Marketing Monday: What do copywriters even do?

Last week I discovered the article I'm about to share just after a conversation where I'd spoken with someone about what I do: it was a very confusing conversation until I realized that she'd heard "copyright" instead of "copywrite".

It's nice to know that I'm in good company.

It's also nice to know that I'm not alone in struggling to explain exactly what a copywriter does. I generally say (perhaps not entirely helpfully) that everything you see in writing from a business - whether it's a menu, billboard, description of an item in a catalog, tweet, blog post, or something in long form like a press release or white paper - has to be written by someone. That's the business I'm in. It's an inelegant and incomplete description (SEO! General marketing concepts! Best practices! Analytics!) but seems to get the point across.

"Ironically, one of the big problems in communicating what copywriters do is a lack of clarity around the definition of the word itself. Turns out, like a doctor that smokes, copywriters aren’t very good at communicating the nuances of their role."

At any rate, this article breaks it down nicely.

Photo from mashable.com
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Friday Find: Spiky

Downton Abbey is officially over, as discussed last week.

This is basically my last chance to tout the Fug Girls' inimitable Downton recaps, so here we are. Their final recap is what I'm enjoying this week. If you haven't already read it, and you've seen the episode, I suggest you do so immediately. It's a perfect goodbye.

This is also a good time to mention that I immediately worked "spiky" into my vocabulary as a side effect of this final episode. Don't be spiky, Granny! (Oh but do. Do be spiky, Dowager, for we will miss you so.)

And bonus: I've mentioned before that physical comedy is my kryptonite. The recap reminded of the swivel chair incident and I looked up the clip. Maggie Smith in the scene is everything. I watched it over and over until I couldn't breathe from laughing so hard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h8A_Y1r_yA My Downton Abbey Tribute Video edited to Disappearing World by David Gray! "Why does every day involve a fight with an American?" I do not own Downton Abbey, copyright belongs to Julian Fellowes, Carnival Films and ITV.

Marketing Monday: Resources

I have had a few conversations recently about staying plugged in to the world of content, marketing, and social, and how various people do that. As a content builder and marketer, I am always looking for recommendations for good sources, and am happy to share my own.

To that end, here are a few of my favorites, which are also captured in my Twitter Marketing list.

Mashable - Always a good resource for staying on top of everything from news to trends to tech. For instance, I was surprised to see today that Peeple (the 'Yelp for people') is back. Thanks for that depressing news, Mashable.

AdWeek - Often entertaining, always informative. Today what caught my interest was this article on Brawny's new campaign, and this one about new offline sales tracking tools for use in conjunction with Facebook ads (smart for everyone involved).

Hootsuite - Often tweets links to its content, which is often about content, to complement their app - which helps you get your content to your people and beyond. Did you get all that? Recently this article caught my eye: things brands should pay attention to about protecting their brand on social media. Not necessarily a new take, but always a good reminder.

BuzzFeed - Say what you will about listicles and quizzes regarding which Harry Potter house you'd be in (Gryffindor, Slytherin, or Hufflepuff, depending on which Sorting Hat I ask): Following BuzzFeed is an absolute must for keeping your finger on the pulse of world news, entertainment, and culture. It's a good way to get a sense of what's trending, what's hot, and what's in focus. Plus I really dig their Publisher and what she has to say about the intersection of data and content. I respect a person who respects both the data and its context.

HubSpot - Cannot overlook this one. This article is a great resource for anyone starting out in social media marketing.

And of course, Google. If ever I'm curious about a topic or an issue Google almost always has the answer. Recently I've been researching and reading up on SEO, a topic that I'm unfortunately not terribly well-versed in.

What's caught your eye lately, and what are your marketing resource go-tos?

Marketing, yo!