythm and newly minted expressions in almost every sentence. You might also encounter a touch of alliteration, an inspired visual metaphor, and clever turns of phrase. You will get a sense that the writer cares about the reader -- the empathy effect. And, if they have really done their job, you may find yourself at the bottom of an article and ready to read more.

A word about persuasion

The thoroughly schooled copywriter can dial the persuasive energy up or down depending on the situation. To make a quick sale in real estate, the writing may close early and often with hard-selling intensity. To build rapport as part of an overall campaign, the style may be relaxed and educational.

So those are clues.

Thanks for reading -- or parsing if you are not sure you're human :)

(c) Miller McMillan

Turning the page in website design.

I provide the text for some of the best web designers in the country. What I'm seeing could interest you.

There is a trend toward single-page scrolling sites, a reversal from several years ago when scrolling was considered bad form, not to mention bad function.

Getting on the same page

The simplified site is often preferred because navigation is painless. People in a hurry can land on one page and easily find what they need. After all, It's hard to make a wrong turn when the only options are up and down.

Larger sites have their place when there is a lot to communicate across diverse categories.

But for a quick read without fear of getting lost, scrolling is a good find.

(c) Miller McMillan

Space or no space? The discussion surrounding the em dash.

If you read AP news articles and other documents, you may have noticed spaces before and after the long dash (em dash), which has traditionally kept close quarters with adjacent words and phrases. This new way of using the dash provides a nice, spacious appearance within a story.

The other way of using a dash, with no space before or after, provides a more interruptive quality. (I would show you how these look, but regrettably punctuation here is limited to hyphens.)

Could the traditional way of using tightly placed dashes reflect the nature of living in a large city, where houses are crowded together with little space on either side, and where cars drive bumper to bumper in spite of accident risk? Just a thought.

Space or no space, which one is correct?

There's room for personal taste. Some people prefer the look of no spaces or want to shorten text by saving a couple of characters. Others appreciate the more open appearance and readability of spaces. Still others just throw in hyphens with spaces – like this – in place of dashes. Not a big deal in a smartphone-driven, high-text world, but purists will get out the red ink at this point.

So that's a dash of insight on a trend in writing.

(c) Miller McMillan

Providing text for designers' own websites.

Designers are my allies. They create great opportunities to collaborate. That's why I am more than happy to give my design friends a big break on original text for their own sites. When the situation is right, we might even trade services.

 

Don't you agree that "you" feels more personal than "we"?

One of the first things I learned about advertising was too look at things from the audience perspective write with the language of 'you.'

Naturally, there are places where 'we' is appropriate. But 'we' is only the messenger. 'You' is the recipient.

 

(example)

You work in a hectic environment where time is precious and deadlines do not forgive. You want projects to proceed quickly and smoothly. If you could eliminate glitches in the workflow, would that make your life easier?

(compare)    We provide products and solutions that make life easier for our customers. We are committed to eliminating glitches that waste time and energy. After all, that's our job.

This second version might be great as a mission statement or internal memo. But if your attention started to wander after just three sentences, that's because it's too much about 'we' and not enough about 'you.'

Don't listen to the therapist who says perfection is all bad.

Is anything ever perfect? Maybe a sunrise, a snowflake or a storm. But when human beings are the architects, perfection is an elusive abstraction.

Yet striving for perfection brings good results. As long as things are kept in perspective.

 

How do you capture the voice of a company? Listen to the CEO.

I've found that interviews with top management are worth more than any number of creative briefs, marketing papers and strategy meetings. Listening to leadership lets me ask the right questions and establish an audio reference that guides my writing.

I'm listening beyond what is said. The nuances of language tell me more.

To express the voice of a company, it makes sense to listen deeply.

One important reason to write two first drafts.

I want to nail the project in as few drafts as possible.

The way I achieve this goal may surprise you. Although asked to write one script, I may actually deliver two first drafts. That's because intuition often speaks to me in a couple of different voices. And the client may not know exactly what they want until they "see something." Why not let them be surprised and see "two somethings"?

Interesting what often happens: The client likes one of the approaches a lot and is ready to proceed. They may also like some phrases and ideas from the other version. With a little finessing, these alternate thoughts can be woven beautifully into the preferred script.

I find two drafts easier than submitting one draft and hoping I'm on the right track. Two drafts upfront and maybe just one round of revisions and some tweaking. Done.

Of course this is a perfect-world scenario where strategy, messaging and direction are clear and there's no seismic activity among the stakeholders. Otherwise there's a risk of dissension erupting, which can mean going back to square one.

Does my way create more work? Yes and no. More work for me in the beginning, but less work from there to finish. Nobody complains about that.

 

Make no mistake. Proofing protects the brand.

There is a race to fill web pages with content. And something important is lost along the way.

Maybe you have seen glaring errors in web content: misspelled words, phrases that don't make sense, plurals with singular subjects (and vice versa), to name a few distractions.

These errors suggests the writer was either not well versed, not paying attention, having trouble with the translation or in too big a hurry. In any case, the brand suffers.

"No way. We spellchecked already!"

I can hear that sentiment echoing through the room. It's true that web crawlers won't pause to note errors, but people may quickly form a conclusion. A company that's careless about content may fall short in other ways.

 

For the sake of example, how would you feel reading this?

We are and in dependent advisorie services: create to serve vice our customs with the heist level of satisfactory.

A little proofing goes a long way.