Two types of guys ride Harleys. You’ve got your long-haired disaffected type with tattoos and a second set of handlebars on their top lip. I think you’re probably aware I’m not that kind of Harley guy. But then you’ve got your upwardly mobile Harley guy. Your successful professional type who works in the financial end of town, competes in triathlons and throws a Boxster through the curves of Rose Bay with a blonde paralegal hanging on for grim death in the passenger seat. Yeah, well, I’m not that kind of Harley guy either. And, frankly, I held both types of Harley rider – and the whole Harley legend thing – in total disdain – until I came to write about them.
Creating a Harley Test Ride website
Some time ago now, I was part of a team that was approached by Harley’s local operation to create a site that encouraged more people to take Harley test rides. I wasn’t sure I was the ideal guy to be working on this account, but as usual I threw myself into the task. And got the shock of my life.
Harleys can be lyrical?!?
As part of the brief, I read this fabulous, thick, beautifully art directed brochure on the Harley range, and for the first time I began to understand the appeal of this mysterious cult. The copy in the brochure was almost lyrical in its description of the bike’s details and its visceral effects and I – as always a sucker for the word – began to see these noisy beasts – and the bikes too – in a totally different light. I watched videos on Harley website – particularly the one about the Harley creed – and I began to comprehend why Harleys inspire such irrational loyalty amongst their owners. These words were so alluring, so entirely compelling, that I went out and … got on my pushbike and rode home. The copy was good but it wasn’t that good.
I now look at Harleys differently
I used to look at Harley guys riding past and think, “Wankers”, though of course I was never brave enough to share these thoughts with them. But, now, having penetrated the outer defences of their private club – and my own prejudices – I no longer just see a bunch of noisy bikes of indistinguishable character. I see Fat Boys, and V-Rods and Sportsters (girls bikes!). And I have begun to notice how conservatively most Harley guys ride – if a bike goes past you at 100mph, it’s more likely to be a Jap bike than a Hog. And while I don’t share the same world view, and have no intention of switching my means of transport, I see a certain nobility and pride and honour that I didn’t see before. Any why? All because of some words on a page. Powerful things words – are they working hard enough for you?
I wrote copy for a couple of high end brochures this week and absolutely loved it. It reminded me how much fun copywriting can be and made me question the whole SEO-at-all-costs approach to website copywriting. Is SEO killing off great copywriting? If you write beautifully for the web, will online sales go up or down?
“Try to imagine Shakespeare writing Hamlet within the constraints of search engine optimisation. ‘To be or not to be?’ Hey, Bill, can you squeeze a keyword in there, pal?”
Failed web copywriter, William Shakespeare
The best kind of copywriting clients
The best clients are those who are absolutely passionate about their product. People whose love of what they do is reflected in the quality of their product. And I’ve been lucky enough to work for two of them this last week. One is Poronui, a luxury sporting lodge in New Zealand’s North Island. And the other is Wine Odyssey Australia, an innovative business offering a sensory wine adventure down in The Rocks that is going to be a total trip for Australian wine lovers. But, I wasn’t doing their websites. (Though in time I will.) I was writing their brochures.
Why some clients still need brochures
Anybody remember brochures? They’re kind of glossy paper things. And for certain products they still do the business. A good brochure is a sensual storybook that helps you forget how much money you’re shelling out and how great life will be once you have this object of desire in your life. They create a perception that helps shape reality. I love brochures. I love them as a consumer. And I love them even more as a copywriter.
Brochure copywriting is a blast (from the past)
Not all brochure copywriting is fun. Writing a brochure on toilet paper, for example, wouldn’t be a whole lot of fun. Wasn’t a whole lot of fun. (I wrote a couple for Kimberly Clark.) But when you’re writing for a high-end product and it’s appropriate to be lyrical, sensual and evocative, copywriting becomes an absolute joy. The same can’t be said of a lot of website copywriting.
SEO has killed beautiful copywriting
I’ve had my SEO training. I know how to lift your Google search ranking. I know how to write for an attention-deficient online audience. But unfortunately Search Engine Optimisation and writing for the web in the way that you’re told to write for the web means the elimination of style, the narrowing of vocabulary, the foregoing of beauty. Is that the right way forward? If you re-introduced truly great writing to the web, would your online sales go up or down?
Should we forget all about SEO?
No. I’m not about to throw my SEO manuals out the window (though I might as well since I’ve long ago internalised their contents). And I’m not about to write great swathes of copy for an online audience that insists on scanning. Because if you forget about SEO, the web will forget about your client. But having been reminded this past week of what writing can be, I’m going to be bringing more of that flavour to my website work from now on.
Great copywriting is good for online sales
Not for my sake. But because selling is ultimately about storytelling. Clinical website copywriting might appeal to search engines but search engines don’t buy your product. If, through your copy, you can transport people to another place, they’re more likely to reach into their virtual pockets – and feel good about doing it. If you can use more of your storytelling skills, if you can use words to weave a magic web, you will increase online sales for your client. And have more fun into the bargain.
