Editing Services: Does YOUR Web site need them?
W
eb writing is a specialized form of self-publishing. With other forms of self-publishing it shares opportunities and pitfalls unique in the world of words. One of those pitfalls is that self-publishers tend to avoid using other professionals for specialized work.
This article is designed to help you decide if paying for editing services will increase or decrease your profits on the web.
Suppose you've completed the following:
- You've done your homework.
- You know your unique selling point.
- You know which features will give your clients the benefits they need.
- You know your most wanted response.
- You have followed the steps in the Affiliate Master's course.
So why do you need editing services?
Well, on the web, all your business has is words. No signs, no neon lights, no brass plaque, no front office, no corner office, no shelves stocked with gizmos. The only way to impress a potential client is with words.
As a good business person, you have decided on the content. As a writer you have begun to choose your words to make that content available to your clients. Editors take care of the expression, or arrangement, of that content.
The editor is your first unbiased reader.And the editor is on YOUR side. If you are missing the mark in some way, especially on the web,
CLICK
and away goes the client.
The editor, on the other hand, stops to analyze what went wrong, then proposes a solution designed to get your your most wanted response.
Editing services make you money in two ways.
First, and vital on the web, the editor keeps your potential clients reading,
and scrolling instead of clicking away from your site.
Second, the editor presents your message so that you come across as flawlessly knowledgeable and trustworthy.
Third, the editor saves you time.
When you've gone as far as you can but there are still weak spots in your writing, the editor, with a fresh perspective and with experience and expertise in writing, often knows exactly which change will draw your reader deeper into your content.
Fourth, the editor makes you look good.
It's unfair that being the best widget-maker or yoga instructor or race car driver is not enough to get you the customers you deserve. But it's true. You will be judged on your writing skills.
Content is key. But the way you serve up your content can put people off.
Think of a formal dinner in a five star restaurant. No one exclaims over the job the dishwasher does. But let that dishwasher leave a piece of yesterday's egg yoke cemented onto a dinner plate and notice how the whole meal is ruined. Similarly, editing services will never draw attention to themselves, but they will make your writing sparkle.
Fifth, the editor lets you relax.
When a professional helps you to clarify your message, you can give yourself heart-whole other things. Read a book, play with your kids, climb a mountain, sail around the world. Your message on your web site is getting your most wanted response.
Finally, the editor gives people confidence in your message.
If you sound like an expert, people will trust you. Not only your words, but how you arrange those words are part of your presentation. Editors know how to arrange your words in the best possible way.
How do you choose editing services for a web site?
1. Does the editor understand web marketing?
Check out the editor's own web site. Is it a good example of clear information you can access easily? Web writing that sells is much more than just grammatically correct. Your retired High School English teacher may not be the best choice for this specialized work.
2. Does the editor offer you references you can check?
Professional associations? Satisfied clients?
3. Does the editor offer a range of editing services?
Many people mistakenly believe that editing is only looking for grammatical or spelling errors. It can be that. But there are many other editing services, including substantive editing and line editing. Make sure the editor you hire offers the editing services you need. And beware of someone who offers only a predetermined package. Your work is unique and deserves to be handled by someone who will recognize it for its unique qualities.
4. Is she a good match for you personally?
After you've made contact, do you feel that the editor is someone you can work with well? Is his communication clear and professional? Does she respect you and your work?
Your words are your presence on the Web. When you present your excellent ideas in a compelling manner with grammatically correct text, you will come across as the expert your visitor was looking for and the CLICK you get will be followed by KA-CHING!
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